Bots Are Stupid
- December 15, 2022
- LeleG
Get on Steam"Bots Are Stupid" is a 2D precision platformer game where you program simple robots using a straightforward programming language to reach the exit. The game features over 40 challenging levels, and its level editor allows players to create, share, and speedrun their own levels. No prior coding or tech knowledge is required, as the commands are designed to be as simple as possible.
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Reviews
- The game is simple and easy to understand, making perfecting runs satisfying and enjoyable.
- It offers a fun way to learn the basics of programming through trial and error, with a focus on timing and creative problem-solving.
- The inclusion of leaderboards and achievements adds a competitive element that enhances replayability.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and stability issues, making it unplayable for some users.
- Many players find the gameplay to be overly reliant on trial and error, lacking depth and complexity in programming mechanics.
- The controls can be finnicky, leading to frustrating experiences when trying to execute precise commands.
- gameplay18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the challenge of mastering the grappling hook mechanics and the unique TAS-like experience, while others find it frustrating and overly reliant on trial and error. Critiques highlight a lack of depth in logic and sensor features, as well as performance issues with the fast-forward mechanic. Overall, the platforming elements are fun, but the simplistic gameplay loop and timing experiments can detract from the experience.
“Beating each level in and of itself might not be too hard if you're used to Zachtronics games, but pushing the grappling hook to its limit and discovering exactly how to use and exploit its mechanics to go as fast as possible is a really fun challenge.”
“Platforming mechanics are fun, and programming-wise it's easy enough to make the bot do what you want.”
“The game has really unique gameplay akin to writing a TAS, and it makes for a different take on both puzzle games and platformers.”
“Not recommended, boring and brutish trial and error gameplay.”
“Really frustrating gameplay.”
“But endlessly adding another 10 milliseconds to an otherwise simplistic gameplay loop and bare-bones code with zero perception (how far am I from a wall) just completely sucks.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their perfect execution and charming pixel art style, contributing positively to the overall aesthetic. However, despite the appealing visuals and user interface, many players find the gameplay itself to be lacking and boring.
“Cute pixel graphics.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, as while discovering solutions to levels is straightforward, executing those solutions often requires precise and repetitive actions that can become frustrating.
“At last, finding a way to solve a level is pretty easy, but implementing that solution into (mostly) frame-perfect commands is pretty tedious.”
“It's tedious as hell.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for enhancing the gameplay experience, providing enjoyable tunes that complement level-solving. Additionally, the introduction of new level themes effectively diversifies the visual aesthetic, moving away from the monotonous gray palette seen in the demo.
“The added music is great to listen to while solving the levels, and the new level themes really help break up the same-looking gray levels that the demo was full of.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from severe optimization issues, characterized by extreme lag that results in noticeable stuttering during animations and text entry.
“It has extreme lag, with animations and text entry both displaying significant stuttering and slowdown.”
