Monobot

The first trailer I saw for Monobot captured my attention and made me follow the game pretty closely. This is a 2D puzzle platformer that is physics-based, kind of like a very similar game that was a big one a few years ago. Anyway, it has a very interesting premise and the whole aesthetic of the game is something that is kind of depressing, but that is by design and it makes you want to know more about this world.

Mono Is Mankind’s Only Hope

The story that is told in Monobot is pretty interesting. Mankind was enslaved by an alien race, they have managed to survive this, but are on a quest for a new home, a home that is being overrun by evil robots while they hibernate! Mono, a little robot who was not even supposed to be online sets out to save the day.

I love this premise and, in some ways, it kind of reminds me of a darker version of the story that was told in the Pixar movie, Wall-E. Ok, so that may be a stretch, but there has to at least be one other person who makes that connection?

Limbo, How Low Can You Go?

The comparisons to Limbo cannot be ignored. From the dark and moody design to the gameplay, Monobot felt very similar. You control Mono and he is a “modular” robot. The idea here is that he can get new upgrades that give him abilities like jumping, teleporting magnetism, and so on. Each level is like a puzzle where you need to make it to the end and avoid the big evil robots who want you dead.

The gameplay is fine, but there is some real precision platforming required in certain parts of the game which can verge on being frustrating. That was not the final build I experienced that in so I am hopeful that things will be tightened up with a future update. The game is not all that long and the challenge is working out the puzzles, which usually revolve around one of his abilities.

It’s A Very “Mad World”

The whole presentation of Monobot is fantastic and really what drew me to the game. You know the song Mad World that was used for Donnie Darko? Well, that perfectly fits the whole vibe of this game. It is dark, moody, dangerous, and yet you have this little bit of hope that if you can make it through, things will be alright. The art in the game is just superb and I love the way that some of the robots are animated.

The score is great too, very haunting in its design. It can send a shiver down your spine one moment and then give you that little bit of lift you need the next to do a tricky puzzle. It is one of those games that I know is not going to get the recognition it deserves for its presentation and that is a damn shame.

Pros:

• I loved the story that the game was telling
• Mono is an interesting character
• I loved the evil robots and how extreme they were
• Some of the puzzles you have to solve are very clever

Cons:

• Some of the platforming leaves no room for error
• There is a section where you have to swing and it is very frustrating