Heart of the Machine (Arcen Games, LLC)

Do not submit to a robot overlord. Be the robot overlord. 🤖 Heart of the Machine has launched into 1.0! This release includes loads of new content & features, granular complexity management, & even more ways to experience the story. Get it on Steam: store.steampowered.com/app/2001070/He…

Update 75 is a big one that touches tens of thousands of lines of code. 🤖 Streamlining work continues on the UI. I've also implemented some long-requested items like building in the curves of roads & some changes to mimics. Full changelog: steamcommunity.com/games/2001070/…

Update 74 fixes quite a few things, but mostly focuses on laying the groundwork to implement Steam Workshop support for Heart of the Machine. Intel-based Mac users loading the game should also see a big speed boost with this update. 🤖 Full changelog: steamcommunity.com/games/2001070/…

Update 73 is a big batch of player-requested changes and QoL things, including: 🤖 Added regeneration for hidden status on buildings 🤖 Clarified resource caps in the ledger 🤖 Improved color coding for output effectiveness on TPS Reports Full changelog: steamcommunity.com/games/2001070/…

Rally Point: Genre-crushing choose-your-own strategy Heart of the Machine might be peak Arcen rockpapershotgun.com/rally-point-ge…

Update 72 covers a wide range of cumulative feedback & player requests. Most notably, it adds a new mod called "Hack Be Gone" that will let you use ultra-simplified hacking, even on misery & extreme modes. Full changelog: steamcommunity.com/games/2001070/…

As a machine god, you'll often face problems that even your vast superintelligence could not predict. When that happens, you have to be willing to ask yourself the hard questions. Questions like: is it still technically illegal street racing if you're doing it with bears? 🐻🏁

Heart of the Machine is full of ethical quandaries. Say you need to scale your neural network architecture. You *could* begin a sisyphean cycle of building & rebuilding computronium towers. Or you could "farm" that architecture from a biological source... What do you choose?

Since Heart's 1.0 launch, there's been a huge influx of support. It's now the fastest-selling Arcen title! I am so incredibly grateful for all the excitement & feedback I've received from this community. The time you've spent with the game means everything. THANK YOU. 💙🤖

Heart of the Machine just got Update 70 (and two subsequent hotfixes)! This build has lots of player-recommended additions and tweaks -- including a new contemplation in Chapter 3+ and additional QoL changes for building. 🤖 Changelog: steamcommunity.com/games/2001070/…

Update 69 has dropped for Heart of the Machine. Nice. This one hits a lot of QOL & clarity adjustments. Healthcare is easier to find, spindletroopers are no longer albino, you can now properly disable robot servants, etc. Full changelog: steamcommunity.com/games/2001070/…

When playing Heart on higher difficulties, scientific research is essential. If you don't think about it from turn one, you'll likely get yourself killed. Here's a guide on how to access, use, & maximize scientific research. steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…

Hatred of Vorsiber is more than just a feeling, it's a strategic resource that can open up some Pressure Points from Chapter 2 onward. This guide covers how to farm hatred from both repeatable and one-time sources. steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…

ICYMI: @CriticalMoves_ was kind enough to let me talk about Heart on their podcast! We cover everything from narrative strategy & player agency to time looping & how normalized violence enables morally complex relationships. youtube.com/watch?v=ZBN4Ps…

The first post-1.0 update is out for Heart of the Machine. It focuses on QOL changes & balance, like: - Melee units no longer have to "dodge bullets" - Humans can now properly escape the prologue nanotech tide - Civil war victims are now fed better steamcommunity.com/games/2001070/…

In Heart of the Machine, your first 50 turns are essential to establishing a foothold. To help you maximize, here's a guide that covers strategies for managing early resources, navigating initial challenges, & making decisions worthy of a machine god. youtu.be/N4h6z4Oelac

To rule the city, you must first survive its complex web of hostility. And for that, you'll need to grasp its aggro mechanics. This guide goes over the nuances of awareness, hostility, & security responses in Heart of the Machine. steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…

Hacking in Heart of the Machine serves many purposes. Take over mechs, access bionic implants, shut down weapons systems, and wreak general havoc. Here's a guide that'll teach you to master the hacking mini-game. steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…

If you've ever wondered what life would be like as a sentient AI, Heart of the Machine is the game for you - and the sheer amount of options in its 1.0 launch will make you forgive the few times its complexity gets under its own feet #IndieGame pcgamesn.com/heart-of-the-m…

If you boot up Heart of the Machine and immediately get it, congratulations -- you might actually be a machine intelligence. But if you're normal, you'll need some guides. Here's a gameplay overview to help you navigate the complexity of the city. youtu.be/Ostq5U-3S1M

This beginner's guide for Heart of the Machine covers the basics of being a robot overlord. 🤖 Learn how to adjust complexity settings, read the UI, manage units, acquire resources, engage in combat, & everything else you need to build an empire. steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/fi…