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.