One of the best aspects of video games is the medium's ability to provide escapist entertainment to players. Games can transport players to faraway galaxies, underwater cities and even alien worlds unlike anything ever seen in other mediums. From the fantasy wilds of Hyrule in The Legend of Zelda to the science fiction facilities of Half-Life, games continually wow players with new and immersive environments.

Video games and fantastical worlds are a match made in heaven, and one new indie game is bringing retrofuturism to life: Retro Machina. Developed by Orbit Studio, Retro Machina is a top-down action puzzler that features a gorgeous art style and a challenging blend of combat and puzzle mechanics.

RELATED: Did Half-Life Kill Retro FPS Games?

In the world of Retro Machina, players are a single robot worker existing long after humanity was wiped out by a mysterious cataclysm. Only one human city still remains amidst the vast ruins: the glass-domed city of Endeavor. This is a gleaming metropolis now inhabited entirely of robots who run its various systems with perfect efficiency.

Inside of Endeavor, the robots who once took care of humanity's every need now control the pristine city, ruthlessly destroying any of their kind that develops a defect.  However, one defective robot, banished from the city, refuses to be put down so easily. Players take control of this rebellious automaton in a quest to not only repair itself, but to uncover the mysteries of this retro-future world -- and perhaps even discover another source of intelligent life hidden away in the ruins.

Inspired equally by the works of Isaac Asimov and Arthur Clark, Retro Machina also draws its influences from science fiction movies like Bicentennial Man and I, Robot. Retro Machina also takes storytelling inspiration from BioShock, featuring a derelict world that can be better understood through scattered recordings and messages that give insight into what it once was. Retro Machina effectively weaves a strong science fiction narrative and keeps the mystery of its dystopia a tantalizing carrot to lead players along.

RELATED: Why BioShock 2 Is an Underrated Masterpiece

One major way that Retro Machina immediately stands out is in its gorgeous art style. Retro Machina's aesthetic is rooted firmly in the retrofuturism movement of the mid-20th century, which imagined the future as a paradise full of flying cars, homes on the moon and all manner of robot servants and automation to suit the people of tomorrow. In other words, Retro Machina is BioShock mixed with Fallout, with striking Art Deco buildings and design juxtaposed against its retro robots and fantastical technologies.

All manner of retro advertisements can be found in the environments, further adding to the world-building of this interesting setting. Even the robots themselves sport retro designs. The protagonist, for instance, looks like a mixture of Clank from Ratchet & Clank and the shining metal antagonists found in classic 1950s science-fiction films.

The visual design of the various other enemies and robot characters works perfectly well within Retro Machina's aesthetic as well. Enemies are clearly purpose-built for individual jobs, with one burly robot made for construction, and another multi-armed foe designed to be a robot butler for suburban houses. The robot designs are varied and reminiscent of Fallout's automatons, like the Mr. Handy units that provide so much comedic relief to the post-apocalyptic gameplay.

RELATED: Sly Cooper Deserves a PS5 Reboot After Ratchet & Clank

As for gameplay, Retro Machina has players traversing the various abandoned remnants of the once human city, battling robots and solving various puzzles with the help of the city's robot workers. Players can dodge roll and attack enemy robots with a trusty wrench, bashing the metal combatants to bits. Its puzzles rely on players taking control of other robot workers with the protagonist's antenna. For example, players can mind control a frog robot to move platforms in a flooded area, allowing them to jump across watery hazards. Another puzzle features players taking over a manufacturing robot that produces cubes, which can be slid into place to complete an electrical circuit, opening a nearby door.

Overall, Retro Machina is a blast to play, with snappy combat that sees players dodging lasers, energy blasts and even samurai robots equipped with swords (whose practical applications seem limited at best). Environments are full of enemies and hazards like electrified floors that require the player to exercise tight positioning and timely dodges to succeed. By blending engaging gameplay with a striking art style, this top-down adventure is a must-play for fans of classic sci-fi and retrofuturistic aesthetics. It's available now on Steam, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

KEEP READING: Is a NEW Metroid Game...Already DONE?