Factorio vs Northgard
Factorio
Factorio is a simulation game where you build, expand and maintain a series of factories. The game will require you to take control of the entire production line from obtaining resources you need right up to packaging the final product while constantly upgrading and modifying every aspect of your factories to improve their productivity. As your enterprise grows, you'll eventually unlock a plethora of technologically advanced machineries, tools and hires that are basically a lot better than what you currently have.That's not all, apparently the world you'll be setting up your factories in isn't very "factory-friendly". Expect to have to deal with frequent attacks by the local inhabitants. You might want to set up turrets, walls, and other defensive structures to protect your machines from damage that will, god forbid, disrupt your production line.
Interestingly, the game has a cooperative multiplayer game mode where you can work with your friends to create a massive factories-filled world. The game may sound like an endless freeplay sort, but there are some fun challenges for you to complete as well as a Map Editor for you to create new maps to play in.
Factorio is the sort of game that will appeal to players who like managing stuff, namely fans of tycoon-like games. It also has a nice little tower defense-like element to it that spice things up a bit, along with other events that will put your problem-solving skills to the test.
Northgard
Northgard is a rather unique city-builder/strategy game that allows you to lead a group of Northmen to unknown new shores in hopes of making a life there. Like most city-building games, you'll need to help them set up a home, assign your Vikings to perform various roles, ensure there is enough food to feed the entire village, and amass a small army to help defend your territories from other hostile clans. The strategic aspects of the game may not be obvious at first but you'll quickly realize that new territories that you discover (you don't exactly need to conquer it for this to work) will present new strategic opportunities for your clan to expand or grow, be it new sources for food or a nice place to set up a new trading post. There are many victory conditions as well, so it's not always "kill or be killed" in this game.Northgard offers players a single player experience by playing with AIs with various personalities or with their friends online. However, many players have reported that the game does have a somewhat flawed AI-player relationship. Even if you're best buddies with an AI's clan through healthy trading relationships, their clan members will still attack your people, which frankly feels a lot like a betrayal. It'd be nice to have a tutorial as well.
That said though, Northgard is an impressive game especially if you enjoy a bit of city-builder/strategy game like Valhalla Hills.