Maquette is a tricky game to explain in words, but here it goes. This first-person mystery is in a recursive universe – meaning that each version of the world contains a smaller version of itself. This means that there are still larger worlds beyond your reach. This is one of those concepts that is easier to understand with a visual image, and once you enter the main area of the game, click on its place.
In the center of each chapter is an ornate dome and inside this dome is a smaller version of the area you inhabit. What this means in terms of solving puzzles is that you have to grow or shrink things to help you reach new areas. Say you find a key, but it’s too big to fit in a door. You pick it up, throw it down somewhere in the courtyard, go inside the dome and pick up the same key, now much smaller. This is a very simple early example, but the concept allows for a proper puzzle, puzzles. We do not want to spoil too much, but the idea of scale is explored in brilliant ways.
That said, one thing we feel the game is failing at is that it does not push its core concept far enough. It’s a unique mechanic, and some of the riddles are amazing, but it’s like it all comes to an end before the recursive world idea can really flourish. While trying to figure out a riddle, it can also be all too easy to get stuck. This has happened to us a few times, and although you can hold on to Triangle to return to the dome at any time – or simply load a previous save – we would argue that you would not be able to get stuck at all not.
Running in parallel with the puzzle-oriented game is a refreshing ‘normal’ story. As you progress and explore your surroundings, text will appear that keeps you informed of the narrative throughout. After solving a puzzle, you are usually treated to a short series of dialogues, accompanied by amazing artwork. It’s a story of the relationship of one couple, but what’s striking is its simplicity. It is rare in games, or in any media, that a narrative concentrates exclusively on a very human element without applying fantasy or entering grim territory.
Unfortunately, the writing is not particularly strong. Those dialogue scenes between the two characters (portrayed by Bryce Dallas Howard and Seth Gabel) often feel unnatural or uncomfortable. Although the story is wonderfully low, it means that any errors in the text are so much clearer because there is nowhere to hide.
The upside is that the game’s colorful art style is good throughout, and the buildings and other environments look fantastic. The footage is accompanied by some great music choices that give the atmosphere for their respective chapters. In addition, the game loads at an almost closed 60 frames per second, loads quickly, and makes subtle but welcome use of the DualSense features.
Closure
Maquette is a fascinating puzzle game with a unique central mechanic. This leads to some very clever puzzles that will really test your gray matter. However, we can not help but feel that the potential of the concept is not fully realized. Similarly, the story is pretty unique among games, but the execution is just not quite there. Overall, it’s a pleasurable experience for puzzle lovers – just do not expect it to change the world.