Crazy Machines 3
- October 17, 2016
- Fakt Software
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamCrazy Machines 3 is a physics-based puzzle game that lets players build and solve intricate Rube Goldberg-style machines. With a variety of tools, materials, and objects at your disposal, you can create machines that use electricity, explosions, lasers, and more to accomplish unique and often humorous tasks. The game features a deep level of customization, allowing you to tweak every aspect of your machines and create something truly unique.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great nostalgia factor, reminiscent of The Incredible Machine series.
- Challenging and engaging puzzles that encourage creative problem-solving.
- Fun and relaxing gameplay with a variety of components and user-generated content.
- Frustrating object placement due to a restrictive grid system, limiting creativity.
- Some puzzles have only one intended solution, reducing replayability.
- Occasional bugs and performance issues, particularly with the physics engine.
- graphics121 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally well-received, described as colorful, clean, and reminiscent of classic titles like "The Incredible Machine," with many noting a significant improvement over previous versions. While some players appreciate the cartoonish aesthetic and vibrant visuals, others feel the graphics can be overly simplistic or childlike. Overall, the graphics enhance the gameplay experience, contributing to the game's fun and engaging atmosphere.
“The graphics are beautiful and the sounds are very realistic.”
“The graphics, the visual and aural ambiance are meticulous and add another layer of enjoyment to this game.”
“Great graphics and clever gameplay.”
“The 3D graphics are definitely more of a hindrance than helpful, and the maps seem more streamlined and one-sided than ever, with barely any experimentation.”
“The design tries to be 'cute' but ends up feeling bland and uninspired to the point of being cringeworthy.”
“Unfortunately, the game is not really 3D; it's just a 2D Rube Goldberg machine in 3D graphics.”
- gameplay95 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "Crazy Machines 3" is characterized by inventive mechanics and a satisfying puzzle-solving experience, though it can become repetitive over time. Players appreciate the introduction of new elements and the robust physics engine, which enhances the challenge and creativity involved in building contraptions. However, some find the mechanics overly complex or poorly explained, leading to a trial-and-error approach that may frustrate certain players.
“The sense of satisfaction upon successfully completing a tricky puzzle is rewarding, and the game constantly introduces new mechanics to keep things fresh.”
“With its intuitive building mechanics, endless creativity, and quirky sense of humor, Crazy Machines 3 offers a truly unique and engaging puzzle experience that will leave players scratching their heads in delight.”
“The physics engine seems to be pretty robust, and there is a wide variety of objects with different mechanics that could lead to varied and challenging levels.”
“Basically, this is the game you want, plus all the bells and whistles, minus the actual gameplay.”
“For example, the gameplay itself is super boring, as you just place things in the specific places that were intended.”
“The grid tiles are huge and make it difficult for it to feel good to place objects (which is this game's primary mechanic).”
- music66 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many players praising its relaxing and immersive qualities that enhance the gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as diverse and fitting, often evoking nostalgia while avoiding the pitfalls of more aggressive genres. However, a few players expressed dissatisfaction, noting that the music can become repetitive or less enjoyable compared to previous iterations in the series.
“The soundtrack is great, with a variety of appropriate styles and none of the tedious thrash/metal nonsense that ruins so many other games for me.”
“The sound effects and background music complement the gameplay, further immersing players in the quirky world of crazy machines.”
“The music is relaxing and the physics are consistent and smooth!”
“When building, most of the time you just tweak items placed correctly but one millimeter off, invisible textures preventing building. Other times, some textures are just part of the background. The soundtrack is not good, and overall I had no fun playing.”
“Pretty fun to play, but the in-game music is awful.”
“I'm not a fan of the music in this game, but for a buck-and-a-half on sale, it's alright.”
- humor55 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Crazy Machines 3" is widely praised for its quirky charm and eccentric characters, providing a delightful mix of visual gags and clever scenarios that elicit genuine laughter. Players appreciate the game's ability to combine challenging puzzles with a lighthearted tone, making it both entertaining and engaging. Overall, the humor enhances the experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
“There is good humor throughout the game, with some visual non sequiturs that make you laugh out loud.”
“With its intuitive building mechanics, endless creativity, and quirky sense of humor, Crazy Machines 3 offers a truly unique and engaging puzzle experience that will leave players scratching their heads in delight.”
“With its intuitive building mechanics, challenging puzzles, and quirky sense of humor, it's a must-play for fans of brain-teasing games and madcap experimentation.”
- story17 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding the story aspect, with some users noting a lack of narrative or dialogue, while others express a desire for a more developed plot. Additionally, there are mentions of mission design issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the story is perceived as minimal or non-existent, leaving players wanting more depth and coherence.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“There's enough content here to play for a long time and, though I haven't yet finished the main story, I'm excited to see what the community creates.”
“We embark on a quest so fine.”
“There's no story, dialogue, or anything you actually need to hear.”
“A lot of the missions are downright jank; this is partly due to the new physics engine and partly due to the mission design.”
“Could use a plot around him once again.”
- grinding15 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 73 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often requiring excessive effort to achieve progress. Many reviews highlight the unpolished nature of minigames and restrictive object placement systems, which contribute to a sense of irritation rather than enjoyment. While some appreciate the soundtrack and the potential for fun, the grinding experience is frequently described as a chore that detracts from the overall gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“It's extremely irritating and makes an otherwise good game a tedious exercise in simply trying to get the gears to actually work.”
“Not only are the minigames extremely unpolished, but the achievements are also extremely grindy.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs and unreliable controls that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the puzzle content, the persistent glitches and visual issues significantly hinder gameplay, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
“Extremely buggy.”
“Minigames are buggy, controls are not reliable, so the only thing that works flawlessly are the achievements.”
“That said, however, you will get a ton of puzzle time if the few glitches in the software don't keep nagging at you like they did for me.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues despite its seemingly simple design. Many have experienced poor graphics performance, requiring them to lower settings significantly, which is particularly disappointing given their smooth experiences with other 3D titles. Overall, the optimization appears to be a major drawback for players.
“So far, having beaten the main campaign, it plays like a very well-optimized Crazy Machines 2.”
“Its optimization is so poor.”
“It's amazing how a seemingly simple game has such performance issues.”
“The performance is totally atrocious.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally praised for its endless possibilities in puzzle creation and exploration, particularly with the inclusion of workshop content. However, some users note that many puzzles have a single solution, which can diminish the challenge and overall replay value once solved.
“This extends the game's replayability and offers endless possibilities for puzzle creation and exploration.”
“Most puzzle games can be beaten entirely in a few hours, so it's nice to know that replayability is built right in.”
“Kind of hard to tell where things are depth-wise sometimes, but aside from that, this is a very fun puzzle game, with infinite replayability with the addition of workshop content!”
“It is a fantastic game, but unfortunately, it has little replay value as there is basically only one solution for most puzzles, and once you solve it, it is no challenge to repeat.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a fun and cartoonish aesthetic, supported by innovative physics-based gameplay and engaging music. While the graphics are not highly detailed, they effectively enhance the overall experience across its 100+ creative levels.
“The graphics are not overly detailed, but they serve their purpose in conveying the game's fun and cartoonish atmosphere.”
“Innovative physics-based relaxing casual puzzler, emphasizing the concept of arranging items so they react in sequence to reach particular goals, with 100+ interesting levels full of ideas and nice atmospheres.”
“It's a great puzzle game, with excellent music and an overall captivating game atmosphere.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users feel that the monetization strategy in the game often resembles more of an advertisement than a genuine feature, suggesting a lack of value in the monetized elements.
“They feel more like advertisements than actual game content.”
“The monetization system is overly aggressive and detracts from the gameplay experience.”
“It's frustrating how much you have to spend to enjoy the game fully.”
