Middenmoon

About Middenmoon

Middenmoon is a simulation game where you build and manage a factory to harvest resources from a floating heap of ancient garbage. Developed by Dorfl and released in 2026, it runs on PC and Linux. The story casts you as a worker on Skubalon IV, tasked with excavating a "midden-moon" of discarded tech and materials. Your goal is to power the site with unstable zero-point energy crystals, sort through debris, and ship valuable loot to a central hub. It’s a no-frills resource management challenge wrapped in a sci-fi junkyard setting. Perfect if you enjoy hyper-specific logistical puzzles.

Gameplay

You start by placing excavators to dig through layers of trash, then funnel materials to washers, sorters, and disassemblers. Every action requires balancing energy input from the crystals, which occasionally overload. A typical session involves tweaking conveyor routes, troubleshooting conveyor blockages, and upgrading machinery to process higher-value items. The zero-point tech adds tension, overheat your grid and you lose progress. Missions unlock new areas of the moon, each with unique resource densities. Controls are keyboard/mouse heavy, with a minimap for navigation. The pace is methodical, rewarding patience and precise planning over action.

What Players Think

Middenmoon holds a 4.3/5 on PlayPile, with 25% of players achieving 100% completion. Average playtime is 18 hours, though 12% hit 40+ hours. Community moods split between "addictive" (38%) and "frustrating" (22%), with one reviewer calling it "a spreadsheet in space." Critics praise its "tight systems" but note a steep learning curve. Achievement completion rates are high for early-game tasks (76% for "First Disassembly") but drop to 14% for endgame challenges. The game’s 220 achievements focus on efficiency metrics and crystal management.

PlayPile's Take

Middenmoon is a niche triumph for fans of management simulators who don’t mind grinding through spreadsheets. It’s not pretty, but the systems click satisfyingly once mastered. At $39.99, it offers solid replayability for those who thrive on optimization. Skip it if you want story or fast-paced action. For the right audience, players who enjoyed Satisfactory’s factory loops but want fewer distractions, it’s a no-brainer. Just be ready to invest time in its quirks.

Storyline

Mission Briefing Location: Skubalon IV Survey notes: Old Empire waste facility (type 3b; a midden-moon) Energy crystals present (zero-point tech; still active) Reclaimable resources estimated worth: 7 trillion kudos Directives: Excavate the identified sites Power the facility using the crystals Deliver all resources requested by the Hub