Machinarium

Posted by Erika Szabo on Tuesday, November 17, 2009 · Leave a Comment

From Amanita Design, the creators of the brilliant Samorost series, comes Machinarium, a game so well implemented it is, without a doubt, one of the best adventure games out there.

Unlike various other adventure games, there’s never a dull moment in Machinarium. The game is devoid of the stereotypical repetitiveness, confusing map layouts and too-hard-for-its-own-good puzzles. Not to say Machinarium isn’t difficult, but the compelling artwork and rewarding puzzles make up for the, at times, frustrating puzzles – not surprisingly, most of these come towards the end of the game, but there are a few tricky ones earlier.

Additionally, Machinarium is completely devoid of dialogue and words. As you guide your unnamed robot protagonist through each beautifully constructed level, the absence of lengthy text and obnoxious voice acting adds to the otherworldly charm of Machinarium. The soundtrack is equally stunning, a mix of ambient electronic music and minimalist instrumentals. Machinarium’s visuals and music accentuate the game’s atmosphere while also serving as visual and auditory storytelling.

In regards to story, Amanita Design’s simplistic approach in Machinarium – and every one of their works for that matter – is incredibly satisfying. However, the simple story alone isn’t all that will grab players, in fact, it is the story’s pacing. The gradual turn of events is incredibly intuitive; more often than not, you’ll be asked to explore the world surrounding the protagonist in the least obtrusive way possible. The experience is compelling, charming and incredibly natural.

Even so, Machinarium still has its drawbacks. One in particular would be the game’s hint system. As mentioned, the puzzles in this game are not nearly as difficult as other adventure titles, but there are still several instances in which help is needed. Thankfully, the developer’s decided to incorporate a hint system instead of having you rely on GameFAQs or Youtube.

While Amanita Design went well above the norm with the in-game hint system, it’s often too vague or too specific – you’ll either learn too much or too little about the puzzle. With that said, the choice to use the hint system in Machinarium can be incredibly risky, especially if you want to solve the puzzle with minor assistance; however, this is only a minor hiccup in the game.

It’s clear that everyone at Amanita Design poured their heart and soul into Machinarium. Whether it’s in the music, artwork, story or gameplay, Machinarium is one of those games you can’t help but love. Minor issues aside, Machinarium is a refreshing take on adventure games as a whole.

Likes:

Devoid of dialogue and words, Machinarium takes on a unique approach to storytelling.
Puzzles are clever and fun to tackle.
Visuals and music are top-notch.

Dislikes:

The in-game hint system is either too vague or too specific.

Review Score

The review scale at LevelFortyTwo is between 1 and 5. A score of 5 is considered an amazing game, 4 is a well-done game with only minor issues, 3 is in the middle; not great, but not bad, 2 is a very problematic game, and 1 is absolutely terrible.

2 Thumbs Up!