LifeisXbox’s Robotry! Review | I hope you’re ready to swing and manoeuvre your robot self around a multitude of levels while having patience tested along the way in this new physics-based platformer called Robotry! having been both developed and published by Lockpickle for our entertainment. The idea behind Robotry! puts you in the form of a baby robot where you must learn to control each of your legs in order to walk, climb, grip, propel, and parkour yourself through the story using everything you have at your disposal. Hand-eye coordination, and communication when playing with others, will be particularly important when completing Robotry! so make sure you pay attention to your movements and surroundings; they may just save you from falling into a pitfall of demise (even if it’s just temporarily as a soft reset). If you want to know more about my opinions on the game, continue reading the relevant sections below.
Most Memorable Moment
The collision you have with other people playing can be both hilarious and frustrating. The countless times me and Lewis pushed each other the completely wrong way and ultimately pushed one another to our deaths was rage-inducing at times; there were plenty of apologies from myself when playing. It also sometimes gives you the ability to save other players by acting as a safety barrier sometimes which meant I was terrified to even move a muscle. The gameplay can definitely take you to both ends of the scale with either hysterics or annoyance.
ℹ️ Reviewed on Xbox Series X | Review code provided by PR/publisher. This review is the personal opinion of the writer.
What we Liked!
- Perfect couch co-op | For anyone who has friends and family over with access to additional controllers, Robotry will be a fantastic game to play with others. Although there is the option to play in single-player, there is undoubtedly a focus on the gameplay being enjoyed by multiple players. Whether you decide to play the campaign (1-4 players) where everyone controls their own robot or shared robo mode (2-4 players) where two players control one robot, being in charge of one leg each, the need for coordination and communication makes for the perfect couch co-op. Just be aware of the fun and strain that can be experienced!
- Single-player available | If you don’t have anyone to play with or extra controllers available to use, there is no need to worry as Robotry can be played in single-player. The game is no different, you control one robot, levels are the exact same, and you won’t need to worry about other players getting in the way of your pathing either which is a positive really. It means you won’t have anyone to blame but yourself if you do something wrong so maybe it’s the safer option for those not wanting to challenge friendships/relationships; just saying. Some achievements can only be earned in shared robo mode, which should also be noted for completionists.
- Physics-based | Hand-eye coordination is essential in playing Robotry as physics will determine whether you are successful with your movement and progression. You have to be mindful of your surroundings and often preplan what needs to be done in order to reach the end of the level as smoothly as possible. I found jumping to be the hardest element to contend with as you heavily rely on the momentum, however, gripping and hoisting my robot also gave me trouble multiple times. Sometimes slow and steady is often the best choice but I just couldn’t help the urge to yeet myself where possible, hoping luck was on my side.
- Spaceship HUB | The main HUB area can be used to select specific levels and worlds once they have been completed, allowing you to go back and collect/find anything you may have missed previously. It also provides access to optional accessories which can be purchased with gems found in the game and secret areas that can only be unlocked with chips collected from finding hidden heebos if memory serves me right. It’s a compact little area that has been laid out nicely and allows you breaks in between playing should you need them.
- Gradual difficulty increase | As with most level-based games, the difficulty gradually increases in Robotry, making for enjoyable but challenging gameplay the further you progress. You are made to think more and getting past levels requires a higher degree of accuracy from your various movements with smaller room for error. This, although frustrating, was welcomed by me because there weren’t any unexpected or sharp inclines of difficulty to contend with – just the usual that I would expect from any platformer title.
- Secrets and collectables | I have always been one for finding optional collectables and miscellaneous items throughout video games and Robotry doesn’t disappoint. There are hidden heeboes on various levels that you can search for and secret areas in which you can gain access. This means sometimes having to take indirect routes or taking your time looking around levels in case you miss something which increases the element of puzzle and exploration, rather than just getting from A to B. With achievements related to locating the heebos, they are something completionists won’t want to miss; mostly anyway.
Mixed Feelings
- Element of customisation | As I mentioned with the HUB area found in Robotry, there are multiple items that can be bought with in-game gems to customise your robot a little should you want a little hat or halo for example. You can also choose between a range of faces for your robot when configuring your player selection before embarking on your mission. Although far from incredible, necessary, or noticeable, these were a nice addition to play around with. However, having more to customise would have been nice but it’s really not an important feature in Robotry.
- Satisfactory visuals | By using a multitude of lively colours and shades in Robotry, the game instantly creates appeal and a fun factor for players to look forward to. It lightens up the gameplay to feel friendly and not overly serious which is exactly what I would expect; physics-based gameplay I could imagine would flood some people with feelings of dread. The playful graphics also take a light-hearted approach so we can appreciate the gameplay but I wasn’t a huge fan of some of the design choices when it came to the detailing. It was a little too cartoon for my liking, leading me to believe Robotry was designed more with a younger target audience in mind.
- Sound and music | Two words I would use to describe both the music and sound effects in Robotry would have to be goofy and playful. From the robot noises to heebos, background sound to clinging on for dear life, the audio suits the gameplay to a tee and gives it the light-hearted but clumsy fun feeling needed to tie all the elements together. It’s not the type of audio I would tend to like or enjoy to be honest but I can appreciate and understand the relevance within Robotry, therefore finding it more enjoyable than I originally anticipated.
What we Disliked
- No online/multiplayer modes | What was even more frustrating than the gameplay was the absence of any ability to play online co-op or use multiplayer. I found this incredibly strange and thought it was a poor decision from the developers as I would have loved to play this online with friends instead of needing extra controllers. I think a huge opportunity has been missed and it’s a shame really as I think many more people would be interested in playing Robotry if an online option was made available. Couch co-op is great and all but not everyone can play in this format.
- Contending with frustration | If you are easily frustrated by finickity mechanics, high precision, or have any difficulty with hand-eye coordination, you may find yourself playing the entirely wrong game. I found myself, namely getting annoyed at myself, more times than I can remember with my inability to reach certain areas and being unable to master the movement required to complete even the early levels. Also, when playing with other people, it’s very easy to get in each other’s way and knock one another the wrong way thus resulting in more irritation. Just be prepared to have your patience and friendships/relationships tested.
- Empty space around screen | On the majority of levels, there were large areas on the screen which were purely black and had no detail. Although not necessarily a problem with the game, I didn’t like the empty space that surrounded the screen and felt this could have utilised background detailing or included blocks of colour instead of a boring black void. It’s almost like the developers couldn’t be bothered to make the screen more enticing and visually pleasing like the rest of Robotry.
How long to beat the story | Approximately 8-10 Hours
How long to achieve 1000G | Approximately 10-12 Hours
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Hello, I’m Victoria. I’m from the UK and have been playing video games for as long as I can remember; back on DreamCast. I’ve pretty much fallen for Xbox since I was around eight years old and remember BioShock being my first game on the Xbox360. Although I find it thoroughly enjoyable to not only experience gameplay, I also find comfort in getting lost and engrossed in the online worlds that sometimes differ greatly from what we know. Another side of my Xbox passion would be achievement hunting and gamerscore. I thrive when I hear the little sound of one popping up on the screen and I’m always finding ways to work on my backlog when possible. Horror is my favourite genre so if you have any recommendations, don’t be afraid to send them my way!