Military Incremental Complex is a razor-sharp satire in an idle game package.

*Military Incremental Complex*. Credit: Space Kraken

Indie developer Space Kraken, founded by two engineers in Seattle, has created Military Incremental Complex, a gleefully cynical idle game about weapons manufacturing. It’s a genre-perfect match for the subject matter, turning number-go-up mechanics into biting satire that makes you complicit as you rake in trillions of dollars while doing increasingly morally dubious things.

You begin by hand-crafting bullets, then graduate to larger and deadlier products through tactile minigames: pressing buttons in sequence, turning knobs to precise positions, and moving sliders. Over time, these manual processes become automated with upgrades. Of course, if you still find the manual labor satisfying, you can turn off automation and get some bonuses.

From there, interlocking systems pile on. The Fear Broadcasting mechanic, with upgrades like “24-hour news cycle,” lets you terrify the global population to inflate weapon prices. You can research new technologies or accelerate development via black-market deals. Lobby corrupt politicians to repeal regulations, secure tax breaks, or outright start wars. Corner the stock market for passive income, vertically integrate by expanding mining operations and refining raw materials, and generally ensure every part of the supply chain serves your bottom line. Meanwhile, a scrolling output log flashes corporate jargon alongside your production numbers. Every mechanic drips with dark humor that would feel heavy-handed if it wasn’t so sadly on-point.

One of my favorite touches is the odd upgrades sprinkled throughout the research trees. Nestled among expected upgrades like “Increased Maneuverability,” “Better Material Prices,” and “Just-in-Time Manufacturing,” you’ll uncover gems such as “Artificial Intimacy,” “Optimized Typefaces,” and “Blackmail.” Corruption and operating in the lowest depths of the grey area is half the appeal.

The prestige system adds real replayability with some equally witty options. Restarting with points to spend on dozens of permanent upgrades like growing extra hands for faster production or assigning interns to twirl roadside signs opens up wildly different strategies for launching your profits into the stratosphere on subsequent runs.

The presentation perfectly complements the pitch-perfect satire. The graphics ape a Windows 95-era aesthetic, complete with an aggressively ugly color palette, default system fonts, beveled buttons, drop-down menus, checkboxes, sliders, and everything else you’d expect to find in bland corporate software. Low-poly weapons flood the screen as production ramps up, turning tanks, jets, and missiles into a constant visual reminder of the scale of your death dealing. That display isn’t just decorative, either. You can click rare golden weapons—because of course there are gold weapons—for temporary price boosts.

Military Incremental Complex succeeds both as a robust incremental game packed with interlocking systems and as pointed cultural commentary with a satirical edge. You’ll have a great time maximizing profits at the expense of your morals.

Military Incremental Complex is available now on Steam.