Submachine: Legacy
- October 13, 2023
- Mateusz Skutnik
- 15h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"Submachine: Legacy" is a hand-drawn puzzle adventure game set in the underground world of Submachine, a vast network of desolate locations filled with intricate machinery, secrets, and notes. As a lone researcher, you will follow the footsteps of a banished lighthouse keeper and uncover the story of his descent into ruin through collected notes. With over 1900 rooms to explore, players will solve various puzzles, restore machinery, and tinker with devices to understand and escape the complex world of Submachine.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The remaster beautifully ties together all the games in the series, providing a cohesive start-to-finish experience.
- The hand-drawn art style and atmospheric music create an immersive and nostalgic experience for players.
- The puzzles are engaging and challenging, encouraging exploration and critical thinking.
- Some puzzles can be overly complex or obscure, leading to frustration for players unfamiliar with the series.
- The removal of certain iconic sound effects and animations from the original games may disappoint long-time fans.
- The game can feel overwhelming due to the sheer number of locations and secrets to discover, making navigation difficult.
- story282 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story of the Submachine series is praised for its intricate world-building, environmental storytelling, and a captivating, mysterious atmosphere that encourages players to piece together the narrative through exploration and notes left by characters. While some reviews note that the plot can feel fragmented or dated, many appreciate the depth and creativity of the lore, which has been enhanced in the remastered version, providing a cohesive experience that ties together the various installments. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a unique blend of art and puzzles, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre.
“It's a story that serves as very good theory fodder, has some bone-chilling moments (the tombs! oh my god..!) and is at its absolute best when it's weaving threads across chapters that feel downright conspiratorial.”
“The submachine series is a beautiful, haunting series of games with a story that isn't so much told to you, rather it gently unfolds as you play.”
“The story is interesting and told entirely through notes left behind by the people that came before you, leaving you to piece together what actually happened in the ever-shifting nonsensical un-teriors of the submachine, the characters are unique and you quickly grow attached to them - only for the game to deliver a powerful emotional blow in the penultimate act.”
“The story I could take or leave, though; it's very early-2000s forum-adventure stuff, and while it has some interesting twists here and there, it never really delves into any of its characters or concepts enough for me to really sink my teeth into.”
“The story is of middling interest, and while I get you're an explorer traversing the space/time void, there hasn't been any puzzles that stuck out as memorable, and the 'unpleasant dissonance' for a soundtrack mixed with the aggravation of constant backtracking has officially exhausted me right at the end of it all.”
“I should mention that the writing of some notes and some cheesy story elements from the later games largely went unchanged.”
- graphics228 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning hand-drawn art style, atmospheric visuals, and significant improvements over previous iterations. Players appreciate the unique aesthetic and intricate details that enhance the overall experience, although some have noted that the dark graphics can occasionally obscure navigable areas. Overall, the remastered visuals and cohesive design contribute to a captivating and immersive gameplay experience.
“The hand-drawn graphics are phenomenal.”
“The artwork is stunning - he hand-drew basically every frame of the game with inks - the whole game is super lush and visually detailed.”
“Compared to the original, Legacy is a beautiful upgrade, with remastered graphics, sounds, and animations that bring a whole new life to the subnet.”
“The dark graphics, heavy vignette, and lack of exploration tools make it possible to miss rooms and even items.”
“My biggest complaint across the entire series (in its original state and the compilation both) is how often the dense artwork can make it easy to miss that you're able to pick up an item; I wish there was an option to highlight things you can pick up in bright blue or green outlines or something, to be toggled on just when I'm stuck.”
“The graphics quality between chapters seems inconsistent (especially between side chapters and main ones), the only time when the originals show their age.”
- atmosphere182 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating and immersive qualities, enhanced by stunning hand-drawn art and a haunting soundtrack that evokes a sense of mystery and intrigue. Players appreciate the seamless flow between chapters and the game's ability to create a feeling of unease and exploration, making it a standout experience in the point-and-click genre. While some critiques mention minor issues with sound design and repetitive areas, the overall consensus is that the atmosphere is a defining feature that enriches the gameplay and storytelling.
“The atmosphere of this game is like no other, and the story is really interesting, even if it does not answer all questions.”
“Absolutely gorgeous hand-drawn panels and rooms, with some of the most intriguing lore I've seen in a point and click game, all packaged with incredible atmospheric music to create an unforgettable experience that defined my childhood.”
“The atmosphere, music, and puzzles are all top tier and go together extremely well.”
“Some areas are repetitive: following that last critique, the game can be quite repetitive if you know what you're doing, or even if you don't, you go through a bunch of empty areas with literally nothing in them to get to the next puzzle. I know it's for atmosphere or whatever, and I should just forgive it, but sometimes it's just ridiculous how many nothing areas the game will make you go through. Chapters 6 (or maybe it was 7? The one that starts with you giving away the items from the last game) and 3 are the worst offenders, mostly because they both only have 1 item.”
“Atmosphere, as I've mentioned, is very important to Submachine's identity, but the remake does an awful lot to undermine this.”
“Bits of the atmosphere are still there but it's nowhere near what the games are known for.”
- music154 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively enhancing the overall experience and complementing the hand-drawn visuals. While many players appreciate the new soundtrack and sound design, some express disappointment over the removal of iconic tracks from previous versions, noting that the changes sometimes disrupt the mood. Overall, the combination of ambient soundscapes and thematic music contributes significantly to the game's haunting and otherworldly atmosphere.
“The music and environments are incredible; the whole time I truly felt like I was alone exploring the subspace.”
“The atmosphere, music, and puzzles are all top tier and go together extremely well.”
“The music wonderfully enhances the experience in every area you're in.”
“The loop's intro is gone, and the music has been changed for the worst.”
“Would particularly like to mention the music, decoration, and ending of Submachine FLF are, in my opinion, vastly inferior in this version.”
“New music and improvements to the art and UI really improve the overall experience, save from the loss of some of the iconic music and sound effects.”
- gameplay104 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the remastered Submachine series is characterized by its exploration-heavy, puzzle-solving mechanics that reward players for their mastery and attention to detail. While the core gameplay remains traditional and accessible, improvements such as new mechanics, interconnected levels, and enhanced visuals contribute to a more cohesive and engaging experience, despite some criticisms regarding inventory management and repetitive elements. Overall, the game successfully combines nostalgia with fresh content, making it appealing to both new players and long-time fans.
“I've always enjoyed exploration-heavy puzzle games, and the legacy release delivers on basically every front: the gameplay is solid and accessible, with one of the smoothest transitions in difficulty I've seen in the genre; features and concepts -- namely the various portal-switching mechanics -- are introduced gradually, used imaginatively, and reward mastery.”
“This game takes all the original 10 Submachine flash games (and a few more bonus games), and merges them into one whole, seamless experience with new mechanics, puzzles, secrets, and look.”
“The mechanics of the games likewise unfurl, fractal-like, revealing more complexity and depth as you progress but always feeling in line with what came before.”
“The karma stabilizer mechanic in chapter 10 is badly designed.”
“The old games always had the inventory visible on the screen, but Legacy hid it away under the right click, so now all the items that one would instinctively keep clicking over and over to progress through the game are now hidden under an additional click, which hinders the flow of gameplay.”
“Ironically, even though keeping the inventory off the screen seems like a good way to better emphasize the artwork on screen, it mostly just makes gameplay more annoying.”
- emotional20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the series, often reminiscing about their childhood experiences and the nostalgia it evokes. Many report feeling intense emotions, including tears, at the conclusion of the game, highlighting the impactful storytelling and character development. While some felt that certain cutscenes diminished the emotional weight, the overall journey remains profoundly moving, especially for long-time fans.
“When I got to the end, I cried because of how much this series means to me.”
“Such a beautiful journey, and incredibly emotional coming from someone who's watched these come out in my childhood.”
“The story is interesting and told entirely through notes left behind by the people that came before you, leaving you to piece together what actually happened in the ever-shifting nonsensical un-teriors of the submachine. The characters are unique and you quickly grow attached to them - only for the game to deliver a powerful emotional blow in the penultimate act.”
- optimization12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant praise, with users noting substantial quality and performance improvements thanks to a new engine, allowing for smooth gameplay even on high-resolution displays. The overhaul of the user interface and the introduction of an inventory system have enhanced the experience, breaking free from the limitations of the previous Flash version. Overall, players report a much more stable and visually appealing experience, making it accessible for modern PCs.
“It has been greatly optimized with the new engine and looks great even on my 4K monitor.”
“The performance is at 'if your PC starts successfully you can run this game' level compared to the Flash version.”
“Overall, the main game (which is everything that isn't new in this game) was a 'Flash version but better performance' experience for me.”
“Like with any Submachine release, the UI was overhauled once again, (re)introducing an inventory system and finally breaking free of the performance confines of Adobe Flash: extremely intricate architectures of the never-ending realm between realms can now be fully appreciated, without lag (provided you have a reasonably modern PC).”
- replayability8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through the inclusion of secrets and features that enhance the overall experience, reminiscent of classic childhood flash games. Players appreciate the developer's attention to detail and efforts to improve gameplay, such as patching frustrating puzzles, which further enriches the replay value. Overall, these elements contribute to a compelling sense of mystery and encourage players to revisit the game.
“The secrets add a lot of replay value alongside reliving childhood flash games era.”
“This attention to detail and clear, conscious effort to go out of the way to add features which enhance replay value are the hallmark of a great game series, and an even greater game developer.”
“I really like the addition of the spoilers; they really add a further sense of mystery and greatly improve replayability.”
“The secrets add a lot of replay value alongside reliving the childhood flash games era.”
“Mateusz even patched a particularly obnoxious puzzle from Submachine 10 that makes it much more playable than the original implementation.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when searching for stabilizers, though they appreciate the availability of online resources like YouTube for assistance. The immersive plot adds to the experience, engaging players while they navigate the challenges.
“Finding the stabilizers can be tedious, but YouTube is always there to help pinpoint the more obscure ones.”
“The grinding aspect can feel repetitive and draining over time.”
“The constant need to grind for resources takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability with smooth performance and engaging puzzles. However, players have reported occasional graphical glitches when transitioning between rooms quickly, though these issues are infrequent.
“The game runs smoothly, providing a stable experience that enhances the enjoyment of the challenging puzzles.”
“There's honestly nothing better than the feeling you get when everything finally clicks for you and you progress, thanks to the game's stability.”
“The stability of the game allows players to focus on solving puzzles without worrying about technical issues.”
“There are some graphical glitches when going from room to room too quickly, but those only popped up a few times (mainly in 32 chambers).”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a playful and exaggerated approach, where even semi-funny jokes elicit uproarious laughter, enhanced by satisfying sound effects that contribute to the overall comedic experience. Players find this combination effective in creating a lighthearted and enjoyable atmosphere.
“But soon enough come big rewards, and the sound effects play no small part in that, as they are satisfying and thick, sometimes ridiculously so – imagine telling a semi-funny joke and earning raucous laughter; anyway, it works, brain is tickled, yay!”
