When comparing Game Dev Tycoon vs Machinarium, the Slant community recommends Machinarium for most people. In the question“What are the best indie games on Steam?” Machinarium is ranked 7th while Game Dev Tycoon is ranked 66th. The most important reason people chose Machinarium is:
The player is forced to move their character across the map in order to find objects of interest. This, coupled with the great sound design and soundtrack which also do their part in giving cues as to where the objects are and if the player is close, really help you immerse into the atmosphere and art style of Machinarium.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro You can create "own" your games
You can decide whether you want to make to be a free developer (riskier) or did you use a publisher want (Restricted) to your games.
Pro Fun real life gaming representations
In game there are many interpretations on real life gaming history. Seeing how the game represents the NES or the Dreamcast is fun and drives the player to see what will come next as to see how it appears in the game itself.
Pro You can interact with the community
There are conventions, interviews and requests from fans for old engines that you can possibly ask for free.
Pro It is easy to understand
The gameplay and the construction of its own studios is easily explained and easy to use. It also seeks not to the whole menus to the by, see what you just need.
Pro The gameplay is perfectly interwoven with the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of the game
The player is forced to move their character across the map in order to find objects of interest. This, coupled with the great sound design and soundtrack which also do their part in giving cues as to where the objects are and if the player is close, really help you immerse into the atmosphere and art style of Machinarium.
Pro Beautiful art style
Machimariums hand drawn graphics exude a very steam punk style that definitely has a very unique look by being all hand drawn.
Pro Challenging puzzles
The puzzles are quite challenging to the point of frustration but in the end give a sense of immense reward when figured out.
Pro Interesting protagonist
The main character and the one controlled by the player is just a normal, average, everyday robot. He doesn't have any special powers or abilities other than being able to slightly extend his midriff in order to reach high ledges or making his body shorter. He's pretty much an ordinary robot thrust into an extraordinary situation.
Pro Built-in hint system
For those that do find some of the puzzles too challenging there is an inbuilt hint system shown through "thought bubbles" on top of the playable character.
Every level has its own hint when pressed and it's usually a hint on where to go or what kind of object you need. Although it's advised not to rely on the hint system too much since it takes away from the experience of actually enjoying the game.
Pro The well-designed gameplay mechanics avoid making the game boring to the player
Unlike most point-and-click games, objects of interest in Machinarium light up only when the main character is close to them; this completely changes the way the game is played. In point-and-click games where this is not the case, the gameplay is usually reduced to aimlessly flailing the cursor around waiting for something to light up.
Machinarium on the other hand completely avoids this, keeping levels interesting and the player interested to the game.
Cons
Con It can be very easy
If you have created a blockbuster and the reviews are simply superb, the game can be quite easily after that, you should have been working without a publisher, because you've got quite a lot of money then and thus the economies slightly indented backwards.
Con Items may be difficult to find due to similar colors
At points in the game there are needed items that blend in too well with their surrounding making it quite difficult to actually see them.