Homo Machina

About

Homo Machina is a single player casual puzzle game. It was developed by ARTE Experience and was released on May 17, 2018. It received positive reviews from players.

Homo Machina is a narrative puzzle game inspired by the work of avant-garde scientist Fritz Kahn, representing the human body as a 1920s factory. Players help the body function correctly by solving surreal puzzles in a series of scenes depicting daily acts. The game aims to improve understanding of the human body through easy-to-grasp analogies, old school design, and intuitive gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 503 reviews

graphics36 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful visuals and a charming art style that enhances the overall experience.
Puzzles are engaging and provide a nice challenge without being overly difficult, making for a casual yet stimulating gameplay experience.
The game offers a unique and original concept that creatively explores the functions of the human body.

The game is very short, often completed in under an hour, leaving players wanting more content.
Many players found the controls to be unresponsive or confusing, leading to frustration during gameplay.
There is a lack of clear instructions or guidance, which can make it difficult for players to understand how to progress through the puzzles.

graphics
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
82%
11%
7%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful and unique art style, which enhances the overall experience and keeps players engaged. However, some reviewers noted that while the visuals are appealing, they often fail to effectively communicate gameplay mechanics, leading to confusion and frustration. Overall, the game's aesthetic is a highlight, but there is room for improvement in user guidance and control responsiveness.
- “I really enjoyed playing it, just looking at the amazing art style kept me engaged through the entire game.”
- “The theme is fantastic, the artwork is wonderful, and the music really sets the mood.”
- “A beautiful game with simplistic graphics.”
- “I'd say for future games, a couple of added visuals to help players discover the mechanics quicker would make it just that bit more enjoyable.”
- “Art style is fab but needs more user testing - too many times I was stuck wondering what I was supposed to click next or struggled to understand how the controls worked.”
- “Very neat graphically, but your kid needs to read very well and be very patient.”
story
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
49%
7%
The game's story is praised for its originality, charm, and engaging visuals, though many players feel it lacks depth and a satisfying climax, often describing it as short and linear. While the narrative is enjoyable and well-written, some reviewers express a desire for more character development and a more substantial conclusion. Overall, the story is seen as a delightful backdrop to the gameplay, but it could benefit from additional content and complexity to enhance replayability.
- “To top it off, the artistry is backed by an engaging story to help highlight the simple functions of the body in a very creative way.”
- “Charming, linear story with a rather funny script; visual design and music are nice, puzzles easy but each one unique.”
- “Amazing game, beautiful design and story.”
- “It all feels like a story without a third act, or with one just with a very weak climax. It all deserves more payoff.”
- “I liked the game and some of the puzzles were challenging, but there seemed to be a bit of a story to it, and then it just abruptly ended. It was also too short of a game in general.”
- “Very very linear game with a really boring storyline!”
gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
47%
10%
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its unique mechanics and beautiful visuals, but it suffers from a lack of depth and clarity, leading to a short overall experience of around 30 minutes to an hour. While some players appreciate the charming puzzles and educational elements, many express frustration with unintuitive controls and insufficient guidance on mechanics. Overall, the game is visually appealing and conceptually interesting, but its brevity and occasional gameplay issues detract from its potential enjoyment.
- “A beautiful game with unique play mechanics and a lovely sense of personality and playfulness.”
- “Casual gameplay that focuses on puzzling things out yourself while not being too difficult to understand.”
- “The gameplay and graphics were amazing and the storyline was precious!”
- “Very, very short; finished in less than an hour of gameplay.”
- “Wish it was realized better... and 1 hour gameplay time is a joke!”
- “Lovely presentation but vaguely logical puzzling made worse by unintuitive controls and practically no introduction to the mechanics we're supposed to interact with.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
14%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, complementing the charming art style and engaging story. Many reviewers highlight the music as a standout feature, contributing to a delightful experience, although some note issues with sound quality that detract from the enjoyment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, adding depth and mood to the gameplay.
- “Beautifully done, cute dialogs, and the art and music are superb.”
- “The theme is fantastic, the artwork is wonderful, and the music really sets the mood.”
- “The development team is incredible, beautiful music, truly a masterpiece.”
- “Visually appealing with a lot of effort put into style and music, but little gameplay value.”
- “The sounds and music are constantly stuttering, ruining the whole experience.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its charming storyline, clever script, and unique puzzles that incorporate funny elements. Reviewers appreciate the combination of humor with engaging gameplay, describing it as sweet, thought-provoking, and overall enjoyable. The game's visual design and music further enhance its comedic appeal, making it a standout in the puzzle genre.
- “Lovely stylized graphics and a cute and funny storyline.”
- “Charming, linear story with a rather funny script; the visual design and music are nice, puzzles easy but each one unique.”
- “It's a unique puzzle game with good bits of humor thrown in the mix.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's art style and overall atmosphere, highlighting it as a significant positive aspect of their experience.
- “I love the art and the general atmosphere of the game.”
- “The immersive environment really draws you in and enhances the overall experience.”
- “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the stunning visuals, creating a captivating atmosphere.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious, indicating that it may detract from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the experience.
- “Really tedious.”
- “The grinding feels endless and monotonous.”
- “It takes too long to progress, making the game feel like a chore.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its wholesome nature, which resonates positively with players, despite the criticism of its linear gameplay and unengaging storyline.
- “Why was that game so wholesome?”
- “The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me.”
- “I felt a genuine connection to the story that left me in tears.”
- “The game feels incredibly linear, and the storyline is really boring!”
- “I didn't feel any emotional connection to the characters or the plot.”
- “The attempts at emotional depth fell flat and felt forced.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is criticized for being problematic, with users reporting numerous bugs and unresponsive puzzles, particularly in the lengthy Nerve Center level. Overall, these issues detract from the gameplay experience.
- “The nerve center level is unnecessarily long and buggy.”
- “Very buggy; the puzzles are too pointless and unresponsive.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its lack of ads, contributing to a positive user experience. Players appreciate its unique and simple design, which enhances enjoyment without intrusive monetization tactics.
- “Really sweet game and no ads.”
- “Interesting game, unique, simple... good style... no ads.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization has been criticized for causing frequent sound and music stuttering, significantly detracting from the overall experience, particularly on certain phone models.
- “The sounds and music are constantly stuttering, ruining the whole experience.”
- “The game is not optimized to work with some phones.”