🐈🤖🐭 Gato Roboto - REVIEW - "In space, no-one can hear you purr" 🐈🤖🐭 #GameDev #IndieGame

Game Title: Gato Roboto
Developer: Doinksoft
Platform Reviewed: Nintendo Switch
Rating: Ice Cool

Whilst not reinventing the genre, Gato Roboto is a nifty and, more importantly, fun game that will capture your attention for the time it takes to take your feline companion through the gruelling quests before it.

The game begins with a (human) pilot hearing radio chatter from what should be an abandoned planet as he makes a standard patrol, a less than ideal landing follows during which the pilot is wounded and ends up stuck in the craft, leaving his cat, Kiki to do all the legwork (or paw-work, as the case be)and get them off the ‘abandoned’ station…after thoroughly exploring it, natch.

A gentle Metroidvania by way of the visuals of Downfall and Minute, Gato Roboto also has the solid pacing of the recently released Shakedown Hawaii, meaning that your journey through the game is brisk and always feels satisfying as you delve deeper into the story and facility itself.

The game has a light-touch quality that runs through it; the humour is gentle and well-implemented, acting as a nice accompaniment to the relatively straightforward platforming that makes up the bulk of the game. 

Outside of the armoured and upgradeable mech suit(which is handily cat-sized) that you come across at the start of your adventure, Kiki can only take a single hit before dying. As some sections require leaving the safety of the suit, this can get quite tense, although regular, well-placed save points ensure that your progress doesn’t take too much of a knock if you are struck by an enemy. 

Breaking up the platforming, shooting and exploration are boss fights against a very pesky mouse which has its own suit of armour which, in most cases dwarves yours! These boss sections can be quite spiky in their difficulty but never feel unfair, utilising upgrades, skills and weapons that you’ve recently acquired and need nimble fingers to pass, feeling satisfying once you have done so.

Summary
With its 2D side-on action and a surprising amount of variety and collectables as well a suitably ambient sound-track a-la Super Metroid, Gato Roboto really captured my attention, whilst not adding anything new to the genre, it instead really tightens up the gameplay and the clever design means you never feel lost, no matter how labyrinthine the game may feel as you make your way through each section. And Kiki? He’s one cool cat.

Right, I’m off to buy some Caesar.

❄️ RATING: ICE COOL ❄️

Ratings Explained

ICE COOL (Great Game Recommended)

MELTING (Recommended with reservations, one to consider if you are a fan of the genre)

MELTED (Not A Recommended Purchase)