A fun engine-building mini-programming game. The puzzles are fun but do get a bit repetitive eventually since there is no clear incentive to drive to efficiency in terms of cost, space, or time. It would really benefit from a meta-game structure that encourages revisiting old puzzles and improving them. Worth it for the low cost, but the core is so beautiful and fun that I am sad that it doesn't deserve a $50 price.
Opus Magnum
- Release Date:
- Dec 7, 2017
- Metacritic:
- 90
- Developer:
- Zachtronics
- Publisher:
- Zachtronics
- Platforms:
- Windows Mac Linux
Game Tags
About This Game
Hailed as the most promising alchemist of his generation, Anataeus Vaya has just accepted a position as Head Alchemist of House Van Tassen, the oldest and richest of the city’s ancient Houses. But dangers lurk behind the family’s opulent facade, and alchemy alone may not solve every problem.

Opus Magnum is the latest open-ended puzzle game from Zachtronics, the creators of SpaceChem, Infinifactory, TIS-100, and SHENZHEN I/O. Master the intricate, physical machinery of the transmutation engine— the alchemical engineer’s most advanced tool— and use it to create vital remedies, precious gemstones, deadly weapons, and more.
Design Machines - Design and build machines that carry out alchemical processes using a variety of components including programmable arms, customizable tracks, and more esoteric devices like Van Berlo’s wheel and the Glyph of Animismus.
Open-Ended Puzzles - Compete against your friends and the world to build the simplest, fastest, and most compact solutions to the game’s challenges. Export animated GIFs of your elegant designs to show them off.
Steam Workshop - Make and share your own puzzles with full Steam Workshop integration and an easy-to-use puzzle editor. Play the top user-submitted puzzles in the prestigious Journal of Alchemical Engineering, curated by Zachtronics!
Rich Story - Intrigues and dark plots swirl around the city’s ancient Houses. Alchemists, who hold the power to create almost anything known to science, are highly sought— and highly dangerous.
Solitaire Minigame - Alchemical engineering takes focus and concentration. Take a break with Sigmar’s Garden, an original alchemy-based solitaire game. Every game is winnable, but not every game will be won…
Screenshots
User Reviews
It's TOO FUCKING HARD FOR ME ---{ [b]Gameplay[/b] }--- ☐ Excellent! ☐ Very Good! ☑ Good! ☐ It's just gameplay! ☐ Mehh! ☐ Watch paint dry instead! ---{ [b]Graphics[/b] }--- ☐ Reality looks disappointingly ugly in comparison! ☐ Gorgeous! ☐ Good! ☑ Decent! ☐ Bad! ☐ Bus Simulator 16 Ultra Low settings! ☐ $1 Budget game! ---{ [b]Audio[/b] }--- ☐ Eargasm! ☐ Very good! ☑ Good! ☐ Manageable! ☐ Bad! ☐ My ears! ---{ [b]Audience[/b] }--- ☑ Fresh out the womb & up! ☐ 8 & up! ☐ 13 & up! ☐ 18 & up! ☐ 30 & up! ☐ 60 & up! ☐ You will never be old enough! ---{ [b]PC Requirements[/b] }--- ☑ Potato! ☐ Smart toaster! ☐ Decent! ☐ Fast! ☐ Ask your employer if they can give you a 500% pay raise! ☐ Invest in a Quantum computer! ☐ Get into a rocket flying at 50% the speed of light. Wait 3 months, return to Earth, then play the game! ---{ [b]Game Size[/b] }--- ☑ Floppy Disk! ☐ Old Fashioned!...
Feels like work but with joy
Fantastic. I still haven't worked my way through all the chapters in the original game, let alone user content. Perfect puzzle game, with different kind of challenges to focus on. Size? Speed? Or simply your own preferred elegance in the solution? All valid. With some experimenting I can generally match the fastest time on record. But the smallest? Utterly stumped. How do people *do* that? Fun!
This game is very fun and it's very much a programming game. I love the little mini-game within it too.
Absolutely beautiful. It is a puzzle game - but one that allows for tinkering and beauty.
fun
very fun.
Best puzzle game I will ever have the pleasure of playing. Sat down with some friends and played this competitively with each other until we had minimized the different metrics as much as possible. Absolute blast. This game challenges you to think specially and procedurally to create increasingly complex final products. Unique concept and challenging applications.
good game
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System Requirements
Minimum
- OS *: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10
- Processor: 2.0 GHz
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: 1366 x 768
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 600 MB available space
Recommended
- OS *: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10
- Processor: 2.0 GHz
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: 1920 x 1080
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 600 MB available space
FAQ
How much does Opus Magnum cost?
Opus Magnum costs $19.99.
What are the system requirements for Opus Magnum?
Minimum: Minimum: OS *: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 Processor: 2.0 GHz Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: 1366 x 768 DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 600 MB available space Recommended: Recommended: OS *: Windows Vista / 7 / 8 / 10 Processor: 2.0 GHz Memory: 4 GB RAM Graphics: 1920 x 1080 DirectX: Version 11 Storage: 600 MB available space
What platforms is Opus Magnum available on?
Opus Magnum is available on Windows PC, macOS, Linux.
Is Opus Magnum worth buying?
Opus Magnum has 100% positive reviews from 43 players. Metacritic score: 90/100.
When was Opus Magnum released?
Opus Magnum was released on Dec 7, 2017.
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