Submachine (series)

Lore & Background

The Submachine series was created by Mateusz Skutnik, a Polish cartoonist and comics writer from Gdańsk, known for the Rewolucje comics. Skutnik cited Oddworld, Rayman, The Neverhood, Half-life, and Portal as video game influences. The games were created in Flash and released online on Skutnik's website and other Flash game sites. Downloadable HD versions were sold through the developer's store. The graphics are hand-drawn.

Each game focuses on an unidentified character exploring new locations of the Subnet, a broken and distorted reality with decaying buildings and abandoned structures. These structures are categorized into groups called 'submachines' based on architectural style. The player must solve puzzles and explore the environment to escape. The series includes ten main installments and four spin-offs, two of which were made for a Jayisgames contest and one for the website of the band Future Loop Foundation.

In 2023, Skutnik re-released the series as Submachine: Legacy, a single game combining the original ten-part series and several spin-offs into a remastered compilation with updated graphics, additional content, achievements, and a unified narrative. It was the first release on Steam and received overwhelmingly positive reviews. As of 2026, Submachine: Legacy maintained an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' user rating on Steam with approximately 98% positive reviews.

Reader's Guide

The Submachine series is significant as a landmark of the Flash gaming era, praised for its clever, compact, and menacing atmosphere. A review in Rock Paper Shotgun described it as 'one of the highlights (...) of the Flash gaming era,' noting its world of 'terrible contraptions that must be operated, fixed or broken.' The series won multiple awards from Jayisgames, including Best of Casual Gameplay in 2007, 2009, 2010, and 2012, as well as the Casual Gameplay Design Competition #8 for Submachine: 32 Chambers.

Skutnik's decision to move away from Flash in 2016 and use GameMaker reflected the platform's eventual discontinuation. The series' legacy includes a dedicated community on the Pastel Forum, where fans developed theories that were incorporated into the Submachine Universe, a non-game exploration space. In 2025, Skutnik began developing Submachine: The Engine, a new standalone entry with a level editor, confirmed in active development as of May 2026. The series remains influential for its atmospheric puzzle design and its integration of fan contributions into the official lore.

Did You Know?

• The Submachine series was created by Polish comics author Mateusz Skutnik.
• The series includes ten main installments and four spin-offs, two of which were made for a Jayisgames contest.
• Submachine: Legacy, released in 2023, combined the original series and spin-offs into a single remastered game on Steam.
• As of 2026, Submachine: Legacy had an 'Overwhelmingly Positive' user rating on Steam with approximately 98% positive reviews.