machinarium

I chose to look into machinarium because it is a puzzle based game where the player interacts with the environment. In this sense it is similar to what we want to create. I also wanted to research it because it is painfully beautiful. The aesthetic has a clear theme that it does not deviate from and yet the environments do not appear boring.

When looking at the aesthetic, the hand drawn style is quite original. It seems like this is paired with elements of 3d which creates uninteresting look. Light and colour is used efficiently to break up different areas of the game. 

I like the dome shape created by the empty space. This being black creates a high contrast to the environment making it stand out. 

One technique that is very good in the game is the use of space. In the image below the focal points of the game are off centre. 

As the level develops more of the map is shown. This is a clever way of showing different rooms while staying in one. It also creates an interesting aesthetic that the player does not expect. If these ideas were not used the overall look of the game may become repetitive. Ultimately the player may lose interest due to the theme of the game. 

The player losing interest int he game because of its aesthetics is an interesting view to research. I believe this to be true when considering certain themes. If the theme is bleak much like 'Oddworld' and 'Machinarium' then artistic inventions need to be considered much like the one above. 

As I played the game, I found the puzzles far too hard. I researched this to see if I was just being stupid however there have been many people saying the she thing. Often why the game wants you to do is not obvious. Finding the items I needed to complete a task was often impossible because I didn't know what to look for in the first place. The hand drawn artistic direction made finding these objects even harder. My main issue with this game was knowing what was possible and what wasn't. I would think Oh i won't try that because it won't be possible, but often it was, and the opposite. If the game had different difficulty settings this would be excusable but until then I will not look forward to playing it again.

I think as a puzzle game it has elements that will be worth considering for our own game such as the use of the environment to help the character but on a smaller scale. This combined with our idea of making interesting ways to disable an enemy would make in my opinion a more satisfying gaming experience.