SpaceChem: 63 Corvi DLC

The DLC for SpaceChem adds some extra missions that makes you try out some new functions and it also reveals some of the "lore" in SpaceChem. Really cheap so would recommend getting if you enjoyed the main game!

It's really simple. Bought for the achievement and was done after two hours. The gimmick is that you are forced to move atoms one-by-one, both in reactors and occasionally in pipelines too (when there is a "teleporter" present). Because that's so limiting, it actually makes the puzzles quite simple, and once you've worked out the basic technique for moving a whole molecule atom-by-atom you've basically solved them all. Unfortunately the "Swap" mechanic isn't very interesting because you [i]have[/i] to use it to move atoms from one side to the other. I guess ResearchNet exists if you want to do more with it. This DLC feels very tacked-on: it doesn't integrate with the existing level selection and story dialogs at all. There's actually incredibly little in the way of story anyway; it doesn't seem as if there was anything actually new to learn from it. I feel like there's not really much to justify this being a separate purchase, but it is usually very cheap so it's hard to fault.

I bought this DLC for 50c and it took me around 4h to complete. However I can recommend it easily for full price, because it has some nice assignments that let you come up with creative solutions, but still isn't overly demanding like some of the levels of the main game. It features a new reactor type that has two teleporter-tiles and a border in the middle which acts like a wall. Teleporters can only transport single atoms, which means that all of the assembly must be done in the right half of the reactor before the corresponding output. There aren't a lot of assignments, but the number fits perfectly for the variation you can get out of this mode and the price is just right.

I want my precious flip-flops back ;-; Good content for such a low price, if you enjoyed the base game, you can't skip this one. The new mechanic is interesting, despite not being anything mind-blowing. But the main game is such a steal for how much it costs I'm glad to give more money to Zachtronics.

there are only 7 new levels, but I think that is alright for the low price . the new levels aren't that difficult compared to the end of the main campaign , but they are still a good bit of fun

The original game has given me so much play time that I'm happy to pay a little bit more for a few extra levels. A good, but not great add-on. I only have 2 levels left of the main game, so this is more of a distraction than the challenge that those levels provide. If you are stuck in the middle of the game, then this will provide more levels at that difficulty. I've watched some videos on youtube of tournaments hosted by GuavaMoment, and those guys are like Chess Grandmasters, I am pleased to finish a level, they are finishing ridiculous levels with minimal stats.

The gimmick of this expansion is that reactors are divided in half and you have to utilize the swap function to get atoms across reactors. In practice this basically means that you have half a reactor to work with a lot of the time, the real struggle of this DLC definitely seems to be space constraints. There's no flip-flop either, which gets a bit annoying, but it's not a huge deal. I didn't find any of these puzzles as difficult as the late maingame puzzles tended to be, but they're still satisfying. For $2 I'd say it's worth it. It's a solid expansion that explores territory the original game did not.

If you like SpaceChem you probably won't hate this DLC but it could have been better. For all levels in the DLC you are working with reactors that have a barrier in the middle that prevents atoms from crossing. To get stuff to the other side you have to use a new teleport mechanic that transfers atoms one by one. In practice this basically just means that you have half-sized reactors where all inputs are in the form of single atoms. Each reactor is very modular since the inputs can't be heavily affected by other reactors, and I found this rather disappointing. Also, the teleporter mechanic is a lot less interesting than it initially sounds since you only have one per reactor and are forced to use it to cross the barrier.

SpaceChem is a gem on Steam for programmers and puzzle lovers. So is the 63 Corvi campaign. It was a great sense of accomplishment to beat both the base game and the campaign. The 63 Corvi campaign stays consistent with the base game's chapters with its mix of research and production assignments (no defense mission this time, just an "execution" type level at the end). The first two of the 7 assignments are easy and then the difficulty spikes up. However, just like in the base game, you do learn tricks as you solve the more difficult puzzles that help you strategize your approach in later and even more difficult assignments. The new quantum tunnenling puzzle mechanic basically just swaps individual atoms across a barrier in the middle of the reactor. Any atoms that collide with the barrier results in an error so you have less space to work with this time around and any bonds between the swapped atom and other atom(s) are broken. I really felt that this new mechanic made the whole campaign feel unique and not just some uninspired, rehashed addon. All of the other puzzle mechanics are retained from the base game except flip-flops, fuse commands, and split commands (from researchNet). A must buy for all those who enjoyed the base game and want more.

It's only $1.99, and often gets deep discounts, so if you enjoyed SpaceChem you should buy it to get a few new puzzles. It focuses on puzzles that require quantum tunneling atoms across barriers, and pipelines that can only move individual atoms. It's an interesting challenge, but I didn't enjoy it as most of SpaceChem.