Gato Roboto

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.

95%Game Brain Score

gameplay, graphics

grinding, stability

95% User Score Based on 2,219 reviews

Critic Score 76%Based on 21 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom €1.16

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About

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,219 reviews

gameplay162 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

Charming and cute art style with a nostalgic 8-bit aesthetic.
Engaging gameplay with a good mix of platforming and combat mechanics.
Short and sweet experience, perfect for casual play and speedrunning.

Game is quite short, typically completed in 3-4 hours, which may leave some players wanting more.
Difficulty spikes in boss fights can be frustrating, especially with unskippable dialogue.
Limited backtracking and exploration may disappoint players looking for a more expansive metroidvania experience.

gameplay
363 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The gameplay of "Gato Roboto" is characterized by its solid metroidvania mechanics, featuring tight controls and a unique duality of gameplay where players alternate between controlling a cat and a mech suit. While the game introduces interesting mechanics and upgrades, some players noted a lack of depth and variety in enemy encounters, leading to a somewhat simplistic experience. Overall, the game is praised for its charming aesthetic, engaging level design, and satisfying gameplay loop, making it a fun, albeit short, adventure.
- “Very solid platformer with great combat mechanics and the upgrades of your mech combined with the different areas switch up the gameplay throughout the game.”
- “The gameplay is overall pretty simple, with small puzzles here and there and solid combat encounters to progress to new areas.”
- “The gameplay itself is great.”
- “This is a relatively simple metroidvania game though, and while there are 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.”
- “The enemy designs and the attack moves are really basic as they are just copies of already overused mechanics.”
- “By far the biggest issue this game has is just how boring the actual gameplay is.”
graphics
306 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
3%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming 1-bit, monochrome art style that evokes nostalgia for classic Game Boy aesthetics. While many players appreciate the simplicity and unique visual appeal, some find the black-and-white palette can be straining on the eyes and may hinder clarity during gameplay. Overall, the visuals are well-received for their distinctiveness and fluid animations, though opinions vary on their accessibility and long-term enjoyment.
- “I absolutely love the art style and vibe!”
- “The graphics are simple but the different monsters are interesting and require varied approaches to deal with; it's not just keep holding down the fire button.”
- “The monochrome graphics work great, and the way the game takes place in a viewport, with the UI around it really reinforces the idea that you are inside a machine.”
- “The graphics can be a little headache-inducing based on the lighting in your room, monitor refresh rate, and what color palette you choose.”
- “However, I don't recommend this game for a number of reasons: the graphics are kind of harsh on the eyes (though it is the art style of the game).”
- “I quickly found myself irritated by the black and white only graphics.”
story
260 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
5%
The story of "Gato Roboto" is simple and lighthearted, centering on a cat piloting a mech suit to rescue its stranded owner, which adds a whimsical charm to the gameplay. While some players find the narrative basic and forgettable, others appreciate its humor and unexpected twists, making it an enjoyable backdrop for the game's mechanics. Overall, the story serves its purpose without being overly complex, appealing to those looking for a fun and straightforward experience.
- “The story is simple but enjoyable.”
- “The story is surprisingly interesting for a game like this, and the gameplay is great.”
- “The story is light-hearted, wholesome fun and there is some great humor.”
- “The story is overtly simplistic and harmless, with a few nods here and there through dialogue boxes and sometimes environmental storytelling.”
- “While it holds a lot of references to Metroid, it lacks any of the story that the Metroid games could pull off even without dialogue.”
- “The story is pretty bad.”
music
198 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
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 expressing dissatisfaction with its chaotic or ambient nature. Overall, the music is generally seen as a positive aspect, contributing to the game's unique style and 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.”
- “The soundtrack is particularly good; I'd listen to it standalone.”
- “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; it was in one ear and out the other.”
humor
117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players finding it charming, funny, and nostalgic, particularly in its dialogue and character interactions. While some reviews noted that the humor can be hit or miss, with a few finding it "meh," the overall consensus highlights a delightful blend of cute and quirky elements that enhance the gameplay experience. The game's lighthearted tone and amusing scenarios, especially involving the cat protagonist, contribute significantly to its appeal.
- “This is a purrfect beginner-friendly metroidvania, the writing is incredibly charming and funny, it's also quite nostalgic for anyone who grew up in the Game Boy era.”
- “The compelling art style and the humorous cat dialogue added a sweet touch to the overall experience.”
- “The chitter-chatter between Kiki and Gary is a non-stop delight and often laugh-out-loud funny.”
- “The music is atrocious, the character movement is slippery, the humor and jokes are not funny, most of the unlocked color palettes are ugly, and the Metroid-style backtracking is frustrating.”
- “It doesn't add much to the game; 99% of it is not funny or important for the story, it's mostly pure fluff.”
replayability
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
76%
11%
The game's replayability is generally viewed as limited, primarily due to its linear structure and short playtime, typically around 3-4 hours. However, it offers some replay value through achievements, speedrunning challenges, and collectibles, appealing to players who enjoy these aspects. Overall, while it may not have extensive replayability, it can still provide enjoyment for those interested in completing specific challenges or speedruns.
- “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.”
- “An absolutely adorable Metroidvania that can be finished in 3 hours, replayable and just begging for speedrunning.”
- “Definitely lots of replayability, especially if you're into speedrunning given the in-game timer.”
- “That doesn't take the focus off the good game this is, though I wouldn't play it again after having 100% the game because I don't see much replayability since, even though it's a metroidvania, it's pretty much linear.”
- “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.”
- “Not terribly much in the way of replayability, but the art style was cute.”
atmosphere
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
38%
13%
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 enhances exploration. Reviewers highlight the effective use of sound and visuals, particularly the 1-bit graphics and atmospheric tracks, which contribute to a distinctive and sometimes eerie ambiance. While some elements may feel off-putting to certain players, the overall atmosphere is described as captivating and well-crafted, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The music is very fitting to the atmosphere while the soundtrack near the end of the game is a bop.”
- “It's really well crafted with great atmosphere, music, and simple yet satisfying gameplay.”
- “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 + since it doesn’t add to the atmosphere, other than make me think I fired up my old NES.”
emotional
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its charming and heartwarming narrative, which evokes a range of feelings from laughter to tears. Players appreciate the light-hearted, wholesome humor and meaningful dialogue, though some express disappointment with the execution of the ending. Overall, the game successfully engages players emotionally through its cute characters and philosophical undertones, despite its simplistic story.
- “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.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
7%
80%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, particularly during boss fights that feel more like exercises in memorization than engaging challenges. While some enjoy the game's pacing and optional paths, many note that achieving 100% completion can become a grind due to unmarked secrets and repetitive backtracking. The consensus suggests that while the game has its merits, the grinding elements detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “It felt really tedious almost always.”
- “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. This is an issue because after a while, the bosses don't become challenging, as much as tedious exercises in trying to memorize their attack patterns.”
- “100% completion is a bit tedious due to some of the secrets not being marked on the map, forcing you to go through each level again to find one breakable wall that you missed.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report encountering minimal bugs and glitches, others have experienced critical issues that necessitated restarting the game. The presence of exploits and glitches is notable, particularly in speedrunning, where they are almost essential for achieving competitive times. Despite these concerns, many players found the game playable without major disruptions.
- “I also didn't like the fact that you're kind of 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.”
- “Not 'play normally, but efficiently' speedrun, but an actual 'use near frame-perfect glitches and skip 2/3 of the game' speedrun.”
optimization
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs excellently on platforms like the Steam Deck and Windows 10, with smooth performance and good graphics, some users report occasional slowdowns in specific areas. Additionally, the game is designed to mitigate performance challenges by providing save chambers strategically, enhancing the overall experience despite some optimization concerns.
- “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.”
- “The game is not optimized.”
- “Performance issues and bugs are prevalent.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the character design is praised for its quality and creativity, the reviews do not provide specific insights into the depth or progression of character development within the game. Overall, the focus seems to be more on aesthetics and gameplay fluidity rather than on character growth or narrative depth.