Review: Homo Machina (Nintendo Switch)

I really enjoy it when a release that wasn’t on my radar turns out to be a pleasant surprise, and Homo Machina is one such title. This is a unique puzzle game with very striking visuals. At only $2.99, I recommend everyone check it out.

Homo Machina is inspired by a work by Fritz Khan, a physician and infograph pioneer. The specific piece in question is the commissioned illustration, “Man as an Industrial Palace.” There’s a good chance you’ve seen it, even if you don’t know it by name. So, think of this game as an interactive art deco illustration.

Each chapter of this game has you journeying through the human body, solving puzzles to help the man get through his daily activities and onto his evening date. Even the simplest of tasks, like eating breakfast, are quite involved, although the puzzles connected to them (with a couple of exceptions) aren’t too difficult to figure out. It really helps you appreciate the design of the human body, something Khan called “the most competent machine in the world.”

The puzzles themselves are… okay. Nothing special, truth be told, but it’s the way the levels incorporate them that elevates. The tiny workers in the body factory are earnestly invested in helping the man succeed. They go a long way to aiding the Homo Machina’s one-of-a-kind presentation.

Visually, this game shines. Still images don’t really do justice to the sense of richness and quality you get from actually playing. The animation of the hardworking body crew and their accompanying cinematics are real highlights. I recommend playing in handheld mode where you hold the Switch vertically, having the image fill the entire screen, to really appreciate the attention to detail. Just try not to obscure any of the display with your fingerprints.

This “fantastic journey through the human body factory” made me smile. Homo Machina is a very concise experience (perhaps an hour or so) but one that’s priced appropriately on the Nintendo eShop at just $2.99. While the puzzles themselves are so-so, this eye-catching game is positively wrapped in charm, and I suggest you add it to your Switch digital library.