Botology
- June 24, 2015
- Black Lime Studio
Get on Steam"Botology" is a single-player action game where players conduct tests for a company developing remote-controlled robots for future space exploration. The robots have a mechanical prototype of sensory organs connected to a consciousness system, but risky tests can lead to unforeseen consequences. Unfortunately, the game is plagued by poor mechanics, detracting from the otherwise interesting premise.
Reviews
- The game has easy achievements and trading cards, making it appealing for collectors.
- Some players found the graphics to be decent for an indie game, and the environments were described as having good detail.
- A few reviews mentioned that the game provided a unique experience, even if it was for the wrong reasons, leading to some humorous moments.
- The gameplay is repetitive and tedious, primarily revolving around unlocking locks and backtracking, which many players found boring.
- The English translation is poor, leading to confusion about gameplay mechanics and objectives, making it difficult for players to understand what to do.
- Numerous technical issues were reported, including unresponsive controls, bad AI, and frequent bugs that detracted from the overall experience.
- gameplay21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 48 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has been widely criticized for its convoluted mechanics, repetitive nature, and poor design choices, leading to frustration among players. Many find the controls clunky, the combat unengaging, and the overall experience tedious, with a lack of variety and innovation. Despite some potential in the story, the gameplay fails to motivate players to continue, making it difficult to recommend.
“I rate this 8.89/10.3 because the voice acting and gameplay were amazing.”
“The risky tests can lead to difficult, unforeseen consequences because the robot's operation is connected with a mechanical prototype of sensory organs.”
“But, for a few of them, the 'task' achievements, you must complete the entire game, and that's several hours of gameplay, walking, and unlocking.”
“The majority of players are probably going to get annoyed with the needlessly convoluted door mechanics and give up very early on.”
“If you tolerate past that, you're probably going to get fed up with the broken English, boring gunplay, repetitive gameplay, bugs, and poor level design.”
“The gameplay is so frustrating and annoying that the least you could do is let us run around!!”
- story16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story has potential, with intriguing elements and unique twists, but is often undermined by poor execution and lack of clarity. Many players feel that the narrative is either convoluted or poorly presented, making it difficult to engage with the plot. Overall, while some appreciate the depth and uniqueness of the story, the gameplay and presentation detract significantly from the overall experience.
“The story is so unique and compelling it makes you unable to stop playing!”
“This brilliant game is about to throw another plot twist at you, as David receives an urgent call from the guy that does Reddit narration videos, telling him something has gone terribly wrong, everyone died and the droids went crazy.”
“I loved the deep storyline and the crappy presentation!”
“It's a shame because the game does show some sort of story behind it that could have been intriguing, but the gameplay doesn't justify playing through it to get the story.”
“The main story makes no sense.”
“There's a worthwhile game lurking in this one; the story has the potential to be fairly interesting, but this is ripped away by the way that so much is told immediately in the prologue, and uninterestingly so.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered acceptable for its price point, with some users noting that they are better than expected for an indie title. However, many reviews highlight that while the visuals are bearable, they lack depth and richness, contributing to an overall feeling of emptiness in the game's experience. Despite some positive remarks, the graphics are not regarded as top-notch, and issues like low quality and inaudible character speech detract from the overall presentation.
“At that price, the game is worth it at least for the good graphics.”
“This game is not so terrible; in fact, it has pretty good graphics and sounds (especially for an indie game).”
“The only thing I have positive to say about the game is that some of the graphics are better than I expected.”
“The graphics are bearable for the cost, but it is just empty... everything you do seems for nothing. There isn't a rich and strong backstory; it's kind of like the developer came up with the idea in their dreams and went with it.”
“Low graphics quality, inaudible character speech, and an impractical control scheme don't even compare to the issue of not being able to understand the aim of this game.”
“Graphics-wise it isn't top notch (despite the max settings), although it's not going to bother you if you don't really care about those types of details.”
- music4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players find it relaxing and enjoyable, others criticize it for being mismatched with the game's tone and repetitive. Additionally, there are mentions of a standout soundtrack that contrasts with the overall gameplay experience.
“Malformed story, hilariously bizarre 'text-to-speech' voice-overs, repetitive boring gameplay, music that doesn't fit the game in the slightest, animations that are so bad - they are good!”
“Why even put on that Flo Rida CD when you have Botology's banging soundtrack.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this game is described as unintentionally hilarious, reminiscent of "The Room," with its bizarre voice-overs, poorly executed animations, and a disjointed story that make it amusing for all the wrong reasons. Players find joy in its absurdity, often enjoying it more when shared with friends or after a few drinks, highlighting its appeal as a comedic experience despite its flaws.
“I'd call this 'The Room' of games, as just like 'The Room', I'd only come back to this after a few beers and telling my mates about how bad that it's funny this game actually is.”
“A very funny game, to be honest, for all the wrong reasons.”
“Took me 10 minutes to get it working and set the resolution; the rest of the time was spent with my friend on my shoulder laughing at this game along with me.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a double-edged sword; while it is recommended for farming resources, the infinite and rapid respawn of enemies can make the experience feel excessively tedious and repetitive.
“You could call it a very, very, very tedious respawn simulator.”
“Enemies infinitely respawn and do so quickly, making it excessively tedious to complete the levels.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is not explicitly addressed in the provided text, focusing instead on character interactions and voice acting. Therefore, no specific insights on performance or technical optimization can be drawn from this review.
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has been criticized for its portrayal of female characters, particularly in a scene where a woman is depicted as too fearful to handle a situation independently, which some players found disrespectful and overly emotional. This portrayal led at least one player to quit the game due to its implications.
