Tetrobot and Co.
- October 22, 2013
- Swing Swing Submarine
We are unsure about the plot at this time, but who cares? Puzzles!
In "Tetrobot and Co.", players control Psychobot, a tiny helper, navigating Tetrobot's interior to repair it by swallowing and rearranging blocks. This game features challenging puzzle-solving within Tetrobot's circuits, teaching players about electronic devices and chemical properties. Highly regarded by reviewers for its clever level design, charm, and difficulty, "Tetrobot and Co." provides a satisfying mental workout.
Reviews
- Challenging and clever puzzles that require creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Beautiful graphics and a charming soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
- The game features a smooth difficulty curve, gradually introducing new mechanics and keeping players engaged.
- Some puzzles can be frustratingly difficult, leading to potential player fatigue.
- The rewind feature can be buggy at times, causing unexpected resets or glitches.
- Lack of mid-level saves can be inconvenient, especially in longer puzzles.
- gameplay98 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by intuitive mechanics and smooth movement, allowing players to engage with a variety of clever puzzles that gradually introduce new elements. While the game offers a satisfying challenge, some mechanics may not be clearly explained, leading to moments of confusion. Overall, it combines charming visuals with a diverse range of puzzles, making it a standout title in the puzzle genre.
“The movement is quick and smooth, the undo button makes the gameplay a breeze, the puzzle design favors simplicity rather than tediousness, and brings many satisfying moments.”
“Each level will introduce new mechanics and puzzle elements incrementally and will test you on what you have learned so far.”
“The last stages were out of mind but the gameplay mechanics, the tricky puzzles, and other game references made this game one of the best puzzle games I've ever played.”
“Very cool puzzle game, but there are levels where a mechanic that hasn't been introduced yet is needed, which I find plainly unfair.”
“A few times I found myself stuck figuring out what to do, only to learn a mechanic was taught later.”
“My main complaint is the introduction of one or two game mechanics (a very small percentage of the total): these mechanics required to complete the puzzles are not clearly laid out to the players, and really demand lots of experimentation, and sometimes a bit of luck to stumble upon.”
- music57 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its relaxing and ambient qualities that enhance the gameplay experience. While some players noted occasional repetitiveness, the diverse and well-crafted soundtrack is often described as charming, catchy, and fitting for the game's aesthetic, making it a standout feature. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's appeal, providing a pleasant backdrop for puzzle-solving and exploration.
“The music is extremely well done and remarkably satisfying.”
“Yann van der Cruyssen and Morusque have crafted a fine atmosphere with its low-key ambient electronica. The music can be playful, dramatic, mysterious, jaunty, but all in a most relaxing and chill vibe.”
“Morusque's soundtrack is great and manages the challenge all puzzle games face, which is to produce tracks that are enjoyable to listen to on a loop, and avoid being tedious or formless.”
“The in-game music is fine, but as I usually do, it quickly gets muted in favor of my own choice of music or the radio, but I keep the sound effects as they are unintrusive and add a bit of flavor.”
“Music gets a little repetitive sometimes, but it's a great game for just sitting down at the end of the day and solving a level or two.”
“If you know me at all, you know I can't stand repetitive puzzler soundtracks.”
- story51 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered minimal and somewhat disconnected from the gameplay, serving more as a charming backdrop rather than a driving force. While some players appreciate the cute elements and visuals, many agree that the narrative feels tacked-on and lacks depth, making it easy to overlook in favor of the engaging puzzles. Overall, the game is praised for its puzzle design, with the story being deemed unnecessary for enjoyment.
“This is a fantastic puzzle game with great music and a warm, subtly told story.”
“The story felt a bit tacked-on, but is kind of charming.”
“Smart puzzles, cute story and design, lovely clean sound and visuals.”
“There is something that resembles a story and plot but ultimately it is just filler.”
“It's a fairly vague story because it's scattered into small fragments throughout the game, without enough there to clearly convey what's going on.”
“My one complaint is that the story never really makes sense.”
- graphics41 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their clarity, charm, and modern polish, with many reviewers highlighting the appealing art style and smooth animations. While some noted that graphics are not the primary focus of puzzle games, they still found the visuals to be engaging and well-executed, contributing positively to the overall experience. Overall, the combination of nice visuals and a captivating soundtrack enhances the game's appeal, making it a standout title in its genre.
“As you start the game, the improvement in visuals is immediately obvious - the game has a modern, polished look, and the layouts/animations are very pleasing to the eye.”
“Paired with gorgeous artwork and a lovely soundtrack, this is definitely a game worth adding to your already enormous Steam library.”
“Awesome puzzle game with neat graphics and clever puzzles, that will entertain you with new elements introduced throughout the whole adventure.”
“But, since they're just vague graphics, they made no sense to me.”
“The gameplay visuals are better, while also leaning towards the basic side too.”
“Graphics are not what puzzle games are about, but the graphics here are quite good.”
- stability10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The game's stability is generally good, particularly on Linux, but users report various bugs, primarily related to the rewind function, which can lead to glitches such as blocks becoming intangible or suspended. While these issues can occasionally disrupt gameplay, they are not considered game-breaking, and the infinite undo feature allows players to correct mistakes easily. Overall, the developers seem aware of these bugs, but fixes may not be forthcoming.
“Runs great on Linux.”
“Somewhat buggy, especially if rewinding while things are happening.”
“Looking at the FAQ, it seems like the devs know the rewind is buggy, but I don't think they're going to fix this particular issue if they haven't by now.”
“Slightly buggy: undo would often fail to revert to a proper state, especially when dealing with moving things; once in level 6-3 a blob was accidentally in the wrong spot and I had to restart the level.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted as a standout feature, with players enjoying clever and cute elements, particularly the "faceblox" parts. Many reviewers appreciate the funny references to various media, which contribute to a lighthearted experience that keeps them smiling throughout gameplay. Overall, the humor enhances the enjoyment of the puzzles and the game's overall charm.
“Nice and funny puzzle game.”
“Pros: funny, clever, cute, nice graphics, nice music, nice sounds, easy to learn (just 2 mouse buttons) but hard to master (you have to actually think), achievements, Steam trade cards, Steam Workshop (level editor), Linux support, faceblox...”
“I always manage to have a smile on my face when playing through it, either it be the satisfaction of solving the puzzles or even just picking up on some of the funny references they have to different games, books, movies, and music!”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be well-balanced, with quick and smooth movement and engaging puzzle design that avoids tedium. While collecting golden blocks can become repetitive, the introduction of new ideas and puzzle types keeps the experience fresh and enjoyable. The soundtrack also contributes positively, enhancing the gameplay without becoming monotonous.
“This is done for the golden blocks in particular and can become tedious as you need to save up previous blocks and you come to know only after you have reached the spot.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a soothing blend of low-key ambient electronica, creating a relaxing and chill vibe that enhances the puzzle experience. While the gameplay is straightforward, it effectively immerses players in a playful yet mysterious environment that encourages thoughtful engagement.
“Yann van der Cruyssen and Morusque have crafted a fine atmosphere with its low-key ambient electronica. The music can be playful, dramatic, mysterious, and jaunty, all while maintaining a relaxing and chill vibe.”
“The nice thing about this game is that although the gameplay is simple, it takes the puzzle atmosphere to heart, allowing people to complete levels without much issue, but requiring good thinking to fully complete the game.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for poor optimization, as players report significant performance issues, such as difficulty in multitasking and browsing after minimizing the game, which is not typically experienced with other titles.
“The game runs poorly on even high-end systems, making it frustrating to play.”
“I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the immersion.”
“The optimization is so bad that loading times are unacceptably long, even for simple tasks.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's story levels offer limited replayability primarily focused on completion and achievements, but players can enjoy over 10 hours of gameplay through the main story. The well-designed puzzles provide a balanced challenge, encouraging replay for those seeking to complete all aspects of the game.
“The story levels don't have much replayability, beyond completion and achievements, but you can easily spend 10+ hours in this game just completing the main story.”
“Some well thought out puzzles, not too easy, not too hard, replayability for completion, would recommend.”
Critic Reviews
Tetrobot & Co. Review
At first I was skeptical about Tetrobot & Co; not only was it a little outside of my generic comfort zone but it had the look, on the surface, of a game trying too hard to be modern.
70%Tetrobot & Co Review
Tetrobot and Co. is a beautiful, charming puzzle game with a very fair and calculated approach to difficulty. You’re not going to waltz through this 10+ hour title without breaking a mental sweat, but you’re also not going to be left so frustrated and confused that you don’t want to pick it up again; a puzzle that may seem incomprehensible to you may be a walk in the park for someone else, and vice versa. You may be held up by some puzzles, but it's not due to a fault in the game. Tetrobot and Co. really tests every facet of your mental agility whilst still providing an incredibly enjoyable and (sometimes) relaxing experience. It’s a gem of an indie titles on the Wii U eShop, and any puzzle fan would be mad to miss out.
80%Tetrobot and Co. Review
We are unsure about the plot at this time, but who cares? Puzzles!
80%