Price check · Updated November 10, 2026
Taking the form of a first-person experience of a bad trip, Californium pays homage to sci-fi legend Philip K. Dick by transporting you into the life of a writer searching for his own identity. Explore, solve the riddles and conduct your investigation. Will you find what’s behind the simulacra ?
Works best on Windows PC
Best current price at Steam
A guide from price history and sale dates, not a promise.
Lowest price ever: $0.55 (September 2023)
| Store | Price | Usual | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam | $0.90 | $6.99 | Buy |
| WinGameStore | $1.09 | $9.99 | Buy |
| Gamesplanet | $6.29 | $6.99 | Buy |
| Fanatical | $6.71 | $6.99 | Buy |
| GreenManGaming | $6.99 | $6.99 | Buy |
| GamersGate | $6.99 | $6.99 | Buy |
| DreamGame | $6.99 | $6.99 | Buy |
| IndieGala | $6.99 | $6.99 | Buy |
| Humble Store | $9.99 | $9.99 | Buy |
| GOG | $9.99 | $9.99 | Buy |
Californium is a first-person adventure inspired by the life and work of science fiction author Philip K. Dick. You play Elvin Green, a struggling writer in 1960s Berkeley whose sense of reality starts to break down. As the world around him shifts between versions of itself, he searches for the cracks hidden in his surroundings to find out what is really going on.
There is no combat, and the game is mostly about looking closely at each scene, solving riddles and following a strange, dreamlike story. It is single-player and fairly short. It suits players who enjoy surreal narratives and literary references, and who are happy with an experience driven by exploration rather than challenge.
Trailer and screenshots are from the publisher. Tap a screenshot to enlarge it.
| Developer | Darjeeling, Nova Production, ARTE France |
|---|---|
| Publisher | ARTE France |
| Released | Feb 17, 2016 |
| Metacritic | 64 / 100 |
| Languages | 3: English, French, German |
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 7 or Higher | - |
| Processor | Intel Core i3 2.00 GHz | - |
| Memory | 4 GB RAM | - |
| Graphics | DX9 (shader model 2.0) | - |
| Storage | 2 GB available space | - |
How this game plays best, and the gear to match: a best-value pick and an upgrade for each.
Controller
Californium plays great on a controller. The 8BitDo Ultimate 2C is a cheap, reliable PC pad; the Ultimate 2 adds drift-free Hall effect sticks and a charging dock.
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Upgrade pick8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless ControllerSpeakers
Relaxed games like Californium sound great on desk speakers. The Pebble V3 is tiny and cheap; the Edifier G2000 fills the room.
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Upgrade pickEdifier G2000 Gaming SpeakersMonitor for the best visuals
Show off Californium on a sharp 1440p screen. The SANSUI is the budget pick; the 32-inch curved Odyssey wraps the picture around you.
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Upgrade pickSamsung Odyssey G55C 32-inch QHD Curved MonitorHeadset for immersive sound
Atmosphere is half of Californium. The Cloud III has rich spatial sound; the Arctis Nova 7 goes wireless with long battery life.
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Upgrade pickSteelSeries Arctis Nova 7Prices change often, so check the latest price on Amazon. SteelGames may earn a small commission on purchases.
The lowest recorded price is $0.55 in September 2023.
The best current price we found is $0.90 at Steam, against a usual price of $6.99.
Lean wait. Lean wait. $0.90 is 64% above its lowest price on record ($0.55). Next big sale: Steam Winter Sale, in 37 days. In the 1150 days we have tracked it, it dipped below today's price 2 times.
