Submachine: Legacy

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"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

99%

Audience ScoreBased on 729 reviews

story45 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The remaster beautifully ties together all games in the series, creating a cohesive start-to-finish experience.
The hand-drawn art style and atmospheric music enhance the immersive experience, making it a nostalgic trip for long-time fans.
The puzzles are engaging and challenging, encouraging players to take notes and explore thoroughly.

Some puzzles can feel overly complex or obtuse, leading to frustration and reliance on walkthroughs.
The removal of certain iconic sound effects and animations from the original games may disappoint some fans.
The game can become overwhelming with its vast number of rooms and secrets, making navigation difficult at times.

story
141 mentions
32 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of the Submachine series is characterized by its intricate world-building, environmental storytelling, and a mysterious, fragmented narrative that encourages players to piece together the plot through exploration and notes left by characters. While some reviews note that the storyline may feel dated or convoluted at times, many players appreciate its depth and the way it unfolds organically, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the game. The remastered collection has been praised for unifying the series into a cohesive narrative while adding new content and improving the storytelling experience.
- “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 plot of Legacy does seem to differ from what I played in the original games.”
- “The experience of the whole series as one story took something away from it.”
graphics
114 mentions
38 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning hand-drawn art style, atmospheric visuals, and overall aesthetic appeal, which many players find unique and captivating. While the remastered graphics enhance the experience, some users noted that the dense artwork can occasionally obscure interactive elements, leading to moments of confusion. Overall, the visual improvements and cohesive design across the series have been praised, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre.
- “The artwork is stunning - he hand-drew basically every frame of the game with inks - the whole game is super lush and visually detailed.”
- “The graphics and animations are fully updated, though they were never bad in the first place.”
- “Mateusz's art style has developed so much since the start of this series, and every frame is a beautiful and mysterious work of art.”
- “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 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.”
atmosphere
91 mentions
63 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its captivating and immersive qualities, characterized by stunning hand-drawn art, an eerie soundtrack, and a sense of mystery that draws players into its world. Many reviewers highlight the seamless flow between chapters and the intriguing lore that enhances the overall experience, making it a standout in the point-and-click genre. However, some critiques mention that certain changes in the remastered version may detract from the original's atmospheric identity, though the core elements remain compelling.
- “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.”
- “Some changes to the atmosphere of the game feel a little rushed, specifically the overuse of certain sound effects.”
music
77 mentions
40 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
4 % 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 some players appreciate the new soundtrack and its ability to evoke feelings of loneliness and otherworldliness, others express disappointment over the removal of iconic tracks from previous versions. Overall, the soundtrack is praised for its ability to create a captivating ambiance that draws players into the game's narrative and environments.
- “The music, the sound design, the colors, and the drawings are perfect, transporting you to another world.”
- “The atmosphere and the music are phenomenal.”
- “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 worse.”
- “Would particularly like to mention the music, decoration, and ending of Submachine FLF are, in my opinion, vastly inferior in this version.”
- “There are some aspects from some of the side stories that are gone in this version, one specific example is the 'Future Loop Foundation' side chapter was renamed to simply 'The Future' and no longer features music from the band Future Loop Foundation, which does give the side chapter a different mood.”
gameplay
52 mentions
23 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the legacy edition is praised for its solid and accessible mechanics, featuring a blend of exploration and puzzle-solving that rewards mastery and encourages thoughtful engagement. While some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive and that certain design choices, like hiding the inventory, may hinder flow, the overall experience is enhanced by improved graphics, new puzzles, and interconnected game elements. The game successfully merges nostalgia with fresh content, making it appealing to both new players and long-time fans of the series.
- “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.”
- “The gameplay is very traditional for the genre, consisting mostly of collecting items and clues to solve puzzles spread throughout the game's zones.”
- “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 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 the 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.”
- “There is a lot of backtracking in the game that is not made easy by any added mechanic.”
emotional
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the series, often feeling nostalgic and moved to tears by the journey it represents, particularly as it evokes memories of childhood experiences. The exploration and storytelling, conveyed through notes and unique characters, create a profound sense of attachment, culminating in impactful emotional moments that resonate strongly with long-time fans. While some cutscenes may slightly diminish the emotional weight, the overall experience remains a beautiful and heartfelt journey.
- “When I got to the end, I cried because of how much this series means to me.”
- “Playing the legacy edition took me back to when I was a kid playing the first Submachine flash games on my family computer with my mum, and the nostalgia I felt going back to them made me feel the happiest and warmest I've felt in years.”
- “Such a beautiful journey, and incredibly emotional coming from someone who's watched these come out in my childhood.”
optimization
6 mentions
33 % positive mentions
17 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received significant praise, with users noting substantial performance improvements thanks to a new engine, allowing for smooth gameplay even on high-resolution displays. The overhaul of the UI and the introduction of an inventory system have enhanced the experience, while a speedrun mod offers an option to skip lengthy animations, though it's recommended to play without it to fully appreciate the game. Overall, the performance is described as vastly superior to the previous Flash version, making it accessible to a wider range of 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).”
replayability
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the high replayability of the game, citing the inclusion of secrets and nostalgic elements reminiscent of childhood flash games. The developers' attention to detail and thoughtful updates, such as improved puzzle mechanics, enhance the overall experience and encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “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 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.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly when searching for stabilizers, though resources like YouTube can assist with locating them. The immersive plot enhances the experience, engaging players and adding a puzzling element to the grind.
- “Finding the stabilizers can be tedious, but YouTube is always there to help pinpoint the more obscure ones.”
- “The grinding aspect feels repetitive and can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and makes the game feel like a chore.”
stability
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
150 % 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, particularly in the 32 chambers, though these issues are infrequent.
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, providing a seamless experience that keeps you engaged.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is; I can focus on solving puzzles without worrying about technical issues.”
- “The consistent performance of the game enhances the overall enjoyment, allowing me to immerse myself fully in the gameplay.”
- “There are some graphical glitches when transitioning between rooms too quickly, but they only occurred a few times (mainly in 32 chambers).”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced several instances of lag and stuttering, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of satisfying sound effects that enhance the comedic experience, creating a playful atmosphere where even semi-funny jokes elicit exaggerated laughter, effectively tickling the player's brain.
- “The sound effects play a big part in the humor, as they are satisfying and sometimes ridiculously over the top – it's like telling a semi-funny joke and getting raucous laughter in return, which really tickles the brain!”
- “The game is filled with clever puns and witty dialogue that keep you chuckling throughout your adventure.”
- “I love how the characters have such quirky personalities; their interactions are hilarious and make every moment enjoyable.”