They say that curiosity killed the cat, but here it has resulted in a fun and interesting tribute to Metroid, which recovers the spirit with which video games of yesteryear were made. With a small team, doinksoft developers surprise us with a more than remarkable video game. We tell you about it in our analysis of Gato Roboto.
We could wonder if Gato Roboto is more than just another tribute to the Metroid saga . Within this indie video game we find its classic labyrinthine design, the obtaining of powers that allow us to reach unexplored places and a difficulty that in some cases tends to be quite balanced. Everything seems to respect the original bases, but there are details that can change everything and make you think that what you are playing is not just another clone.
The game stands out for a careful monochrome visual representation and a great sense of humor. But if there is something that makes doinksoft’s work unique, it is that almost everything it does, it does well . It’s a game that can be beaten in around 4-5 hours, but its game design is well thought out and varied enough to leave a good taste in your mouth when you finish it. It won’t take long to do it. I, at least, couldn’t stop playing. And I didn’t know if it was because of the retro pixel aesthetics, the superb response to the controls, the powerful sense of progression … or maybe the combination of all these things.
In particular, I’ve seen it as a curious visual throwback to the microcomputer era of the 80s, presented with today’s fluidity and grace of movement. That, combined with an intelligent, precise, seamless playable scheme, makes it one of the most recommended indies so far this year , and an unavoidable date for lovers of this particular genre. By the way, for about eight euros, highlighting the price-ratio policy that Devolver Digital has maintained for this particular launch.
Now available! Gato Roboto presents his launch trailer
The cat who thought himself Samus AranGato Roboto begins with an absurd pretext, like practically everything we will see in the adventure. Kiki is a friendly cat who, like a good cat, is always making out. As his master travels on a new interstellar mission, he can think of nothing but to perch on the keyboard and force a landing on an unknown planet. The ship gets stuck and Kiki’s master is trapped inside. The solution? Of course, leave everything in the hands of the feline, which we will control to find the way out of this place.
Cats don’t like water, but that won’t stop Kiki from diving into the depths to explore her surroundings.
This is where we find one of the best virtues of the game, since we not only control Kiki in her usual way, but on board a mecha, or even a submarine. This establishes different game dynamics, from the most platforming, to the most action-oriented. The shots are predominant, but no less important is knowing how to orient yourself through the map or having the ability to control the jumps of our kitten, with the odd section of traps that reminded me of the mythical Super Meat Boy .
Even if you are a simple cat, you feel powerfulThere are many sub-bosses, but also final bosses that pay homage to classics like those of the Megaman saga , basically because they present an invariable pattern of behavior, which is also complemented by a certain degree of challenge. Not extraordinary, but enough to make you snort on occasion. And the truth is that I found it pleasant, thanks to frequent save points , which avoid that typical punishment that makes you put your hands to your head. The doinksoft developers have managed to minimize the risk of frustration. It is one of his greatest achievements at the level of game design.
Final bosses and lines as funny as they are absurd? They are insured on a short but intense adventure.
The approach to the underground world that we travel through is another of the great successes. It is important to consult the map to orient ourselves in a branching advance, typical of the metroidvania, of which the most interesting thing is that it expands horizons as we acquire new skills. Cannons? Dodge? Double jump? The interesting thing is how the game poses challenges that require the talented use of these options, giving rise to a well-constructed game flow, which makes you feel a powerful evolution. Even if you are a simple cat, you feel powerful.
Another fairly well resolved factor is progression . We can improve our life counter, but also find collectibles in the form of new visual styles for the game. By default, it is in black and white, but we can make it become monochromatic in sepia, brown, grape … A small detail, although curious, within a very particular artistic style, which merges eighties graphics and a rate of frames really smooth . It is a daring approach, but it makes sense, since in the end Gato Roboto recovers the style of making games from another era, with short duration but competent difficulty.
One of the most recommended indies so far this year
Even the screen format itself tries not to occupy the entire visible frame. It reduces and leaves wide black margins to confirm, along with black and white , its longing for a time past, when development teams were based on a handful of programmers and a low budget (if it existed).
Point out that we have played it on Nintendo Switch. Smooth operation, with nothing to highlight, except that it plays as well in TV mode as it is portable. It is advisable, yes, to use headphones , to fully appreciate a soundtrack not negligible, which imitates Metroid in that attempt to put melody to your loneliness in a remote place in the galaxy. Yes, this time you are with a cat, and your enemies will be frogs, bees, robots … and even a mouse. But what would a video game be without its clichés? Here they are, and the best thing is that they are for something. If you give him a chance to find out, I think he will not disappoint.
“Very good”
Roboto Cat
Gato Roboto is more than an homage to the classic Metroid. It is an adventure with humor, a powerful variety, a good sense of progression, very interesting exploration and challenging combat. It lasts just over four hours, but you won’t be able to leave the console for as long as it takes to complete one of the most rewarding adventures you’ll find this year in indie territory. So do not look for three feet to the cat. Play it.
- A tribute to Metroid, but with its own style
- Good sense of exploration, with a cleverly designed maze map
- Variety of mechanics, with platforms, shooting, skills and bosses
- The sense of humor, simply phenomenal … and very well translated into Spanish
- Its monochrome visual section gives the game a special aura
- Music adapts very well to the climate of exploration in an unknown world
- Although well designed, the concept could have given more of itself
- The duration can be somewhat short and it has hardly any replayability
