That's the only word I could find that really describes this game. It is beautiful. I am, professionaly, a mathematician and a logician. This game makes plentiful use of both of those characteristics at absolutely all times, in ways that go beyond the algorithmical thinking required in much algorithmical work. I have read the author's opinion on the game, and quite honestly, I disagree with him; because where he points out flaws, I see only qualities. SpaceChem applies what it calls "Fake Chemistry" wonderfully, creating an environment that makes science seem more interesting to the non-scientifically oriented. It forces one to think constantly, differently from other puzzle games that throw out a dozen weak puzzles before finally giving you an average one, or poorly designed adventure games that force you to look up a guide or spend fruitless hours searching for an illogical solution. SpaceChem is flawless, and is what all puzzle games should aspire to be. I recommend it to anyone, at all ages and of all interests, both as a passtime and as a mental challenge, both as a way to develop logical thought and to learn persistance and discipline. I say the following as a fact, and not as an exaggeration: If I was in charge of a school, I'd make kids play this. At least an hour per week. I know I'll have my kids play it, when I have them. I am a better person for having found it.
Let me put this out here first of all: I love this game. I played it when I was younger, I bought it some years ago, and now I bought it again on GOG so I could play it on my new machine. I still play it, it's still one of my favorite sim games. But it's dated. Very much so. The interface of the game is simple, intuitive and quick to learn, but it can and does often become a nuisance. Having to stop everything you're doing to rebuild a room just because you want to move a desk aside a block is irritating, to give an example. Another thing is the AI of the game, which is an extremely important aspect of it because of your incapacity to control everything at once, and yet is horrendous. Try to imagine The Sims where you have to control about 20 Sims at the same time without pausing. Handymen AI can really ruin the game for you in the latter levels. So the game is good. It's fun, and it's probably the best hospital/medical simulator ever made. But if you're new to it, or you're quickly frustrated, Theme Hospital is not for you.
Myst is quite possibly the very first game I played in my life. Seventeen years later, I finally acquired and finished it. The story and art of the game are really its strongest points, and the puzzles are (mostly) interesting. Even without rose-tinted glasses, the game's pre-rendered backgrounds still look fantastic. It has a couple of issues that really stood out for me, though. First, of course, the interface could be better. At times, finding your way around the screen can be quite hard, although understanding the scenario and recognising what is important, a common issue in adventure games, is not present here. All important items are clearly visible, just hard to click sometimes. The exception is Channelwood, the forest age, which is horrendous to navigate. Second is the ending. Myst could really have done with a clear ending, rather than a forced sequel hook. It makes it feel as though you just haven't finished the game yet, but got taken away from it halfway through. Some people don't mind this, but it is a personal issue of mine that stories should have a clear ending. Overall, it's still an excellent game, and its puzzles do keep you entertained if you like thinking about what you're doing, but not having played Riven or any of the other games in the Myst series, I would say it was lacking in the respects I mentioned.
First, what matters in an Adventure game review. It has an excellent story, particularly for those of us interested in Sci-Fi. Dave Gibbons' touch to the story is very clear. The ending could have been better, and the telling throughout could have been improved in some particularly critical moments, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. On the negative side, this game has two common issues of the Adventure Games of the 90's (one of which is not so much a "problem" as it is a fact). First, the graphical design is misleading in some parts and makes you miss critical items to the game progression, as they blend into the background and are tiny. I used a guide for certain parts because I could not be bothered to run around aimlessly. Second, it IS an adventure point-and-click and as such, it's basically an interactive story rather than a game. That is not an issue to me, though, and is not an issue to most Adventure gamers, but if you're looking for a point-and-click with strong puzzles and lots of thinking, then look elsewhere.
