Machinarium
Puzzle games are not my forte – I prefer racing games and those I can start quickly and leave quickly without having to bother about a plot or strategy.
From both a technical and game-play perspective, Machinarium is an absolute gem and a game I can heartily recommend to most any computer user. First off, the technical implementation is impressive. The game has been developed, and is played, in a Flash environment. That means the game runs on any platform: Windows, Mac and Linux. Machinarium is an independent development that cost less than USD 1000 to develop!
The graphics are stunning, featuring the player’s character (a robot) and spectacularly detailed backdrops to each section of the game. Gameplay is easy: using a mouse, manipulate the behaviour of the robot by either stretching or shrinking his size, moving around and interacting with elements in the game world. It’s a puzzle game, so each screen presents a new set of challenges the player needs to solve to be able to advance. A hint is available to assist those stuck at any point in the game. Throughout each section of the game, the robot is able to collect items and is able to combine them to solve a puzzle.
Machinarium is highly recommended – the purchase price is a scant USD 10 (for a limited time) and this game will provide a lot of entertainment for both young and old. Check out the demo here.
