Opus Magnum (2017)

Developer: Zachtronics
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Indie, Simulation
Rating: 4.9 of 5, 7,073 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 14 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

You methodically design and refine intricate alchemical machines, feeling a satisfying blend of logic and creativity as you optimize your contraptions.

puzzleprogrammingautomationsteampunkmethodicalrewardingopen-endedsystematic

What players say

Players praise the open-ended puzzle design and the satisfying loop of optimizing solutions for cost, speed, or area. Many note the lack of a combined cycle-cost graph and some complain about late-stage quality-of-life gaps like not being able to skip through steps. A minority report that a 2024 update added an unskippable pop-under ad for the DLC, which they condemn.

Screenshots

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This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.