When does SpaceChem get good?

Give it 3 hours. In the first 2 hours 1 in 4 reviews are negative (26%); after 10h it's 1 in 70 (1%). Fully opens up by hour 10.

How many players finish SpaceChem?

17% of players who start reach the ending.

All games

IndieSimulation

SpaceChem

Mar 2, 2011 Steam: Very Positive

Give it 3 hours

Gets good by 3h almost every game dips in hours 2–3

Fully opens up by 10h rated like by long-time players

Reach the ending 17% of players who started

Started playing 36% of owners

Steam reviews 92% positive of 5,100

What the data shows

In the first 2 hours 1 in 4 reviews are negative (26%); after 10h it's 1 in 70 (1%).
Fully opens up by hour 10.
17% of players who start reach the ending.
The biggest drop-off is between “Polar Expedition” (Reach the south pole of Sernimir IV) and “Chief Executive Officer” (Beat the game!): from 100% to 17% of starters.
Only 36% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.

When it gets good

Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.

before it gets good opening up fully opened up

Based on all 5,115 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 294 reviews: 11.7h for positive, 1.4h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.

Where players quit

Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (35.9% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.

Started playing 100%
Polar Expedition Reach the south pole of Sernimir IV. 100%
Chief Executive Officer Beat the game! Most players quit here 17% −83

story milestone ending biggest drop-off

Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.

All achievements (20)

story milestone ending side

Polar Expedition Reach the south pole of Sernimir IV. 100%
Moustache Research Assistant Beat the assignment "Moustachium 602". 46%
Junior Permutation Technician Beat the assignment "Challenge: In-Place Swap". 44%
Moustache Scientist Beat the assignment "Moustachium 604". 41%
Director of Moustache Research Beat the assignment "Moustachium 608". 33%
Junior Performance Specialist Beat the assignment "Nothing Works" in under 1000 cycles. 29%
Environmental Engineer Beat the assignment "Challenge: Going Green". 28%
Efficiency Specialist Beat the assignment "No Ordinary Headache" using only one reactor. 25%
Industrial Physicist Beat the assignment "Challenge: Applied Fusion". 23%
Science is an Indoor Activity Beat 3 published ResearchNet assignments. 23%
Performance Specialist II Beat the assignment "Gas Works Park" in under 2700 cycles. 22%
Performance Specialist Beat the assignment "No Thanks Necessary" in under 2200 cycles. 22%
Materials Engineer of the People Beat the assignment "Challenge: KOHCTPYKTOP". 20%
Cost Control Specialist Beat the assignment "Falling" using two or fewer reactors. 19%
Senior Performance Specialist Beat the assignment "Σ-Ethylene" in under 6000 cycles. 18%
Senior Efficiency Specialist Beat the assignment "Molecular Foundry" using two or fewer reactors. 18%
Chief Executive Officer Beat the game! 17%
Junior Publication Reviewer Beat 10 published ResearchNet assignments. 17%
Distinguished Publication Reviewer Beat 20 published ResearchNet assignments. 16%
Interstellar Transportation Specialist Beat the assignment "Collapsar" in the 63 Corvi campaign. 16%

Steam page Updated: 2026-10-19.