Space Exploration is an epic overhaul mod for Factorio.

I reviewed this mod in video form and intertwined with a base tour, but I’ve extraced the key points below. Despite some minor criticisms, this was one of the best Factorio experiences I’ve had. One of the best gaming experiences I’ve had. The scope of this mod is simply remarkable.

[Edit in 2024: There have been a number of major updates to this mod since this review, adding new functionality, significantly changing the tech progression and some recipes, and in general improving the overall experience even further.]

• Interesting extended burner phase.
• Slightly extra complexity towards mid-game, requiring new layouts but without increasing difficulty too much.
• Didn’t explore core mining, would like to try it out next run.
• Loved the beacon rework: much wider area and more module slots, but each machine can only be affected by a single beacon.
• Fantastic thematic cohesion, with art assets to match: telescopes and radar to scan the skies, mechanical facilities smashing trains together and blowing things up to measure forces, large particle colliders, and labs growing stuff. It was a treat discovering each new reseach tech.
• Spaceships were really neat to play around with, but always felt a bit janky. This was part user error, part not using recommended mods, and part their operation changed due to an update. I don’t think these issues would be present when I do another run. Transit time was a major issue however. Definitely created an interesting constraint, but early planets could take minutes to get to, and deep asteroid belts tens of minutes even with late game engines. Halving (or even more) transit times would have kept the same constraint with less annoyance.
• Incredible how challenges stayed fresh and interesting deep into late game.
• Became a bit burned out during deep space science and abandoned the run for a few months.
• Arcospheres was a potentially fun programming problem made unfun by a terrible programming environment.
• Final space ship was a massive grind, mostly because when I thought I was done, I was most definitely not done. Ten hours away not done.