Veteran indie developer Maschinen-Mensch today revealed their next game, a chaotic roguelike featuring mutant gremlins.
Following their breakout hits, Curious Expedition and Curious Expedition 2, Maschinen-Mensch today pulled back the curtain on their next project. Titled Mother Machine, the game is a multiplayer action-platformer/RPG hybrid title where players take control of ‘chaos gremlins’ as they hunt for resources, technology, and answers. The game is being built using Unreal Engine 5 and will feature procedurally-generated gameplay, giving players a new experience in each run.
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From adorable to mutated gremlins
Mother Machine takes place thousands of years in the future on a distant planets long abandoned by humans. An abandoned AI seeking a purpose and to protect her digital mind created the gremlins to help her survive. Designed to survive the harsh environment, the gremlins are tasked to explore the cave network of the planet in search of technology to sustain the AI, Mother Machine. However, the further they delve, the more dark secrets they will discover.
Mother Machine is a roguelike at heart with many of the genre’s hallmarks. Expect to run, climb, and leap through procedurally-generated caves solo or with up to three friends. You’ll control a chaos gremlin that you’ll be able to customize with a variety of mutations that alter how you play. You can utilize abilities like healing farts and protective belches and enjoy a tailored experience whether you’re playing alone or with any number of friends. No matter how many people play, the game adjusts the chaos and competition.
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An indie studio from Berlin
Maschinen-Mensch was founded in 2014 in Berlin, Germany by Johannes Kristmann and Riad Djemili. The team currently employs talent that have shipped games like Spec Ops: The Line. Borderlands 2, Dead Island 2, and more. Their very first title, Curious Expedition, was a massive success, selling more than 500,000 units. A sequel, Curious Expedition 2, released in 2021 on PC and Switch and early 2022 on PlayStation and Xbox.
Mother Machine is currently targeting an early 2025 release on PC and consoles, though which consoles it’s coming to has yet to be announced. The game will launch with Steam Deck compatibility.
