When it comes to gaming, I like a good plethora of variety in the types of games that I personally gravitate to.  Whether it is a good Team Deathmatch in Modern Warfare 2, or more obscure gems that have artistic flare and varying strategy like Ico, I am more impressed by games that require my brain cells, not just a bunch of button-mashing.

Call me a lover of the classics.  I am referring to the real beginnings of computer gaming.  The point-and-click adventure.  Whether it was Sam and Max, Day of the Tentacle, Maniac Mansion, or the mother of them all, the Monkey Island series, there is something unique and compelling about these type of games.  They challenge the mind, and force you to use your skills of observation and deduction as to how to proceed to the next level, screen, or scenario.

Unfortunately, since the conception the gaming console, this genre of game has become a dying breed. While there are a good number of them being produced in Flash as a web-browser game (for free), finding a really well produced or thought-out gem is far and few.

Then along comes an obscure but incredible game called Machinarium.  Dreamed, conceived, and birthed by a little unknown Czech gaming collaborate called Amanita Design, lead designer Jakub Dvorsky has created one of the most ingenious games in this genre.

Whether it is it unique interface, compelling musical and atmospheric score, hand-drawn artwork, or very inventive puzzles, this game just ROCKS.  And it is in the details.  From tiny blades of grass that blow in the breeze, the quirky animations that our main character displays if we fail to proceed for a few minutes.  It is all jaw-dropping.

Machinarium is notable in that it contains no dialogue neither spoken nor written. The game’s story instead uses a system of animated thought bubbles. Even more detailed scenes can in the same format can only be revealed by idling in certain areas.

For a game that has some really good puzzles to have to solve, it does have a more unique approach to helping people out along the way. Once per level, the player can receive a hint, which becomes increasingly vague as the game progresses. Machinarium also comes with a walkthrough that can be accessed at any time by playing a minigame. As with dialogue, the walkthrough is not in written or spoken form, but instead a series of sketches describing the puzzle at hand and its solution.

The plot?  You are assisting a simple and humble little robot who has, at the beginning of the game, been delivered to a desolate dump pile.  He then journeys back to a very dilapitated city, and encounters the need to save his city and rescue his robotic girlfriend from some rather seedy robotic counterparts.

Taking over a period of three years to complete, and seven developers, this wonderful game was released in October 2009 and won the Excellence in Visual Art award at the 12th Annual Independent Games Festival.

Available for both PC and Macintosh, this game is a must have for any lover of games, or more particular, for the lover of the classic point-and-click adventure.  This game will not disappoint.

Check out the game trailer below: