Deus Ex Machina

Deus Ex Machina is an unusual experimental game by Mel Croucher, published by Automata U.K. Set in a future where centralized computer systems control government, defense, and security, it follows a human-shaped “defect” born inside the machine after it rebels.

The defect is guided through the stages of life, from cells to senility, while being pursued by defect police. Inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Seven Ages of Man, the game presents a series of surreal vignettes with limited gameplay and no conventional win or lose conditions. A continuously displayed percentage changes according to the player’s actions, while four-direction movement—with diagonal combinations—has a different effect on each screen.

Designed to be played in a single sitting, the game is accompanied by a cassette tape containing 46 minutes of music, singing, and speeches. The soundtrack helps establish the meaning and atmosphere of scenes, and the manual includes the complete speech transcript along with instructions for synchronizing the tape.

Key Features

• Experimental life-simulation and puzzle gameplay presented through short vignettes
• A human-shaped defect’s journey from cellular formation to old age
• Synchronized cassette soundtrack with music, singing, and spoken performances
• Surreal scenes involving DNA, defect police, and words such as “LIES” and “WAR”
• Available for Commodore C64/128/MAX, MSX, and Sinclair ZX Spectrum