This is coupled with an awesome soundtrack of unusual electronic instrumental compositions and superb sound effects, which all adds an eerie, ambient atmosphere to the adventure.Įssentially, Machinarium will prove an unadulterated joy for all point-and-click gaming fans, right from start to finish. Sure, there are more beautiful games out there, but the quirky style of Machinarium's presentation and animation is just so delicately put together that it is almost impossible not to be charmed by it. The level of detail in the art design is immediately impressive, right from Josef's tin can body to the tiny scrawls of graffiti on the walls.Īside from the charmingly drawn buildings and characters, there are also sophisticated lighting and water effects which add to the package. It is as though someone has brought their most treasured children's book to life on screen. Indeed, it is hard to overstate how stunningly distinctive this game looks. All character animations are smooth and the art style really works well with the gameplay. However, the overall package of Machinarium is very strong and it is clear that a lot of care and attention has been lavished on its development. As most games in the genre generally use right-click for an inventory, there are a few frustrating moments at first while getting used to this quirk. One minor gripe, though, is that the right-click function merely brings up a Flash settings menu. For anyone less than adept at brainteasers, there is an immediate hint system and also a shoot-em-up style mini-game which gives a more detailed section walkthrough upon completion.ĭespite its relative simplicity, the overall narrative ensures that the player is always genuinely eager to proceed with the story, which is all the more startling considering the absence of any dialogue. Seasoned puzzle fans may find some of the brain teasers less than taxing, but the overall enjoyment of tackling them within the story makes up for this. Equally, there are some tried-and-tested challenges, such as a line game with nuts and bolts, which are addictive fun. Most of the puzzles are fairly straightforward, but there are some good curveballs thrown in which require a keen eye and a logical mind. There is also a really nice sense of humour throughout proceedings, with quirky little touches and characters. Each level and gameplay section is like a little dream in which the player guides Josef to the next stage in his adventure. These items can sometimes be combined for various uses, most of which are really well thought out. Items can be picked up and placed in an inventory (Josef effectively swallows them) in a drop-down bar at the top of the screen. Gameplay takes the usual point-and-click approach of directing the player/character in certain directions, and then interacting with certain highlighted items to affect the desired outcome. Instead, the story is told through a series of bubbles over each character's head, which both advance the story and also give hints on how to beat the puzzles. However, an important and indeed brave aspect of the game is that there is not a single word of dialogue during the whole campaign. The player's mission is to get back into the city, battle Josef's malicious tormentors, the Black Cap Brotherhood, and save his robotic sweetheart in the process. Players take on the role of Josef (named after Josef Capek, the Czech artist who coined the word robot), a rather maligned but no less loveable tin can droid who is tossed out of his home city Machinarium and into a scrapyard. In contrast, Machinarium excels by injecting a fresh and unique sense of presentation into the simple yet massively satisfying gameplay. Over its many dream-like levels, Machinarium provides an original and beautifully presented adventure that never fails to enchant the player.īack in May, Société Pollene's Gobliiins 4 saw a return of the vintage point-and-click series, which retained its positive points but also seriously showed its creaking years. Creeping unobtrusively into this world is Machinarium, the first full-size title from Czech developer Jakub Dvorsky's studio Amanita Design, which previously made the acclaimed shorts Samorost and Samorost 2. What with a resurrection of the Tales of Monkey Island series and all-new Wallace & Gromit episodes, this somewhat antiquated gameplay mode has been given new life amid the industry's blockbuster properties. Point-and-click PC adventure games are making quite the resurgence of late.
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