MachiaVillain

54%
Game Brain Score Based on 340 reviews
  • gameplay
  • stability
  • graphics
MachiaVillain Game Cover
MachiaVillain has a decent amount going for it, there's little doubt there. The concept is fun and one that isn't explored enough, with the added twist of a Cabin in the Woods vibe only helping matters. Once you get into it, the gameplay is engaging, particularly building. It does turns into a bit of a slog as you advance through the ranks though. A lot is also buried beneath the large amount of micromanagement.
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"MachiaVillain is a single-player fantasy strategy game with great mechanics and amazing visuals, but can be very grinding and buggy. As a villain, build and manage a haunted house, lure unsuspecting locals to their death, and increase your evil level, all while adhering to the strict policies of the League of MachiaVillain Villains."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

54%
Audience ScoreBased on 340 reviews
gameplay19 positive mentions
stability41 negative mentions
  • The game has a unique and interesting concept, combining elements of management and horror themes.
  • The art style is charming and fits well with the game's theme, providing a fun visual experience.
  • There is potential for engaging gameplay with the ability to build and design your own mansion of horrors.
  • The game is filled with bugs that can lead to game-breaking issues, such as disappearing walls and corrupted saves.
  • Gameplay can feel grindy and unbalanced, with resource management becoming tedious and slow.
  • The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to navigate and manage tasks effectively.
  • gameplay65 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting significant bugs and broken mechanics that hinder enjoyment and balance. While the core concepts and art style are praised, the overall experience is marred by frustrating mechanics, incomplete instructions, and a lack of depth, leading to a feeling of stagnation after a few hours. Despite its potential and engaging elements, the game requires substantial updates and improvements to fully realize its promise.

    • “What a great casual game, its mechanics are enough to not get boring but to not overwhelm you either.”
    • “The art style is adorably Don't Starve-esque and the basic mechanics of the game are well done.”
    • “The bottom line is that this game delivers a hell of a lot of fun, gameplay keeps my attention and does not get stale, and watching your deathtraps go off is hilarious.”
    • “Some mechanics flat out don't work as intended.”
    • “The gameplay is slow, hassle-filled, and isn't much fun.”
    • “It's a shame because the game oozes charm with the setting and art style and is dragged down with shallow gameplay and frustrating ends to a mansion you spent hours building.”
  • stability42 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which significantly hinder gameplay and make it feel unfinished. Many users report issues such as unresponsive controls, graphical errors, and game-breaking glitches, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game's stability is poor, with players recommending against purchasing it until substantial fixes are implemented.

    • “I suppose it's possible I'm exceptionally lucky and got the one magical copy of the game that was bug-free.”
    • “Game is buggy and no longer supported or receiving updates.”
    • “The actual game is sparse on content and so buggy as to be nearly unplayable.”
    • “This game is too buggy to qualify as complete and is in serious need of bug fixes.”
  • graphics37 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and charming art style reminiscent of Klei's work, which fits well with the game's dark humor and theme. However, several players report encountering minor graphical glitches and bugs that detract from the overall experience, leading to a perception of the graphics as underwhelming or inconsistent. Overall, while the aesthetic is appreciated, the execution suffers from technical issues that impact gameplay.

    • “Awesome art style and animation, very well done.”
    • “The art style and humor of this game is brilliant; I've genuinely chortled at a few of the victim descriptions and I have great fun working out how to optimize my rooms.”
    • “It's a shame because the game oozes charm with the setting and art style and is dragged down with shallow gameplay and frustrating ends to a mansion you spent hours building.”
    • “The graphics feel pretty underwhelming.”
    • “For a base building game, it's average; graphics-wise, it's mediocre.”
    • “Bizarre graphical glitches.”
  • humor30 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending dark comedy with a campy art style that resonates well with horror movie fans. Players appreciate the clever use of horror tropes and the amusing interactions with quirky characters, creating a fun and engaging atmosphere. While some find the humor can lose its novelty over time, the overall consensus is that the game delivers a delightful mix of funny moments and entertaining gameplay.

    • “The humor is spot on, the art clicks together with the tone, and while there's a lot of minion management, it's done in such a way that it slowly ramps up till you feel comfortable with it.”
    • “It has no lack of dark humor and horror movie references and even uses horror movie tropes as central game mechanics.”
    • “Overall, the game is fun with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor that horror movie fans will appreciate and enjoy.”
    • “The jokes are not funny.”
    • “The humor feels forced and falls flat.”
    • “The comedic timing is off, making the attempts at humor awkward.”
  • grinding19 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game features a mix of enjoyable mechanics and cute art, but many players find it to be quite grindy, especially in the early to mid-game stages. While some appreciate the challenge of resource collection and management, others feel that the repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration and a sense of tedium. Overall, the grinding aspect is a significant point of contention, with opinions divided on whether it enhances or hinders the fun.

    • “If you are looking for an easy game that tells you what to do, in which minions think for themselves, with no grinding and little to no micromanagement, this game might not be for you.”
    • “The timing feels very off...like you get humans very often, and you need to for food, but you get very very little done in the meantime...very grindy.”
    • “Halfway between 'Don't Starve' and 'Evil Genius'...but this game is so repetitive and grindy that I'm just about ready to give up.”
    • “The game is grindy... like we haven't got enough content so to get the content you want will take 3 hours of grinding... you have to collect a ton of materials just to make the bench that makes the other materials, which you then need another ton of materials to turn into the new material that you need for the thing you actually wanted.”
  • story14 mentions

    The game's story starts strong with an intriguing concept and humorous elements, but it quickly devolves into a sandbox experience lacking depth and progression beyond the initial introduction. Players appreciate the quirky characters and art style, yet many feel that the absence of a substantial narrative or goals diminishes the overall experience. While the humor and unique premise are highlights, the storytelling ultimately feels underdeveloped.

    • “What makes it stand out is the art style and the story behind it.”
    • “There is a lot of good tongue-in-cheek humor that is in the story and even in the flavor texts.”
    • “Story and some characters are pretty funny being in this game.”
    • “There are different ranks you progress through by meeting criteria, but there isn't any type of storyline other than the intro at this time.”
    • “The visualization of the text is very poor when narrating the story; some contrast could improve readability with the background and not end up hurting the eyes when trying to read it.”
    • “More story.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its thematic fit and enjoyable quality that enhances the overall experience. However, some users note that the soundtrack can become repetitive and limited over time, leading to annoyance during extended play sessions. Overall, while the music complements the game's atmosphere, its lack of variety may detract from long-term enjoyment.

    • “A management game, it's funny, you look after your little monsters and can control them individually, build the mansion, fight monsters on the map, have to pay attention to how much food you have, etc. It also has very nice music and kind of feels like a mix of Don't Starve and Oxygen Not Included styles, especially because of the electricity system.”
    • “The music doesn't get old; it fits the game perfectly.”
    • “The voices are amazing, the music is spot-on, and the art style is really sweet and adorable.”
    • “The music is rather limited.”
    • “The background music seems to never change, despite the changelog for version 1.0 claiming 10 new songs were added.”
    • “The music gets annoying very quickly too; it’s just a bit wacky and spooky. It's okay for an intro, but to listen to for hours, no thanks.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, disappointing players who had high hopes for its potential. While some gameplay mechanics offer engaging experiences, the overall impression is that the developers prioritize profit over player satisfaction, leading to a sense of grind and frustration.

    • “The game had promise, now it's just a cash grab.”
    • “It sounds great and every player who experienced Dungeon Keeper wants Machiavillain to be successful, but the reality is that this is very close to another cash grab game.”
    • “But the developers aren't, they're bad; that 90% is just another cash grab.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed, with some users noting limited replay value while others highlight significant replay potential. This disparity suggests that the game's replayability may depend on individual player preferences and experiences.

    • “It has tons of replay value.”
    • “Not worth the price and fairly limited replayability.”
    • “Low replay value.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game is generally enjoyable, but many users express frustration with its poor optimization, particularly for a top-down management style. There is a consensus that improvements are needed to enhance performance and overall gameplay experience.

    • “It would be great... it just needs to be optimized a little.”
    • “As fun as this game is, it's horribly optimized for a top-down management type game.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users express that while the game has a fun concept, it may lead to emotional disappointment, suggesting that purchasing it at a significant discount could mitigate potential regret.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

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Play time

20hMedian play time
20hAverage play time
7-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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