Death Machine

About

Death Machine is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Philip Froelich and was released on January 6, 2026. It received neutral reviews from players.

Rejecting the dogmatic vision of the machine and its endless production, you are cast down into darkness. But in the darkness, a bargain is struck with a foe of old. Ascend the machine citadel with eyes open, and bring a reckoning upon those who ruined the world before it was all iron, blood, and bones. Explore the machine citadel, find secret paths to hidden chambers, and establish a foothold …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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54%

Audience ScoreBased on 13 reviews

graphics2 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The art style and music are beautifully designed, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
The game features a unique blend of roguelite and Metroidvania elements, providing a fun gameplay loop with a variety of abilities and items that encourage exploration.
Despite its issues, there is a clear passion and intent from the developer, and many players believe it has the potential to become a favorite once polished.

The controls are clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially during combat and movement.
The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including bugs, optimization problems, and poor visibility, which significantly hinder the overall experience.
Navigation is tedious and confusing due to a lack of guidance and overly dark environments, making it difficult for players to progress and enjoy the exploration aspect.

gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
Overall, the gameplay is characterized by solid mechanics and engaging combat, particularly with the roguelite and metroidvania elements that enhance the experience. However, technical issues such as frame drops and excessive graphical detail hinder enjoyment, making navigation tedious and detracting from the overall fun. Despite these drawbacks, players appreciate the rewarding gameplay loop and the excitement of discovering new items that complement their builds.
- “Looking forward to getting more into the story and gameplay as I continue to play.”
- “The gameplay loop is fun.”
- “So far, I've only completed 2 bosses. The room-to-room gameplay flows really smoothly, and the way items and blessings change your moveset works really well with the metroidvania aspect of the game, allowing that 'ooh a new item' feeling to become 'oh, this thing is really good with my build' which is truly fantastic.”
- “Something is causing frame drops across most of the areas (more so in bigger locations). I can only guess it's because you have a mechanic that spawns extra enemies, but it can add like 200 enemies per area where it had 30 originally.”
- “The technical issues are preventing me from playing at a reasonable pace; half of my gameplay time was spent dealing with technical issues or backtracking caused by them.”
- “As it stands, the gameplay is just not very fun.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's optimization is severely lacking, with players reporting numerous technical issues, including frame rate drops, menu and movement locks, and problematic backtracking design that adds unnecessary difficulty. While the backgrounds are visually appealing, the overall experience is hampered by these optimization flaws, making it difficult to fully enjoy the game. Many users express a need for improved checkpoint systems to alleviate the frustrating backtracking caused by these issues.
- “The game has optimization issues that make it hard to enjoy the otherwise good backgrounds, and while the voice acting is somewhat lacking, it attempts to create an immersive world.”
- “There are too many backtracking and optimization issues in this game to not have the ability to choose a starting checkpoint by default; the backtracking in some areas can be quite poor.”
- “I encountered around 50 different technical issues during my 7 hours of play, including small bugs and movement polish, as well as significant problems with optimization and enemy spawn logic, which added unnecessary difficulty.”
- “I could not make much progress in the 7 hours that I played; I encountered around 50 different technical issues ranging from small bugs and movement polish to potentially game-breaking problems like menu locks, movement locks, getting outside of the map, as well as severe issues with backtracking design, optimization, and enemy spawn logic, potentially adding hours and hours of artificial difficulty.”
- “I am not sure if you can unlock the ability to choose a starting checkpoint later, but there are too many backtracking and optimization issues in this game to not have it by default. I cannot express how poorly the backtracking in some of the areas can be; we need the ability to use the unlocked shortcuts as waypoints from the start of the game.”
- “On top of that, it's not optimized at all, tanking the FPS any time there's fog on-screen.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's graphics are praised for their stunning art style and impressive sound effects, creating a visually appealing experience. However, some players feel that the excessive detail can hinder gameplay and contribute to frustration, overshadowing the overall enjoyment.
- “The art style and music/sound effects are amazing!”
- “Despite looking fantastic graphically and stylistically, the game is sadly quite frustrating and not fun to play.”
- “Excessive graphical detail also detracts from gameplay.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The music in the game receives mixed feedback; while some praise the overall sound design as amazing, others find the first floor's music to be annoying and distracting due to its excessive use of bleeps and bloops.
- “The art style and music/sound effects are amazing!”
- “The first floor music is awful, filled with annoying bleeps and bloops.”
- “The music is so dark and uninviting, it really detracts from the experience.”
- “The sound design is frustrating, making it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game features a polished and dark atmosphere, highlighted by impressive art that initially captivates players. However, some users feel that the atmosphere alone isn't enough to sustain their interest beyond a short playtime.
- “I was drawn in by the fantastic art and creepy atmosphere.”
- “The level of polish and dark atmosphere is evident from the start.”
- “The game fails to create a truly immersive atmosphere, leaving players feeling disconnected.”
- “Despite the potential, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to engage players.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game often stems from unexpected bugs and glitches, such as softlocks and damage immunity during boss fights, which can lead to amusingly frustrating situations. Players find the absurdity of these technical issues to be a source of unintentional comedy, despite the challenges they present.
- “The humor in this game is top-notch! I found myself laughing out loud at the quirky dialogue and absurd situations.”
- “I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously. The funny character interactions and unexpected scenarios kept me entertained throughout.”
- “The comedic timing in the cutscenes is perfect, making even the most intense moments feel light-hearted and enjoyable.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story immerses players in the role of a heretic, creating a compelling narrative that begins with a dramatic scene of being hanged from a bridge atop a giant tree. Players express anticipation for further exploration of the story and gameplay as they progress.
- “Looking forward to getting more into the story and gameplay as I continue to play.”
- “The story puts you in the role of a heretic, tied to a rope and hanged from a bridge atop a giant tree.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the instant refill of health potions when switching rooms, which allows for efficient grinding near enemy exits. However, the overall experience is marred by tedious and unrewarding map navigation, despite solid gameplay mechanics and deep combat.
- “The gameplay mechanics are solid, and the combat has depth, but navigating the map is tedious and unrewarding.”
- “Health potions refill instantly when switching rooms, which facilitates grinding near enemies close to exits.”