Machinarium - A Relaxing Game With a Nature Theme
Machinarium is an intriguing puzzle point-and-clicking game developed by Amanita Design Ltd. It was launched on 16 September 2021 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux and on 8 September 2021 on the App Store for iPad 2. The game was inspired by the works of H. G. Wells and was intended to entertain children and adults, in that case with puzzles. Although it can be enjoyed by all ages, this game has a slightly more mature feel to it, perhaps because the main character, Mac, is a mad genius who doesn't follow the rules or understand them well. This is what turns you off at first, but then makes you want to play again, until you eventually reach that point where the true nature of the game becomes apparent.
To start with, the first thing that will remind you of the game are the colours used in the interface and the design of the interface and backgrounds. Once you've got used to the interface, you'll notice that most things are explained in the text, with pictures that add an extra dimension to the interface. Although it is possible to use the mouse to point and click, a great thing to do is to use the keyboard and the touch screen to point and click, to allow you to focus on the picture on the screen better and make your point. The music that plays in the background during play is pleasant and fitting to the theme and also has a relaxing sound of nature.
From a technical standpoint, the game is quite enjoyable and did a pretty good job depicting what I consider to be realistic scenery. However, from a humour perspective, the story line, including the ending, could have been left a little more ambiguous. Also, a lot of the scenes are very funny but may be a touch too realistic. Overall, Machinarium is an engrossing game and is well worth a try for any PC player.
