Whispers of a Machine

Some adventure games that come out today are so light on mechanics they're almost just visual novels. This game however does a great combination of cybernetic implants with the environment to provide a fun puzzle mechanic, along side the traditional inventory and multiple dialogue choices that affect your character's attitude. What's more is that if you don't use the implants it will affect the dialogue. I was afraid at first that it was going to be a silly little mechanic that gets in the way but it actually adds to the immersion. The game is very polished and I like the added options in the menu (namely the ability to click-to-continue dialogue instead of auto, as well as the nudity filter).

TL;DR : If you like point-and-clicks, this is a no-brainer add to your library. It took me about 8ish hours to finish my first playthrough of this game. Gameplay wise I thought the puzzles were slightly on the easy side but not in a bad way, more in a "the puzzle makes sense and is not stupid" kind of way. A couple of times I was nearly stumped, but by carefully going over the clues I was able to get to the solution-- those are the moments that make you feel awesome, like a puzzle genius. Even when they weren't quite as challenging, solving the puzzles always felt sensible and satisfying. I thought the cybernetic augmentations mechanic was a cool twist as well, but I wish there were more opportunities to use some of the augments and in more creative ways. On the narrative side of things is where I thought it really shined. The setting, plot, dialogue, characters, and acting were all top notch. It's possible to guess a couple of the plot twists before they happen, but that's actually to the game's credit-- What it really means is that everything is so well written and every character responds to every changing situation so well that by carefully listening to what they say and how they act, you can work out what's going on behind the scenes. That's pretty cool. The setting of the game was also quite unique and compelling-- I really want to explore more of the world that is hinted at in the game. I hear the game really rewards multiple playthroughs, and I noticed a couple times where there were different paths to take. Something to look forward to on my next playthrough!

Whipsers is a straight forward adventure game that employs some unique gameplay mechanics in place of cryptic puzzles. The protagonist is an enhanced investigator with the ability to inspect hidden details in a scene using a scanner, which adds a new dimension over the traditional “click, inspect, interact” process that is typical of this genre. You also unlock special skills based on personality traits in the main character, determined by conversation choices, which in turn define how certain puzzles are completed. These special skills give the game some replay value as you can chose different conversation paths to acquire new skill sets. I found myself drawn into the larger story of the world as it unfolded slowly throughout the game, even if the game itself is limited to the small area of a regional town. Also, some of the character’s special skills aren’t quite as developed as they could be (in particular the strength skill is something that you enable in obvious and unimaginative ways). Despite these shortcomings, Whispers is a great game that will appeal to anyone interested in sci-fi adventure games.

I bought "Whispers of a Machine" on launch day without barely knowing a single thing about it. I've enjoyed in the past games like "Technobabylon" and this aesthetic is right up my alley. I just finished it and, while I found this one enjoyable as well thanks to its fair puzzles, its story felt like a recap or a homage of the latest Blade Runner movie (which I adore by the way) or many cyberpunk plots in one game better said. For that reason, there wasn't a single moment where I genuinely felt surprised by the plot. On top of that, I didn't get attached to anyone of the cast: they were alright, don't get me wrong, but I couldn't get emotional about their struggles. Maybe if it was a bit longer or had a better pace in order to develop more the characters? I do not know to be honest. Although this might be my fault as the same thing happened with Shardlight's characters too for instance. And I must admit that I liked the idea of having different augmentations depending on your personality (and also different outcomes for the ending as well as different solutions for some puzzles, not at "I have no mouth and I must scream" levels of variety and importance though) and I'd love to see this idea expanded in another game. All in all it is a good adventure graphic game that tries to add some interesting mechanics, but it is not groundbreaking (and I don't think it's trying to be either) and probably, after playing some similar games, this one feels a bit more samey. I still have to see another ending, so my opinion might vary if that one is completely different to the one I chose.