I first heard about Machinarium a decade or so ago. A new neighbor who was walking by glanced toward my patio because he noticed movement, realized I was playing a video game, and then later that evening, he knocked on my door because he wanted to introduce himself to his "cool" neighbors. Over the course of the conversation, he mentioned Machinarium. I had just picked it up in an indie games bundle, but I hadn't paid too much attention to it. I tried it out that evening, and then life happened and I'm just now returning to it. Thanks for the recommendation, Joe. There's not much to story, so I'll disregard that. Let's do the compliment sandwich this time.
Machinarium's visuals are gorgeous. I like the funky, kind of cartoony feel where important things kind of stand out as opposed to the slightly more muted background. Most of the robots have interesting designs (particularly the saxophone player), and the least interesting character to look at is actually Josef, the main robot. The backgrounds have a soft, almost hand-drawn look to them, and there's a lot going on in town.
Controls are simple, but can be annoying. I used a controller (DualShock 4), but I think a keyboard and mouse may have been better in this situation. I found myself trying several times to click one object, or combine an object with something else, only for Josef to shake his head because he thought I was trying to do something else. The final sequence with Berta was the most annoying. During mini games, though, the controller was fine. Space Invaders with a PS4 controller was a first for me.
Finally, the soundscape is wonderful. Admittedly, a lot of the sound effects themselves were forgettable, but the music will stick with me for a while. I'd purchase just the soundtrack to have playing in the background as I work or study. It's beautiful and soft, and it fits right in with the game's overall feel in ways that many soundtracks fall short.
I wouldn't purchase the game at full price, but it's definitely worth a look if you can catch it on sale. 3.5/5
3.5