Building comparison
head to head
FactoriovsThe Incredible Machine 3
Neither is meaningfully harder - they pose close to the same test. The widest gap is execution, and it is a single point.
Factorio
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A factory-engineering sandbox about scaling throughput against your own bottlenecks.
The Incredible Machine 3
Optimization · Pure Optimization
A physics puzzle of engineering Rube Goldberg contraptions to solve fixed goals.
Factorio leans Optimization (Pure Optimization); The Incredible Machine 3 leans Optimization (Pure Optimization).
FactorioThe Incredible Machine 3
Axis by axis
Execution2 vs 1
Factorio leans a little harder on execution, though the gap is small.
Factorio
Some APM in early hand-crafting; otherwise irrelevant.
The Incredible Machine 3
Placing parts is untimed, no dexterity needed
Reads0 vs 0
Same score on reads - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Factorio
Biters follow fixed pollution rules; no adaptive opponent.
The Incredible Machine 3
Solo puzzle, nothing to predict
Variance1 vs 1
Same score on variance - which means the number cannot separate them. The difference is in what each one asks of you.
Factorio
Resource patch placement adds minor map randomness.
The Incredible Machine 3
Physics is deterministic, no randomness
Optimization10 vs 9
Factorio leans a little harder on optimization, though the gap is small.
Factorio
Throughput, ratios, and logistics are the entire game.
The Incredible Machine 3
Engineering a working contraption from parts IS the game
A matching score does not mean a matching test. Two games can both sit at 10 on execution and demand completely different things of you - which is why the reasoning above matters more than the number beside it.