I have had Machinarium in my library for quite some time, and that was after it sat on my wishlist for ages. I loved the Samarost series, but it didn't dawn on me that this game was by the same developer, Amanita Design, until I finally started playing the game and began noticing the similarities.
 
Believe it or not, this is a Love Story...well, technically, it is a robotic love story! I am still amazed that this developer is able to tell a story from beginning to end without a single word being spoken! Every character Josef the robot meets has a backstory they happily share with him via a thought bubble, and Josef somehow manages to help them all overcome their plights as he overcomes obstacles on his own journey.
 
This adorable robot has a few tricks up his metallic sleeve. He can grow taller or squish himself until he's practically flat. When he comes across an inventory item, he simply eats it; okay, technically, he just stores the items in his tin can belly. If you try to get him to do something or go somewhere off-limits, he will shake his head vehemently, so don't try to convince him otherwise.
 
The puzzles, at times, were maddening! I played the Tic-Tac-Toe game (place 5 nuts/bolts in a row) multiple times before finally beating my opponent. (the trick was to place my pieces away from the beaten path, so to speak, while leaving a gap because the AI could only block one end.
 
I loved the two Arcade Games, even though it was annoying to have to pedal an exercise bike to recharge the generator after each failed attempt. The first Arcade game was Space Invaders, where you had to score 1000 points by shooting all of the invaders without getting shot too many times, which ended the game. The second Arcade Game is a sliding box puzzle where you have to use directional arrows to move a blue dot into various boxes to move them until you place the smaller blue box into the larger blue box and then guide the boxes out of the gate, which opens once the two boxes are combined. This is repeated 5 times, with each puzzle being slightly more progressive than its predecessor.
 
My advice is to pay attention to all the thought bubbles and look for puzzle clues that are usually nearby. Most of the door or machine puzzle instructions are just simple patterns that need to be set, such as selecting a series of lamp lights.
 
After completing this adventure, you feel like you actually accomplished something because it isn't always easy to figure out what you are supposed to do and why you're doing it. Eventually, you get that Aha! moment, and it makes you feel like a robotic genius, loll! I really wish I had played this game sooner!
 
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