Robin
- February 8, 2018
- Poppy de Raad
Robin is a short slice of life game that was made to give some visibility to an invisible illness - Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
Reviews
- The game provides a meaningful insight into the struggles of living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, effectively raising awareness about the condition.
- The art style is cute and visually appealing, enhancing the overall experience of the game.
- It's a short and easy game that can be completed quickly, making it accessible for players looking for a brief yet impactful experience.
- The gameplay is very short, lasting only about 5-10 minutes, which may leave players wanting more depth and content.
- Some players found the mechanics frustrating, as the character often feels overwhelmed and unable to complete basic tasks.
- The game may not accurately represent the full range of symptoms associated with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, leading to some criticism from those with the condition.
- graphics59 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their gorgeous and cute art style, which effectively complements the game's themes and storytelling. Many users appreciate the simple yet beautiful visuals, noting that they enhance the overall experience and atmosphere. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, contributing to the game's charm and relatability.
“The graphics are very beautiful.”
“I love both the graphic and sound design; it's very cute as well as immersive (at least for being such a short game).”
“The visuals are just wonderful, and the entire game has a really cute art style, which is most definitely the main selling point of the game, even though it's already free.”
“The graphics were okay... too short.”
“Graphics are supposed to be bad, I'm guessing?”
“I was okay with the graphics and the objective of the game; however, it was definitely against the player 100%. There was good to it at all seemingly, even when Robin went out with her friend.”
- story42 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as a heartfelt and insightful exploration of themes like chronic fatigue syndrome, presented through a choose-your-own-adventure format with minimal dialogue and a beautiful art style. While some players find the narrative engaging and impactful, others criticize it for being too brief or lacking depth. Overall, it effectively raises awareness about real-life issues while providing a soothing experience.
“Clever use of mechanics to tell a story and get a point across.”
“The storyline is short but has a deep message.”
“An interesting story about the difficulties of chronic fatigue syndrome.”
“The game is also very limited in the activities you can do, and there isn't much progression or story.”
“There is no real storyline.”
“I'll be discussing Robin along with Depression Quest and some others.”
- gameplay34 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and focus on choice-making, effectively conveying the struggles associated with chronic fatigue syndrome through limited actions and stamina mechanics. While some players found it frustrating or boring, others appreciated its artistic style and the meaningful message delivered in a short experience. Overall, the gameplay serves more as a narrative tool than a traditional gaming experience, with mixed reviews on its engagement and depth.
“It has a nice simplistic style and gameplay, focusing strongly on showing us the struggles this condition brings and what they deal with on a daily basis.”
“Clever use of mechanics to tell a story and get a point across.”
“Great graphics, nice time-management gameplay which really gives you a look into what it's like having chronic fatigue syndrome.”
“Frustrating gameplay, which I suspect is the intended experience.”
“The gameplay is okay...but it's actually pretty boring in retrospect.”
“It offers the most 10 minutes of boring gameplay, the story is complete trash and if you can call it a story anyway, this game should be at best a crappy game from the ones that you find on friv, complete trash and I wish I could say something more to back what I'm saying up but there isn't really anything in the game to describe, it really is a waste of your 5-10 minutes...”
- music16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and calming qualities, complementing the game's visuals and overall atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate the sweet and simple soundtrack, which enhances the relaxing experience, even if some players noted it was not particularly memorable. Overall, the music is seen as a fitting and integral part of the game's charm.
“The art style is fitting, the music, sounds, and characters don't feel out of place at all, and while there's no real 'winning' this game... that's the entire point.”
“A short game, but absolutely relatable with an amazing art style and just the perfect background music.”
“I appreciate that although the story is about a frustrating experience, the colors and music are still soothing and cheerful--the game doesn't attempt to stress you out or sensationalize the struggle.”
“I didn't notice any music, but maybe it's fitting.”
“The music and sound effects are very calm and the text is soft spoken.”
“The game has great visuals and is accompanied by a peaceful soundtrack.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, evoking strong feelings of anxiety and reflection on personal life choices. Players report experiencing a range of emotions, from frustration to sadness and happiness, as the narrative prompts them to confront their own struggles and decisions. Overall, it effectively resonates with players on a personal level, making it a touching experience.
“This short game made me feel extremely anxious about my own life.”
“I like it because it made me feel frustrated and made me realize more about my own life choices and how I've really been misusing my spoons lately.”
“Great game, the endings made me feel sad or happy for her.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like a second job or life is necessary to achieve progress.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding achievements: 0.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game experiences occasional bugs, including instances of soft-locking, which detracts from the overall experience, especially given its short length. Users feel that such glitches are less acceptable in a brief game.
“A little buggy at times; I managed to soft-lock the game once.”
“The game is too short for glitches to be acceptable, in my opinion.”
- humor2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a witty and absurd take on the human obsession with rare diagnoses, reminiscent of P.G. Wodehouse's comedic style. Players find the narrative both hilarious and engaging, highlighting the cleverness of the writing.
“A ca. 1937 short story by P.G. Wodehouse hilariously touches on this curious obsession some people seem to enjoy, where they need to be diagnosed with something no one else has, and the more rare, the better.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its calming aesthetic, enhanced by impressive artwork and sound effects, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
“The aesthetic was really calming, adding to the atmosphere of the game in general.”
“Thank you to the developers for the great artwork, sound effects, and atmosphere.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users generally find the game's replayability to be lacking, with many describing it as extremely short and not offering enough incentive to play again.
“The game is extremely short, which severely limits its replayability.”
“Once you finish the game, there's little incentive to play through it again.”
“The lack of varied content makes replaying the game feel tedious.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a positive experience with the game's optimization, noting that it runs smoothly without significant issues.
“The overall experience was very pleasant, and the game runs smoothly.”
“The optimization is top-notch, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
“I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it maintains a steady frame rate without any noticeable lag.”