Distraction Machine

This game is beyond my expertise. It is designed for those familiar with musical notes and tones, or as people usually call them, Charlie Puth. As someone who is tone-deaf, I enjoyed it for a couple of hours until the NPCs started asking me to create music beyond my lacking capabilities.

Brace yourselves, long review inbound! Distraction Machine takes players on an journey through a post-apocalyptic world where they step into the shoes of a Distractor, a unique type of bard. Although not my usual jam, this game blends the puzzle and rhythm genres with some cool storytelling ideas and emotional moments. In true post-apocalyptic fashion, you don't just distract crawlers with music but also assemble instruments from scrap materials found in the decaying city. It's nice to see a "bard" outside of the the usual medieval setting. The story in "Distraction Machine" is surprisingly engaging and filled with a whole set of interesting characters. The developers have successfully woven together a cool plot, even if that's not the usual focus for games like this. And hey! Don't worry if you're not a musical virtuoso—this game doesn't really require it. I was a bit concerned diving into this one given my terrible musical skills, but I had a great time nonetheless. The thing is: while this game offers a nice range of sounds to experiment with, it caters to players of all skill levels through some melodies you discover along the way. You can unleash your creativity and make interesting musical creations without feeling overwhelmed, at least I haven't! Regardless of the "Game", I think Distraction Machine is also platform for self-expression and provides a cool outlet for your musical inclinations, whatever they might be. The world is compelling, with music acting as a powerful storytelling tool. However, there is one minor aspect that could be improved: Identifying which NPCs can be interacted with is sometimes challenging. Even if this isn't definitely game-breaking, things would be smoother if the interactable characters were highlighted if you hover them with your mouse. Nevertheless, the overall experience is not much affected by that. I think this game successfully combines music, puzzles, and storytelling in a very unique way. It engages you to embrace your creative side while serving giving you a cool story and interesting tools and instruments to play with. While some very small things can be iterated on, the game's overall experience is pretty awesome. If you're a fan of music, puzzles, and a captivating narrative, this game is definitely worth your time.

A lovely mix of a game with deep narrative and a musical tool where you can build your own instruments and write your own music! For the musically challenged like myself, the game gives you a ton of preset track for each of the instruments to use as a great starting point!

drum machine joy

Distraction Machine is a breath of fresh air amidst so many zombie games! Loved the unique musical system and focus on the human side of a post-apocalyptic story. The art is gritty and gorgeous, and the music you create truly drives the narrative. I'm not a musical guy so the ability to create these tracks was a lot of fun. If you're looking for a zombie game with a difference, Distraction Machine is worth a try.