Machinarium

aka: Machinarium: The Definitive Version
Moby ID: 43013
Buy on Windows
$19.99 new on Steam

Description official descriptions

Machinarium is a point-and-click adventure set in a mechanical world where the player controls a small robot that has been kicked out of the city. He has to return and confront the Black Cap Brotherhood who terrorizes his kind and took away his girlfriend. The game consists of a number of static, non-scrolling screens the player gets to explore. This is done by clicking on objects in the environment to manipulate them, gathering them in an inventory, and solving a wide array of puzzles, ranging from simple item combinations to more complex pattern analysis. The player's robot can scale his height to solve a number of problems, and communication is often presented graphically through speech bubbles that describe a scene using animated images, rather than words.

It is not possible to die, and when stuck, the player can opt to use a single hint (one per screen) or consult a walkthrough book. Pages in this book show the full solution to the level in the form of concept art panels, but to reach it a short side-scrolling shooter mini-game needs to be played. Therefore, the player cannot access it right away. In the beginning, progress is done screen by screen, but after a while, the world opens up more with many locations available at the same time.

Spellings

  • Машинариум - Russian spelling
  • マシナリウム - Japanese spelling
  • 机械迷城 - Simplified Chinese spelling
  • 머시나리움 - Korean spelling (Hangul)

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Credits (Linux version)

53 People (32 developers, 21 thanks) · View all

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 86% (based on 63 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.2 out of 5 (based on 125 ratings with 1 reviews)

Point 'n' click is not dead yet

The Good
Machinarium, developed with a minimum budget of 1000$, is a classic point'n'click game from Czech team Amanita Design. It's written in flash and features a classic 3rd person view, like Monkey Island and many other classics.

After a fast and minimal installation, you'll find yourself instantly thrown in a sort of decadent and dystopic future, where machines and robots are the only things around, and seem to have feelings too. Everything is rusty and in a bad shape, and the hand-drawn environment gives you the creeps: details attention is maniacal, and the overall look is astounding. Characters are wonderful as well, with funny animations and terrific style.

Such atmosphere pairs with a classic, yet fresh, game system. You just click anywhere in the screen to move your little metal friend, and eventually click on him to stretch his body in order to reach certain spots. Interaction is limited to the object in sight, so there's a little bit of walking around involved (nothing to worry about). To pick up an object you simply click on it, and the robot eats (!) it: his stomach seems to have room for almost anything.

Speaking of inventory, the approach is really similar to Monkey Island, although more simplistic: you can solve puzzles and find object in a non-specific order, albeit you'll get stuck if you don't follow the exact sequence. Each puzzle has only a solution anyway, so this sort of freedom is somewhat fake, but gives you the right feeling.

A special mention must be done for the music: simply fantastic, with futuristic and classical tunes melt together to create a fantastic experience (Amanita released the soundtrack in mp3 with the game, but you can buy an extra CD with more tunes and even a limited edition vinyl!).

The Bad
The game overall works perfectly, even if you'll get a little annoyed by some puzzles (but is subjective, anyway) and every now and then interface seems to be less precise than other similar games, but it happens rarely and you'll get used to very quickly. Another downside is the overall length: an expert can go through in a breeze, while others will take a little while due to some difficult spots.

The Bottom Line
Aside those little issues,Machinarium stands still as one of the best point and click adventures of the last decade, and surely one you'll want in your library, considering the astonishing graphics, great soundtrack, charming characters and an overall atmosphere that let's you forget the real world for a couple of hours and sucks you in with undeniable class. All for less than 20 bucks :)

Windows · by Mik_1_ (10) · 2010

Trivia

1001 Video Games

Machinarium appears in the book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die by General Editor Tony Mott.

German release

Next to the Windows and Macintosh version of Machinarium, the German retail release also includes:

Piracy

In August 2010 designer Jakub Dvorský said that only 5-15 percent of people who downloaded Machinarium bought it legitimately. The game did not include any form of DRM. In that month he launched a "Pirate Amnesty" sale. Anybody who downloaded the game illegally could buy the Windows, Mac or Linux version and its soundtrack for $5, 75 percent off of the normal $20 tag.

Awards

  • 4Players
    • 2009 – #3 Best Adventure of the Year
  • AceGamez
    • 2009 - Best Traditional Adventure Game

Information also contributed by Big John WV and Sciere.

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Sciere.

PS Vita added by Fred VT. Nintendo Switch, Xbox One added by Rik Hideto. PlayStation 4 added by Kam1Kaz3NL77. tvOS added by firefang9212. Windows Phone, Android added by Kabushi. Linux added by Iggi. Macintosh added by Sicarius.

Additional contributors: Jeanne, Freeman, Solid Flamingo, Sicarius, Zeppin, Cantillon, Patrick Bregger, katarn_88, Rik Hideto, Kam1Kaz3NL77, FatherJack.

Game added October 27, 2009. Last modified March 1, 2024.