Machinarium 2 lets Josef and Berta solve puzzles together

Machinarium 2 gives you both Josef and Berta to control. You can switch between them whenever you like, using their different abilities to solve puzzles that neither robot could handle alone. It's a single-player adventure, with you looking after the pair.

Amanita Design announced the sequel on 8 October. The original Machinarium came out in 2009. If you liked working out what a room full of odd machinery wanted from you, the extra character gives you another thing to consider: who should do what?

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Official screenshots: Amanita Design. Developer website and press kit.

Two robots, direct controls

A gamepad lets you move the robots directly. You can still use a mouse if you prefer the familiar point-and-click approach. Amanita recommends the controller, though we haven't tried either control scheme ourselves.

The story follows Josef and Berta as they search for a new home. Their journey takes them into a hidden valley, where two robot communities are running short of power. You explore a monastery above the valley and a city below it, communicating through gestures, symbols and animated thought bubbles.

The backgrounds and characters are hand-drawn. The returning team includes game director Jakub Dvorský, artist Adolf Lachman and animator Václav Blín, with Tomáš Dvořák, better known as Floex, composing the music again.

When is Machinarium 2 coming out?

There isn't a release date yet. Steam lists Windows and macOS and lets you wishlist the game, but it isn't available to play there.

For now, the useful difference to watch is how the puzzles use both characters. Switching between Josef and Berta could give you more ways to investigate a room; we'll need to play it before judging whether that makes the puzzles more interesting or simply gives you more things to try.