Mashina

I dug deep into the underground and uncovered a world of trash that can also be quite adorable. Mashina embodies a true trash-to-treasure concept, evident in both its design and the game’s lore

Yet, having completed the game, I can’t say I feel anything very strong about it. Certainly, I appreciate that it’s about robots surrounded by literal garbage who still find positivity in life. The art style and music is fab. But I don’t feel calmed, I don’t feel entertained, I don’t feel inspired. It’s clear that a lot of love went into it, and it kind of sucks to look at that and a bunch of bright-eyed robots and shrug. But, that’s what I have to do. It’s a positive shrug, though. It does a lot of cool stuff. So, if you were to play it, it would still be a net positive.

Overall, I absolutely loved Mashina. Controls are easy and gameplay is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for a low-stakes game. Adapting the game to both keyboard and mouse introduced some issues, but for a two-man team this is an impressive milestone for version one.

Mashina never tries to rush you, and that’s the beauty of it. From the soft sound design to the robot’s warm smiles, everything about the experience says, “Take it easy.” There are small frustrations here and there, like the occasional conveyor belt mishap, but they feel more like playful quirks than real problems. This is a game about simple joy: digging, discovering, upgrading at your own pace, and watching a handcrafted world slowly mend itself. It’s family-friendly, stress-free, and absolutely fab for anyone craving a slower, more reflective gaming experience. Mashina is a love letter to creativity and calm. It’s not about challenge or speed, it’s about wonder and the satisfaction of exploring a world made with heart.