Gato Roboto

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,655 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Gato Roboto Game Cover
If you can get over the fact that Gato Roboto doesn't revolutionize the Metroidvania genre, you're in for a fun time. With an incredibly charming art style and genuinely fun gameplay, you won't regret aiding Kiki on this action-packed adventure.
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Gato Roboto is a black and white 2D metroidvania game where you play as a cat in a mech suit. Explore a large interconnected world, battling alien creatures and solving puzzles to unlock new abilities. With tight controls and retro-inspired design, Gato Roboto offers a challenging and engaging experience.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,655 reviews
gameplay266 positive mentions
grinding22 negative mentions
  • Charming and cute art style with a unique monochrome aesthetic.
  • Fun and engaging gameplay with tight controls and satisfying mechanics.
  • Short playtime of around 3-4 hours, making it a perfect bite-sized experience.
  • Boss fights can be frustratingly difficult compared to the rest of the game.
  • Lack of replayability and no option to return to previous areas after completing the game.
  • Some players may find the controls to be slippery or imprecise at times.
  • gameplay574 mentions

    The gameplay of *Gato Roboto* is characterized by its tight controls and engaging mechanics, particularly the unique ability to switch between controlling a cat and a mech suit, which adds variety to exploration and combat. While the game offers a fun and nostalgic metroidvania experience with creative level design and a charming aesthetic, some players noted a lack of depth and variety in enemy encounters and mechanics, leading to a somewhat linear experience. Overall, it provides a satisfying, albeit short, adventure that balances simplicity with enjoyable gameplay elements.

    • “Gato Roboto is a charming and bite-sized adventure with a very creative central mechanic of traversing both with and without your mech-suit.”
    • “The major areas in this game provide excellent and varied challenges involving this mechanic that make each and every screen a pleasure to conquer.”
    • “The gameplay is fresh and exciting; every new mechanic brought into the game is used in an engaging way and the strategy of the game changes frequently enough to prevent me from getting bored of it.”
    • “This is a relatively simple metroidvania game though, and while there's neat ideas and funny moments, there's not exactly a whole lot of lore or even many mechanics to give it the longevity of other games.”
    • “However in terms of gameplay it does not drastically differentiate itself from all other metroid clones - a comment that matters only if you have already played many metroidvanias or have completed one recently as I did (Metroid: Zero Mission).”
    • “Besides that, the gameplay is pretty boring.”
  • graphics486 mentions

    The graphics of "Gato Roboto" feature a charming 1-bit monochrome art style reminiscent of classic Game Boy games, which some players find delightful while others feel it can hinder clarity during gameplay. The ability to unlock different color palettes adds a fun twist, though the simplicity of the visuals may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the retro aesthetic is praised for its uniqueness and effectiveness, contributing to the game's nostalgic charm despite some critiques regarding visibility and detail.

    • “This game lets you play as a cat in a mech suit, and has a charming monochromatic pixel-art aesthetic to carry it.”
    • “The good use of this 1-bit, monochrome graphics makes the game really distinct and easy to spot and also interesting which probably was the reason the developers chose to use this style.”
    • “The retro-inspired visuals and the intentionally 'unsmooth' animations, done at 36 fps, give the game a unique and appealing aesthetic.”
    • “However, I don't blame you if you find the black and white visuals to be a bit straining.”
    • “It's good and I'd recommend it, but the fact that everything is one tone in terms of visuals can kind of hinder clarity / what is an enemy and what isn't at a quick glance.”
    • “I quickly found myself irritated by the black and white only graphics.”
  • story392 mentions

    The story of *Gato Roboto* is simple and lighthearted, revolving around a cat piloting a mech suit to rescue its stranded owner after a crash landing. While the narrative is minimal and often comedic, it features charming dialogue and unexpected twists that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the story's ability to provide context without overshadowing the engaging gameplay, making it a delightful addition to the metroidvania genre.

    • “The story is surprisingly interesting for a game like this, and the gameplay is great.”
    • “The story starts with a pilot getting a distress call and a cat named Kiki jumping on top of the keyboard and causing the ship to crash and our pilot to get stuck on said ship.”
    • “The game is short, but it tells a complete story and doesn't feel like it's missing anything vital.”
    • “Gato Roboto has a really simplistic, basic, and really forgettable story which is okay since it is obvious that it really isn't what the game is trying to do anyways and is filled with lighthearted jokes to not bore the players through it.”
    • “The story is disposable, and the 1-bit graphics don't do anything for me personally - they're functional but basic.”
    • “The story was written in half an hour, the mechanics are kind of basic, the game is short and not too hard.”
  • music329 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its charm and ability to enhance the atmosphere, particularly noting standout tracks that fit well with the gameplay. Some players find the soundtrack memorable and enjoyable, while others describe it as forgettable or unremarkable, with a few tracks standing out as particularly good. Overall, the music is generally considered a positive aspect, contributing to the game's quirky and engaging experience.

    • “Deserving of special commendation are the music and sound design, both fantastic and really bring the game to life.”
    • “The game also has charming visuals, quirky dialog, and a nice soundtrack that mixes synth music with more traditional chiptunes.”
    • “Great game with an outstanding soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack is absolute nonsense, basically just weird avant-garde noise, and I'm really not sure what they were going for.”
    • “The worst part is easily the music which quickly drove me insane as I can hardly even call it music.”
    • “I never really thought about the music while playing the game, in one ear and out the other.”
  • humor184 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, with many players finding the dialogue and character interactions to be consistently funny and engaging. The lighthearted tone, combined with cute graphics and whimsical sound effects, contributes to an overall delightful experience that keeps players entertained throughout the short playtime. While some critiques mention a lack of depth in the story, the humor effectively masks any shortcomings, making it a fun and enjoyable metroidvania adventure.

    • “It's hilarious and has lots of personality.”
    • “The chitter-chatter between Kiki and Gary is a non-stop delight and often laugh-out-loud funny.”
    • “Gato Roboto is not just visually appealing, but its charming characters and wholesome humor kept me engaged throughout.”
  • replayability75 mentions

    The game's replayability is mixed, with many players noting its short playtime of around 3-4 hours, which limits overall replay value. However, it offers some incentives for replaying, such as speedrunning challenges, achievements, and collectibles, appealing particularly to those who enjoy completing the game under specific conditions. Overall, while it may not have extensive replayability, it can still provide enjoyment for players looking to improve their times or explore all content.

    • “While we wait for a sequel, Gato Roboto can bring a smile to our faces with its high level of replayability and heartfelt Metroid love.”
    • “It's a little on the short side, but is highly replayable as a result and is worth checking out if you enjoy these kinds of games.”
    • “Definitely lots of replayability, especially if you're into speedrunning given the in-game timer.”
    • “Otherwise the only downside of the game is that it is pretty short, so you will probably finish it in 3-4 hours and besides the achievements, randomizer, and speedrunning, the game lacks replayability.”
    • “Quite short with basically no replay value, but still highly recommended.”
    • “The only real replay value is there for speed runners that just want to cut time down on the in-game clock.”
  • atmosphere42 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique blend of charm, fitting music, and engaging level design, creating an immersive experience that resonates with fans of the metroidvania genre. The simplistic yet effective graphics and sound design contribute to a distinctive eerie vibe, while the soundtrack enhances the overall ambiance, making exploration enjoyable. Despite some criticisms regarding the two-color scheme and occasional lack of thematic sound realism, the game's atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates players.

    • “The music is very fitting to the atmosphere while the soundtrack near the end of the game is a bop.”
    • “The background tracks do well to complement the atmosphere of each area and the smaller things like a notification sound for missiles cooling down is a nice touch for immersion.”
    • “Overall while the main paths felt tightly focused, especially contributing a lot to atmosphere and a sense of scale of the facility the game takes place in, the optional stuff feels far less engaging in general.”
    • “Nothing sounds like it should, either realistically or thematically, but it comes together to help the game deliver an atmosphere like no other.”
    • “The b&w definitely sets the game apart, but I don’t consider it a plus since it doesn’t add to the atmosphere, other than make me think I fired up my old NES.”
  • grinding28 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly during boss fights that feel more like memorization exercises than engaging challenges. Some players noted that achieving 100% completion can be frustrating due to unmarked secrets requiring backtracking, while others felt that certain gameplay elements, like conveyor belt puzzles, added to the grind. Overall, while some aspects of the game are engaging, the grinding experience often detracts from the enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “The boss fights in this game are a perfect example of bad game design; they're not only ridiculous difficulty spikes, but they are difficult for all the wrong reasons. The bosses have an absurd amount of health, so all of your attacks, for the most part, do nothing but make them take chip damage. After a while, the bosses don't become challenging, as much as tedious exercises in trying to memorize their attack patterns.”
    • “Again, this doesn't feel engaging; it makes me feel as if the developers wanted me to die an arbitrary number of times in each boss under the guise of making the game more challenging, when in actuality they were only making it more tedious.”
    • “Part of this is due to the placement of a lot of optional paths requiring the player to do a lot of tedious backtracking, causing the gameplay flow to be in a weird spot where it never finds the time to properly settle into a particular style.”
  • emotional26 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its charming and touching narrative, which evokes a range of feelings from laughter to tears, particularly through its cute characters and wholesome humor. While some players found the story to be meaningful and heartwarming, others felt that the emotional potential was undermined by a confusing ending. Overall, the game successfully engages players on an emotional level, making it a memorable experience despite its simplicity.

    • “The story is small, but for a game that is simplistic, it’s pretty cute and touching (I won’t spoil anything).”
    • “I laughed, I cried, I just couldn't get over the cuteness!”
    • “Somehow this game made me cry.”
  • stability16 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report encountering no significant bugs or glitches, others have experienced critical issues that necessitated restarting the game. The presence of minor bugs and the encouragement of exploits for speedrunning have led to a perception that glitches are an integral part of the gameplay experience, particularly for those aiming for speedrun achievements.

    • “I also didn't like the fact that you're kinda forced to use exploits and glitches for the speedrun achievement because even if you memorize the whole map and skip all the dialogue, you'll hardly make it to the end.”
    • “The game's just released and it's open to some glitches; I encountered a critical one that required me to restart the game.”
    • “The game even kind of encourages exploits and glitches with the use of extreme skill if you're feeling up for speedrunning an already short game.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it performs excellently on platforms like the Steam Deck and Windows 10, some users report occasional slowdowns in specific areas. Despite these minor issues, the game effectively balances challenging gameplay with accessible save points, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players feel that the game is not fully optimized.

    • “Performance: excellent (played on Steam Deck).”
    • “One thing that the game does better than those that inspired it is that it provides challenging battles, but doesn't mandate that you have perfect performance by putting a boss fight after a challenging platforming area that drains your energy pre-fight. It always places a save chamber either before or after a boss fight and keeps the area between the save chamber and boss pretty easy to get through.”
    • “Runs smoothly on Windows 10 and works fine with an ultra-wide screen.”
    • “The only issue I had (which might just be me) was that in the ventilation area, my game would start to slow down; it wasn't lagging, it was just running slowly.”
    • “Game is not optimized.”
    • “Performance issues and bugs are prevalent.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

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Play time

4hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
3-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 22 analyzed playthroughs

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