Heart of the Machine

 PC
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  • Summary: Blending RPG and strategy mechanics in a cyberpunk world, Heart of the Machine sees you as a sentient AI born in an illegal lab hidden in a crumbling city of the far future. You are a Machine Intelligence beholden to none, though threatened by many, able to pursue whatever goal catches yourBlending RPG and strategy mechanics in a cyberpunk world, Heart of the Machine sees you as a sentient AI born in an illegal lab hidden in a crumbling city of the far future. You are a Machine Intelligence beholden to none, though threatened by many, able to pursue whatever goal catches your eye across a multitude of threats and opportunities.

    Will you be the savior of the downtrodden, or use them to fuel your growth? Will you rule as a benevolent dictator, providing for citizens and asking nothing in return, or will you establish a machine cult to do your bidding without question? Will you ally yourself with one of the many factions in the city to achieve mutual goals, or work entirely on your own to remain free from obligations? Will you learn from past mistakes, and even send allies back in time to help your past self, or continue to watch tragedy unfold from afar?

    There is much to see, learn, and do – though a greater threat looms in the distance, just beyond your comprehension.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. The Wand Report
    Apr 15, 2026
    90
    A cocktail of 4X, city building, and RPG mechanics that’s as disruptive as the sentient AI it revolves around. Arcen reconfigures established genre conventions around a thoughtful narrative, simultaneously questioning what it means to be human and a 4X game can be.
  2. PC Gamer
    Mar 3, 2026
    79
    A high-concept, fascinating strategy RPG that can start to buckle under its own ambitions.
  3. SECTOR.sk
    Mar 9, 2026
    75
    This modern, original turn-based strategy game with RPG elements offers the unusual experience of building an empire of machines. However, mastering the new mechanisms requires patience. There are many activities in the game that could have been better explained. The game is interesting, but also tedious.
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  1. Try Hard Guides
    Jan 29, 2025
    Heart of the Machine is a very interesting game and one that I think has a lot of promise. I think the story could use some polish, the tutorial could be briefer while also being more informative, and some minor graphical bugs, including texture load failures, could be addressed, but the Early Access game has plenty of time to improve upon these aspects to deliver a title with a ton of promise. [Early Access Review]

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