PRINCIPIA: Master of Science

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PRINCIPIA: Master of Science is a single player simulation game. It was developed by tomeapp and was released on September 9, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Principia: Master of Science is a simulation game with the theme of European science in 17th century. Player will choose one of real scientists in those era like Isaac Newton and proceed on the research. It's the time even the word "Science" didn't exist. Who can be the master of science?

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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65%

Audience ScoreBased on 51 reviews

atmosphere2 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

PRINCIPIA: Master of Science offers a unique and engaging simulation of the scientific process during the Age of Enlightenment, allowing players to step into the shoes of historical figures like Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz.
The game effectively captures the delicate balance between scientific discovery and the politics of knowledge, providing a thoughtful experience that rewards strategic decision-making and patience.
Visually, the game adopts a minimalist aesthetic that enhances immersion, and its focus on intellectual elements makes it appealing to players who appreciate deep strategy and historical context.

The game suffers from a lack of content and depth, leading to repetitive gameplay and a sense of stagnation once players grasp its mechanics, which can diminish long-term engagement.
Many players have expressed frustration with the game's unfinished state, citing issues such as a rough interface, bugs, and a lack of updates since its early access release.
The gameplay can feel overly simplistic and easy, with limited challenge and depth in interactions with rival scientists, which detracts from the potential for a more engaging and dynamic experience.

gameplay
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
The gameplay of principia is structured around turn-based mechanics focused on scientific research, but it has been criticized for its lack of depth and complexity, leading to a repetitive experience. Players find the mechanics overly simplistic and desire more engaging content, such as additional research branches and improved explanations. While the game offers a thoughtful blend of history and science, many feel it falls short in providing a satisfying and varied gameplay loop.
- “The core gameplay unfolds in a turn-based structure that revolves around six major fields of research: astronomy, physics, optics, thermodynamics, biology, and mathematics.”
- “Rather than relying on flashy mechanics, Principia thrives on systems that evoke the competitive yet fragile nature of the scientific revolution.”
- “With its richly detailed mechanics, thoughtful decision-making, and compelling blend of real history and scientific theory, Principia challenges players to expand the frontiers of knowledge while managing rivalries, reputation, and the occasional clash with dogma.”
- “The mechanics are not immediately transparent, and players must invest time in deciphering the game’s logic before progress becomes satisfying.”
- “Some mechanics, such as peer review and theory disputes, lack the depth to sustain multiple playthroughs.”
- “Personally, I found the gameplay very repetitive; you are essentially doing research on a topic and waiting your turn to, again, do your research on the said topic.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its baroque-inspired aesthetic while others find it excessively loud and repetitive, leading to frustration. Many users express a strong desire for the option to mute or adjust the music, as the short clips become maddening over time. Overall, while the style is praised, the lack of diversity and control over the audio detracts significantly from the experience.
- “The subdued aesthetic, accompanied by baroque-inspired background music, evokes the contemplative rhythm of scholarly work.”
- “I really like the style - both graphics and music.”
- “The classical music can not be turned off in game, slowly drilling through your skull till you can not stand waiting for other scientists to complete their turn listening to the same song for the 100th time.”
- “This game has some potential, but right now it's quite repetitive and the background music is awful.”
- “You're assaulted with loud music you can't shut off, so either suffer through it or mute everything with your computer.”
- “The classical music cannot be turned off in-game, slowly drilling through your skull until you can no longer stand waiting for other scientists to complete their turn, listening to the same song for the 100th time.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the subdued aesthetic and artwork, while others criticize the simplistic design and graphical bugs that can hinder gameplay. While a few users find the visuals appealing and fitting for the game's theme, others describe them as subpar, likening them to a beta version rather than a polished release. Overall, the graphical quality seems to be a point of contention among players, with a notable divide in opinions.
- “The subdued aesthetic, accompanied by baroque-inspired background music, evokes the contemplative rhythm of scholarly work.”
- “I really like the style - both graphics and music.”
- “Graphics don't need to be changed in my opinion, they're perfectly fine.”
- “I fully recommend this game, sadly there are some graphical bugs that will render the interface unusable, so you might happen to lose progress.”
- “Aesthetically, it looks like garbage, which would have been fine for a newly released beta version of a game, not one that is fully launched.”
- “Gameplay, UI, depth, graphics, QoS, and replayability; all pitiful.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game is widely criticized for its lack of replayability, with many reviewers noting that the gameplay is boring, too easy, and limited in design. Players find that while it may be enjoyable initially, there is little incentive to return after the first playthrough. Overall, the consensus is that the game fails to offer meaningful replay value.
- “I would make the real-world story and decisions each of these characters had to go through so that it would make the game replayable at least.”
- “Overall, I would rate this game a solid 4.5/10. It's pretty fun for the first 10 or so minutes, but it has limited replayability.”
- “Oh yeah... there is absolutely no replayability.”
- “The game is way too limited in design to have any form of replayability.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often questioning whether the effort will lead to a worthwhile experience. While the game is described as playable and visually appealing, the shallow relationships and limited content contribute to a sense of frustration during the grind for completion.
- “Tedious and ridiculous.”
- “I doubt the final product will be worth the replay; it's very repetitive with little content that requires some grinding.”
- “Now in its current state, the game is playable, enjoyable, and beautiful, but bloody tedious, and the relationships with the other natural philosophers are sadly shallow.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The story is coherent and enjoyable, with a unique starting point featuring Isaac Newton that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers suggest incorporating real-world events and decisions of the characters to increase replayability.
- “The story is coherent and pleasant.”
- “If you start your game with Isaac Newton, that would be the only correct way to experience the whole story.”
- “I would make the real-world story and decisions each of these characters had to go through so that it would make the game replayable at least.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game currently suffers from stability issues, including occasional freezes, although it does feature an autosave function to mitigate potential losses. Additionally, it fails to recognize Steam's language settings, which may affect user experience. Overall, these factors contribute to a recommendation against playing the game at this time.
- “I cannot recommend this game yet as it freezes sometimes (luckily it has an autosave feature).”
- “The game does not recognize your Steam's language settings.”
- “The game is way too easy.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its authenticity, effectively capturing the dual themes of cooperation and competition within the scientific community. Players appreciate the engaging art style that enhances the overall experience.
- “Authentic, really captures the atmosphere of both cooperation and competition in the sciences, working on a specialist area while trying to level up other skills.”
- “Very nice atmosphere and art.”

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4h Median play time

4h Average play time

4-4h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

PRINCIPIA: Master of Science is a simulation game.

PRINCIPIA: Master of Science is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing PRINCIPIA: Master of Science.

PRINCIPIA: Master of Science was released on September 9, 2016.

PRINCIPIA: Master of Science was developed by tomeapp.

PRINCIPIA: Master of Science has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its atmosphere but disliked it for its gameplay.

PRINCIPIA: Master of Science is a single player game.

Similar games include Sigma Theory: Global Cold War, News Tower, Writer's Rush, Hundred Days - Winemaking Simulator, Hundred Days and others.

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