Kelvin and the Infamous Machine Review

When his shower-shaped time machine becomes the laughing stock of the scientific world, physicist Dr. Edwin Lupin goes completely crazy and he goes back in time to stop history’s greatest names from completing their masterpieces - only so he can complete them and take all the credit for himself. Now, his research assistant Kelvin must repair the damage by travelling back in time and reversing the course of the warped history.

Kelvin and the Infamous Machine brings point-and-click gaming back to its very best. Every click brings a different reaction from the diverse characters you encounter, or with objects that Kelvin interacts with. When you see a game combine a great narrative with a vast array of dialogue, and the stunning hand-drawn 2D visuals, then you know you're already onto a winner.

Another impressive element was the superb voice acting. Every character felt unique and they all had a specific personable trait. The attention to detail was fantastic. In the first chapter especially, I loved the variation in characters, as there was a grumpy, surly-looking bouncer who acted as a great contrast to the more supercilious style of the impresario inside the theatre. The variation was not limited to appearance either, as in the case with the bouncer and impresario, their voices and the way they comported themselves enhanced their own individuality, which was a great touch. The bouncer was very gruff, with a crackling, snarly voice, and the impresario had an overtly condescending tone to his voice. These are just two examples of the masterful voice acting in the game.

There are three chapters to complete in the game: Ludwig van Beethoven, Isaac Newton and Leonardo da Vinci. Within these chapters, you will encounter over 50 characters, and like the two mentioned previously, they all feel very unique. The story begins in Vienna with the search for Beethoven, as you must find him to help him finish his fourth symphony. The potential for future DLC content could be vast, as you could have Kelvin going back in time to many other significant historical moments in time.

I found it hard to pick up on many downsides to this game, but one of them was the difficulty of solving some of the puzzles. In Vienna, there was an object that Kelvin investigated which looked as though it would lead to nothing. But, later in the chapter, that object was a necessary piece of solving the puzzle. There were a few instances whereby the clue wasn't as straightforward as first meets the eye, and sometimes I found myself revisiting the same area to try and solve a clue. However, making puzzle games tricky gives you a good feeling of achievement upon completion, with Kelvin and the Infamous Machine being no exception here.

However, looking past the difficulty, and the graphics were amazing. The characters and environments were hand-drawn, and the overall end product was very impressive. Every area inside the three chapters felt unique to the last, and they had characters who complimented the locations. Not only were the visuals superb, but nothing felt out of place within them. Looking at the graphics at first glance, you'd be forgiven for thinking this game would be aimed at a younger audience, but much of the humour and discourse used in the game would certainly lend itself to a wider and older audience. Having said that, there is more than enough here to suggest all age groups and family members would enjoy this title.

The soundtrack was another brilliant feature also, as it succeeded in immersing you into a older time. Some of the characters didn't fit the era you visited, largely out of blatant and well-executed irony, but the orchestral soundtrack leaves you under no illusion that you’re in a bygone era. Not only does the soundtrack fit the era, but it's charming and whimsical sound is quite soothing, and that hugely complements the gameplay. Kelvin and the Infamous Machine is a very relaxed game, and a brilliant one at that.