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Retro Machina

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…
Retro Machina Game Cover
73%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
grinding, replayability
77% User Score Based on 86 reviews
Critic Score 68%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 4Xbox OneWindowsPlayStation
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Retro Machina Game Cover

About

Retro Machina is a single player arcade role playing game with kids and science fiction themes. It was developed by Orbit Studio and was released on May 12, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"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.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
Retro Machina screenshot
+11
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77%
Audience ScoreBased on 86 reviews
gameplay15 positive mentions
grinding6 negative mentions
  • Beautiful hand-drawn retro-futuristic graphics that create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Engaging puzzle mechanics that involve controlling robots, adding depth to gameplay.
  • A compelling story that unfolds through exploration and collectibles, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Frequent backtracking and a confusing map can lead to frustration during exploration.
  • Combat mechanics feel simplistic and can become monotonous due to limited enemy variety.
  • Controls can be awkward, especially when using a keyboard, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
  • gameplay
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in Retro Machina features a unique "puppeteer" mechanic that allows players to control enemy robots while navigating puzzles and combat, creating an engaging dual-control experience. However, the gameplay is often criticized for its simplicity, imprecise controls, and repetitive elements, which can lead to frustration during combat and exploration. While the atmospheric visuals and intriguing mechanics stand out, many players feel that the overall execution could benefit from further refinement and testing.

    • “Its unique machine-control mechanics and atmospheric visuals make it stand out, even if it’s shorter and slower-paced than bigger titles.”
    • “Gameplay includes light puzzles and combat which both make use of a remote control mechanism that allows you to control any other robot you come across.”
    • “The gameplay is intuitive, but each new puzzle will make you think carefully; be prepared for this.”
    • “Hijacking other robots is a primary mechanic but it's slow, imprecise, and actively punishes you for controlling the robots well because most of the time you need to kill them to get out of the mandatory fight (after waiting for the barrier that damages you if you hit a robot you control to wear off).”
    • “Gameplay is fairly shallow, but this is a console game.”
    • “Frustratingly, it also falls victim to a trap of sticking to one or two gameplay formulas that sound better on paper than otherwise.”
  • graphics
    39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful hand-drawn art style and retro-futuristic aesthetic, reminiscent of 1950s design, which creates an immersive and atmospheric experience. While the visuals are considered a standout feature, some players note that they can become repetitive over time, and the overall graphical quality may not utilize the latest technology. Nonetheless, the charming and unique artwork significantly enhances the game's appeal, making it a highlight for many reviewers.

    • “Its unique machine-control mechanics and atmospheric visuals make it stand out, even if it’s shorter and slower-paced than bigger titles.”
    • “I love the retro-futuristic graphics (similar to the art deco of Bioshock), and the design of the world is super atmospheric.”
    • “The first thing that caught my eye was the fantastic artwork.”
    • “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.”
  • story
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story, centered around a broken robot's journey of self-discovery in a post-apocalyptic world dominated by automation, is generally well-received for its intriguing themes and beautiful art direction. While some players find the plot predictable and lacking in mystery, others appreciate the depth provided through exploration and optional lore, leading to a satisfying conclusion. Overall, the narrative is described as decent, with a mix of engaging storytelling and visual elements that enhance the experience.

    • “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.”
    • “With a story told primarily through the world you traverse, the beautifully hand-drawn graphics and varied techno tunes will accompany you to the truth of this world.”
    • “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.”
  • music
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric qualities, with a trippy synth style that enhances the emotional depth of the environment, evoking feelings of nostalgia and melancholy. While some players found it initially forgettable or repetitive, many noted that it grew on them over time, contributing significantly to the overall experience. The soundtrack is often described as fitting and well-executed, complementing the game's beautiful visuals and engaging gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “The environments feel alive, beautiful, captivating; the art, music, and ambience work in great unison to make the so familiar classic retro backtracking worth a shot.”
    • “Pretty good game, with amazing artwork, a memorable soundtrack, and good ideas behind it that were well executed.”
    • “The music is fitting, although probably not my taste as I found it forgettable.”
    • “The music is fitting but also got quite repetitive after a while.”
    • “Music and sound effects: the background music is pretty mild and unenjoyable at first, but it slowly grew on me and I started enjoying it by the end.”
  • atmosphere
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its unique machine-control mechanics, stunning visual design, and superb music, creating an immersive experience reminiscent of retro-futuristic aesthetics. Reviewers highlight the engaging world design and the effective use of graphics that evoke a nostalgic feel, making the atmosphere one of the game's standout features. Despite its shorter and slower-paced nature, the overall ambiance and variety of elements contribute to a captivating environment.

    • “Its unique machine-control mechanics and atmospheric visuals make it stand out, even if it’s shorter and slower-paced than bigger titles.”
    • “I love the retro-futuristic graphics (similar to the art deco of Bioshock), and the design of the world is super atmospheric.”
    • “I just love the graphics that make it feel like an old PC game, and the world design is just fantastic and super atmospheric, definitely its strongest point.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some puzzles are enjoyable, the repetitive nature and design flaws can lead to tedium, especially with the need for constant disconnection and reconnection. Although the puzzles are not overly complex, their simplicity and linear level design contribute to a sense of monotony, making the grinding feel more tedious than engaging. Overall, while the game has solid elements, the grinding can detract from the overall enjoyment.

    • “It's a perfectly fine system, but it does get really tedious when you have to keep disconnecting, reconnecting, and making sure the game auto-locks the right control target during some of the puzzles.”
    • “I certainly did enjoy parts about it, but I couldn't stop myself from noting flaws in the game's core design that mostly led to mildly frustrating and/or tedious aspects that weigh down an otherwise pretty solid game.”
    • “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.”
  • humor
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    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 absurd situations that had me in stitches.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is considered minimal, with users noting that despite some branching choices at the end, the overall experience remains largely unchanged, leading to a lack of incentive to replay. As a result, many reviewers do not recommend the game based on this aspect.

    • “It's just fine, and being just fine with such limited complexity added to having no replayability means that I cannot recommend this game.”
    • “Replay value is negligible; even with a branching choice in the ending, the rest stays the same.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

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

  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly addressed in the provided text, focusing instead on the enjoyment of vintage advertising posters. Therefore, no specific insights into monetization practices are available from this review.

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68%Critics’ scoreBased on 6 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

Retro Machina is a arcade role playing game with kids and science fiction themes.

Retro Machina is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 4 and others.

Retro Machina was released on May 12, 2021.

Retro Machina was developed by Orbit Studio.

Retro Machina has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Retro Machina is a single player game.

Similar games include 8Doors: Arum's Afterlife Adventure, Teslagrad, World to the West, Outland, Dark Light and others.