Flibbius McDoogle and the Mysterious Flying Machine

A Whimsical Adventure With a Big Heart

There’s something magical about a game that doesn’t try to do everything—just one thing, very well. Flibbius McDoogle and the Mysterious Flying Machine, from the husband-and-wife team at Unsigned Double, is a bite-sized, puzzle-filled adventure set on a sunny island and starring a tortoise with an impossible dream: to fly.

That’s right. You’re Flibbius McDoogle—a soft-shelled optimist with more determination than most airships. Inspired by your uncle’s tall tales of a legendary flying contraption, you set out to find it for yourself. What follows is a gentle, two- to three-hour journey filled with quirky characters, clever puzzles, and plenty of heart. While the experience may be short, it’s rich with charm and innocence, like the gaming equivalent of a Saturday morning cartoon.

And much like Flibbius himself, the game carries itself with goofy confidence, even as it stumbles occasionally on its wobbly little legs.

A Curious Tortoise on a Curious Island

Flibbius is, without question, a delightful protagonist. Wide-eyed, earnest, and perpetually waddling forward, he’s the kind of character that you root for on sight. You feel his wonder as he sets out to uncover the truth behind the flying machine myth, and you share in his victories—no matter how small.

The island you explore is filled with just as lovable characters. With grassy hills, craggy cliffs, and sun-dappled paths, it feels like a place you’d want to visit on vacation. You’re free to poke around at your own pace, gathering curious items like rocks, twigs, hay, and rope to solve puzzles and help the island’s oddball inhabitants with their equally oddball tasks.

Need to fix a lever? Maybe a stick and some string will do. Need to sweeten someone’s day? Mix some berries in a jar and see what happens. The game never outright tells you the answers—it nudges you toward them, rewarding creativity, experimentation, and sometimes a little dumb luck.

Light Puzzles, Big Personality

The puzzles here aren’t brain-busters. They’re playful, tactile, and easy to grasp, making this an ideal game for young players or anyone looking for a breezy escape. There’s no combat. No timers. No fail states. Just a series of relaxed objectives designed to keep your curiosity engaged.

That said, the real joy comes not from solving puzzles but from the people—er, animals—you meet along the way.

Flibbius’s journey is peppered with delightful characters, each with their own strange little concerns. There’s Notto, the lovable ship captain. Jeremiah the crab and Wally the walrus that’s set on catching fish. These personalities are what elevate the game beyond its simple mechanics. They don’t just fill space; they fill it with life, warmth, and humour.

None of the dialogue is voice-acted, but the writing carries enough charm to make each conversation memorable. It’s clear that Unsigned Double understands that a whimsical world isn’t enough on its own. It’s the people in it that count.

Art and Music That Set the Mood

If you’ve seen a screenshot of Flibbius McDoogle, you already know what to expect: bright, friendly colours; soft textures; and characters that look like they belong in a children’s storybook. It’s not aiming for realism—thankfully. Instead, it embraces a playful aesthetic that makes even the most mundane tasks feel like part of a grand adventure.

Flibbius himself, with his bugged-out eyes and lopsided walk, is an immediate scene-stealer. He doesn’t say much, but his expressive animations do the talking. Watching him run toward his next objective never gets old.

Backing it all is a lo-fi jazzy soundtrack that mixes chill beats with subtle melodies. It’s never overpowering. It’s the kind of background music that makes you smile without noticing. It’s a perfect fit for the game’s tone—casual, thoughtful, and very pleasant.

Approachability Comes First

While Flibbius McDoogle doesn’t boast a long list of accessibility features, what’s there is thoughtful. Interactive items are outlined for easy identification, and there’s a run toggle for easier navigation. For a game targeted at younger audiences or less experienced players, these small touches make a big difference.

Controller support is solid, and the game plays beautifully on Steamdeck. There are no technical hiccups to speak of—no crashes, no game-breaking bugs. It just works, which feels like a rarity these days.

Still, it would’ve been nice to see more robust accessibility settings, like font scaling, colourblind modes, or subtitle customisation. Hopefully that’s something the developers explore in future projects.

From Game Jam to Gem

It’s worth noting that this game had humble beginnings. Flibbius McDoogle started life as a quick prototype in a game jam. But when players responded warmly, Unsigned Double decided to flesh it out into something bigger—and it shows.

Compared to their previous project (Hadley’s Run: A Starship Saga), this is a complete genre pivot. But rather than feeling disjointed, it highlights the studio’s versatility. They’re not chasing trends. They’re chasing ideas. And that’s exciting!

There’s a real sense of love in every corner of this game, from the hand-painted visuals to the silly item descriptions. It doesn’t feel overproduced. It feels handcrafted.

A Cozy Adventure Worth Sharing

Is Flibbius McDoogle and the Mysterious Flying Machine a revolutionary game? Not at all. But that’s not the point.

This is the kind of game you play with your niece on a rainy day. The kind of game you recommend to a friend who’s never touched a controller before. It’s cosy. It’s kind. It’s refreshingly free of cynicism. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

It ends just as it hits its stride, which is both a compliment and a minor gripe. When the credits rolled, I found myself wishing I could stay on the island just a little longer. But maybe that’s the perfect exit. Leave them wanting more, as the saying goes.

And I do want more. More Flibbius. More strange islands. More silly tools made out of junk and fruit. If this becomes a series—and I hope it does—I’ll be first in line to see where our shell-backed hero flutters off to next.