SpaceChem - SWiLE's Review

http://www.spacechemthegame.com/
PC, MAC, LINUX, STEAM, IPAD

SpaceChem is an addicting puzzle game that is extremely complex yet surprisingly open ended. Like most puzzle games, you start out with quite easy puzzles but more and more commands are given and the complexity of the expected end results continue to increase as well.

Basic game play involves assigning a path and a series of commands to two different Waldos who will then carry out those commands. The goal is to take a series of atoms and turn them into some other element through bonding, unbonding and fusion. For example a level may ask you to turn Methane into Ethane. As the levels progress things get more complex as some Atoms require double and triple bonds.

Below is a screen shot of the playing field. There are only a few rules. Atoms can't touch each other or the walls.... Other than that you can layout the paths and commands anyway you see fit. There are thousands of possible solutions for each level.

To see these Waldos at work, watch this introduction video from Zachtronics Industries. 

An Intro from Zachtronics Industries

There is a story line that goes with, but the story is definitely not the reason you continue playing the game.

If you follow the story line, you see why you are switching from planet to planet as the game advances.


One of the best, and sometimes worse features of the game are the statistics that are displayed after a level is completed.

After hours of fighting with a level and then finally coming up with an ingenuous solution, you can sit back feeling all smug and watch the little waldos doing your bidding. All the while thinking "man I'm smart!" Then the level ends and the level statistics are compared with the rest of the worlds solutions... sigh...

Over all this game has a serious bang for its buck. It's under $10 on Steam and I've seen it for half that when on sale. This is not the typical play it through and its done puzzle game. I seem to spend more time "tweeking" completed levels then working on new ones.

There is some additional downloadable content, ($2 on Steam) but that's a post for another day. Zachtronics Industries has created a free periodic table cheat sheet (shown below) that helps with atomic weights and the maximum number of bonds for later in the game. One should note that this is a GAME and not based on real science. If you thought playing this game would turn you into a chemist, I've got a house for sale made of solid gold colored bricks with your name on it.

I also plan on posting ALL of my levels for others to review/comment/poke fun at. If you are frustrated after many hours, or days, of struggling with a level take a look at one of my walkthroughs. I'm sure I won't have the fasted times but at least you can move on to the next level.


http://www.spacechemthegame.com/SpaceChem%20-%20Digital%20Swag-Pack.pdf

PC System Requirements

• OS: Windows XP SP3 / Vista / 7
• Processor: 2.0 GHz Processor
• Memory: 1GB RAM
• Hard Disk Space: 300MB
• Video Card: frame buffer support recommended

Mac System Requirements

• OS: OS X version Leopard 10.5.8, Snow Leopard 10.6.3, or later.
• Processor: 2.0 GHz Processor
• Memory: 1GB RAM
• Graphics: frame buffer support recommended
• Hard Drive: 300MB
• Additional: Mono 2.6 or later