My favorite rusty adventure game is free to keep, if you're quick

Some games just stick with you forever. I'll never forget playing Before Your Eyes, and I often pop back onto the Eye to grab some noodles at Emphis' stall in Citizen Sleeper. There are other games that you think about less often, but spark joy when they pop up on my radar. Machinarium is one such game. I hadn't thought about this quirky point-and-click puzzler for years, until it appeared as one of the free games on the Epic Games Store this week. And now I need to tell you all why should claim it and play it immediately.

The premise of Machinarium is simple: you're a little robot exploring the eponymous metropolis, and you stumble across a plot to blow up the city's tower. What follows is a quirky tale of espionage and nefarious villainy, but it's how the developers tell this story that makes it so special.

Even when it released in 2009, Machinarium felt like a throwback to the best adventure games of years gone by. The puzzles have a distinct LucasArts feel to them-which is enough to intrigue any fan of the genre-but the beautiful world really made it distinct. 16 years later, it's got a chance to dazzle once more as one of the free Epic games this week.

Machinarium's gorgeous, painterly art direction still holds up all this time later. The city that our robot protagonist Josef cares about so deeply is clearly rusting and falling apart at the seams (or should that be welds?), but it's beautiful all the same. And even if you weren't a fan of the environments, Josef's empathy and selfless nature rub off on you soon enough.

Machinarium is a game I'd encourage anyone to play, but if you're a fan of retro games or point-and-click adventures, it's a no-brainer. When it's free? I can't think of a single downside to picking it up.

Machinarium is free to keep on the Epic Games Store until Thursday, September 4. You can download it here.

If this little robot has whet your appetite for more classic adventures, check out our list of the best indie games for inspiration. It's also worth grabbing one of the best gaming monitors so you can make the most of this breath-taking game.

Let me know how much you love Machinarium on our community Discord server. It's bustling with readers and staff, and we want to hear your favorite indie game.