Machinarium is a point-and-click puzzle game made by indie developer Amanita Design. The game features a charming story that’s told in an unconventional style. On top of the great character interactions, the visual style is dirty and gritty, but still manages to look beautiful.
The main character, Josef, is a little robot that’s been tossed in a junk yard. Getting out of the junkyard, you’ll later find out that a gang of bad robots is up to no good, and it’s up to you to spoil their plans and rescue your girlfriend. Along the way, you’ll have to figure out some really creative puzzles, many of which include using or combining certain items. You’ll find these items scattered around the levels or you may have to help someone to get them. I found that most of the puzzles were really fun to solve, and I found myself giggling like a little school girl over them because of their creativity.
Instead of having dialog, Machinarium uses animation and thought bubbles. These thought bubbles usually contain short cartoons that tell either what happened or what needs to be done in order for you to proceed. These cartoons are cute and convey what they need to really well. The animations are smooth and telling, making the characters very charming.
Since this is a point-and-click adventure game, it’s not that complicated to play. Finding items around the levels is pretty easy since the cursor changes over an object of interest. Once an item is found, Josef picks it up and puts it in his mouth, adding it to your inventory. Josef has a unique ability that allows him to shrink or grow at any time, making hard to reach places accessible. All of the puzzles are logical and very possible to solve. If you are completely stuck in a level, there is a hint option, or you can click on the solution book, go through a side-scrolling shooting mini-game, and then see what you need to do picture-by-picture. Adding these options is welcomed so you’re never pulling your hair out trying to figure something out.
To add to the game’s creativity, the art style in the game is downright gorgeous. Set in a world of metal and robots, a lot of things are rusty and there isn’t much plant life here, but everything is still likeable. Perfectly complimenting the game is a stunningly beautiful soundtrack. I often found myself sitting idle in an area just listening to the music.
Machinarium is one of the best 2D adventure games I’ve ever played and is absolutely worth every penny. This game is sure to put a smile on your face and even make you laugh. Finding solutions to puzzles is a blast, and there was no point in the game where I felt completely lost. Machinarium is fantastic in every way, and even if you’re not great at puzzle games, this one is still worth your time.
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