Retro Machina

67%
Game Brain Score Based on 53 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Retro Machina Game Cover
Retro Machina is a game that includes themes that have been explored countless times before, yet brings its own understanding and take of these views to the table. It is the care put into creating the game’s backstory and world that made me fall in love with this title and wonder just how horrible a world without humans would be…
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"Retro Machina" is a game set in a post-apocalyptic world where the city of Endeavor is the last refuge, encased in a glass dome and untouched by destruction. Players control a small robot, exploring this retro-futuristic city, solving puzzles, and uncovering the truth about the city's past and the fate of its human inhabitants. Through exploration and combat, the game offers a unique blend of adventure, action, and nostalgia-inducing visuals.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

67%
Audience ScoreBased on 53 reviews
gameplay6 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • The game features a beautiful art style and vibrant visuals that create an engaging atmosphere.
  • The unique 'puppeteer' mechanic allows players to control enemy robots, adding depth to both combat and puzzle-solving.
  • The story is well-developed, with interesting lore revealed through collectibles, providing a satisfying narrative experience.
  • Combat can feel bland and lacks depth, leading to frustration during encounters.
  • The game suffers from excessive backtracking, which can disrupt the flow of exploration and make progression tedious.
  • Controls are often imprecise, especially with keyboard and mouse, making certain gameplay elements frustrating.
  • gameplay22 mentions

    The gameplay is centered around a unique "puppeteer" mechanic that allows players to control enemy robots, enhancing both puzzle-solving and combat experiences. While the game features intuitive controls and visually appealing environments, some mechanics are criticized for being inelegant or insufficiently explained, leading to frustrations with combat and backtracking. Overall, the gameplay is solid but may feel repetitive and lacks depth compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “The highlight goes to the 'puppeteer' mechanic - you can take control of every enemy robot, except bosses.”
    • “Gameplay, which sees you playing as a little rogue robot with a radio antenna, allows you to control one enemy at a time while still controlling yourself, giving you the twin stick split-focus control scheme seen in games like Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons.”
    • “The gameplay is intuitive, but each new puzzle will make you think carefully; be prepared for this.”
    • “Combat has many unique enemies, a dodge mechanic, and special attacks, yet it feels a bit bland.”
    • “Several key game mechanics are inelegant or insufficiently explained.”
    • “Some of the gameplay mechanics are fiddly, the majority of upgraded attacks are lackluster, and the back and forth can be frustrating.”
  • graphics21 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful, retro-futuristic art style and vibrant colors, creating an engaging atmosphere. While many reviewers appreciate the unique visual design and hand-drawn elements, some note that the graphics can feel repetitive over time, and the overall experience may not be thrilling despite the appealing visuals. The combination of attractive graphics and sound contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, though some players feel that the gameplay does not fully capitalize on this strength.

    • “It has lovely graphics, with crisp, vibrant colors, and a 1950's kind of aesthetic to how it looks.”
    • “The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic artwork.”
    • “Full package, with beautiful hand-drawn visuals, a very unique world, nice soundtrack and characters, lots of content and cool ideas, 8+ hours campaign, fantastic level design and puzzles, and decent combat.”
    • “The graphics and sound are okay but not great.”
    • “Retro graphics, stylized art style, pretty responsive controls, post-apocalyptic world that you reveal through bits and pieces of lore you come across as you play, puzzles... and yet I got absolutely no enjoyment out of it.”
    • “As most scenes with your character are wordless, with them letting the visuals and design convey things they hope the player will intuit rather than be outright told.”
  • story19 mentions

    The game's story is generally regarded as decent but not groundbreaking, featuring a well-developed backstory that players can uncover through exploration. While the main narrative lacks depth and surprises, it effectively conveys themes of self-discovery and the consequences of automation, culminating in a satisfying conclusion. Overall, the storytelling is enhanced by visual elements and optional lore, though some players desire more clarity and depth in the main plot.

    • “Besides that, the game looks great and the plot is well-developed with a satisfying conclusion.”
    • “In a world run by automation comes the story of a broken robot who, against all odds, strikes on a mission of self-discovery and exploration.”
    • “It is the care put into creating the game’s backstory and world that made me fall in love with this title and wonder just how horrible a world without humans would be….”
    • “The story of what is going on in the moment is a bit shallow, but learning about the world of before was interesting enough, and the game ends with a bit of a twist.”
    • “It's a reasonably well told story, with some hefty themes behind it, though I don't think their efforts have been executed with quite the gravitas that they think.”
    • “I would like more disclosure of the story and game lore.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric qualities, featuring trippy synth sounds reminiscent of Blade Runner and Mass Effect, which enhance the gameplay experience. While many appreciate the soundtrack's fitting nature and memorable moments, some find it repetitive and not to their personal taste. Overall, it complements the beautiful art style and unique world, contributing positively to the game's overall appeal.

    • “Beautiful art style and a nice soundtrack, good game!”
    • “Pretty good game, with amazing artwork, soundtrack and with good ideas behind it that were well executed.”
    • “The music is fitting but also got quite repetitive after a while.”
    • “Music is fitting, although probably not my taste as I found it forgettable.”
    • “The music is trippy synth stuff that evokes the likes of Blade Runner and Mass Effect, with it building in intensity for combat, or slowing down and becoming more melancholy as you wander around a world in ruins.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its impressive graphics and a diverse range of robot enemies, creating an engaging and immersive experience. Initial impressions highlight a strong atmospheric presence that enhances gameplay.

    • “The graphics and atmosphere are impressive, complemented by a variety of robot enemies.”
    • “It starts out with a truly atmospheric and engaging experience.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as it often involves repetitive tasks that require time but lack complexity. While some puzzles are not frustrating, they can become monotonous due to their simplicity and the need for multiple iterations.

    • “But they are so simple I never had to stop and think about what to do as it was blatantly obvious; it just required time and multiple iterations, making them just tedious.”
    • “The puzzles aren't frustrating, but neither are they overly simple or repeated to the point that they become tedious.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is generally well-received, though some players express frustration with the mechanics that hinder their momentum, particularly when navigating tight spaces. This can lead to moments of tension and vulnerability, impacting the overall emotional experience.

  • monetization1 mentions

    The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on the enjoyment of vintage advertising posters. Therefore, no clear conclusions about monetization can be drawn from the provided text.

  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it genuinely funny and enjoyable.

    • “It was genuinely hilarious and kept me laughing throughout the game.”
    • “The humor was clever and perfectly timed, making every moment enjoyable.”
    • “I loved the witty dialogue and the absurd situations that had me in stitches.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

68% average critic score

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