Published on August 14th, 2024 | by Adrian Gunning
Acclaimed Indie Studio Maschinen-Mensch Unveils Chaotic Multiplayer Action-Platformer Mother Machine
Today, veteran indie developer Maschinen-Mensch has unleashed the first glimpse of its chaotic new multiplayer action-platformer/RPG hybrid, Mother Machine. Built using Unreal Engine 5 and fuelled by the studio’s dedication to pushing the limits of procedurally-generated gameplay, Mother Machine is a one-to-four-player co-op action-platformer with RPG elements, set in the cave networks of a derelict space colony. Players control one of many grotesquely adorable “chaos gremlins” who are endlessly sent to death, then revived by their malfunctioning robot mother in search of resources, technology, and the answers to the planet’s darkest mysteries.
Speaking on the announcement, Maschinen-Mensch CEO Riad Djemli said:
“At Maschinen-Mensch, crafting games with innovative procedural gameplay is in our DNA. Following the success of Curious Expedition 1 and 2, our team has grown to over 20 very talented individuals. Now, we’re excited to bring our unique approach to the action-RPG genre with our new IP, Mother Machine. We can’t wait to share this new adventure with our community.”
In Mother Machine, players can:
- Control a colorful chaos gremlin capable of seamlessly running, climbing and leaping through intricate procedurally-designed alien caves, where no one playthrough is the same
- Extend and deepen the active abilities of their gremlins with a vast range of mutations, altering gameplay to suit their preferred playstyle and desired difficulty
- Join games at any time with easy drop-in multiplayer for up to four players, increasing the levels of both chaos and competition
- Share the experience with friends of all skill levels, as the game’s balanced co-op mechanics allow expert players to join together with novices, making the mania more accessible
- Enjoy a silly, soulful world and an engaging narrative about the limits of technology, the nature of loneliness & the power of family
- Experience unique & personal moments created by emergent gameplay, endlessly replayable generative levels & satisfying progression
Set thousands of years in the future, Mother Machine takes place on a distant planet once colonized by humans but since abandoned. Left behind by her creators, an Artificial Intelligence faced a problem: without a purpose, she needed to find a way to protect her digital mind from breaking under the burden of being forever alone. Her solution was to create a creature that she could take care of. True rascals, with an affinity for mischief and chaos, these little gremlins were bioengineered by their mother to withstand and survive a harsh alien environment. 3D-printed from organic filament by their godlike Mother Machine, these creatures are tasked to collect and explore a vast cave network of a mysterious alien planet, brimming with biodiversity and peculiar life-forms — but the further the gremlins venture, the more they find out about the dark secrets of the planet’s history, and the true ambitions of their mechanical mother.