Alchemia: Creatio Ex Nihilo

About

Alchemia is a turn-based strategy roguelike with a hint of puzzle. You'll collect alchemical reagents, building your own personalized combat satchel, and combine them into magical recipes, unique to each run, to battle against outlandish foes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique twist on the deckbuilding genre, allowing players to combine reagents and discover recipes, which adds a fun and challenging layer to gameplay.
The creature and enemy designs are engaging, and the developers actively interact with the community, enhancing the overall experience.
The gameplay loop is addictive and enjoyable, with a good balance of difficulty that encourages mastering the mechanics.

Starting runs can feel repetitive and similar, leading to a lack of variation in the early game experience.
The game currently suffers from bugs and crashes, which can detract from the overall enjoyment and playability.
There are concerns about the game's long-term replayability due to limited recipe variety and the potential for strategies to become easily solvable.

gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The gameplay is characterized by a fun and addictive loop, particularly appealing to fans of unique mechanics like alchemy involving reagents and recipes. However, some players feel that the game lacks replayability, which may disappoint those expecting a more robust roguelike experience. Overall, while the core mechanics are well-received, concerns about long-term engagement persist.
- “I'm loving the gameplay loop; it's very fun and addictive.”
- “I also think the core mechanics are pretty cool.”
- “Nothing would change in the gameplay, and you wouldn't have to specify it on every single element, which is going to take up a lot of room if more higher tiers are added later on.”
- “First, let's go over the core mechanic:”
- “This game's unique mechanic is dressed up as alchemy and revolves around the concept of reagents and recipes.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game offers solid replayability for fans of deckbuilder roguelites, making it a worthwhile experience for that audience. However, some players feel let down by the lack of replayability in its mechanics, suggesting that the game could benefit from more engaging meta progression to enhance its longevity. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some praising its replay value while others find it lacking.
- “Although the way it is right now, it's fully playable and replayable - so if you like deckbuilder roguelites, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try!”
- “If you're here because you like roguelike deckbuilders, then this game will leave you feeling a little let down, mostly because the otherwise interesting mechanics are utterly devoid of replayability.”
- “I think it's entirely unreasonable to expect people to do your meta progression grind if you're not going to put a premium on replayability.”
- “The game lacks the depth and variety needed to encourage multiple playthroughs, making it feel repetitive after just a few sessions.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious, as the ability to consistently access deck thinning and recipes leads to a lack of challenge. This results in prolonged, repetitive battles that detract from the overall experience, particularly in the early stages where exploration feels aimless and fights become a mere formality.
- “Deck thinning always being accessible once you find the shop node, combined with the fact that you always have access to recipes and base reagents, means that I can go for this strategy every time. Enemies have no chance of defeating me, and the game devolves into a tedious slog.”
- “The first act very quickly becomes a tedious swamp of stalling fights while you brute force certain recipes, all while you explore the entire map. You're never forced to choose a path on the map; you are free to explore everything you've seen in any order.”
- “The first act very quickly becomes a tedious swamp of stalling fights while you brute force certain recipes, all while you explore the entire map. You're never forced to choose a path on the map; you are free to explore everything you've seen in any order.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for creating a terrific atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience. While some players noted that the gameplay can become repetitive, the introduction of new musical elements as they progress helps maintain engagement.
- “Terrific atmosphere! Loved the music, although the game got a little repetitive at times, but you unlock new stuff as you progress.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are praised for their innovative approach to deckbuilding, offering a unique aesthetic that enhances the overall experience rather than simply integrating traditional card elements into other genres.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is enjoyable, but players report significant bugs that affect its stability.
- “The game is pretty fun, but it is buggy.”
- “The game is pretty fun, but it is buggy.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, particularly for its engaging music, which enhances the overall experience. However, some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive, though new content is unlocked as they progress.
- “Terrific atmosphere! I loved the music, although the game got a little repetitive at times. However, you unlock new stuff as you progress.”