Alchemia

About

Alchemia is a single player casual puzzle game with a mystery theme. It was developed by Matthew Brown and was released on September 28, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Alchemia is a cryptic puzzle game which is solved through research outside of the game. This mysterious 17th century book on alchemy claimed to reveal the secret of the Philosopher's Stone to those who could solve the riddles and ciphers contained within.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 47 reviews

gameplay3 negative mentions

Offers a uniquely challenging and intellectually stimulating puzzle experience that blends cryptography, history, and esoteric symbolism, appealing to players who enjoy deep research and outside-the-game investigation.
Well-designed puzzles that encourage creativity, persistence, and deep engagement, resulting in rewarding moments of discovery and satisfaction for those who solve them.
Minimalistic presentation focuses attention on puzzles without distraction, creating an authentic and immersive intellectual exercise with a quiet, introspective atmosphere.

Lacks traditional gameplay elements such as interactivity, feedback, progression systems, or tutorials, making it feel more like a puzzle book than a conventional video game and causing frustration or confusion for some players.
Requires extensive outside research and note-taking, and provides no way to input or verify solutions within the game, which may make the experience inaccessible or tedious for many players.
Extreme difficulty and ambiguity of puzzles lead to a steep learning curve that can overwhelm players without strong cryptography knowledge or patience, limiting the game's appeal to a small, niche audience.

gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The gameplay lacks traditional loops and a clear plot, focusing solely on puzzle-solving without in-game mechanics or guidance. It heavily relies on external note-taking and can be challenging for players seeking structured gameplay or straightforward progression.
- “At its core, Alchemia offers no traditional gameplay loop.”
- “For starters, this has no gameplay loops and no real plot or anything; you just solve the puzzles and then you get an achievement (and you can just google it if you want the achievement).”
- “Almost all of the 'gameplay' took place inside of my Google Doc of notes.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features minimal to no music or sound design, creating a quiet and introspective atmosphere. Additionally, there is no option to adjust or turn off the music.
- “With little to no music or sound design to guide the player’s emotions, the experience becomes quiet and introspective.”
- “There isn't even an options menu to turn off the music.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story aspect is minimal, lacking a real plot or engaging narrative, focusing solely on puzzle-solving with achievements as the main reward. This led to limited player interest and engagement.
- “For starters, this has no gameplay loops and no real plot or anything; you just solve the puzzles and then you get an achievement (which you can just google if you want the achievement).”
- “Hardly a success story; gamers just weren't all that interested in the game.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are simple and functional, primarily featuring a virtual book interface for navigating puzzles. Visuals focus on clarity rather than elaborate design, effectively supporting the cryptographic gameplay.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization is viewed negatively, as users feel the product offers little value on its own and functions more like a paid teaser rather than providing meaningful content or clear information about the advertised game.