Automaton has succeeded in making a game that looks professional, and better yet, like something people would want to play. The idea for Automaton was to make a game that's fun but also teaches about computer science, not necessarily in a way that's strictly educational, but more in a way where you don't even realize you're learning. It looks like a puzzle game mixed with fundamentals of CS. You have to manipulate the pieces to create a for loop, or take the mod of a number, stuff like that.
I think what I really like is even if it's not teaching people how to program, it's teaching them how to think like a computer scientist. In computer science, you really have to think of things in a step by step fashion, and that's what the game is all about. Manipulating a system in a step by step way to get your desired result. No, it won't teach you the correct Java syntax, but it will teach you how to think about problems when you're writing Java.
The only thing I don't like about it, is that it looks very similar to Spacechem, another game like it that I've played. The gameplay is extremely similar. However, they've recognized this, and after all it's in the same genre, since the genre is a specific type of puzzle game. Automaton certainly has its own look and feel to it, it is nothing like a complete copy, so this is not a big issue.
Overall, I think Automaton looks amazingly polished for what it is. Nobody else made a game (at least a video game) for their project, likely due to the inherent obstacles that come with building a game from scratch. These guys have not only pulled it off, but they've made something excellent, despite the difficulties. This project will definitely be one to look out for in the final presentations.
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