The Girl and the Robot
- August 17, 2016
- Flying Carpets Games
- 10h median play time
The Girl and the Robot has a lot of heart, which is why the myriad of issues are so upsetting. Rough movement, clunky combat, frustrating puzzles, and unresponsive controls make this a tough sell. It's sad, because there's a lot of potential here hidden under all the rough patches.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"The Girl and the Robot" is a third-person action-adventure game where you control a girl and a robot, switching between them to solve puzzles, defeat enemies, and explore a fairy tale world with a dark backstory. The game features unique hand-painted art reminds of old fairy tales.
Mac OS
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Linux
PlayStation
Wii
Wii U
Reviews
- The game features charming graphics and a delightful soundtrack that evoke a Studio Ghibli vibe, creating an enchanting atmosphere.
- The cooperative gameplay between the girl and the robot is engaging, with puzzles that require teamwork and foster emotional investment in their journey.
- The visual storytelling is well-executed, allowing players to immerse themselves in the narrative without the need for dialogue.
- The combat system is clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating encounters, especially during boss fights.
- The game ends on a cliffhanger without a clear indication of when a sequel will be released, leaving players feeling unsatisfied.
- There are significant control issues, particularly with keyboard and mouse setups, which detract from the overall experience.
- story31 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is characterized by a charming yet incomplete narrative that ends on a cliffhanger, leaving players eager for a sequel. While the visual storytelling is praised for its creativity and engagement, many reviewers express disappointment over the brevity of the experience and the lack of resolution for key plot points. Overall, the story is seen as intriguing but ultimately unsatisfying without a continuation.
“The story itself, told dialogue-free, is quite interesting and has a nice fairytale vibe to it.”
“I'm mostly impressed with the game's emphasis on visual storytelling, which sets up several mysterious plot points quite effortlessly.”
“The story of the kingdom's royalty is told through numerous paintings scattered about the game, visually telling a fairly simple story that can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of language.”
“However, I was disappointed to find out the story ends on a cliffhanger - and although there are clear signs a sequel was intended, I have seen no sign of the continuation, which makes me uncertain regarding the future of the project.”
“Now the reason I am not recommending this game is because it is only act 1 of the entire story rather than the entire thing and ends on a cliffhanger.”
“Unfortunately, one issue I have with the story is that it just abruptly ends on a major cliffhanger, leaving me in shock just asking myself 'is that really it' for about 5 minutes straight.”
- graphics17 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, nostalgic art style reminiscent of PS1 and PS2 titles, which many players find appealing. While some appreciate the cute visuals and soothing atmosphere, others criticize the lack of modern graphical options and a memorable ambiance. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with a consensus on their charm but a recognition of their dated quality.
“Good things first, the art style is so charming.”
“The atmosphere and the art style has a lot of charm and reminds me a little bit of ICO mixed with LOZ.”
“Everything about it is great--the art and graphics, the gameplay, and the story.”
“I feel a lot like an old PS1 game both graphically and gameplay-wise.”
“Graphical options are completely absent, along with incredibly basic features such as volume sliders... yeah, you read that right.”
“The game fails to build up any kind of memorable atmosphere with its lackluster art style and lack of ambiance.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of nostalgic PS1-style mechanics and cooperative elements, where players switch between two characters to solve puzzles and navigate challenges. While the core mechanics are praised for their creativity and charm, some users noted issues with controls, animations, and overall length, leading to mixed feelings about its value. Despite these flaws, the engaging storyline and collaborative gameplay foster a positive experience, though many recommend waiting for a sale due to its short playtime.
“The mechanics convey well the idea of collaboration, and it shows a dependency between both protagonists.”
“Some 'take-care' mechanics also foster that feeling: the girl can heal the robot after he was injured in combat, and he can pick her up on his shoulder and carry her around.”
“I also thought that the gameplay mechanics of the girl and the robot working together to complete various puzzles to be very creative as well.”
“Gameplay is about 1.5 hours unless you struggle with the controls the whole time.”
“Which brings us to the gameplay... animations and sound effects are almost laughably bad.”
“The playtime also includes a lot of sanity breaks and just me screwing around on the internet because the gameplay here was so boring and frustrating.”
- music11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its soothing and relaxing qualities, complementing the gameplay well. However, many users noted a significant lack of music throughout the game, which can create an empty atmosphere, and some felt that the fast-paced action music occasionally felt out of place. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated, players desire more consistent musical presence to enhance the experience.
“I also think the soundtrack is really nice and suits the gameplay well; it's something I would happily have on in the background while I'm doing something else.”
“The soundtrack itself is pretty great; it would be better if we could hear more of it.”
“I quite liked the soundtrack and the environmental puzzles.”
“The most striking one is that there is almost no music throughout the game, which makes it feel more empty than it should.”
“What's quite unfortunate is that about half of the time no music is played at all, although I can't really say whether the silence enhances or hinders the overall atmosphere.”
“While the music is rather relaxing, there are maybe one or two instances where the fast-paced action music felt a little bit out of place in my opinion.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its charming art style reminiscent of classics like ICO and The Legend of Zelda, while others criticize its lack of memorable ambiance and inconsistent music. Moments of tranquility and zen-like exploration are highlighted, but the game's tendency to shift focus towards challenge disrupts the immersive experience, leaving some players feeling disconnected at times. Overall, the atmosphere has potential but suffers from uneven execution.
“The atmosphere and the art style have a lot of charm and remind me a little bit of Ico mixed with The Legend of Zelda.”
“It gives me a zen-like feeling, especially when I'm walking around the plaza for the first time.”
“This is worth checking out for its moments of 'ma,' and is certainly enjoyable, but the moments it spends away from letting its atmosphere breathe, and instead tries to ramp up the challenge, feel painful.”
“What's quite unfortunate is that about half of the time no music is played at all, although I can't really say whether the silence enhances or hinders the overall atmosphere.”
“Similar to what I said for atmosphere, it gives me a zen-like feeling when I'm walking around the plaza for the first time, but there were times when I found it difficult to believe in certain parts of the game, for example, when I arrived at the labyrinth and scouted ahead with the robot to clear out all the enemies in that section of the maze.”
“This is worth checking out for its moments of 'ma,' and is certainly enjoyable, but the moments it spends away from letting its atmosphere breathe, and instead tries to ramp up the challenge and breaks that atmosphere, feel painful.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the characters and their journey, describing the game as heartwarming and engaging. However, some reviewers feel that the story, while interesting, is somewhat clichéd and that the game's brevity leaves them feeling unfulfilled, lacking deeper exploration of the characters' backgrounds. Overall, the emotional impact is significant, but the game's short length detracts from a more profound connection.
“I can't help but get emotionally invested in their journey.”
“Oh, heartwarming game, where have you been?”
“I loved every minute of this game. The story, while a bit cliché, had its moments. I would have liked a longer game to feel more for the girl and the robot, but I was left unfulfilled after the end.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with players reporting minor glitches and occasional framerate issues, particularly on Mac. While the experience is generally enjoyable, some users have noted unresponsive controls and a frustrating boss fight that ends abruptly on a cliffhanger.
“There is no ending; it just ends on a huge cliffhanger after a frustrating and buggy boss fight.”
“I encountered two glitches, but nothing game-breaking. The framerate is not very stable at times, and the controls sometimes feel unresponsive.”
“The textures of any character or object that has animations will be buggy.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is enhanced by charming designs and an intriguing non-traditional storytelling method, which captivates players while integrating entertaining platforming and puzzle elements.
“The non-traditional storytelling method is intriguing, allowing for deep character development that keeps you engaged.”
“The charming character designs really enhance the overall experience, making each character feel unique and memorable.”
“The combination of platforming and puzzle elements alongside character development creates a rich and entertaining gameplay experience.”
Critic Reviews
The Girl and the Robot Review
The Girl and the Robot has a lot of heart, which is why the myriad of issues are so upsetting. Rough movement, clunky combat, frustrating puzzles, and unresponsive controls make this a tough sell. It's sad, because there's a lot of potential here hidden under all the rough patches.
40%The Girl and the Robot Review - Major Malfunction
The Girl and the Robot is almost shockingly awful. There's basically no story, the puzzles are run of the mill, basic controls are sluggish, combat is a pain, and the video and audio package is completely unappealing. Not a single thing here seems to be made in a way to bring enjoyment.
20%The Girl and the Robot Review
This is good. Consider this an "optimistic" good, since The Girl and the Robot has shown some clear potential and can rocket uphill as opposed to a "failed to live up to promises" good. This is worth checking out for its moments of 'Ma,' and is certainly enjoyable, but the moments it spends away from letting its atmosphere breath, and, instead, tries to ramp up the challenge and breaks that atmosphere, feel painful. What it does right it does great, and, hopefully, there will be a sequel for this title. Those who do not care for such things, however, there simply isn't anything else to really enjoy beyond some decent cel-shaded graphics.
60%
