A teenaged girl and the vindictive ghost that's possessing her deal with cosmic mysteries and interpersonal struggles in this character-driven narrative-focused horror adventure.
Very Positive
593 Steam reviews
| LANGUAGE | AUDIO | SUBTITLES | INTERFACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | — | Y | Y |
the audible gasp when I entered that one last room.. This game is uncomfortable and thought provoking. I can't figure out completely what to think about it, but I do think way more people should play it. I like the artstyle and that was also what initially lead me to buy the game, the soundtrack is nice and the dialouge is well written tho edgy at times
Чё-то прикольное
Insanly beautiful game with a sense of atmosphere thats uncompared to anything I played in a long time. Out of all of Davids games this is my favourite
Fun short story with really unique art style
Графический стиль уже достоин уважения, а история хоть и непонятная, но добавляет вовлечённости в игру
Very cool to look back at David's history to where he's at today.
Empty game
I think this is a standout in terms of David's narrative games, the dialogue was done tactfully and the environments were nothing short of stellar.
как дэвиду удаётся придумывать такую лютейшую дичь это поразительно, заслуживает всего хайпа если он был (этого я не застала)
сначала кажется, что это обычный околохоррор симулятор ходьбы, но потом постепенно окружение всё чаще шокирует и вызывает реакцию "что??????"
не знаю кому не показалось страшно, я лично под конец нормально так в штаны наделала, вау
всё как всегда на высоте, и визуал, и музыка, и нарративная часть, снимаю шляпу. я хоть и хорошо знаю английский и читала все диалоги только из отзывов поняла, что произошло, но я так привыкла к абсурдным сюжетам этого разработчика, очень открытым к интерпретации, что это меня особо и не смутило
The Music Machine sits on a simple premise. Though it delves deeper through its concepts. Like The Moon Sliver, this game is a walking sim that aims to get you to explore. To listen and think. To identify and digest. It's a simple treasure we often take for granted. You start by hearing the characters out, learning a bit about them. Then you learn more as time goes on. You never have the full story as much as you'd like to. But that's not what's important. What is important is that you understand what you are witnessing now.
The Music Machine is a nightmare. A set of worlds without practical meaning. Creation for the sake of creation. The why is to imitate. Cheaply and without purpose. The worlds displayed in the Music Machine are brutalist and disgusting. A vile misinterpretation of what it means to build something. A divinity shrouded in madness, but not malice. Crude, misunderstood, lonely. Adolescent.
If you played The Moon Sliver and want more from that same universe, or to understand that one a little bit better, then this game is for you. I do recommend it if you want something quick to play that will get you thinking about the deeper connotations and meanings behind it all. Excellent work from David Szymanski like always.
[H1]Un racconto surreale[/H1]
The Music Machine mi ha preso in un modo raro. Lo stile surreale è meraviglioso: non è solo “strano per essere strano”, ma costruisce un’immaginario coerente, inquieto, a tratti quasi ipnotico, che ti fa sentire costantemente fuori posto nel modo giusto.
La cosa che mi ha colpito di più, però, è la storia. È scritta davvero bene: non ti imbocca, ma ti lascia mettere insieme i pezzi e quando capisci dove sta andando, l’impatto è doppio. I dialoghi sono uno dei punti forti: asciutti, taglienti quando serve, e capaci di raccontare tantissimo con poco. Il rapporto tra i personaggi è volutamente scomodo e “storto”, ma proprio per questo funziona: ti spinge a riflettere, ti mette a disagio, poi ti sorprende con momenti in cui intravedi sfumature che non ti aspettavi.
Anche il mood è speciale: quella sensazione di essere trascinato in qualcosa di più grande, di non avere mai terreno stabile sotto i piedi, è resa benissimo. E la spiegazione finale (senza fare spoiler) è esattamente il tipo di chiusura che adoro: non banale, non buttata lì, ma una rivelazione che dà senso a ciò che hai visto e ti lascia con quella soddisfazione strana, un po’ amara, un po’ affascinata.
E sì: è un walking simulator, ma per me è proprio l’esempio di come questo genere possa essere fatto bene. Dopo aver giocato The Moon Silver, che personalmente non ho apprezzato, qui ho trovato esattamente quello che mi era mancato: una narrazione più incisiva, un ritmo più coinvolgente, un’atmosfera più curata e soprattutto una scrittura che non sembra “solo un’idea interessante”, ma una storia che sa dove vuole arrivare e ci arriva lasciandoti qualcosa. Se come me in The Moon Silver avevi trovato dei limiti, The Music Machine sembra quasi la risposta: prende quel tipo di esperienza e la rende più densa, più memorabile, più significativa.
Consigliato a chi ama l’horror surreale, le storie che ti scavano un po’ dentro e i giochi che puntano su atmosfera e scrittura invece che su action e jumpscare gratuiti. Io l’ho adorato.
I am Roger
Very odd, unexpectedly charming. Loved the characters.
A weird and charismatic duo, and many environments that evoke a feeling of loneliness and sometimes hope, for me at least, are enough to make me remember this game from time to time. So i will recommend it based on that long-lasting impression.
So strange
I LOVED THIS GAME!!! I think this is my favorite of David's games. The story and premise are very cool and unique, and I like how it was executed.
pretty good
objectives were somewhat unclear but luckily the maps are small so you'll figure out what you're meant to do soon enough. creepy atmosphere... fun to play. graphics unfortunately strained my eyes a bit but thats a skill issue. David Szymanski has become a bit of a legend to me
Great visuals, interesting concept
Visually, atmospherically, and musically brilliant the game is let down by a story that feels like an edgy 12 year old wrote it? It's really weird, because the main characters feel completely and utterly out of place in the game's world, and the game might actually have been better without any of their dialogue at all.
The visuals may have papered that over, but the game is nonlinear enough that until you do the 'right' thing, it's very unclear what you're even supposed to be doing, with large portions of the map and an entire gameplay function being nigh useless (being able to pick up and throw things, with a 'hold to throw harder' mechanic, is only relevant once). Worse still is that there is (as far as I can tell) one very specific way you can die in the game and when you do it starts you back at the beginning, and getting back to the point you died at requires a pretty substantial walk to reach again.
Apart of what I'd consider a trilogy of David Szymanski's early work, this one just like the rest really shows his insane talent for atmosphere and fantastic storytelling. Genuinely amazing stuff, play this game,
The Music Machine is a companion piece of sorts to The Moon Sliver. I feel like I understand both games mostly but never full understood the full connection between the two despite spotting a few reference here and there. Pretty cool experience over all. I did two playthroughs and accidentally got the bad ending the first time, but was able to get the good ending the second time. I recommend playing The Moon Sliver first though.
juego raro pero entretenido
[h1] The Music Machine [/h1]
[h3] Positives: [/h3]
+ Original idea
+ Parts of the atmosphere
+ A tad creepy at times
+ Nice sounds and music
+ Art-like
+ Puzzles
+ Free exploration
+ The easter egg bonus and music track (type 110000 on the piano)
+ Its short (over in about 1.5 hours)
[h3] Negatives: [/h3]
- The mono graphics style is not my cup of tea
- Navigation is not the best
- Objects gets stuck here and there
- A few bugs
- A lot of dialogue (half of it is downright uninteresting)
- No voiceover
- Below par storytelling and ending
- Feels a bit monotonus in general
- Almost no options or adjustments can be made
- Reuse of the same areas (feels like a cheap way of making the game last longer)
[h3] Conclusion: [/h3]
Surprisingly Im quite disappointed.
The game sounded promising, but the results are mediocre.
And thats not how David Szymanski games should be.
If he chose a different graphical art-style, things could have been a bit better.
And reduced a lot of the dialogue, too much of it is not necessary at all.
Some might like this for what it is, but knowing his skills, I expected at least something good.
I reccommend to go and play Fingerbones instead, its a much better game and its free as well.
I still ended up with a thumbs up, but its really a neutral one (which steam is still missing).
[h1] Total Score: 5/10 [/h1]
Игра с глубокой серой моралью, показывающая сквозь свой неповторимо контрастный визуальный стиль и пронзающую музыку пороки человеческого бытия и то, что несмотря на совершённые людьми в прошлом крайне нежелательные поступки, многие из них способны найти умиротворение и потенциально возможное забвение. Очередной крайне занимательный проект от автора
Good game, likable characters (that said, a bit of a 'French' dynamic between the leads), and a GREAT soundtrack.
Highly recommended - look for a sale!
sombras, sonidos y musica, tiene una ambientacion de misterio muy buena. El lore falla, Jugabilidad minimalista pero como digo, te entretiene de principio a fin incluso sin entender que estas haciendo
8/10 Cromos mejoran el valor del titulo, Lastima que la musica se vende por separado y el Lore es muy pobre.
💋
short and awesome
Astounding that this is from the same developer as Iron Lung, Pony Factory, Squirrel Stapler & Butcher's Creek. Szymanski has certainly cemented himself as a diverse developer, each game offering something new & different that the others don't contain. David, keep at it.
.......不敢相信我看完了全文本 感谢社区指南作者贡献的code 但自认为这样一款游戏实在配不上社区的任何劳动
[spoiler] 最开始游戏表现出主角为一位13岁的女孩和一位三十多岁男人的灵魂，灵魂寄于女孩之身，对白很cringe，能看出两人很熟，至此为止我还蛮喜欢角色间年龄差的配置。直到随着剧情推进，揭露出男人以灵体形态存在的原因：与小女孩接触后，小女孩对父亲谎称（原文采用的词汇）被性骚扰，其父将男人枪杀。于是男人附着在小女孩身体中，寻找将她杀死的方式。借用英文评论区用户的表述：以这样的方式来对如此敏感的话题提出观点相当肤浅。为什么呢，如果真的想要严肃思考这样的社会问题，作者（不敢相信是制作出DUSK和IRON LUNG的作者）全程却让13岁的女孩频繁提起不合时宜的黄色笑话，不断表达“我已经13岁了，不是12岁的小孩子”“我已经到青春期了” 所以作者的观点指向是...?且以主角之一（没注意看叙述角色）之口说出异性间不会有纯友谊，即使一方为未成年，这样的说法，以如此偏激且充满仇恨转让的视角看待始于系统源头的、深重的社会问题，令人感到恐怖。 此外的side story大概是几名男人在某个荒岛自封为造物主，通过实验制造出痛苦的产物，这部分比较零散奇幻，仅靠出自不同叙述者之手的纸条和破碎的对白来表述，然而主线内容 的偏激和不适宜已经让这款游戏不适合任何保有道德意识的人游玩，若想要了解讨论相关社会问题的内容建议看理论和分析更深层、观点导向非极端的，而不是被反文明且不负责的个人视角进行矛盾转移 [/spoiler]
Bite sized experience that leaves you unsettled and unfulfilled.
10/10
A fantastic rhythm-based game! The catchy tunes and challenging gameplay keep me hooked. Ideal for music lovers and those who enjoy testing their timing skills! 🥁🎶
Before the sun begins to set, do you perhaps want to...
Witness something unnerving, like ice-cold fire?
Experience something uncomfortable, like diving in a million tiny needles?
Listen to something unwavering, like the Voice from out of space and time?
Then play The Music Machine!
No jump-scares, no cheap tricks, just the weight of your own actions.
Do you believe in forgiveness?
Gem
The Music Machine, developed and published by David Szymanski, is a haunting, introspective narrative experience that pushes the boundaries of what interactive horror can be. It’s a slow, deliberate, and deeply unsettling journey through guilt, obsession, and metaphysical punishment. Rather than relying on shock tactics or sudden scares, it invites the player into a contemplative, dreamlike space where unease grows naturally from the atmosphere and the fractured relationship between its two central characters. You play as Haley, a teenage girl who is unwillingly possessed by the ghost of a man named Quintin. Together, the pair explore an empty island haunted not by ghosts but by memories, guilt, and the intangible weight of human cruelty. The game doesn’t tell a story in the traditional sense—it whispers it through desolate landscapes, cryptic dialogue, and silence that feels heavier than any sound could.
From its opening moments, The Music Machine establishes a unique visual identity that defines its tone. The world is rendered in stark contrasts—deep black shadows and a limited palette of harsh, saturated colors. This stripped-down aesthetic transforms every environment into a symbolic landscape rather than a literal one. The barren cliffs, looming structures, and surreal geometry create the sensation of wandering through a fever dream, where reality is fragmented and unstable. The absence of detail heightens the mind’s imagination, forcing the player to fill in the gaps with their own interpretations. It’s not just minimalism for the sake of style; it’s an intentional design that reinforces the emotional themes of the story. Every visual choice serves to isolate the player, amplifying the sense of unease and loneliness that defines the experience.
The dynamic between Haley and Quintin lies at the center of everything. Their exchanges, presented through simple text dialogue, carry an incredible amount of psychological tension. Quintin, the older spirit, is a manipulative and self-absorbed man burdened by guilt and a need for control, while Haley is simultaneously a victim and a vessel for his penance. Their relationship is disturbing, layered with moral ambiguity, and deliberately discomforting. Through their conversations, the player begins to piece together the reasons for their predicament and the nature of the mysterious island they are trapped on. The writing never spells things out completely, which adds to the game’s enigmatic quality. It becomes a study in emotional imprisonment and the corrosive nature of obsession, using the supernatural premise as a metaphor for internal suffering.
Gameplay in The Music Machine is deliberately understated. There are no weapons, enemies, or health bars—only exploration and observation. You wander through eerily quiet spaces, interact with environmental clues, and occasionally solve light puzzles. Each area on the island offers small fragments of context that slowly build into a mosaic of meaning. The absence of a traditional challenge structure can be disorienting, but that disorientation is part of the design. The feeling of not knowing exactly where to go or what to expect mirrors Haley’s own confusion and fear. It’s a game that demands patience and reflection rather than reaction, rewarding those willing to absorb its mood rather than rush through it. The pacing may feel glacial to some players, but for others it becomes meditative—a kind of slow descent into psychological unease.
The sound design is sparse but purposeful, using silence as an instrument. Ambient hums, faint mechanical echoes, and the occasional unsettling resonance create a sense of dread without the need for melody or rhythm. There is no traditional soundtrack to guide emotion; instead, the emptiness of the world speaks louder than any orchestral cue could. The soundscape reinforces the isolation of the setting, making even small noises—like the crunch of footsteps or the wind over empty structures—feel significant and eerie. Combined with the oppressive visual tone, this auditory restraint makes the world feel like a living purgatory, a place where every whisper of sound might be a memory resurfacing from the dark.
What makes The Music Machine exceptional is its willingness to exist outside conventional expectations. It feels more like a literary or cinematic work than a video game, yet it could not function without interactivity. Walking through the desolate island, controlling Haley’s slow steps, and engaging with Quintin’s words turn the player into a silent participant in their torment. It’s an experience that doesn’t care about entertainment in a traditional sense—it wants to unsettle, to provoke introspection, and to leave an impression long after the credits roll. The themes it explores—sin, regret, and the fragile boundary between affection and cruelty—are not easy to digest, and its conclusion leaves interpretation open to the player’s own moral compass. It’s both haunting and strangely beautiful in its bleakness.
While The Music Machine is not for everyone, its haunting narrative, distinctive visual language, and psychological depth make it a standout in the realm of atmospheric storytelling. It is slow, minimalist, and deliberately uncomfortable, yet those very qualities give it its power. It does not offer comfort or closure; instead, it lingers in the mind, echoing like a half-remembered dream. For players who appreciate thought-provoking, narrative-driven horror that challenges rather than entertains, David Szymanski’s creation is a remarkable experience. It is a meditation on guilt and the human capacity for cruelty and redemption, presented through a world that feels as hollow and desolate as the souls trapped within it.
Rating: 8/10
норм
Play it.
Didn't make much sense to me.
Nothing special or interesting.
Some visuals are nice though.
An outstanding game in all aspects.
Brief, yet incredibly compelling.
The seemingly simple, although fascinating artistic design, along with the great atmosphere, ambiance, and contrary to the name, very occasional but majestic music when present, all portray an astounding story.
A story, which unravels itself through a splendid narration, leaving me often shocked, unsettled, curious, and in the end amazed.
This is a one-of-a-kind experience which I was taken aback by, and it's been a while since a game made me feel this way.
PS:
Tiny Box Tim is there as well, which makes it all that much more glorious.
And a delightful homage to Rachael.
The game is alright. Althought it could use some kind of content warning. One of the ending sequences geniuely made me feel nauseous.
Ещё один ранний симулятор ходьбы от Дэвида Шимански (Dusk) с продолжительностью на вечер. Но также и моя любимая игра от Шимански.
По сравнению с The Moon Sliver тут сразу же виден большой шаг вперёд. Во-первых, качество текста. Теперь у нас есть два героя, 34-летний Квентин и 13-летняя Хэйли, которые общаются друг с другом, подкалывают, едко отвечают, ругаются и спорят, провоцируют друг друга. Их химия — настоящее золото. Их реплики великолепные, душевные, смешные. Момент, когда игра покорила меня: Квентин совершенно базированно и по пунктам отшивает Хэйли, просящую дать оценку её внешности. Во-вторых, сама концепция. Мы управляем Квентином, призраком, который, в свою очередь, захватил контроль над телом Хэйли и желает её убить.
А дальше мы исследуем остров, читаем реакции Квентина и Хэйли на предметы, пытаемся понять, что на этом острове случилось. Пару раз придётся покидаться стульями, чтобы расчистить путь. А ещё нужно выходить из игры, когда попадаешь в новые локации, а то вдруг... но это спойлер. Выходите — сохраняйтесь! Но в остальном ходим, находим, читаем, следим за развитием отношений главных героев и разбираемся в лоре, становящемся всё безумнее.
И да! Графика. Большая находка сделать мир двухцветным, чтобы финал сработал катарсически.
Крайне душевная игра, которая иногда заходит на территорию хоррорной тревоги. Игра, о которой круто ещё задуматься после прохождения (не забудьте поиграть в связанный общим лором The Moon Sliver). И с теплотой вспоминать героев. Таких живых. Таких настоящих.
"...tell 'Voice' to go masturbate with a cheese grater."
I'm not the target audience for slow underexplained game that ties in with another game in the very end, leaving a ton of questions. I wanted to like this, alas. There's quite a bit on the technical level that's underdeveloped, but I guess that comes with the territory.
Where Moon Sliver fails, the Music Machine succeeds. The key difference, in my opinion, is simply that there is more meat to this game. Here, there are characters, a conflict you are introduced to almost right away, and visuals that manage to be haunting in a way that Moon Sliver's simply aren't. The lore is deeper, the narrative is better, and the gamey aspects are more involved, yet still minimalist and unobtrusive to the narrative. Although I was lukewarm on the other games, I am intrigued to see if the world crafted so far gets expanded further.
i beat the game in 8 minutes
Kilka razy na tej stronce zdarzyło mi się wspomnieć o Davidzie Szymańskim, na moim radarze umieścił go kapitalny Dusk, ale nie była to jego pierwsza produkcja, poza boomer shooterami robi on bowiem również powolne horrory/walking simy. Już jakiś czas temu spróbowałem jego pierwszej gry The Moon Silver i srogo się zawiodłem. Dziś opowiem wam o tym czego doświadczyłem w jego drugiej grze.
The Music Machine od razu przyciąga uwagę screenami. Binarna kolorystyka i duży kontrast przyciąga oko. Jeśli jednak się temu przyjrzymy to jest to praca prostych shaderów nałożonych na podobnie nieskomplikowane modele. W tym wszystkim kryje się też moim zdaniem esencja całej gry. Niewiele elementów, które pracują razem w celu osiągnięcia efektu większego niż suma części.
Pomimo swojej prostoty, grafika buduje kapitalny klimat eksplorowania obcego świata. To jedna z płaszczyzn opowieści The Music Machine i low poly modele działają zaskakująco dobrze. Te obce światy natomiast są eksplorowane przez dwójkę bohaterów, a ich relacja jest drugą płaszczyzną historii. Chłop gadający z babą przez radio to klasyk walking simów, ale tu mamy pewien twist. Otóż gramy duchem dorosłego mężczyzny, który opętał ciało nastolatki i próbuje się na niej zemścić, za co? Tego nie będę zdradzał. Mogę tylko powiedzieć, że dla mnie opowieść była bardzo ciekawa.
Gameplayowo jest to czysty walking sim, oferujący może co nieco zagadek, ale na tyle prostych, że nie ma co o nich więcej gadać. Co jednak ważne nie ma tu upierdliwego badziewia, które mogłoby nas wyrwać z doświadczania tej klimatycznej opowieści
Zanim jednak gorąco wam grę polecę muszę jeszcze dodać standardowy disclaimer że to gra narracyjna, w którą gramy dla klimatu i historii, nie ma tu gameplayu. Te dwa jednak mnie oczarowały. Daję znaczek jakości, być może trochę na wyrost, ale to mój folwark i to ja tu jestem sołtysem. Dajcie szanse jeśli lubicie gatunek, szczególnie, że gra jest tania, krótka i od bardzo rigczowego twórcy.
7/10
A memorable experience.
A very refreshing, and truly unique game.
Its style is unlike David's other works, and that makes it all the better.
It is a sequel to 'The Moon Sliver' though you would be forgiven to not have realized that at first.
You are similarly trapped, but this time the atmosphere is a lot less oppressive.
And yet, the game itself is much more unsettling I find.
There are moments in the game that made my blood crawl, and no I do not mean skin.
This game contains violations of humanity and God, in the worst and best possible way.
There is a particular… 'Musical instrument' that has stuck in my mind since I saw it..
Since I learned of what it was….
An unsettling originality, no doubt about it.
My rating is semi-critical, but do not let that fool you.
This is definitely a game worth picking up.
7/10 - A game that impresses with minimalist graphics, a great soundtrack and an interesting story.
Intriguing and unsettling experience. Good atmosphere, not exceptional storytelling but interesting enough to keep going. Surely worth a couple of hour on the right evening. Maybe is important to note that sometimes is really hard to see
Even greater than its predecessors
Definitely worth a play. Absolutely listen to the instructions though, you'll miss so much if you don't pay attention.
T'es là, tu marches, tu apprends, et tu apprécies le paysage. On n’aime pas ce jeu pour son gameplay, mais pour ce qu’il raconte : et j’ai adoré.
Le contexte est assez étrange, voire complètement absurde… Mais c’est justement ce qui le rend attachant. J’aimerais pouvoir continuer à explorer cette histoire, ces personnages. Parce qu’il nous manque trop de choses !
C’est comme si on nous servait l’entrée d’un plat délicieux… Sans jamais nous apporter le plat principal.
On peut en deviner les contours, peut-être apercevoir l’assiette, mais c’est tout.
Bref : si vous aimez marcher et lire, essayez-le mais préparez-vous à espérer une suite.
the writing is so forspoken
- visual is uncomfortable
- story is not interesting
- controls are weird
total: 3/10
I'm playing David Szymanski's pre-dusk games and I tend to like them, I bought them for really cheap like 5 years ago and meant to get back around to them, as I liked Fingerbones and The Moon Sliver.
This one looked really pretty, though arguably its a bit too hard to see at times. I loved the visual design of this game, however the narrative is somewhat lacking. The characters barely talk to each other and despite what should be shocking moments feel really hollow and not explored very thoroughly. I wish I liked this more.
felt like i was walking through an art gallery
Норм, давно хотел купить.
Es un juego muy curioso de una hora de duración al que la etiqueta "Terror" le viene grande.
I'm in love with David Szymanski's storytelling. If this was a book I would tell people to read it. On replay I still find myself invested in the relationship between Quintin and Haley, and upon also playing The Moon Sliver, I like to think about how their stories are intertwined. Even if you're not a fan of walking simulators, I encourage you to play this, and treat it like it is: a story.
I didn't like same developer "The Moon Sliver" game much but this is very good. atmosphere, story and graphic style are very nice and unique.
Dialog is very good/interesting and sometimes there is funny humor in some of the discussions.
Music is very atmospheric, i buy soundtrack instantly after playing this trough.
8/10 on this very enjoyable game.
If you like this very much i can suggest to buy moon silver too because it connected in this partly.
A very interesting narrative game that is able to dip from peaceful into a horror really nicely.
Haley and Quintin are both great characters who bounce off of each other to where it's entertaining hearing their thoughts and opinions on certain objects aswell as the environment around them which visually looks beautiful and artistic while at the sametime eerie and unease. Soundtrack is really great and fits the world nicely too.
A short 1 hour experience that leaves you with many questions in the mysterious world of The Music Machine.
Walking simulator with unique art. Thank you
A very enjoyable walking simulator with an interesting protagonist or rather protagonists
I enjoyed it.
Story was interesting, kinda wish it would have expanded on the relationship between them, but I realize that we got as much as this short game could store without going too heavy with dialouge.
It's pretty much a walking simulator, but it's one with a very good and unique atmosphere and some story elements that have stuck with me. (I'm struggling to think of any other walking simulator that actually stuck with me.) Gotta make sure you're in the right mood for it though, otherwise it won't hit right.
a 36 old man stuck in 12 old girl
[h1] ТехноВыпук Дэвида N2: Разноцветное [/h1]
Получилось намного интереснее Мун Сливы. Причем во всех аспектах. Сразу видно продвижение вперед и даже эксперименты с стилистикой проекта.
[h2]Геймплей[/h2]
Так же скудно, но уже лучше. По сути персонаж тоже ходит по пустым локациям и осматривается. Типичный симулятор ходьбы, но тут хотя бы в разных локах.
[h2]Стилистика[/h2]
Да согласен, если увидеть скрины из игры в первый раз покажется вырвиглазной. Но так только в начале. Поиграв пару минут привыкаешь к оформлению и в целом. Выглядит даже стильно. Мне понравилось, тем более подобных игр не так уж и много.
[h2]Сюжет[/h2]
Тут он есть, хотя забывается он очень быстро. Не сказать, что он какой-то откровенный, но Дэвид снова перегружает текст метафорами просто потому что. Это не раздражает, ведь я например узнал много новых английских слов. Кстати рекомендую поиграть в игры Дэвида тем, кто изучает инглиш. Да сложно, но можно обнаружить очень много новых слов для себя и подтянуть хотя бы словарный запас.
Мне понравилась идея о призраке, который сидит в девочке. В целом интересно наблюдать за их взаимодействием. Но иногда прям полный стыд читать их перепалки. Кто понял тот понял.
Концовки кстати две. До второй можно чисто логически додуматься, она относительно не линейно получается.
[h2]Итог[/h2]
Мне понравилось. Выглядит как личный прогресс автора, не тривиальная стилистика и средний сюжет с кучей метафор о жизни и смерти. Проходится быстро, но забывается еще быстрее.
A unique experience. Play this in the dark with no one at home around midnight then go to sleep to think about it. Good stuff.
I liked it a lot.
The art style is epic
A nice little walking simulator with a satisfying short story and an intriguing art style. While it's labeled a horror experience, it's not really scary and the tension doesn't build until the end. At that point, [spoiler]the game gives you a gun[/spoiler] anyway. Even so, it's still a neat little diversion worth the couple bucks I spent on it.
My only real gripe is that the only way to save the game is by quitting. So if you die and you haven't saved your game by quitting at any point during the experience, you will find yourself replaying everything all over again. Not that it's a particularly long game with arduous "puzzles" or anything, but it is annoying and does sap some of the fun out of the game.
I know this game is a bit old at this point, and Dave's moved onto bigger and better things, but some auto saves at key story points would have been nice. Get John on it or something, I dunno.
As an aside, the [spoiler]Rachel Easter Egg[/spoiler] was a nice touch.
What a roller coaster of emotions! This game builds on the story of "The Moon Sliver" while also showcasing the struggles of a teenager who is haunted by a vengeful ghost from her past that controls her body. A uniquely absurd execution that enhances the strange ideas of David, making this game a one of a kind. If you're a fan of The Moon Sliver you should definitely play this beautiful game.
Interesting visual style, atmosphere, interesting story
Recommended for those who wants a fresh new short experience
Intriguing and disturbing little story.
Much so a banger
good game
Saber que eu poderia usar o botão direito do mouse para acessar o inventário teria ajudado muito! Mas ok, é um jogo interessante com uma historia que fala sobre culpa e vingança
A great experience by David Szymanski! I'd recommend playing this once, as it took ~1 1/2h to complete just exploring everywhere and enjoying the dialogue. Well worth the experience
I liked this one a good bit. A neat short story with some cool exploration. I really like how he did the art for this one. Very freaky.
Great visuals and a disturbing story.
It wasn't for me. The artistic design was somewhat creative, but the overall elements were quite lacking. The story was confusing and unsettling (adult violence). I needed to use a walk through twice. The ending was uneventful and left me confused as well. I suppose there were other endings, but I wasn't interested.
My favorite of the creators works by far. While the writing of the characters can be a bit off, the game makes up for it with its unparalleled atmosphere and generally sinister feel. Definitely worth a play through, especially if its on sale
simply an artistic masterpiece, with an interesting somewhat crazy story.
I appreciate the attempt at a story like this, the overall narrative is pretty cool. The characterization of Haley is a bit wonky at times, but there are still some good interactions between the two main characters. The dual-tone aesthetic is a leg up from the previous game, though I still find myself enjoying The Moon Sliver's overall package more. That doesn't mean that this isn't still worth the time, though.
good game
The absolute best of David Szymanski's early works. The characters and story are great and the art style is fantastic. Worth a playthrough.
Снова симулятор ходьбы, но теперь у проекта имеется какой-никакой сюжет, интересные персонажи и вменяемый (насколько его можно таковым назвать) лор, плюс, уже отсюда видны первые ростки любви Дэвида к хтони, огромным мясокомбинатам и таинственными существам из далеких миров.
Un avance respecto a The Moon Sliver, sin lugar a duda. The Music Machine es una obra muy propia de su autor y sus fetiches: ganchos, historias oscuras y perversas, mundos disociados y sin lógica, y ese continuo "a la vuelta de esta esquina hay algo que me va a asustar".
La historia es muy buena, críptica y misteriosa (sumado a mi inglés regular que no me permitió disfrutar del todo el guión).
No puedo dejar de hacer analogías con Dusk en cada tramo del juego: la granja, los sonidos de cerdo, las cosas filosas "sliver", la luna, los rojos saturados, las hozes, etc. Se huele Dusk por donde se vaya.
Es una experiencia más que recomendable para los que gusten del terror o de los walking simulators. O, como en mi caso, quieren entender a David Szymanski y su obra.
Out of Szymanksi's 4 walking sim games, this one was definitely my favorite. An amazing soundtrack that sets the mood perfectly with the visual style and level design. The story was one of a kind, with 2 great endings.
REVIEW #105
The Music Machine
----------
David Szymanski has a knack for creating very interesting stories and characters with a viewpoint that may different from that of the average person, and in my opinion, The Music Machine is one of the best examples of this that I've come across.
TMM is a uniquely-styled, story-driven adventure title that plays out more like an experience in exploration than a game. Yes, I'm saying that it's a walking simulator... but it's a really good one. It's also a short game that will take about 1 to 2 hours of the player's time from start to finish, so it easily avoids overstaying its welcome and yet doesn't feel too brief.
The Music Machine's strongest points are its story and style. Its tale and the surrounding characters are all interesting and unique, and I enjoyed learning everything that I could through dialog and reading notes found around the environments. Speaking of the game's locations, all of the locales are very odd and fascinating to explore, almost making me feel like I was experiencing someone's dreams at points.
[spoiler]It's worth mentioning that TMM's story ties into other games created by the developer, including The Moon Sliver. However, while it may be necessary to play or read about those other titles to fully understand the tale offered here, I didn't find doing that necessary to essentially understand what was happening exclusively in the immediate world of this game.[/spoiler]
The Music Machine's graphics are rendered monochromatically with low-resolution (yet high-quality) textures, and every area uses a different base color, helping to give each world its own distinct feel while exploring. Personally, I enjoy the game's graphical style as it seems to give its environments a surreal and dream-like quality. The sound production is also very well done, leaning more on environmental ambient sounds than music. However, what music and injected background ambiances that are here are really good and are appropriately engaging without feel overwhelming or too skeletal in their integration into the overall experience.
TMM isn't perfect, of course, and it may not be for everyone. Other players have voiced that the story was either uninteresting or hard to understand, and while my opinion doesn't align with that, it is a complaint that I've seen occur fairly often, and I did personally feel that some parts of the story felt underdeveloped or "tacked on". Outside of that aspect of the game, other issues that I feel are worth mentioning include that it sometimes feels a little vague regarding how to advance. I found myself wandering around on one or two occasions in an attempt to figure out what I needed to do next, although I acknowledge that I never found myself needing to check a guide. In my wanderings, however, I did find that the monochromatic visual style did make it hard to optically determine what steeper inclines in the landscape I could or couldn't simply walk up without coming to a dead stop and having to find another way around. Also, some of the shadowing can look a little glitchy and unnatural in a small handful of areas, especially where tree branches are being moved by wind.
Still, I feel that The Music Machine is worth picking up if you're in the mood for exploring interesting and bizarre worlds all tied together by a unique story. $5 USD (which is the current price) may be a little steep for some players, especially considering that it is a pretty short game, and I suggest that those players wait until it goes on sale as I did. Regardless, I can confidently say that I'm quite happy with my purchase and to have this title in my Steam library. I've thoroughly enjoyed multiple play-throughs of TMM, and I confidently predict that I'll be coming back for another one in the near future.
Is great
It was successful at being utterly incomprehensible so if that's what they were going for I guess it worked out.
Another short horror exploration game improving on David Szymanski's previous titles Fingerbones and The Moon Sliver. Solid minimalist sound and visuals are to be expected at this point, though The Music Machine opts for a more unique and striking monochromatic style which works really well. It's unsettling and creepy without cheap scares, has dialog and a real-time story that flow well, and optional exploration and organic decisions that affect the game's ending.
My only mechanical complaint is that the "hold M1 to examine, release to interact" system is silly - there's no reason I wouldn't want to examine something, so it just means I have to spend the whole game running around with M1 held down. I'm not 100% a fan of the lore expansion, as it undermines some of the mystery and potential metaphorical interpretations of The Moon Sliver, but that's purely subjective.
The story is the weird part for me: [spoiler]Haley (13f) hangs out with Quintin (34m) because they're both lonely outcasts. She makes an advance, he shuts her down hard, she is hurt and lies to her father saying she was molested, dad kills Quintin, Quintin's ghost possesses her seeking revenge. Based on the player's choices he either finds a horrific way of doing so, or when faced with the reality of his revenge realizes he's not willing to go through with it. Based on both of their dialog, Quintin was entirely in the right and Haley was being childish, got him *killed*, and didn't seem too sorry about it until her own life was in jeopardy. I'm not really sure what the point of their weird "relationship" was. The best interpretation I can come up with is that in contrast to the Spindle Men's horrifically logical, literal, and utilitarian view of the universe, human interaction is illogical, messy, and emotional. Their lives and relationship (romantic or not) were messy before death, messy after, and even though Quintin is apparently completely justified in killing Haley, maybe he won't, even if he doesn't forgive her.[/spoiler] If nothing else, it made me think for a bit.
100% worth the $ and time spent.
Yes.
자신만의 호러 감성을 바탕으로 꾸준히 인디즈에서 활동하고 있는 개발자의 두번째 작품 입니다. 첫번째 작품과 연관성이 있다고는 하는데 네러티브를 즐기기에 좋은 게임은 아닌것 같고요. 단색조 비쥬얼 스타일이 그나마 인상적이긴 한데 그 외에는 별다른 매력이 없어 보입니다. 제작자의 말만 보면 전자관광 게임 같지만 실제로는 전혀 아니고... 사실상 공략 영상 안보시면 많이 해매시기 딱 좋습니다.
Such a fantastic story and a great use of gameplay to tell it. Everything, from the colors to the shading to the music is amazing
The title caught my eye and am definitely not disappointed.
not so much a game as it is an experience
Beautiful game in story, symbolism, and atmosphere.
yes 7.5/10
