itch.io

I wrote a review on this game around 2 years ago. I still haven't found anything quite like it. It is truly an amazing experience and I wish it were not  confined to the GBC niche so more people could discover it more easily. Hopefully some day we can get a spiritual successor on steam or something with a wider audience.

Anyway, I thought I should mention that there is a bug where EVOL is no longer at the compound (arrested?), but you can go back there later and you get the message from her saying you are not allowed in the compound even though she is not actually there anymore. Unfortunately it's been 2 years since I played so I do not remember exactly how to trigger this, but thought it was worth mentioning in case someone can figure out how to replicate it

From the description on this page:

"I am calling the genre a 'pancake adventure' because the story tree is an experimental format where it is short but very wide so that on subsequent play-throughs things can be totally different."

I don't have a particular interest in retro gaming, so I feel extremely lucky to have stumbled upon this masterpiece. The premise of this so-called 'pancake' game is great. Each playthrough may only be an hour or two, but that is actually perfect since it gives you a chance to explore the many life paths to discover in the Machine. The amount of breadth this game has to offer constantly surprises me. Just when I think I've encountered all that a particular route has to offer, I'll do something slightly differently and it branches off into something entirely new.

That said, I do have a couple minor gripes:

1. There isn't an easy way to see which endings you've discovered. The achievement system does this to some extent, but I really wish there was some kind of Ending Gallery where I could re-watch the ending cutscenes from my previous playthroughs.

2. Although there is an astonishing level of replay value, eventually it will get boring having to repeat early sections of the game to get to a path you haven't taken before. While it is initially important to make people replay the early sections so they don't miss many of the hidden paths to discover, after a player has encountered a certain number of endings, it would be nice to unlock a way to skip certain sections like in Detroit: Become Human or visualize where there may be more to find like in Outer Wilds.

That aside, I am blown away by The Machine. It is truly a unique game which deserves to be experienced by far more than just a relatively niche retro gaming crowd. The way the story diverges feels more organic than most choice-based games. The paths and endings are not simply determined by a few dialogue options, but also by where you go, who you speak with, what you purchase, and how well or poorly you complete the many tasks you will encounter in the game.

The Machine has captured my interest in a way no game has for a long time. I hope to see further experimentation and expansion of this genre of 'pancake' games in the future.