Pharmakon

About

Pharmakon is a single player tactical turn-based strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Visumeca Games and was released on July 20, 2017. It received neutral reviews from players.

Use your drone to lead tactical combat against elemental beasts infesting your faction. Assess the risks, coordinate attacks, optimize your equipment and become the agent who will put an end to the infestation!

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56%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

replayability2 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Unique blend of turn-based tactics and puzzle-solving requiring careful planning and strategic thinking.
Modular drone upgrade system allowing customization and different playstyles.
Procedural generation adds variability and replay value to encounters.

Poor programming and game design issues, including bugs that affect gameplay consistency and fairness.
Repetitive gameplay with limited mechanics and low variety leads to a monotonous experience.
Lack of meaningful progression and sometimes frustrating difficulty spikes due to random encounters.

gameplay
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The gameplay focuses on strategic, methodical encounters that require players to analyze enemy behavior and plan actions carefully, offering a rewarding challenge for those willing to master its mechanics. However, limited mechanics, random battles, and repetitive tasks like repairing equipment can lead to frustration and reduce the overall enjoyment. While the design emphasizes tactical depth over aesthetics, some players find the experience less engaging due to lack of variety and immersion.
- “The focus is firmly on gameplay systems, with each encounter functioning as a contained challenge that asks the player to assess the situation, understand enemy behaviors, and determine the most effective sequence of actions.”
- “For players who appreciate methodical gameplay and are willing to invest time in mastering its mechanics, it provides a rewarding experience that emphasizes understanding over speed.”
- “Third, the core gameplay consists of putting Tetris tiles inside a 'cube' as much as you can fit, then picking enemies for attacks while considering their elements.”
- “Very limited mechanics, battles are random which can result in impossible to win situations.”
- “Furthermore, the player needs to tend to a lot of repetitive mechanical tedium (repairing and putting pieces back) which gets old fast.”
- “This is complicated by the rage mechanic which means you can only indirectly damage each beast twice before it attacks you anyway.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The story is primarily text-based and slow-paced, focusing on a straightforward mission to clear an island of enemies, with the plot feeling secondary and somewhat unengaging. While some find the story and graphics cheap, others appreciate the mood created by the arts, music, and story, which contributes to a cool, retro-futuristic atmosphere.
- “Story is text-based and slow.”
- “You go on a mission to clear out an island of baddies of a certain type (because... reasons).”
- “And the plot is secondary, so it's sort of pointless to pick at it.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are functional and serve the gameplay well but lack polish and fail to enhance immersion, with some users finding them cheap and unimpressive.
- “The focus remains on gameplay rather than aesthetics, and while this supports the design, it does little to enhance immersion.”
- “Like the visuals, it serves its purpose effectively but does not significantly elevate the overall experience.”
- “I personally didn't like the story and graphics as well; they look cheap.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's randomized elements add an interesting and innovative layer of unpredictability that enhances initial replay value and strategic optimization. However, once players become familiar with the mechanics, the challenge diminishes, leading to limited long-term replayability.
- “This adds replay value, but it also introduces a degree of unpredictability that can affect difficulty.”
- “It certainly is interesting (and innovative as far as I know), and can take a while to optimize your strategy. While the elements you start with and the pieces and enemies you meet are largely randomized after the beginning, the replayability may be limited once you get the hang of things.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its subtle, atmospheric audio design and restrained soundtrack, which effectively complement its tone. Combined with the retro-futuristic art style and engaging story, it creates a distinctive and immersive mood despite some animation flaws.
- “The audio design complements the game’s tone with subtle, atmospheric sounds and a restrained soundtrack.”
- “The overall mood is pretty nice; the art (despite a few clunky animations), music, and story resonated with me, creating a cool, retro-futuristic atmosphere.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game effectively enhances its retro-futuristic atmosphere with subtle, atmospheric sounds and a restrained soundtrack that complements the overall tone and mood.
- “The audio design complements the game’s tone with subtle, atmospheric sounds and a restrained soundtrack.”