Amanita Design

Most of my personal friends and colleagues have a negative view of video games. The assumption is that they are all violent and addictive. I agree that they can become compulsive but they are not all violent. In fact there are some beautifully creative games, filled with charming characters, inspiring themes and intricate game play.

There are hundreds of peaceful story based games, and puzzles to enjoy in this digital arena, but I’d particularly like to introduce you to a couple of my current favourites.

Samorost and Machinarium are the creations of Amanita Design, an Indie Game studio that has created a host of particularly beautiful and intriguing puzzle games with rich story lines and delightful characters.

The studio was founded in 2003 by designer, artist and animator Jakub Dvorsky, and as it says on their website, “it is known for its emphasis on surreal worlds, light-hearted humour, hand-crafted appeal and audiovisual experience.”

I particularly enjoy the sound tracks and graphics of Samorost and Machinarium which draw me into their enchanting surreal worlds where I can just let go of reality for a while. Although these are my favourites, there are many more to choose from.