Amanita Design has announced Machinarium 2, a sequel to their acclaimed 2009 puzzle adventure game. The original Machinarium was lauded for its unique art style and wordless storytelling, qualities that the studio aims to recapture and expand upon in the follow-up.
Machinarium 2 will feature Josef and Berta, two robots who find themselves stranded in a barren valley after escaping the city of Machinarium. There, they discover two robot tribes in need of assistance, one residing in a high-altitude monastery and the other in a valley city. The narrative premise suggests a journey through distinct environments and potential inter-tribal conflicts.
A significant new gameplay element will be the ability to switch between controlling Josef and Berta, utilizing their individual abilities to solve puzzles. While the game will retain the text-free communication through icons and gestures that defined the original, the developers have confirmed the addition of full gamepad support, though traditional point-and-click controls will also be available.
Tomáš Dvořák, the composer for the original Machinarium, is returning to create the soundtrack for the sequel. The game's visual style is described as being inspired by old master drawings and Renaissance landscape paintings, continuing Amanita's tradition of distinctive artistic direction.
In a statement, Amanita CEO and game designer Jakub Dvorský cited the passage of time and a sense of global uncertainty as motivations for developing the sequel now. He also expressed gratitude to the patient fans who have waited for a continuation of the series.
A release date for Machinarium 2 has not yet been announced, but a trailer has been released. The studio's most recent release was Phonopolis, a dystopian avant-garde city game.