Botanicula

Botanicula sends five tiny plant creatures on a journey to save the last seed of their home tree from parasitic invaders, and it does so with a lightness and humor noticeably different from the darker Machinarium by the same studio, Amanita Design. The game consists more of short interactive minigames and funny animations than classic logic puzzles, so it also suits players who otherwise avoid adventure games for fear of getting stuck.

On a touchscreen the controls work intuitively - tapping objects and characters triggers a flood of small gags and animations that make exploring the scene entertaining in itself, independent of story progress. That's exactly why it also suits replaying: the player discovers new reactions and details even in scenes they've already been through once, because the animators hid jokes in practically every corner of the screen. The visual style combines collage-like, hand-painted backgrounds with strange, adorable creatures, and the music was again composed by Tomáš Dvořák, alias Floex, this time in a more cheerful, playful tone than in Machinarium.

Since its release, Botanicula has become a favorite example of how a Czech game can combine an artistic approach with accessibility for the whole family, including children, partly because the game is practically impossible to lose - the pace is set entirely by the player, and no scene punishes a wrong move.

It is a one-time paid app with no ads and no microtransactions, offering a complete experience for the purchase price and requiring no further payments after installation.

Why play: A good choice for families and players looking for a relaxed, visually original game without frustration from difficult puzzles and without pressure for further payments.