I like this game a lot... cool art, music... but I haven't finished it yet.
Way Too Late Review: Machinarium
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 On 08/29/2013 at 03:56 PM by rejo1479 See More From This User » |
After playing Journey Christmas Day last year, I had made a promise to myself to play more downloadable games during 2013. I have fallen far, far short of that goal. However, having PSPlus has given me oppurtunities to try some games for free. Granted, most of them have been big name titles (Saints Row the Third, I'm looking at you), but one in particular fit the indie developer bill.
Machinarium is a point and click puzzle game originally developed for the PC platform in 2009 by Amanita Design, a Czech company. It's said that it cost only $1,000 to develop and if so, Machinarium is a great example why a large budget isn't necessary to make a quality game.
I knew very little about Machinarium when starting it, so I was surprised at it's simplicity. Rather than exploring a rich, deep world, you are presented a single illustrated frame through which you move your lone robot back and forth and interact with a few triggers that form the puzzles of the game.
The art of this world is fantastic and unique. It's evocative and interesting, and quite easily recognized as Eastern European. The robots are very simple and cute. In fact, they seem to draw more from older illustrated robots than the smooth and glamorous robots of the past few decades.
The color has a dreary earth tone to it throughout the game, which is matched by the score. This music is an ambient electronic set of tones that lends to the old-school mechanical theme of the game overall.
The puzzles range from the simple to the frustrating. The latter, however, are not detrimental to the game, as I felt as if I had accompished something when I completed them. I would spend long moments staring at the screen, trying to sort out how the visual puzzles. Another was fairly simple, except for it's reversing the expectation of getting it right in order to proceed.
Machinarium is a clever, sweet game that I would recommend to anyone who has 1-2 hours and a desire to experience something special. The PS Vita version is currently free for those with PSPlus subscriptions.
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