In just 21 days, Mashina, a new indie mixing platforming, strategy, and a supremely cozy stop-motion style, has been fully funded on Kickstarter, raising $23,172 / £18,523 – or £8k / £6.5k more than its target. Created by Talha and Jack Co., the studio’s previous game Judero broke the mold last year, presenting a creepy, unsettling alternative to the big RPG releases like Path of Exile and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. From what we’ve seen so far, Mashina has just as much visual flair and a similarly novel setup.
We’ve been absolutely spoiled for choice with great indie games lately, and Mashina is one to watch alongside a long list of anticipated 2025 titles. It also adds to a growing trend of claymation and stop-motion games, which seems to be very much en vogue in the 2020s.
Mashina was first announced in January, when the Kickstarter campaign went live. Described as a “digging adventure,” the game puts you in the metallic shoes of a friendly mining robot who is on a mission to build a thriving community for her and her friends. The gameplay is divided into two sections: a 2D excavation through rich mineral deposits and a fully-explorable 3D overworld full of friends and decorations.
As the titular character, players will dive deep underground to find precious minerals and trinkets, build powerful machines to aid in these excavations, then return to the overworld to decorate, make friends, and upgrade equipment. Alongside the wholesome claymation, Talha and Jack Co says a relaxing soundtrack of “retro synths” is being recorded, helping to create a “soundscape to chill out and dig to.”
Judero was a huge 2024 hit, a strange medieval hack-and-slash steeped in Scottish folklore and inhabited by creepy, misshapen clay figures, PCGamesN’s Anthony even described it as one of the years’ best RPGs. Although this is the next game from the team, the vibe seems just as distinct. The Kickstarter page also notes that the team are “building on everything we learned in Judero and aiming to make an even more visually compelling game”.
The Kickstarter campaign was a strong success, with 749 backers funding the project, eight of whom pledged £500 each to get their hands on a real-life sculpted robot from the game.
While you’re waiting for a Mashina release date, why not kick back and chill out with our list of the best relaxing games to play on PC? Or keep an eye on our picks for the best upcoming PC games so you don’t miss a thing.
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