Retro Machina Review

In a world run by automation comes the story of a broken robot who, against all odds, strikes on a mission of self-discovery and exploration. In Retro Machina you will find yourself taking control of a dysfunctional robot who wants to find out where he is and what happened to the world around him. You will be tasked with traveling through 3 main areas to unlock new skills, uncover some of the mysteries of the world you find yourself in, and you will also have to deal with the robots, traps, and puzzles that will be thrown in your way. Although the robots around you are hostile you will gain the ability to take control of one of them at a time. When you do so you will be able to use that robot to deal with the other robots, go into places you couldn’t previously reach, and help take care of switches and traps that might be blocking your way.

I have to be honest, I had a lot of fun with this game. I did put around 10 hours into the game, which is probably on the long side when it comes to play time for this title, but I can’t complain too much as I was always trying to get further and further into the game. One of the reasons I took so long is that there were definitely spots in the game where I just couldn’t figure out where to go, and in most cases once I figured it out I would see that it was my fault for not noticing something in the section of the area I was currently in. All the areas that you’ll be playing through are surprisingly big. Which is why when you get lost trying to figure out what to do next you can begin to imagine the amount of time I added to my playthrough of the game. 

I loved the look of the game. I loved the story of the game. I loved the feel of the game. As you progress through the game you’re going to obtain upgrade points that you can use to lengthen your life, create a shield, do special attacks, etc. at one of the upgrade stations. Since I did say life I do want to point out that there’s a very good chance you’re going to die (a couple of times) during the game. Thankfully most of the time you’ll just be taken back to the checkpoint save that occurred when you entered an area (it does suck if you are right at the end of that area and you have to do it all over again, but at least you know what you’re going to have to face). You will also have to face-off against some bosses, and each of them has their own wrinkle. Honestly, this was just another layer that drew me into the game. Sure, I died quite a few times on the very first boss, and yes I took out the second one without really breaking a sweat, but I think that was partially luck and getting used to the game mechanics. If I could I constantly had a robot under my control to help deal with nasty surprises/enemies, and because of that my life was saved many times over. Speaking of robots, there are a ton to discover in the game. The first time you take over a robot you’ll get a stat card that gives you a little bit of an idea of what this robot is going to do. Now, of course, you probably already have a very good idea of what they can do because 9 out of 10 times they are in the act of attacking you when you take control of them. One quick bit of advice, though, DO NOT attack a robot that you’re currently controlling, it hurts.

So here’s the deal, if you like adventure puzzle games you’re going to want to get this game if you haven’t already. This, to me, is a must have, and there’s enough puzzle solving, enemy crushing, collectable finding, and a story full of twists and turns to have you locked in from start to finish.