The Devil's Calculator
Released Feb 2019
The Devil's Calculator is a new, non-profit math game by the creator of Synonymy that proves a sophisticated, challenging and educational indie puzzler for numberphiles and lovers of logic and brain teasers
95% positive · 122 reviews
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Done
All announced content has been released
Medium confidence
Where to buy
Steam $2.99
Can't confirm — worth a look
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Evaluation
The Devil's Calculator launched on February 18, 2019 and has received sporadic updates over the years, primarily focused on bug fixes, UI improvements, and small feature additions. The game shipped one notable piece of DLC content (a Lazy Chess crossover level in March 2021) and several free DLC levels crafted by mathematicians, but these are community-oriented additions rather than a structured ongoing content pipeline.
The most recent developer communication was a feature patch on June 19, 2023, which added Discord and Wolfram integration along with UI improvements. That post was explicitly framed as a "long overdue update" made in celebration of the studio's separate game release — not a signal of ongoing content development for The Devil's Calculator itself. There have been no developer posts of any kind since June 19, 2023, now over three years ago.
Looking at the full post history, the developer themselves noted in September 2021 that rather than adding more campaign levels, the long-term goal had shifted to a procedurally generated mode that adapts to players. The game's store description highlights a free demo, a completed campaign, community level creation, and free DLC levels — all framed as existing features rather than future promises. No roadmap, no announced upcoming DLC, and no unshipped content is listed anywhere in the store.
The developer's communication pattern has been very infrequent throughout the game's life — a handful of meaningful updates across four years — and the silence since June 2023 is consistent with a game that has reached the end of its intended development. The game launched as a complete puzzle experience and has been treated as such.
Evidence
Most recent developer update: a 'long overdue' patch adding Discord/Wolfram integration and UI improvements, framed around promoting the studio's separate game Trade Bots rather than signaling future Devil's Calculator content.
Developer described a 'considerable hiatus' before this update and stated the long-term goal had shifted away from new campaign levels toward a procedural generation engine — framing the game's content direction as largely complete.
Media
Details
Developer
Publisher
Cinq-Mars Media
Achievements
—
Platform
Windows, macOS, Linux
Controller
—
Steam Deck
Unsupported
Players
Single-player
About this game
An evil calculator has its normal arithmetic operators replaced with sadistically obscure functions. Using logic and a bit of algebra, you must work backwards to interpolate and use these corrupted operators to compute the 'number of the beast', 666, in order to purge the calculator of its demons and continue on. Non-profit and open-source, The Devil's Calculator is a highly original indie game that's as addicting as it is educational. Accessible to numberphiles and math novices alike, the first 20+ levels are 100% free to play and enjoy in the game's Demo.
Each level has you decipher the function of a mysterious operator and use it to calculate the number of the beast to progress. The game features advanced graphing mechanics and access to various resources to help you interpolate and solve the innovative and creative function level design. As you progress in the game, players unlock the ability to create their own levels and play challenges others have created - including free DLC levels crafted by the game's creators, educators and mathematicians. With hand drawn artwork and a charming story, the Devil's Calculator is an addicting and gratifying puzzle experience.
The Devil's Calculator was made by Cinq-Mars Media is a 501(c)(3), a non-profit organization developing technology to support scientific research related to human safety and education, and to make such technology and research available on a charitable basis.
Features
Each level has you decipher the function of a mysterious operator and use it to calculate the number of the beast to progress. The game features advanced graphing mechanics and access to various resources to help you interpolate and solve the innovative and creative function level design. As you progress in the game, players unlock the ability to create their own levels and play challenges others have created - including free DLC levels crafted by the game's creators, educators and mathematicians. With hand drawn artwork and a charming story, the Devil's Calculator is an addicting and gratifying puzzle experience.
Non-Profit
The Devil's Calculator was made by Cinq-Mars Media is a 501(c)(3), a non-profit organization developing technology to support scientific research related to human safety and education, and to make such technology and research available on a charitable basis.
Last evaluated Jun 26, 2026
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