Break into gaming history in Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking

Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking is a free game that showcases lockpicking mechanics from a range of different video and tabletop games. Aspiring game creators can compare mechanics from games like Fallout 3, The Testament of Sherlock Holmes, and many more.

A tour of video game history

Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking isn’t a game in itself. Instead, it’s a virtual museum in which players can try out different types of lockpicking mechanics from a variety of different games. The goal is to focus the player’s attention on a single mechanic, asking them why each game approaches it the way it does.

Simple presentation

The presentation of the game is very simple: The player stands in a large, open room, with different lockpicking minigames lining the walls. The museum theme is evident in the minimalist design of the environment; the different games are in floodlit alcoves, accompanied by small signs.

A fascinating educational tool

Museum of Mechanics: Lockpicking will interest anyone interested in the history of digital game design, whether historians of the genre or aspiring designers. Its examples do a good job of highlighting the many different ways in which designers have historically tackled this staple of exploration and heist gameplay.

Only design buffs will be engaged

For players less interested in the history of game design, however, there’s little here to stir the imagination. This virtual museum experience is interesting rather than exciting, and while the simple visual layout makes it easy to use, it doesn’t do much more than that. Overall, this will be a fascinating and useful tool for its target audience.