Artificer: Science of Magic
- September 10, 2020
- Psilocybe Games
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Artificer: Science of Magic" is a single-player survival RPG set on the alien planet of Alcor, where players assume the role of a marooned science officer named Raymond Everett. The game emphasizes researching and practicing arcane arts to create magic, spells, and artifacts, while surviving against deadly creatures, bizarre plants, and eldritch beings. Exploration and stealing arcane secrets from alien races are encouraged to advance mystical knowledge and power.
Reviews
- The game has a unique concept that combines science and magic, allowing for interesting research and experimentation.
- The art style and soundtrack create an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- There are clever mechanics, such as the monster autopsy feature, that add depth to gameplay.
- The game suffers from poor design choices, including a lack of clear guidance and frustrating progression mechanics.
- Combat and crafting systems are overly simplistic and tedious, leading to a lack of engagement.
- The game is plagued by bugs and technical issues, which can hinder the overall experience.
- gameplay23 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, featuring original and clever mechanics, particularly in research and exploration, but suffers from poor implementation and a lack of coherence. Players find the experience disjointed, with some mechanics underexplored and a frustratingly slow progression due to excessive exposition and grindy elements. While the core loop of scavenging and advancing through research is engaging, the overall execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a repetitive experience after a few hours.
“Gameplay and story are quite simple, but boy, is it original.”
“Some of the mechanics are clever, like the xeno-fauna autopsies.”
“The core gameplay loop can be boiled down to exploring the alien planet, scavenging for materials, researching tech that allows you to use those materials, and then advancing to the next tier using your newly acquired knowledge.”
“Other mechanics are straight up boring and grindy, and I question how much time the devs spent playtesting and getting honest feedback from players before deploying this game.”
“It's like there was this grand idea with some mechanics around it... and then the dev forgot that you actually have to make a coherent game around it.”
“I really want to like this game, but it's just kind of disjointed, like there are so many mechanics that just aren't explored as much as they should be.”
- music12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the immersive, alien atmosphere, with specific tracks effectively matching different areas and events. While some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's experience. However, a few users mentioned that environmental sounds can sometimes overshadow the music.
“Beautiful music and fascinating, alien looks make me feel I am really stranded on this foreign world.”
“The most consistent aspect of the game I enjoyed was the music.”
“Certain areas and events spark specific songs, and I genuinely became more interested in areas that had soundtrack changes.”
“As you walk through the marsh biome, it sounded like there were a couple hundred mobs walking towards me - it really drowns out the backing soundtrack and overall is pretty loud.”
“The music is okay; I don't know much about music to make an opinion about it.”
“The music is okay; I don't know much about music to make an opinion about it.”
- story11 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story in the game is described as original and interesting, presenting players with engaging situations to resolve, though it can feel incomplete with loose ends and a lack of clear progression. Players have reported bugs that hinder story advancement, but community support has helped resolve these issues. Overall, while the narrative is captivating, some players express disappointment with the abrupt ending and the limited guidance on how to continue the quest.
“The story quickly presents the player with a situation they have to figure out how to resolve, and I got as far as unlocking how to deal with that situation.”
“The story is cool, also combat is cool and there is a cool amount to work out for yourself.”
“Story of the game is interesting and addictive.”
“There are several story elements that I will wonder about forever if the game is not updated.”
“Having a small story at the end that just ties off some loose ends isn't really a decent ending.”
“You're also likely to be disappointed that the game kinda just stops once you've 'unlocked everything', because it's telling a story rather than being an open-ended 'see how long you can last' type of game.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the cumbersome crafting system that requires dragging items individually for each potion. The trial and error mechanics in alchemy are heavily penalized, discouraging experimentation and making the time invested feel unrewarding. While some players appreciate the community support and the game's magical theme, the overall sentiment leans towards the grinding being a significant drawback.
“Other mechanics are straight up boring and grindy, and I question how much time the devs spent playtesting and getting honest feedback from players before deploying this game.”
“It is very grindy, especially the trial and error dissection and alchemy minigames.”
“Very little is explained, and you're discouraged from experimentation because the crafting system is so tedious.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally praised for their decent artwork and unique art style, contributing to a fittingly strange and alien atmosphere. Players appreciate the visuals as fabulous for the game's genre, enhancing the experience of discovering recipes and engaging in mini-games.
“Decent artwork and an awesome OST create a fitting, weird, alien atmosphere.”
“For this type of game, the graphics are fabulous!”
“Nice art style.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably poor, with numerous bugs affecting gameplay, including unresponsive events and disappearing bosses. While some players experienced minor glitches that were quickly resolved by supportive community members, the overall consensus highlights significant flaws, particularly in the crafting system, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
“This game is very buggy and there are some things that are not explained well. There is a specific crafting system in this game called enchantment that is absolutely flawed in many ways. If it takes me 2 hours to craft one item despite having every material for it, and that item being one of the base items of this crafting system, there is a large problem.”
“Buggy as hell, can't complete the initial sequence. When the character enters the launch pad, there is no event trigger, you can't leave the room and can only walk around in it, forever.”
“-Still buggy, two of the bosses disappeared mid-fight and I had to delete various files in my save to respawn them.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by decent artwork and an impressive original soundtrack, which together create a fittingly strange and alien environment.
“The decent artwork and awesome original soundtrack create a fitting, weird, alien atmosphere.”
“The immersive environment draws you in, making you feel like you're part of another world.”
“The haunting sound design and stunning visuals combine to create an unforgettable atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
“Despite the decent artwork, the overall ambiance fails to evoke any emotional response.”
“The game tries to create a unique atmosphere, but it ultimately falls flat and feels generic.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its depth and nuance, resonating strongly with players who appreciate its heartfelt storytelling and themes.
“This is a heartfelt review as there are many nuances involved with enjoying and appreciating what this game is all about.”
