Retro Machina: Nucleonics

About

Retro Machina: Nucleonics is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by Orbit Studio and was released on April 14, 2021. It received positive reviews from players.

Retro Machina is a single-player action and exploration game set in a retro-futuristic universe. Experience the journey of a little robot as they solve intricate puzzles and begin unraveling the mysteries of a world long forgotten.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features stunning visuals and a captivating atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like Fallout and Bioshock.
Gameplay mechanics are enjoyable, with a good mix of puzzles and action that show potential for complexity in the full version.
It's a free-to-play game that runs smoothly and offers a genuinely enjoyable experience with a good story and engaging art style.

Combat controls are clunky and unresponsive, making gameplay feel frustrating at times.
Puzzles can be repetitive and lack depth, leading to a feeling of mediocrity in the overall game design.
The demo ends abruptly after limited content, leaving players wanting more without a clear indication of future updates or expansions.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
44%
17%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its intriguing mechanics, aesthetic visuals, and enjoyable puzzles, while others criticize it for being repetitive, clunky, and unresponsive. Players appreciate the combination of art style and music, but many feel that the controls and overall mechanics could be better developed. Overall, the game offers a decent experience, though it lacks innovation and can feel frustrating at times.
- “Got through the demo — very intriguing setting and gameplay mechanics.”
- “Great soundtrack, stunning visuals, excellent aesthetic, decent animation, and very decent gameplay.”
- “It doesn't introduce anything brand new or overwhelming, but the whole combination of perfectly used art style, music, gameplay and a bit of challenge create a genuinely enjoyable experience.”
- “With its mediocre puzzles that are repetitive, this game's developer tries to disguise lack of story and content for repetition of game mechanics.”
- “The mechanics of this game are poorly thought up and again repetition is the thought for this when controlling the spider bot spawner; every five spider bots you destroy you get a heal and every fifteen you get a double heal.”
- “Gameplay in general is quite clunky and unresponsive.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
37%
The graphics are widely praised for their stunning visuals and appealing aesthetics, with many users highlighting the spectacular artwork and effective use of art style that enhances the overall experience. While the graphics may not introduce groundbreaking elements, they contribute significantly to the game's ambiance and enjoyment.
- “Love the aesthetics & ambiance.”
- “Great soundtrack, stunning visuals, excellent aesthetic, decent animation, and very decent gameplay.”
- “Art work is spectacular.”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The game's story is criticized for being minimal and overshadowed by repetitive gameplay mechanics, suggesting a lack of depth and content. However, some players find the storyline engaging, particularly praising it as one of the best aspects of the game, especially for a free-to-play title. Overall, opinions on the story are mixed, with some appreciating its potential while others feel it falls short.
- “Very interesting story line while playing, even we can use keys on both sides.”
- “This has to be one of the best 'free to play' games that have a great story and mechanics in its genre.”
- “With its mediocre puzzles that are repetitive, this game's developer tries to disguise the lack of story and content with repetition of game mechanics.”
- “Right from the start, when I noticed it wasn't a point-and-click, I knew it would fall short of the story-related content.”
- “It's clear that when this was conceived, it started out with a story for a point-and-click, then someone decided to make it a platformer.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The music in the game is generally praised for its great soundtrack and aesthetic appeal, contributing positively to the overall experience. However, some users find it overpowering and suggest adjusting the volume. Overall, the combination of music, visuals, and gameplay creates an enjoyable atmosphere, despite not introducing anything particularly innovative.
- “Nice soundtrack.”
- “Great soundtrack, stunning visuals, excellent aesthetic, decent animation, and very decent gameplay.”
- “It doesn't introduce anything brand new or overwhelming, but the whole combination of perfectly used art style, music, gameplay, and a bit of challenge create a genuinely enjoyable experience.”
- “The soundtrack is overpowering; turn it down by 50%, you're welcome!”
- “Eh... yeah... to the devs: focus on retro pixels and music, not retro controls and gameplay.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its effective level design and art direction, which successfully evokes the feeling of an abandoned factory. Reviewers appreciate how the visual elements are thoughtfully arranged to enhance the overall immersive experience.
- “I liked this demo a lot, especially the atmosphere it created through the level design and art direction.”
- “I don't know how to describe it, but the way everything was drawn and arranged genuinely provided the atmosphere of an abandoned factory.”
- “I don't know how to describe it, but the way everything was drawn and placed genuinely provided the atmosphere of an abandoned factory.”
- “The game lacks any real sense of immersion; the environments feel flat and uninspired.”
- “Despite the setting, the atmosphere feels lifeless and fails to evoke any real emotion or tension.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, with users rating it highly at 9/10 for its comedic elements.
- “A good and funny game, 9/10.”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, making every moment enjoyable.”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations!”