Many people have experienced a cat running across their keyboard while using a laptop or computer. Gato Roboto attempts to answer the question of what would happen if that situation occurred in space. The cat Kiki and owner Gary are making their way into space when the cat steps on the ship’s controls. The resulting mess sees the couple crash into an alien planet. This is where Kiki must go out and explore the mysterious to find a way to escape. That’s when she stumbles upon a mechanic’s suit and becomes a mech warrior.
Released in May 2019 for Nintendo Switch and PC, Gato Roboto is shamelessly a Metroidvania game. This classic genre has seen a resurgence, since Cave Story was released to critical acclaim in 2004. With so many similar titles available, any game of this type has to go a long way to stand out. It is fair to say that Gato Roboto does this simply by being a game about cats and Metroidvania. So if you don’t like any of these things, this isn’t the game for you.
Game
Like most Metroidvania games, Gato Roboto is all about platforming, exploration, and shooting enemies. Mechanically it is a fairly basic system. Outside of the robotic suit, Kiki can fit into smaller areas and move with greater agility. However, the cat is also much more vulnerable and will die in one hit.
On the other hand, the armor provides extra protection and firepower. Having the obligation to leave the suit is a clever way to vary the gameplay. Moving like a cat is a very different experience and offers opportunities for more varied puzzles. In the end, it works well as a mechanic.
Meanwhile, the fight isn’t all that complicated compared to other titles. You have a basic blaster that you can only fire up, down and straight ahead of you. The range of the weapon is also quite low, so getting close to enemies is key. Later in the game, you will have access to a rocket launcher. Rather than using ammo, it instead limits its use to an overheat mechanic. This means that you always have it on hand but cannot rely on it completely.
A mini-submarine and fixed turrets are also available. They help keep the gameplay fresh and ensure you never spend too much time doing the same thing. It’s an excellent way to keep the whole experience fresh.
Gato Roboto also has a collection of bosses. Most of them are not much of a challenge. However, one boss in particular can be tricky as you have to fight him without using your mech suit. This is the only frustrating part of the whole game, but even then it’s not a big deal.
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