Machinarium Collector's Edition

This could be the focus of an entire game design course... it's just perfect. From the excellent and memorable soundtrack worth listening to on its own, to the amazing stylish hand-drawn artwork (and there is so much of it) to the wonderful minimalist design without a single recognizable word in any language in-game plus a nifty hint/help mini-game system (again, all hand-drawn, and the tedium must have been palpable.) I didn't need any external assistance the couple of times I was stumped, most of the puzzles are a good challenge and rewarding on completion. Hits all the right notes, and at a fraction of the size of so many other titles it still manages to create a beautifully compelling world I'd like to return to. One of the best of its genre ever.

It seems impossible but this game is perfect. Animations are so funny that I used to fail a task on purpose just to see again poor robot struggling bravely with its fate:). Puzzles are very good, some are difficult but not too much. You have walkthrough inside the game anyway and I'm glad I checked it on last step because the walkthrough is an art itself. If somebody doesn't at least smile playing the game he should seek professional attention immediately. Small hint, not a spoiler, if you encounter frustrating puzzle let your frustration flow:) The story is excellent, all-genres-in-one: thriller, crime, romantic comedy, sci-fi, contractors documentary, you name it. For folks grown up in virtual world the game will be harder but very educational. They will learn secret knowledge about real world like that cats chase mice, oil comes from pressed seeds, current flows in wires and so on.

I hard a hard time getting into this game because I found the puzzles to be quite hard. Apart from that, there are very few games that have as much heart and character as this game has. It's just so charming and lovely and the story as actually really good. And the puzzles may be hard, but mostly not unreasonably so, and some of them are actually quite inspired.

Nice story that unfolds as one play. Very tricky solutions in a mixed bag of manipulating surroundings and solving puzzles. Once one understands what to accomplish it is usually straight forward to get it done. Most of the time I could figure out what to do, but on a couple of occasions i glanced at the in-game cheat book to get a hint of the way forward. (I mean to collect the weed, dry it, etc. I cold not have guessed.) This game is for the patient puzzle solver that likes the atmosphere and don't mind the time spent exploring. But in our family the less patient player loved the game just as much using the in game help. The game is hard, very hard. But the in game help makes it enjoyable for anyone who just want to see the story unfold..

With excellent artistic work, Machinarium is a lot of fun to play. The story, if you want to call it that, is not how this game engages you. Rather, it's the puzzles, and mini-games (and to re-iterate the artwork, including the music). In the end; however, the game only lasts for 2 or 3 hours and you wish there was more.