Retro Machina

Very underrated isometric zeldavania. Perfect Steam Deck games. Reminds me a lot of Hob.

It's a nice looking handdrawn isometric game that sometimes is very hard to understand based on the visuals. Remote control mechanic is the most interesting thing about it, but the puzzles it is used for end up very simple box + button situations and while you can dominate in combat using hacking, you end up awkwardly fighting the robot you hacked at the end. And if you pick a big one, it just one shots you forcing the combat to start over. Unfortunately the whole thing comes off very slow and a touch clunky with lackluster upgrades. Gave up after finishing the first zone and its lackluster boss.

Retro Machina is an isometric action-adventure that blends exploration, environmental puzzles, and light combat into a cohesive experience defined as much by its atmosphere as its mechanics. Developed by Orbit Studio and published by SuperGG.com, it takes place in a world where humanity has mysteriously vanished, leaving behind a network of robots still dutifully following long-abandoned directives. You control a small service robot that begins to malfunction—an anomaly in a system built on routine—and is subsequently cast out into the wider world. From there, the game unfolds as a quiet journey through a forgotten civilization, where discovery and interpretation take precedence over explicit storytelling. The structure of the game revolves around interconnected areas that gradually open up as new abilities are acquired. Exploration is a constant focus, with environments designed to encourage curiosity through hidden pathways, optional upgrades, and subtle visual cues. While the progression path is ultimately guided, there is enough freedom to make the act of moving through the world feel engaging. At times, however, navigation can become slightly confusing, particularly when back…

Retro Machina is a generally well working game. - very nice graphics - fine action combat - good puzzling with the controlling robots mechanics It also has a lot of exploring. In the exploring section, the game has a bit more weaknesses. A few more teleporters to reduce backtracking would have made it better. If you happened to miss something, the map is just okayish to find spots you missed. Sometimes the keycards are very visible on the map once the part of the map is entered, and sometimes it was not. Is it a recommend? Yes, if you have some patience to deal with the exploration.

This is such a beautiful game! Stimulating puzzles but not complicated to the point you get frustrated, beautifully drawn characters and views, and engaging battle scenes. I really enjoy it and love the fact that this has been created by a small studio and not a big corporation. You can feel the 'soul' put in this game. Love love love it. Sorry for the lack of technical gamer details, I don't play a lot or often lol.

A relaxing adventure/puzzle game with simple but attractive mechanics. Great to play with joystick.