Unmechanical
- August 8, 2012
- Talawa Games
- 2h median play time
Unmechanical Extended on a fundamental level fails to address the shortcomings of the original game, and even though the extended episode tries it's best to do something interesting, it's against the clock and the mechanics of the game. Extended isn't worth the asking price for what it offers, especially over the original version.
Get on Steam"Unmechanical is a single-player Science Fiction Arcade game with a good story, stellar game mechanics, and ingenious graphics. It offers over three hours of gameplay, featuring easy-to-learn controls and 30 unique puzzles in a fantastically atmospheric world. Immerse in its fabulous soundtrack and unmatched exploration experience as you uncover a dark secret on your journey to freedom."
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Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and immersive atmosphere that enhance the gameplay experience.
- Puzzles are generally well-designed, offering a mix of challenge and satisfaction without being overly frustrating.
- The game encourages exploration and creative problem-solving, making it enjoyable for puzzle enthusiasts.
- The game is quite short, typically taking only 2-4 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
- Some puzzles can feel tedious or convoluted, leading to moments of frustration.
- The lack of a clear storyline and abrupt ending may leave players feeling unsatisfied.
- gameplay82 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Unmechanical features simple yet engaging gameplay mechanics centered around physics-based puzzles, allowing players to explore a richly designed underground world. The game offers a variety of challenges that encourage logical thinking and exploration, though some players find the overall difficulty to be on the easier side. While the game is relatively short, lasting around 2-4 hours, its charming visuals and atmospheric soundtrack enhance the puzzle-solving experience, making it a worthwhile play, especially during sales.
“You get straight into the game from the word go and pick up the game mechanics and interactions from situations in the game and good level design.”
“Unmechanical encourages exploration and outside-the-box thinking as it challenges you with a combination of traditional and environmental puzzles that test your memory and reflexes.”
“Unmechanical is a charming and endearing little puzzle/exploration game that started off as a student project before a development team caught eye of the group of students and teamed up to make a full-fledged game.”
“Gameplay-wise, this game isn't really anything special.”
“However, I don't feel the $10.00 price tag is worth it; it is listed as over 3 hours of gameplay and yet I finished it in less than 1.”
“The puzzles lacked originality in places and it's quite possible to complete Unmechanical in less than five hours.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beauty and charm, with many reviewers highlighting the lush environments and appealing art style that enhance the overall atmosphere. The visuals are described as top-notch, with a variety of settings that create a captivating experience, making the game enjoyable to explore. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.
“The visuals are amazing, the puzzles require some out of the box thinking, and you can just relax and enjoy the scenery as you journey.”
“Unmechanical is a cute little puzzle platformer with some lovely steampunk graphics and sounds.”
“The graphics are lush, rendering various environments for your robot to wander through while searching for a fallen comrade that include caverns, factories, and occasionally trippy things difficult to describe.”
“Graphics and audio not the bee's knees, but beyond expectation for a puzzle game, especially at this price point.”
“Now, if they add some settings for graphics, controls and loading a level/save game … that’d be good.”
- atmosphere35 mentions
- 77 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and visually stunning design, often compared to titles like "Machinarium" and "Limbo." Players appreciate the beautiful graphics, ambient music, and creative environmental design, which contribute to a relaxing and engaging experience. However, some note that the environments can feel repetitive over longer play sessions, and while the atmosphere is a highlight, the gameplay may not always match its quality.
“A very charming, pleasant puzzler with an atmosphere reminiscent of Machinarium, yet with its own twist.”
“The atmosphere was moody and the special effects, especially when you went underwater or into the dark, were an absolute delight and an outstanding use of the technology at hand.”
“This game is highly atmospheric, visually impeccable, and has character oozing from every pore.”
“I'd recommend for the atmosphere alone if it were free, but the puzzles are almost always either nonsensical or tedious.”
“The atmosphere was moody and the special effects, especially when you went underwater or into the dark, were an absolute delight and an outstanding use of the technology at hand (running on the impressive Unreal Engine).”
“On the whole, the atmosphere is a lot like that in Machinarium - if you liked that, then you'll like this and vice versa.”
- story31 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as minimal and lacking depth, with many players noting an abrupt ending and a lack of clear narrative progression. While some appreciate the environmental storytelling and emotional undertones, others find the absence of a coherent plot frustrating, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall narrative engagement. The visuals and atmosphere are praised, but the storytelling leaves much to be desired for those seeking a more substantial narrative experience.
“Overall, a lovely game with just enough of a storyline to keep you hooked and make the choice at the end a tough one.”
“The story is told using gameplay; despite the fact that there is so little of it, it is emotional, meaningful, and engaging.”
“Interesting, unique, mysterious plot inside a relatively short puzzle game.”
“There's no resolution to what you see in the game, no explanation, nothing resembling a story beat.”
“Perhaps the storyline was the only thing that needed some improvement: we don't know who we are or why we are where we are; and the ending was also a letdown because it came too abruptly.”
“If you want to get into metaphors and such, then you can write a thesis paper especially with the endings and the environment, but there is no story pretty much.”
- music25 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and ambient qualities, enhancing the overall aesthetic and gameplay experience. Reviewers note that the soundtrack complements the charming visuals and puzzle mechanics, creating a pleasing atmosphere, although some find it to be somewhat forgettable. Overall, the music is considered a strong point, contributing to the game's immersive environment.
“The music was lovely and fit well with the game.”
“Fun little game with puzzle mechanics and an unintrusive narrative as well as a fitting soundtrack that not only matches the game's overall setting but also adds a touch of intrigue.”
“Beautiful art style, great ambient music, and well-made puzzles.”
“The soundtrack was mostly just ambient music but it did the job for the game itself.”
“Performance was solid except for one place and the music was atmospheric and forgettable.”
“Looks extremely nice and plays very well, extra bonus for the ambient music and general atmosphere.”
- stability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is criticized for being buggy and unfinished, with users reporting issues such as problematic physics and occasional glitches that can cause players to get stuck. However, some players noted that these issues are often manageable with quick reloads, suggesting that while the game has flaws, it is not entirely unplayable.
“The game runs smoothly without any bugs.”
“I haven't encountered any glitches or crashes during my playtime.”
“The stability of the game is impressive; it feels polished and reliable.”
“Tl;dr: Buggy and unfinished.”
“I have not played such a design- and program-flawed, buggy game in a long time.”
“Slightly buggy, as you can get stuck particularly when carrying objects, but nothing a quick reload can't fix without losing much.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while most puzzles are well-designed, some can feel tedious or convoluted. The game's atmosphere and graphics are praised, but there are concerns that prolonged gameplay could lead to monotony.
“I'd recommend for the atmosphere alone if it were free, but the puzzles are almost always either nonsensical or tedious.”
“With a game like this, I could maybe see it becoming tedious if it dragged on for 20 hours.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, optimization for the game is mixed; while performance is generally solid on most systems, Linux users report significant issues, including poor performance and resolution settings that reset upon starting the game, indicating a lack of effort in the Linux port.
“Performance was solid except for one place, and the music was atmospheric and forgettable.”
“Linux performance could be better, though.”
“Worst, if you attempt to change resolution to gain performance, it resets back when you start playing the game; definitely a low/no effort port for Linux.”
“Performance was solid except for one place and the music was atmospheric and forgettable.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively conveys an emotional narrative through its unique gameplay mechanics, where players navigate a ball between electrified nails using magnets. Despite minimal gameplay, the experience is described as meaningful and engaging, highlighting the emotional depth of the story.
“The story is told using gameplay; despite the fact that there is so little of it, it is emotional, meaningful, and engaging.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be a solid quick puzzler, with the inclusion of achievements enhancing its replayability.
“Definitely a good quick puzzler, and the achievements add some replayability.”
“The variety of levels and challenges keeps me coming back for more.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh due to the different strategies you can employ.”
“The game lacks variety, making it hard to find motivation for a second playthrough.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to replay the game.”
“The limited choices and outcomes mean that replaying feels more like a chore than a fun experience.”
