[jmiskovic]

The Noita game features huge 2D levels where gasses and liquids interact with magic spells. Teardown has completely destructible voxel levels. BeamNG driving simulation implements soft bodies, various experiments with its physics are popular on youtube. I don't think any of these use PhysX.

[Pulcinella]

My only problem with Noita is that the back half of the game basically disregards most of the physics and chemistry systems. It’s more based around exploiting the build-a-wand system so you can e.g. generate infinite black hole chainsaw spells that let you blast through rock at a million miles an hour.

It is the only game I am aware of that I would say has a true “chemistry engine” along side its physics engine. (Though props to designers of Zelda BotW for giving objects internal properties besides just velocity & mass that facilitate reactions and interactions. Falling sand games that Noita takes a lot of inspiration also often have “chemistry” interactions but generally don’t incorporate physics bodies and are more of a simulation toy box than a game).

[dmitriid]

It's the great unanswered question: what works in game design?

It turns out wand building and extensive end-game/meta progression is far more engaging than most other things. IIRC there was more chemistry early on (I think there was/still is cooking?) and more rogue-like elements like satiation, but wand-building combined with the world physics turned out to be such immense fun, that it eclipsed everything else.