Chris InglisThe Mobius Machine is an upcoming metroidvania game developed and published by Madruga Works. It is set for release on Steam on March 1, 2024, and throws you onto a mysterious alien world teeming with danger and intrigue. Ever since playing Ori and the Will of the Wisps back in 2020, I have been longing for a game to match its uniqueness of great graphics mixed with compelling gameplay, and I feel finally I have found such a game.
My hours in this game have bought back that similar sense of discovery from the Ori games as I explored the lands, battled creatures and unlocked new abilities to be able to explore the world further. You play as a lone survivor of a crashed spaceship, and you must explore a vast, interconnected world, battling ferocious creatures, malfunctioning machines, and the remnants of a failed colony.
The story unfolds through environmental storytelling and scattered messages of information found throughout the world. You piece together the history of the failed colony, the purpose of the Mobius Machine, and your own role in this extraterrestrial saga. The game shines in its open and free-flowing exploration where, much like in the Ori games, you venture through various and diverse biomes like desolate wastelands, sprawling graveyards of spaceships, and vibrant floating forests. Each area feels distinct, offering unique challenges, difficult foes, and secrets to uncover. Sometimes I didn’t have access or the tools to be able to get to other areas, so I could place a marker on the map and come back to them later. I love this feature especially as I get older, as the memory isn’t as good as it used to be.
While the core gameplay revolves around run-and-gun action, The Mobius Machine throws in a strategic layer. You can equip two weapons at a time, switching between them on the fly to adapt to different enemies and situations. When you kill an enemy or open a chest, you will receive scrap and energy, and sometimes blueprints. Resource management becomes crucial as you rely on your energy meter for both healing and traversal abilities, forcing you to be deliberate in your approach. You can heal at any time using your stored energy, but run out and then you can’t use abilities, so it’s a balancing act, especially not knowing what you’re going to face in the next room. Blueprints you find along the way allow you to craft powerful new weapons and unlock upgrades at special stations that enhance your mobility and combat prowess.
I loved exploring new biomes, and especially liked the underwater areas and character movement felt fluid and dynamic. However when you do enter a new area for the first time, you will not have access to a map of the zone until you find it on a computer somewhere within the level. This can make exploring tough to remember which way you came from and which way you should go next, particularly if you’re up against tougher monsters. The completionist in me had me going back to an explore as close to 100% as my current abilities could get me.
The game boasts a unique art style, blending detailed 3D environments with classic 2D character sprites and I enjoyed peering into the distance at objects in the environment around you. The soundtrack complements the atmosphere and tension, creating a sense of isolation and wonder as you explore this alien world. I did mis-time a heap of jumps and ended up falling down many holes, but thankfully there’s no fall damage so you could take risks in the hope to uncover more of the map you may have missed previously.
Overall, The Mobius Machine is an exciting platforoming adventure in a scifi setting aimed at those who enjoy exploration, atmospheric storytelling, and strategic combat. It’s a challenging yet rewarding journey through a captivating alien world and is up there with Ori and the Will of the Wisps as one of my favourite metroidvania games.
This review utilised a key provided by Madruga Works and The Mobius Machine will launch on Steam on March 1, 2024.
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Daniel Agius