Opus Magnum is a programming puzzle game from the team at Zachtronics. This is my first time trying a game from their PC gaming library of puzzle games.
Overview
I was looking for a typical Past Prime Gamer game. Something that is easy to learn but hard to master. Something that I could squeeze in for an hour here and there. This game definitely fits the bill. Watching some of the preview videos looked overwhelming and complicated. How could a game like this even be fun? Turns out (so far) it is a blast. That’s probably while it has an overall ‘Overwhelming Positive’ feedback on Steam.
Gameplay
It starts with a great tutorial that is short and to the point by introducing each of the basic mechanisms one at a time. Pretty straight forward stuff. Once you complete the tutorial it drops you into a blank space with the products, reagents, and all the mechanisms you need. You simply program the mechanisms to move/modify the reagents to create the final products… easier said than done. One neat part is that it tracks your cost (how many parts you use), cycles (how many moves), and area (how much space you take up). It’s great because you can ignore it and move on, or you can increase your efficiency by trying to lower these numbers. You can also have multiple saves for the same project and compare their stats. This seems great for replayability once you learn more about efficiency. The controls are simple drag and drop onto the map area, with an area at the bottom for “programming”. There are very intuitive hotkeys and ways to group items for when you need to shuffle items around. It is just very intuitive overall.
Why am I enjoying this game so much?
I’ve only put a couple hours into it at this point, but I fully intend to continue. The last two puzzles have really driven me. I started the puzzle, looked at the product required and thought, “I can do this”. It was a good challenge without being overwhelming. I am sure the puzzles will increase in difficulty but I am also sure the satisfaction will as well. I look forward to squeezing in a one puzzle for a short gaming session, while saving more difficult ones for longer sessions (or even breaking the more difficult ones into smaller parts/sessions). This has been a great change of pace from my current regimen of Rocket League, PUBG, and Monster Hunter World.
Summary
This is a PC gaming gem. It even has a built-in .gif recorder and a marble-like optional side mini-game! I would recommend this game to anyone looking to exercise their brain, even just for a short session. Even at the full price of $19.99 I vouch for it. This one is Past Prime Gaming approved.
You can purchase a copy of Opus Magnum at Green Man Gaming, or if you hurry, on the current Overwhelmingly Positive Humble Bundle.
Past Prime Gaming 