Growbot

Growbot is a charming puzzle adventure with a lot of heart, wrapped in a fantastically illustrated environment.

83%Game Brain Score

story, music

stability, character development

91% User Score Based on 122 reviews

Critic Score 71%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

Growbot is a single player puzzle game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Wabisabi Play and was released on October 21, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Growbot" is a single-player fantasy point-and-click game with an impressive plot, stunning graphics, and a captivating soundtrack. The game has been praised as a heart-warming, unique experience that immerses players in a vibrant, emotions-filled world, making it a must-play. With its soothing gameplay, "Growbot" is a memorable work of art that will leave a lasting impression on players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 122 reviews

story27 positive mentions

stability5 negative mentions

Beautiful art style and charming characters create a whimsical atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
The puzzles are mostly simple and enjoyable, with a few challenging ones that add variety, including unique musical puzzles with accessibility options.
The game offers a relaxing and cozy experience, making it suitable for players of all ages, and is perfect for a casual gaming session.

The game is relatively short, typically taking around 3 to 5 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Some puzzles can be frustrating due to vague instructions or similar sound cues, leading to confusion and reliance on hints.
There are occasional technical issues and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as soft locks or unclear mechanics.

story
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
53%
5%
The game's story is generally described as charming and whimsical, often likened to a children's book, with beautiful visuals and engaging character interactions. While some players found the narrative intriguing and well-integrated with the puzzles, others criticized it for being simplistic or lacking depth, with a few noting that it felt rushed or underdeveloped towards the end. Overall, the story is appreciated for its heartwarming qualities, though opinions vary on its execution and complexity.
- “It is a short (3h max) and easy (baby difficulty) point & click game with a wholesome story, beautiful hand-drawn children's storybook art and a selection of various puzzles.”
- “Growbot is an amazingly adorable puzzle adventure with a surprisingly dark story.”
- “The story follows the adventures of Nara and her charming companion Brainapilla in their quest to fix the station’s machinery by solving various puzzles, but also focuses on Nara’s evolution as a growbot to her full potential.”
- “Not a bad game, but I hate the illogical and whimsical story.”
- “The story is your generic children's book type of short story.”
- “The puzzles were random and tedious, the story was boring and the instructions were badly written.”
music
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience with a whimsical and soothing soundtrack. Many puzzles are intricately tied to musical elements, which some players found challenging, particularly those with less musical training; however, the inclusion of an accessibility mode helps mitigate this issue. Overall, the combination of charming art, engaging puzzles, and a captivating score creates a delightful and immersive journey for players.
- “The music element was really well done and I loved the art style.”
- “Gorgeous artwork, fun puzzles, and an enchanting soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly accompanies the gameplay and I can't say enough good things about it.”
- “The game is unplayable for tone-deaf people, since many (not all) of the puzzles are based on musical notes.”
- “The many puzzles where you have to identify and combine flowers by their heard musical signatures will perhaps seem too difficult to some.”
- “There wasn’t much of an indication that this was going to be a musical game, but a lot of the puzzles revolve around listening to musical notes and then playing them in the correct order.”
graphics
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
35%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn artwork, unique and whimsical art style, and charming character designs, creating an enchanting atmosphere that draws players in. While many reviewers appreciate the beauty and detail of the visuals, some note that the aesthetic can occasionally hinder gameplay clarity, making it difficult to distinguish between interactive elements and the background. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the overall experience with their captivating and expressive design.
- “Absolutely stunning graphics.”
- “The art style is very unique and packed with detail; it's hard not to stare at a scene for too long.”
- “Growbot is a truly wonderful little adventure/puzzle game with stunning visuals and an enchanting soundscape.”
- “The maze looked really cool, but there wasn't enough contrast between the puzzle and the background. I ended up repeatedly hitting dead ends that I didn't realize were dead ends because the graphics blocking the path blended too well with the background.”
- “However, I think the visuals were a little bloated and you often have to read everything to understand the puzzle.”
- “The art style might need getting used to.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The gameplay of *Growbot* features a whimsical point-and-click adventure with unique mechanics, such as collecting sounds to solve puzzles, but many players find the mechanics hard to identify and non-intuitive. While the game is beautifully designed and offers a charming experience, it is criticized for its limited replayability and a relatively short playtime of about three hours, with some puzzles feeling convoluted and frustrating. Overall, the game is enjoyable for its aesthetic and emotional storytelling, but players should be aware of its gameplay limitations.
- “The universe of Growbot exudes positivity through its every fiber, and each second of gameplay is a real treat.”
- “It's beautifully designed, the gameplay is easy enough to follow along with, and the story is really well thought out and made me so emotional!”
- “Puzzles range from familiar mainstays such as sliding block puzzles and mazes to more inventive ones, like a puzzle involving musical flowers that serves as one of the main mechanics of the game.”
- “The mechanics are hard to identify, non-intuitive, and difficult to follow, even with all the guides open on my phone.”
- “The game introduces several mechanics, which are usable once, and then just linger in your UI until the end.”
- “It was really cute and fun, but it is very expensive for the amount of actual gameplay, especially since there's no real replayability here.”
emotional
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming story, beautiful hand-drawn art, and charming characters, creating a unique and touching experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke feelings of nostalgia and joy, often wishing for a longer narrative due to its engaging and wholesome themes. Overall, it is described as a delightful and soulful adventure that resonates deeply with players.
- “Such a cute animated little game with a good story and such heartwarming characters!”
- “The story is so heartfelt and easy to follow that I wanted more when it ended.”
- “It's beautifully designed, the gameplay is easy enough to follow along with, and the story is really well thought out and made me so emotional!”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its beautiful hand-drawn art style and calming, atmospheric music that enhances the overall experience. Users note that the sound effects and musical score create a unique and engaging vibe, contributing to a strange yet captivating environment that keeps players interested. Overall, the combination of visuals and audio fosters a memorable and immersive atmosphere.
- “The art style is so beautiful and atmospheric.”
- “The hand-drawn artwork is gorgeous with some bizarre and original ideas, and an atmospheric musical score and effects; it all adds up to a strange and surprising experience that will keep you interested throughout.”
- “The sound is beautiful and very atmospheric, matching the aesthetics perfectly and creating an unusual vibe.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably problematic, with multiple users reporting significant glitches that can hinder gameplay, such as being unable to interact with the screen or encountering text visibility issues. While some players suggest saving frequently as a precaution, the overall experience is marred by these bugs, leading to a recommendation to avoid paying full price until these issues are resolved.
- “As far as I could tell, there was no way to 'lose', so saving doesn't seem to be necessary, but do it anyway in case you have to restore after one of the glitches leaves you unable to interact with anything on the screen or with a help interface unhelpfully stuck in the way.”
- “I had 2 pretty big glitches; hopefully, I am the only one because nobody else mentioned it. I actually could not see the text for most of the game because of foreground bugs.”
- “[u] Glitches [/u] - I already posted the info in the forum. I could not read the top text for most of the game, and there might be a softlock at the end.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is noted for its impressive design and unique voices for each character, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players feel that the potential for deeper side character development is underutilized, leaving a desire for more growth and exploration within the narrative. Overall, while the visuals and story are praised, the depth of character development is seen as lacking.
- “Amazing character design, with each one having its own unique voice.”
- “I enjoyed the amazing visuals, the story, the character design, and most of the puzzles.”
- “I feel like the story had more to offer in terms of side character development but was cut short.”
- “There isn’t much character development.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized as beautiful and thoughtful, contributing to its charm and cuteness. Players appreciate the blend of funny moments and light relief, with some elements providing clues to puzzles while others serve as collectible humorous items.
- “It is beautiful, thoughtful, funny, and possibly the cutest game ever.”
- “Some will offer clues to puzzles ahead, some will offer light relief and funny moments, and others you can collect.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game lacks significant replayability due to the absence of multiple endings and limited gameplay content, which some players feel does not justify its high price. While the puzzles are enjoyable and the overall experience is fun, the lack of incentives to replay diminishes its long-term value.
- “The replayability is not there; there are no multiple endings, etc. I really did enjoy most of the puzzles.”
- “It was really cute and fun, but it is very expensive for the amount of actual gameplay, especially since there's no real replayability here.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players found the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, citing random puzzles, a lackluster story, and poorly written instructions as contributing factors to an overall unenjoyable experience.
- “The puzzles were random and tedious, the story was boring, and the instructions were poorly written.”