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.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 84 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 92% | 86 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 87 | 3 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 3 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 9 reviews sampled · 6 total reviews in window · weighted 4.7 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (12)
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.
- 83
- 90
“Sure, SpaceChem is just pseudo-science, but it does capture that mystique of toying with nature's fundamental ingredients.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“OCD-fuelling obsession for some, brain-melting difficulty for others. Choose, and perish. [Apr 2011, p.70]”
- 89
“As much mental workout as excellent puzzle game, SpaceChem challenges and entertains, plus it has an engaging story.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“An excellent puzzle game that can convert the suffering from hours of chemistry at high school to an entertaining experience. [Issue#201]”
- 90
“Brain-achingly clever and hypnotically fascinating, SpaceChem is a must for any puzzle aficionado or anyone with a passing interest in programming.”
read full review ↗ - 68
“If you like those kind of games, it's probably the best of the last 25 years. It's a game of extremes, the graphics are simply annoying, but it can keep you playing one level for a whole day.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“What I enjoy the most is the fact that there is no right way to come up with a solution. If it works, you win.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Due to its extreme complexity, SpaceChem will never be a title for everyone. Too deep and articulate for casual players, it will be appreciated only by those who are willing to engage themselves with the deep game mechanics Nevertheless Spece chem is no doubt one of the most brilliant puzzle game in the history of videogames.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The triumph of SpaceChem is that overcoming these situations is more a case of inventing a solution than discovering one - creating a technique on your own terms that, once learned, you find yourself reusing in later stages. [Apr 2011, p.101]”
- 90
“SpaceChem is an intelligent and addictive puzzler with a high difficulty level but some of the most enjoyable and satisfying puzzles I've ever experienced. This is a modern classic in the puzzle genre.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Chemical maniacs will definitively fall in love with this tricky and fulfilling title!”
read full review ↗
Eurogamer
PC Gamer
NZGamer
Everyeye.it
Gamer.no
Multiplayer.itPatch history
- UPDATE: Windowing improvementsJul 19, 2026
- UPDATE: Minor bug fixesAug 31, 2020
- UPDATE: 64-bit Mac Support (v1016)Jul 15, 2020
- UPDATE: More bug fixes (v1015)Feb 28, 2020
- UPDATE: Bug fixes (v1014)May 17, 2019
- UPDATE: Miscellaneous bug fixesFeb 28, 2019
- UPDATE: SpaceChem community update (v1013)Feb 10, 2019significant · resets scoring window
- UPDATE: SpaceChem is back on Mac!Oct 23, 2018