Whispers of a Machine Reviews

Interesting game and very good soundtrack.

The game is extremely abstract in some of the puzzles. Like it literally makes no sense other than to be hard for the sake of being hard and confusing. Storyline was fine but not amazing by any stretch

An excellently crafted cyberpunk mystery in the style of a Scandinavian crime drama. Vera is a cybernetically augmented detective in a vaguely post-apocalyptic world where AI of any kind is outlawed and long gone - as the game develops, so does our understanding of what happened in the past, and what may happen in the future. At its core this is a very decent Adventure game - the writing is wonderful, and the art and music truly shine - everything is moody and appropriately morose as we explore the strange city Vera has been assigned to, as well as her own troubled past. I'm a big fan of Clifftop Games' previous game Kathy Rain's overall style and mood, so it was a lot of fun investigating a more straightforward murder mystery with a very different style. While there could have been more focus on some aspects (especially the extra powers you develop), I did appreciate the developer trying things I haven't seen in many other adventure games, especially the branching emotional choices and differing powers - I was expecting to either keep running into obvious solutions for powers I didn't have in my playthrough, or feel like the optional ways of solving puzzles meant that there were no stakes - but it fit together very naturally and I didn't feel like I was missing out. I've seen some critique about the replayability and I do think that's an issue of the Adventure Game genre in general (it's rarely rewarding), but for this game and its length I honestly enjoyed viewing the branching paths as a way to fully customise my own story - the ending I chose felt right to the Vera I had followed throughout the game. TLDR: An atmospheric gem of a game with a wonderfully frosty story to whisk you away for a few hours!

Could've done without all the f words, but it was a very enjoyable experience with a cool story, cool mechanics, and good voice acting. I'm gonna do the whole thing again to get the other ending now :D

Fun, interesting combo of powers mixed with point and click. I liked it, thank you .

Artwork and voice acting are excellent. I also like the Nordic setting. The game doesn't outstay its welcome, which is both negative and positive. On the downside, there were a few puzzles where I absolutely had no clue on what to do next. All in all, it was definitely worth playing once, but I can't see myself playing it again to experience the other story branches.

Great game. I like the atmosphere, the scfi post-techno-but-not-really themed world and the overall narative. The "augs" makes the gameplay interesting and the investigation is engaging. Puzzles aren't hard, but keeps you going. Beautiful pixel artwork too. Music fit very well. Voice acting too. Everything fits great together. I enjoyed this game a lot.

I can recommend this game. This classic point-and-click adventure game has an interesting storyline set against a sci-fi backdrop. But it's the innovative traits system that really makes it stand out. This cool feature adapts the riddles based on the traits you develop, making sure you get a unique playthrough every time and making the game more replayable.

An intriguing adventure game where the player takes the role of a special agent with enhanced abilities in a world attempting to rebuild itself after an apocalyptic event caused by AI. There is definitely potential for sequels here as one wants to find out more about this world. But for now it remains a hidden gem for point-and-click adventure gamers.

Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 247: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆☆☆ (6/10) [i]Whispers of a Machine[/i] is a slow-burn cyber-noir mystery that tries to blend classic point-and-click gameplay with modern RPG mechanics like branching dialogue, multiple approaches to puzzles, and player-shaped personality stats. It's a thoughtful little game with a few clever tricks and a quiet, dystopian tone, but ultimately, it feels too sterile and undercooked to fully land. The ingredients are all here: a grieving agent, a collapsing world built on the ruins of runaway AI, and a tech-assisted murder case that spirals into something larger. But somehow, even at its most intense moments, the game rarely stirs any emotional response. It’s all so subdued, so muted, that it feels like you're watching someone else play a detective instead of being one. I mean, it's functional. Thoughtful. But ultimately, too quiet to leave a mark. 🏘️[b] Pros:[/b] [list] [*] Clean pixel art and moody color palette. The visuals aren’t flashy, but they’re atmospheric. Subtle lighting and environmental detail help set the tone. The UI is intuitive, and item interactions are mostly smooth. There’s a calm, methodical aesthetic to it all that works well for the genre. [*] Augment-based puzzle design is a neat concept. Depending on your personality traits—empathy, assertiveness, or analysis—you unlock different bio-augments like biometric scanning, enhanced strength, or voice mimicry. These let you approach puzzles in different ways. It’s not wildly reactive, but it adds some flavor and light replay value. [*] Puzzles are mostly fair, even easy. The game rarely falls into moon-logic traps. Most challenges feel grounded, and the solutions—while simple—fit the logic of the world. If you enjoy methodical deduction and using your tools creatively, there’s some satisfaction to be had. The game does help you out as well, giving you notes of people to see and topics to ask about. You are rarely stuck. [*] Efficient pacing. At around 4–6 hours, it doesn’t waste your time. There’s not a lot of fluff or backtracking, which is refreshing for a point-and-click game. [*] Competent voice acting. Vera’s actor gives a quietly reserved performance that matches her role as a grief-stricken investigator. The supporting cast is hit-or-miss but generally serviceable. [/list] 🧍[b] Cons:[/b] [list] [*] Emotionally sterile from top to bottom. Vera is written as deliberately detached, which makes sense for a hardened agent with a traumatic past. But when everyone feels flat and robotic, it creates a lifeless atmosphere. The mystery doesn’t pull you in, and the world doesn’t feel lived in. It’s clean and functional, but soulless. It’s hard to care. [*] Writing is fine, but not gripping. The game often tells instead of shows, especially when it comes to worldbuilding. Dialogue is utilitarian and plot-focused, with little charm or wit to make the setting pop. There’s very little sense of discovery or wonder—just exposition and polite small talk. [*] The town is... extremely basic. For a game that wants to explore a society in the aftermath of technological collapse, the setting feels weirdly small and empty. There are only a handful of locations and characters, and almost no sense of culture or history. It's like being dropped into a half-finished world. Yeah, there was some lore dumps in the Museum, but it could just be another town in the middle of nowhere. [*] Replayability is overstated. The game advertises branching dialogue and multiple approaches, but these don’t lead to meaningfully different outcomes. Your personality path determines a few puzzles and dialogue options, but the story arc is the same. Once you’ve seen the ending, there’s little incentive to return. Still, the protagonist remains eerily dry. [*] Character development is minimal. Most of the supporting cast feel like delivery devices for information or clues. There’s no real relationship-building, and few of them leave a lasting impression. Even your own character’s arc is subdued to the point of vanishing. [*] Low tension, low stakes. Despite the premise (a murder tied to rogue AI cultists in a post-tech society), the game rarely feels tense or urgent. The pacing is so even-keeled that even the big reveals land with a shrug. It’s hard to feel like your choices matter when the tone never changes. [*] Augments are more gimmick than game-changer. While the ability to use strength, voice mimicry, or scanning adds a layer of interaction, it’s rarely used in a way that feels meaningful. You’ll probably use each tool a few times and then forget about them. They don’t shape the narrative as much as advertised. [/list]