Alembic opens a free screen-reader-first browser alpha
Published:
In short
Alembic is a new, free alchemy game that runs in a browser. Its alpha is built around screen readers and keyboard input, without drag-and-drop, timers, or information conveyed only visually.
You begin with fire, water, earth, and air, combining two elements at a time. The goal is to discover 82 elements and reach 20 milestones. A hint identifies a pair to try without revealing the result.
Every action is a standard button in a linear page. New results are announced automatically, and a short description is read when an element is discovered. Progress is stored locally in the browser, so the game needs neither an account nor installation.
The developer has tested with NVDA. One AppleVis player reports that JAWS and Chrome automatically read results and hints, although they had found only nine elements when posting. VoiceOver users are still being asked for feedback. This is an English-only alpha; optional audio and additional themed worlds are planned but are not available now.
Sources: the Alembic GitHub project, including features, status, and open-source code, the developer post and early JAWS experience on AppleVis, and the playable Alembic alpha.