Machinarium

About

"Machinarium is a single-player adventure game with an intriguing story set in a robot city. It boasts excellent game mechanics, visually stunning graphics, and a wonderful soundtrack. Despite some bugs and grinding, the game delivers a sensational atmosphere and high emotional impact."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,684 reviews

music940 positive mentions

grinding49 negative mentions

Beautiful hand-drawn art style that creates a charming and immersive atmosphere.
Clever and engaging puzzles that challenge players without being overly frustrating.
Unique storytelling approach that conveys emotions and narrative without any dialogue.

Some puzzles can be overly obscure or illogical, leading to frustration and reliance on hints.
Technical issues such as lag and unresponsive controls can detract from the overall experience.
The game is relatively short, which may leave players wanting more content.

music
1,458 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
1%
The music in *Machinarium* is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, with many reviewers highlighting the enchanting soundtrack composed by Tomáš Dvořák (Floex) as a standout feature. The combination of whimsical, ambient, and sometimes jazzy tunes complements the game's unique hand-drawn art style, enhancing the overall experience and emotional depth of the gameplay. Players often recommend purchasing the soundtrack separately, as it is considered one of the best in gaming, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The soundtrack of Machinarium is a masterpiece of atmospheric music.”
- “The music ebbs and flows with the gameplay, enhancing the emotional impact of key moments and adding another layer of immersion to the experience.”
- “Machinarium captivates with its stunning hand-drawn art, atmospheric soundtrack, and clever puzzles that challenge and delight in equal measure.”
- “The last puzzle made me mad (music puzzle) if you know what I mean :)”
- “I did have to look up the answer to the musical puzzle at the end of the game because I'm completely tone deaf and spent an hour trying to map it out without success.”
- “The biggest annoyance was the note song matching, it's no longer in the same octave, and the background, ambient music doesn't get quieter while trying to listen to the radio so I completely missed the first note several times.”
graphics
1,354 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
32%
The graphics of *Machinarium* are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which combines whimsical and steampunk elements to create a unique and immersive atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the game's beautiful visuals and charming character designs, often comparing its aesthetic to that of classic animated films. The combination of intricate artwork and a fitting soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making it a standout title in the point-and-click genre.
- “Machinarium is quite uniquely crafted point-and-click puzzle game with stunning hand-drawn graphics.”
- “The hand-drawn art style and soundtrack are amazing and work in tandem to create an otherworldly atmosphere.”
- “The artwork is beautiful, the soundtrack is lovely, and the story and animations are full of humor.”
- “The game is literally unplayable as the graphics stutter every couple of seconds and the mouse movement leaves streaks across the screen.”
- “The art style makes everything extremely difficult to make out one item from another.”
- “I started this game before they implemented better graphics and I just couldn't play this game.”
story
1,310 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
52%
2%
The story of "Machinarium" is characterized as simple yet charming, revolving around a robot named Josef on a quest to rescue his girlfriend from a gang of villains. The narrative is conveyed entirely through visual storytelling, using expressive animations and thought bubbles, which many players find engaging and effective despite the lack of dialogue. While some reviews note the story's minimal depth, the overall presentation, art style, and emotional undertones contribute to a heartwarming experience that resonates with players.
- “Machinarium achieves something truly remarkable: it tells a compelling story without a single line of dialogue.”
- “The game relies entirely on visual storytelling, using expressive animations, thought bubbles, and environmental cues to convey emotions, motivations, and plot points.”
- “Its beautiful visuals, clever puzzles, heartwarming story, and enchanting music combine to create a truly special experience.”
- “For those more interested in adventure games than puzzle games, I would not recommend playing this game to experience its story -- it's a simple tale, and being totally nonverbal, there's not much backstory or lore to delve into.”
- “The game could be a masterpiece if they were able to connect the puzzles with the story, but unfortunately it is not the case.”
- “But honestly with such a setting, the amazing world they built, the details that made the world feel so alive... I can't understand why they made a story so empty; it's a cute little story about a little robot saving his girlfriend.”
gameplay
386 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
62%
6%
The gameplay of Machinarium is primarily a point-and-click adventure that combines puzzle-solving with exploration in a beautifully crafted mechanical world. While many players appreciate the clever puzzles and unique mechanics, some find the gameplay can be clunky and frustrating, particularly due to the need for precise positioning and occasional illogical solutions. Overall, the game is praised for its artistic presentation and immersive atmosphere, though opinions on the gameplay experience vary widely, with some enjoying its charm and others feeling it lacks depth.
- “On the surface, Machinarium is a competent point-and-click puzzler, but beyond its well-integrated gameplay loop, you will discover an enveloping, atmospheric work of art.”
- “The gameplay challenges your mind and attention to detail, along with many puzzles and mini-games.”
- “The puzzles are clever, and the point-and-click gameplay is perfectly executed.”
- “The gameplay itself is not enjoyable and is probably one of the lower quality point and click puzzle games I've ever played (and I love puzzle games).”
- “Overall a lot of the puzzle solving seems to be aimed at extending the gameplay rather than making puzzles feel interesting and rewarding.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay itself soon became tedious and boring, and the lack of a story also meant there was little incentive for me to keep playing.”
atmosphere
365 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
30%
1%
The atmosphere of *Machinarium* is widely praised for its stunning hand-drawn art, enchanting soundtrack, and immersive world-building, creating a unique blend of charm and melancholy. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke nostalgia while providing a cozy yet thought-provoking experience, enhanced by its clever puzzles and silent storytelling. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest attributes, making it a standout title in the point-and-click genre.
- “Machinarium captivates with its stunning hand-drawn art, atmospheric soundtrack, and clever puzzles that challenge and delight in equal measure.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and art are top-notch, and I regard it as one of the best games in the genre.”
- “The hand-drawn art style and soundtrack are amazing and work in tandem to create an otherworldly atmosphere.”
- “A combination of grindingly slow pacing, tedious, unsatisfying puzzles and downright depressing atmosphere put me off it way too quickly.”
- “Although the art style is lovely, the puzzles were mediocre and the overall atmosphere was just really boring.”
- “The atmosphere of the game also didn't really draw me in, it was cute in a very run-down way, but left me more annoyed than anything.”
humor
233 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
1%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, often conveyed through quirky robot characters and amusing animations. Players appreciate the balance of lighthearted moments with more serious themes, creating a unique blend of humor that enhances the overall experience. The game's visual storytelling and whimsical art style contribute significantly to its comedic appeal, making it a delightful adventure for players of all ages.
- “A charming adventure game that features some good puzzles, amazing art style, great humor, and adorable characters.”
- “The comical animations, emotive personalities of the characters through imagery alone, and incredible backdrops all hand-drawn to extremely high quality finish combined with a humorous and engaging storyline clearly outline the level of attention to detail and an affectionate amount of dedication from developers.”
- “Machinarium delivers an incredible alien world full of living things and humor (and sometimes devious puzzles), not unlike the amazing, claymated Neverhood.”
- “Some minigames are either difficult and unfunny to solve (they have several levels you must complete to progress) or pointlessly easy, like fillers.”
- “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making the experience more frustrating than enjoyable.”
- “Many jokes rely on clichés and lack originality, which detracts from the overall fun of the game.”
emotional
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised for its touching and heartwarming storytelling, conveyed through beautiful visuals and a captivating soundtrack. Players appreciate the non-verbal narrative that evokes nostalgia and creates a strong emotional connection with the characters, particularly the protagonist, a little robot navigating a whimsical yet melancholic world. The combination of clever puzzles and a simple yet profound story enhances the overall emotional experience, making it a memorable and wholesome adventure.
- “The gentle melodies, whimsical tunes, and melancholic undertones perfectly complement the game's visuals, creating a sense of wonder, tranquility, and emotional depth.”
- “Machinarium successfully establishes an emotional connection through silent storytelling and atmospheric music.”
- “The story of our little robot hero (told only in pictures) is so clearly and emotionally conveyed.”
- “The sound design and art style blend together very well in a somewhat bleak but oddly wholesome world I would love to see more of.”
grinding
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
11%
88%
The grinding aspect of the game has received significant criticism for its tedious and time-consuming mini-games and puzzles, which many players found frustrating and unengaging. While some appreciated the charming art style and the variety of puzzles, the overall sentiment suggests that the repetitive nature of the gameplay and slow character movement detracted from the experience, leading to a sense of boredom and dissatisfaction. Despite the presence of a hint system, the requirement to engage in tedious tasks to access help further compounded the frustration for many players.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The further I play Machinarium, the more the puzzles become tedious, convoluted, and ridiculous.”
- “There are multiple extremely tedious puzzles throughout the whole game, and it all leads to a very anticlimactic ending.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay itself soon became tedious and boring, and the lack of a story also meant there was little incentive for me to keep playing.”
replayability
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
55%
34%
Overall, the game exhibits low replayability, primarily due to its finite set of puzzles and short playtime, with many players noting that it is best enjoyed once. While some appreciate the atmospheric elements and story enough to revisit it occasionally, the consensus is that there is little incentive to replay after the initial experience. Players suggest it may be worth playing on sale, especially for those who enjoy the genre.
- “This game has an incredible atmosphere, story, and soundtrack, and has a surprising amount of replay value for a puzzle game.”
- “The narrative that develops is extremely fun to follow, the design makes it feel way bigger and the soundtrack is insanely replayable.”
- “Overall took about 2-3 hours to complete but is certainly replayable.”
- “Being that this game is a finite set of puzzles, the replayability is low.”
- “No replayability is the only negative point.”
- “Unfortunately, there's no replay value, as is the norm with puzzle games.”
character development
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
38%
10%
Character development in the game is generally viewed as minimal, with some reviews noting a lack of depth in character arcs and plot. However, the charming and creative character designs, along with the game's unique art style and atmosphere, effectively engage players and enhance their emotional connection to the characters, particularly the cute robot protagonist. Overall, while character development may not be a focal point, the visual and auditory elements contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The character development, crazy puzzles, and phenomenal graphics grabbed my attention, stretched my thinking, and had me laughing at the unbelievable attention to detail and added humor all at the same time.”
- “It draws you in with a well done soundtrack and surprisingly good character development.”
- “Good story and character development as you go along.”
- “It doesn't even have character development.”
- “Plot, character development, and drama are all minimal.”
- “The art, the audio, the gameplay, the character development.”
stability
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs, glitches, and frustrating gameplay issues, particularly with controls and progression. While some users appreciate the aesthetic and storytelling, many find the technical problems detract from the overall experience, leading to a consensus that the game is unstable and requires troubleshooting. Despite these issues, a few players still believe the game is worth playing, albeit with caution regarding its reliability.
- “My playthrough was buggy, frustrating, and most importantly, fruitless.”
- “The game wouldn't work correctly at first and took a lot of troubleshooting.”
- “Extremeley fiddly and difficult and buggy - my version never saves my last game so its on its way to the archives after only a few hours of gameplay.”
optimization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
45%
40%
The game's optimization has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players experiencing significant stuttering, slowdowns, and performance issues, particularly on PC. Despite its appealing art and music, the game is criticized for being poorly tuned for modern hardware, leading to an unplayable experience for some users. Overall, the consensus is that the game is not optimized well enough for its current platforms, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “Absolutely an amazing and beautiful game in my opinion; from the art to the music, the gameplay is enjoyable as well and runs smoothly.”
- “The engine port (aka definitive update) intended to replace Adobe Flash (end of life somewhere around 2020) with their custom in-house game engine (used in games like Chuchel) has tremendous usability and performance issues.”
- “I had some performance issues with it even though I have a mid to high-end rig; other than this, I had no problems with it whatsoever.”
- “I can't in good faith recommend this particular version of this game, as it is terribly optimized and honestly shouldn't even be available for purchase in its current state.”
- “The stuttering and slowdowns made this a chore to complete, fueled with the excess backtracking and lack of animation skips.”
- “It was unplayable on Windows 10 for a long time due to optimization issues.”