Mechanism
- July 19, 2018
- AlexGoodwin
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Get on itch.io StoreThe lonely robot, he has no plans. His faith and soul is in you hands.
Reviews
- The game features stunning graphics and a beautifully designed world that creates an engaging atmosphere.
- The character designs, especially the tiny robots, are adorable and add charm to the game.
- The puzzles are interesting and provide a good challenge, encouraging exploration and problem-solving.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including disappearing items and inconsistent hitboxes, which significantly detract from the experience.
- The camera controls are frustrating, often too close to the character and causing motion sickness, making gameplay difficult.
- The save system is clunky and unreliable, leading to lost progress and confusion about where to go next.
- music15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as haunting and melancholic, effectively enhancing the atmosphere and emotional depth of the experience. While many players appreciate the sound design and find the soundtrack captivating, some report issues with glitches and repetitive beats that can detract from enjoyment. Overall, the music is a standout feature for its ability to evoke mood, despite some technical shortcomings.
“The music evokes melancholy, the sound design in general is really well done, the art direction is fantastic, there are a lot of things to be proud of.”
“Moody, desolate and strangely enchanting, the game features haunting music and a beautifully designed, albeit small, interlocking world.”
“The music, world and atmosphere are worth the asking price alone, definitely worth checking out and will be looking forward to what Alexander Goodwin comes up with in the future.”
“Whenever I adjust the sound effects and background music in the settings, they just apply for the session you play in.”
“And sometimes the music completely glitches and randomly stops.”
“Even the sound wasn't too great; after leaving the initial room, the synth-ish music started with this single repeated beat that started giving me a headache almost immediately.”
- story15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's story is intriguing yet ambiguous, relying heavily on visual storytelling and atmosphere rather than clear narrative guidance, which can leave players feeling lost. While some appreciate the meditative quality and subtlety of the plot, others find it disconnected and challenging to engage with due to a lack of direction. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a strong point, particularly for those who enjoy a more atmospheric experience.
“The fact that one man alone made this game is incredible, and I think that the meditative and ambiguous mood and implication of story will resonate with people looking for the kind of atmosphere that is evident from the screenshots.”
“Storytelling and atmosphere are by far the best point of the game.”
“I have not played this game enough to say anything valid about the story, but so far it's just thrilling.”
“The story is pretty weird and not really connected.”
“You're immediately supposed to know what you're doing; there is not a single clue as to what the story is, you just have to wander aimlessly until you get to interact with something.”
“I get that it's a puzzle game, but the puzzle shouldn't be trying to figure out what the story is.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beauty and stunning visuals, with some players impressed by the quality achieved by a single developer. However, there are mixed opinions regarding animations and clarity, with some users noting issues like blurriness and bugs that detract from the overall experience. The game's bleak aesthetic effectively complements its somber themes, though some aspects of the visuals can be confusing.
“The world looks really cool and the visuals are just stunning in general.”
“I was actually impressed to find these kinds of graphics made by one man.”
“Unique pretty graphics.”
“The bleak visuals and somber music lend to the sorry state the world is in, and the lore is left vague, mirroring the character's own cluelessness.”
“Very poor graphics and blurry.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its meditative, captivating, and eerie qualities, enhanced by its music and storytelling. Many reviewers highlight the unique and immersive world created by a solo developer, though some note that bugs can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature that resonates deeply with players.
“The fact that one man alone made this game is incredible, and I think that the meditative and ambiguous mood and implication of story will resonate with people looking for the kind of atmosphere that is evident from the screenshots.”
“The music, world, and atmosphere are worth the asking price alone; definitely worth checking out, and I will be looking forward to what Alexander Goodwin comes up with in the future.”
“A very densely packed, atmospheric, depressing gem of a game.”
“Its captivating, eerie atmosphere and music get swallowed whole by the game's own phlegm: mildly annoying-to-gamebreaking bugs.”
“The fact that one man alone made this game is incredible and I think that the meditative and ambiguous mood and implication of story will resonate with people looking for the kind of atmosphere that is evident from the screenshots.”
“The music, world, and atmosphere are worth the asking price alone, definitely worth checking out and will be looking forward to what Alexander Goodwin comes up with in the future.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which detract from the overall experience. While some players report only minor issues, others encounter significant problems, such as visual glitches and music interruptions, leading to a perception of the game as feeling unfinished.
“Okay, so I have been playing this game for a few hours and so far I think it is quite cool, but the bugs and glitches just take out the fun for me right now.”
“I have to agree with the reviews below that the glitches are a somewhat problematic part of the game, even though I didn't have many of the problems others did.”
“Glitches are also present, like incorrect orientation of picked items, which sometimes is critical.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed feedback, with some players enjoying its core mechanics and unique solutions, while others find it frustrating due to awkward camera angles and unclear objectives that can lead to aimless wandering. Additionally, the inclusion of a reset feature suggests significant issues with item management and world state, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game's story and core gameplay elements are generally praised.
“I enjoyed the ambiguous nature of this game, but I think the moments I got stuck at may have been avoided with just a little bit more clarity. When I got stuck and was wandering around aimlessly, I started to feel pulled from the world and became frustrated with some of the mechanics.”
“Core gameplay is fun, albeit repetitive.”
“Interesting gameplay solutions.”
“The gameplay is where it just comes apart at the seams, and it is telling that one of the features is basically a reset state button for when the items get lost and the world gets really messed up.”
“I enjoyed the ambiguous nature of this game, but I think the moments I got stuck at may have been avoided with just a little bit more clarity. When I got stuck and was wandering around aimlessly, I started to be pulled from the world and became frustrated with some of the mechanics.”
“The camera angles are still really awkward, plus collision bleeding, and make gameplay difficult in a bad way.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While users appreciate the character designs, there is no specific mention of character development in the provided text, indicating a potential lack of depth in this aspect.
