Alchemy by PopCap Games (Windows game 2001)

Alchemy is a classic 2001 PC puzzle game where you strategically place runes to form continuous paths across the board, transmuting sections to gold to clear the level. The core mechanic involves resource management: unusable runes can be discarded into a cauldron, but overusing this option results in a Game Over. Its distinct feature is the focus on connectivity and spatial path construction under the pressure of limited resources.