Gameplay Today - Because You're Always Gaming

Crazy Machines Elements is a fun little game at its heart and is a nice change from the norm on the Xbox LIVE Arcade. As the name suggests, there are some crazy machines that utilize elements to help the player solve puzzles. One thing that sticks out about this game from the start is that it could be called “LittleBigPlanet Lite” for XBLA. The physics are there. The puzzles are there as well. Crazy Machines Elements just isn’t as deep or customizable as LBP on the PS3. The other big difference is the accuracy and precision of the controls. Before I tick off any Sony fans more with comparisons to the very popular LittleBigPlanet, let’s focus on this downloadable game for Xbox 360.

The control issues in Crazy Machines Elements probably would be nonexistent on a system like the Nintendo DS or a smart phone that uses a stylus. This game has some pretty interesting puzzles and many require very precise movements and placement. This is a little difficult when using the joystick on the Xbox 360 control pad. The puzzles are not impossible with the control pad, but instead just unnecessarily difficult at times and will require multiple run-throughs even when you know the solution. It would have also been nice to fast forward through the process of the machine once everything is in place. A few machines run slow and as a result puzzles take a little too long complete. It’s minor complaint and fans of board games like Mouse Trap will have no issue with watching their machines run.

Even with the gripes listed above, the puzzles are a lot of fun. Each one offers enough to challenge the mind and make the player feel like they’ve accomplished something once they get past a tough one. Despite delivering a challenge, it is a fun one. You’ll never end up smashing a controller over any of them. And there are a lot of puzzles to run through which means you’ll be playing this one for a while. One of the best things about the puzzles in Crazy Machines Elements is when the solution hits you. Sometimes it’s something as simple as turning an object on its side. Other times it might be a series of things you had completely wrong. But when you realize the solution, it’s always a rewarding experience.

Now I made a comparison to the very popular LittleBigPlanet early on and while the colorful graphics and amusing puzzles provide some likeness, the similarities end there. That’s because the puzzles in Crazy Machines Elements only have one solution each. Once you’ve completed a puzzle, there’s little reason to come back to it and try it again. Unlike Sony’s multi-dimensional LittleBigPlanet, Crazy Machines Elements feels kind of linear. Continuing with the theme of linear play, you must unlock each puzzle by completing the previous one. That’s not a rip on this XBLA title, but a simple fact. Perhaps if the game was fleshed out more and released on a full retail disc, it would be a different story. But for an XBLA title that downloads in a few minutes, there’s a lot here.

The graphics in this little XBLA are pretty impressive. The backgrounds are all rendered very nicely with most of them displaying foggy or rainy environments that are pretty nice to look at. The soundtrack is equally impressive as well. Crazy Machines Elements has one of the most relaxing and calming collection of tunes you’ll hear on the Xbox 360 and each track fits the level it plays in perfectly. Ambient sounds fill the speakers like waves on beach levels or soft rain in the background. You find the visuals appealing right away, but it’s the audio that will stick with you. Mature gamers looking for a relaxing game with puzzles to pass the time will really appreciate the sights and sounds in this one.

Crazy Machines Elements isn’t a perfect game as you can see. Yet if you spend a little time with it, you’ll end up wanting more. There are a lot of casual titles out there on the Xbox LIVE Arcade and hopefully this one is able to set itself apart and actually get noticed because I know that anyone who shells out the ten dollars for it will want to see a sequel with a little more meat on the bones. Fans of casual physics games like Angry Birds will love this one because of the simple addictiveness it has. The same can be said for any type of puzzle fan. If you’re looking for something that challenges the mind without giving you a headache then Crazy Machines Elements is the perfect solution.