- Games
- Mother Machine
Mother Machine
Explore alien caves as gremlins who climb, mutate and help friends through short co-op expeditions.
Online co-op for up to 4 players and split-screen co-op for 2 players.
- 4 online
- 2 split-screen
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op4 players
- Local co-op2 playersSplit screen
- Not confirmedFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- YesA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckVerifiedValve's own rating
About the game
You play a small creature made by an artificial intelligence on an abandoned alien planet. Mother sends you into caves to complete missions and gather resources. You climb walls and ceilings, swing from vines, eat plants and fight the creatures in your way. Stamina limits how far you can climb before you need a rest or something to eat.
Four players can explore online, or two can play on one device in split screen. You choose mutations that let you heal friends, improve movement or attack enemies. Sharing resources and bringing different abilities helps the group reach awkward places. Expeditions take about twenty minutes, with new mutations and creature appearances to unlock between trips. Expect bodily jokes, falls and room to fool around together.
How it feels
Kind of game
A group of friends, loose goals and a lot of messing around. Failing is part of the fun, and the best moments are the ones nobody planned.
- At its heart
- A big part
- Now and then
- Fear
- Calm and coziness
- Story
- Getting better
- Planning ahead
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- About
- Alien planets, Science fiction
Rated on our own feel scale. 5 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Mother Machine
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Cleaner Company
Why it scores 83%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Chaotic friend hangout
- About
- Science fiction
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Physical comedy, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Unlocks and progress
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How Cleaner Company differs
- Less jumping and climbing than Mother Machine
- Coming 28 January 2027
- 4 online
Both are chaotic hangouts for a group of friends. Both are about science fiction. Both get loud and silly when plans go wrong.
But less jumping and climbing than Mother Machine.
Streets of Rogue
Why it scores 79%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Chaotic friend hangout
- About
- Science fiction
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Fighting
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players and split-screen local co-op
How Streets of Rogue differs
- Less jumping and climbing than Mother Machine
- More figuring things out than Mother Machine
- A roguelike, so every run starts over
- 4 online
- 4 split-screen
Both are chaotic hangouts for a group of friends. Both play in runs or missions you repeat. Both are about science fiction.
But less jumping and climbing than Mother Machine.
PEAK
Why it scores 78%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Chaotic friend hangout
- Core to both
- Jumping and climbing
- Notable in both
- Laughter and chaos, Time to hang out, Physical comedy, Working in sync, Exploring, Tension and danger
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How PEAK differs
- Less fighting than Mother Machine
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both are chaotic hangouts for a group of friends. Both are full of jumping and climbing together. Both are easy to play while you chat.
But less fighting than Mother Machine.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- No
The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
- 1
- Confirmed free setups
- Does not apply
- Crossplay
- Not confirmed
- Crossplay between
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
7 pages
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Most players online, Local co-op, Most players on one screen, Split or shared screen, Unlocks and progress, Free base co-op.
- Online co-op: The maker describes online cooperative expeditions.
- Most players online: The description explicitly allows four players online.
- Local co-op: The maker describes native local co-op.
- Most players on one screen: The description explicitly limits local split screen to two players.
- Split or shared screen: The local mode is explicitly called split screen.
- Unlocks and progress: Completed missions unlock mutations for later runs and new creature appearances.
- Free base co-op: The checked computer full-base edition has a paid base-game access model. Demos, trials, guest passes, platform sharing and temporary grants do not establish ongoing free base co-op.
maschinen-mensch.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Friends can join mid-game, Release date, Genres, Sessions, About.
- Most players online: The maker describes one to four players. The Steam description specifies four online and two locally.
- Friends can join mid-game: The feature list says players can join games at any time.
- Release date: The maker dates the PC release to March 26, 2025.
- Genres: The maker calls the game a co-op platformer.
- Sessions: The maker describes repeatable generated levels with runs of about twenty minutes.
- About: An artificial intelligence creates creatures on a distant planet abandoned by humans.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Release status, Platforms.
- Steam app ID: The returned app identifier and title match this game.
- Release status: Steam lists the game as available to play. The listing does not mark it as Early Access.
- Platforms: The released application lists Windows support only.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Verified on Steam Deck.
lootlevelchill.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Physical comedy, Fear, Tension and danger, Working in sync, Jumping and climbing, Getting better, Planning ahead.
- Physical comedy: Loot Level Chill, March 26, 2025, describes funny falls and physics interactions during traversal.
- Fear: Loot Level Chill, March 26, 2025, describes eerie caves and threatening organic scenery beneath the playful tone.
- Tension and danger: Loot Level Chill, March 26, 2025, describes stamina loss, fall damage and pursuing creatures.
- Working in sync: Loot Level Chill, March 26, 2025, describes complementary mutations and sharing crystals to help the party.
- Jumping and climbing: Loot Level Chill, March 26, 2025, centres play on climbing, jumping and swinging.
- Getting better: Loot Level Chill, March 26, 2025, finds the game approachable while stamina and jumps need care.
- Planning ahead: Loot Level Chill, March 26, 2025, recommends balancing the party abilities before an expedition.
rogueliker.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Kind of game, Laughter and chaos, Calm and coziness, Story, Exploring, Time to hang out.
- Kind of game: Rogueliker, May 19, 2025, describes friends making their own amusement during repeated missions.
- Laughter and chaos: Rogueliker, May 19, 2025, describes belching friends around and playing with mutant abilities.
- Calm and coziness: Rogueliker, May 19, 2025, describes hanging around with friends between the dangerous cave sections.
- Story: Rogueliker, May 19, 2025, finds a short backstory campaign beneath the repeatable missions.
- Exploring: Rogueliker, May 19, 2025, describes searching interactive caves and reaching resources with movement abilities.
- Time to hang out: Rogueliker, May 19, 2025, explicitly describes the social play as a hangout.
impulsegamer.comPress, read 23 October 2026
Backs Fighting.
- Fighting: Impulse Gamer, April 3, 2025, describes regular simple attacks and dodges alongside traversal.