Platform: Windows Phone

Developer: Andrea Sabbatini

Release Date: April 27th, 2011

Genre: Puzzle

Nerd Rating: 8.0/10

Reviewed by Rhutsczar

Do you need an addicting mobile game to keep you from accomplishing your current tasks at hand? Or how about just a fun game to pick up and play? Look no further than Alchemic Phone 7. Finally the Windows Phone actually has a fun game!

Starting with the basics…

Alchemic Phone 7 is based off of the classic DOS game Alchemy, yet is a completely new game. The player is tasked with rebuilding the universe, one elemental combination at a time. You score points each time you make a new element and you can score even more points if you can reach the target element of the day (at the current time I am writing this, the target of the day is to make an ATM). The end goal is to be able to recreate all of the elements in the universe and discover 100% of them.

Upon Alchemic Phone 7‘s  initial release in 2011, there were less than 200 elemental combinations to discover and the game could be completed rather quickly. Since the latest update in 2012, the game now sports almost 3,000 combinations for the player to create at their heart’s content. The elements are actually quite organized, as they are split up into the 26 “realms” in order for classification. Here you can find the basic six elements (fire, water, earth, air, space, and time) but the higher the percentage, the more realms will be unlocked. My personal favorite is the Special Alchemy realm, as some of the more ridiculous elements can be found there.

The layout of the game is super simple, which is perfect since once you are in the higher percentages of Alchemic Phone 7, the different realms could become extremely convoluted. Anyway, the screen is split down the middle, with two identical elemental catalogs to use at your disposal. The game is super simple, as you just touch each realm to show the individual elements inside. From there on out it is pretty self explanatory. I would like to mention that once all 26 realms are unlocked, it makes a very beautiful mix of colors to just admire.

We…need…more…realms!

Here is one rather interesting feature I would like to add about Alchemic Phone 7. Each element in its backlog is also linked to that individual item’s Wikipedia page. I found this very useful as they were a handful of elements that I accidentally created that I had no idea what the hell they were. The background information was easily accessible and added to the already rewarding Alchemic Phone 7 experience.

The game’s difficultly is rather simple to start with (obviously), with the more basic elements able to be figured out rather easily. As I keep saying though, the higher the percentage the harder the game becomes. You will run out of the basic elements rather quickly and will have to rely on your logic skills and imagination to get you through the rest of the game. There is a hint guide to help you, and it is designed well enough that it won’t spoil anything for you…anything major at least.

For those of you who actually give a damn about the scoring,  Alchemic Phone 7 has a scoring system in place. It may be limited, but it is enough to go along with Alchemic Phone 7‘s basic overlay. As I mentioned above, you receive a small meager amount of points each time a new element is created. If you create the random target of the day, then surprise! You earn a whopping 500 points!

Alchemic Phone 7 Extras, pay to cheat and get more hints!

Now where can you show off the points you have earned? On the leader boards of course! Alchemic Phone 7 has a global leader board incorporated with its scoring system that allows the player to compete with other alchemists are the world. While I have reset and began playing through Alchemic Phone 7 once again. After my first 100% play through I had the 14th best score in the world. Not much to gloat about, but hey, at least I made the top 20 and earned some recognition!

Alchemic Phone 7 also has a sister application called Alchemic Phone 7 Extras. This nifty little companion app provides live tile support and increased integration of the suggestions tool. This allows each player to suggest new elements that do not yet exist in the game to the developer, allowing an endless outlet for Alchemic Phone 7 to expand. The suggestion tool has been greatly used, with new elements being added often.

There are definitely no bells and whistles in this game, but Alchemic Phone 7 honestly doesn’t need them. The basic layout, a limited scoring system, and its ever increasing list of elemental combinations, make this the perfect time-waster to take up space on your Windows Phone. While there are many flashier games in the Alchemy world, with most of them on mobile, there are none quite as intensive as Alchemic Phone 7. If you like mobile puzzle games, I recommend checking out Princess Psych’s review for Layton Brothers: Mystery Room. It is another fantastic mobile puzzle game that will jump right into your library.