videogamescritic
← all games
Opus Magnum

Opus Magnum

Zachtronics · released Dec 6, 2017

IndieSimulationPC

Opus Magnum is the latest open-ended puzzle game from Zachtronics, the creators of SpaceChem, Infinifactory, and SHENZHEN I/O. Design and build machines that assemble potions, poisons, and more using the alchemical engineer’s most advanced tool: the transmutation engine!

Steam page ↗Metacritic 90 · users 8.1 ↗
90
VGC Score
■Stablehigh confidence

anchored at patch: “Volume CVIII, Issue IX: Frontiers of the Infinite” (3mo ago)

91%
At launch
97%
Steam all-time
90%
Press
86%
Player sentiment
97%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (Metacritic)–907
All-time Steam reviews97%931000
Metacritic user ratings––0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)97%93337
Calibration prior (typical game)–7250

Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 92.1, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 7,214 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (May 26, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 337 total reviews in window · weighted 232.2 up / 6.4 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (4)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 91
    PC GamerPC Gamer
    trust 64Dec 22, 2017

    “A beautiful exercise in freeform solutions, Zachtronics has created one of the most satisfying puzzle games ever made. ”

    read full review ↗
  • 95
    IGNIGN
    trust 61Dec 13, 2017

    “Opus Magnum is a collection of brilliant puzzles that I want to endlessly replay and re-solve, subtly encouraging my creativity as I hunt for better solutions. It’s also managed to create a community around itself, one that encourages both competition and collaboration while ensuring Opus Magnum has no shortage of new challenges even after I had my fill of its campaign. It feels one-of-a-kind, and is without a doubt one of the best puzzle games I’ve ever played.”

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    CD-ActionCD-Action
    trust 56Apr 3, 2018

    “Great puzzle game with a distinct aftertaste of Zachtronics’ first hit, SpaceChem. [03/2018, p.56]”

  • 86
    4P.de
    trust 50Dec 15, 2017

    “Quotation forthcoming.”

    read full review ↗

Patch history

  1. UPDATE: Small bug fixes
    Jul 28, 2026
  2. UPDATE: In-game option for setting the GIF output directory
    Jul 28, 2026
  3. UPDATE: Russian journal translation
    Jul 8, 2026
  4. UPDATE: Korean DLC translation
    Jul 3, 2026
  5. UPDATE: Korean DLC and journal translation
    Jul 1, 2026
  6. UPDATE: Minor improvements
    Jun 17, 2026
  7. UPDATE: Various quality-of-life fixes
    Jun 16, 2026
  8. Volume CVIII, Issue XI: Small-Scale Construction Crafts
    Jun 10, 2026
  9. UPDATE: Portuguese and Russian fan translations for the DLC
    Jun 5, 2026
  10. UPDATE: Upgrading to a newer version of the Steam API
    Jun 3, 2026
  11. Volume CVIII, Issue X: Inside the Soria Glassworks
    Jun 2, 2026
  12. UPDATE: Additional input for Shimmering Chain
    May 27, 2026
  13. Volume CVIII, Issue IX: Frontiers of the Infinite
    May 26, 2026significant · resets scoring window
  14. Volume CVIII, Issue VIII: Apothecary Roots
    May 19, 2026
  15. Volume CVIII, Issue VII: Foodways
    May 12, 2026
  16. Volume CVIII, Issue VI: From Obscurity to Renown
    May 6, 2026
  17. Volume CVIII, Issue V: Decorative Arts
    Apr 28, 2026
  18. Volume CVIII, Issue IV: Ballistic Alchemy
    Apr 21, 2026
  19. Volume CVIII, Issue III: Alchemy for the Home
    Apr 14, 2026
  20. Volume CVIII, Issue II: A New Era of Mining and Metallurgy
    Apr 7, 2026
  21. Volume CVIII, Issue I: Advancements in Nautical Alchemy
    Mar 31, 2026
  22. UPDATE: Polish translation, ExternalLeaderboardURLs fix
    Mar 30, 2026
  23. UPDATE: Fix for Intel integrated GPUs
    Mar 24, 2026
  24. UPDATE: Small fixes
    Mar 22, 2026
  25. De Re Metallica launch update!
    Mar 17, 2026
  26. UPDATE: Small bug fix
    Feb 1, 2024
  27. UPDATE: Small bug fixes
    Jan 15, 2024
  28. UPDATE: Validation fixes
    Jan 17, 2022
  29. UPDATE: Czech translation
    Aug 28, 2021
  30. UPDATE: Portuguese translation
    Jul 1, 2021
  31. UPDATE: Validation fixes
    Jun 12, 2021
  32. UPDATE: Korean translation fixes
    May 17, 2021
  33. UPDATE: Opus Magnum тепер доступна українською!
    Nov 13, 2020
  34. UPDATE: Opus Magnum artık Türkçe!
    May 20, 2020
  35. UPDATE: Experimental power-user features
    May 2, 2020
  36. UPDATE: Korean translation
    Feb 12, 2020
  37. UPDATE: Small accessibility feature
    Jan 7, 2019
  38. UPDATE: Experimental numpad-based keyboard layout
    Jan 4, 2019
  39. UPDATE: ¡Opus Magnum en español!
    Nov 19, 2018
  40. UPDATE: Improved error messages
    Oct 29, 2018

…and 55 earlier patch announcements.