Most of the object-based puzzles are challenging, however eventually you will find the answer in a surprising “a ha!” moment. What annoyed me personally, however, were the logic puzzles. In order to get object A, you have to find object B, which requires object C to retrieve it, and so forth. The majority of the puzzles in Machinarium are similar to that of most other classic adventure games. It is clear that Amanita Design wanted to both capture the feel of old 2D adventure games like Monkey Island, but also add in its own unique flair. The entire game has a sort of pencil sketch look to it, and each area you are brought through is completely different from the next. The graphics in Machinarium are entirely hand drawn, and all look wonderful. While there are no real surprising twists in the story, the world that Machinarium creates is no less than astounding, and although there is no real dialogue other than thought bubbles, each and every one of the characters you run into is memorable in its own way. As the game goes on you find out more about why the game started with you flying away from your home town in a trash heap. From there you have to put yourself back together and find your way back into the large metallic city the ship came from. The game starts with the protagonist, a nameless bug-eyed robot, being dropped into a dump by a garbage “ship” resembling a house fly. Machinarium, a game in the same genre by developer Amanita Design, is no exception. While the genre is known for obtuse puzzles and obscure pixel hunts, usually it’s the engaging characters and wonderful soundtrack that keeps you coming back.

Publisher: Amanita Design / Developer: Amanita Design / Platform: PC, MacĮver since I was a kid and my dad’s co-worker handed me a copy of Day of the Tentacle on CD-ROM, I’ve always had a soft spot for point-and-click adventure games.

Machinarium characters