Shoot Many Robots Review

For those unfamiliar with the developers, Demiurge Studios have been around for ten years assisting well established companies such as EA, Epic and Gearbox with outsourced content. However this time Demiurge are stepping out on their own with their first in house downloadable title Shoot Many Robots.

Gameplay
Shoot Many Robots is an old school 2D arcade run and gun action game. Players can run and shoot in all directions with the addition of being able to jump, slide and hover allowing for extra evasive options in order to avoid incoming enemies. This control scheme while simple in its design is very well implemented, feeling tight throughout and allowing for accurate aiming while manoeuvring through endless swarms of robots.

Contrary to its other contemporaries in the genre, Shoot Many Robots is a staggeringly huge game by comparison and offers players a ton of levels that will not be finished in the first day; however this seemingly large amount of content comes at a hefty price. Though the action throughout is laid on thick the game makes little effort to change up the pace. Enemy variety is threadbare and offers little in variation, bosses sometimes even levels themselves fall prey to repetition on a grand scale. Occasionally the standard linear scrolling kill fests are replaced with equally standard survival challenges but overall Shoot Many Robots offers very little in terms of memorable set pieces.

Walter and his baby are ready!!

To make matters worse the pathos throughout the levels are plagued with an awful “stop-start” quality. After clearing the enemies on screen players will seemingly move for a while in peace and quiet before the game yet again fixes the camera for another boxed in encounter, this style of sequencing like many other aspects of the game is repeated beyond the point of reason and before long each level starts to blend into another without allowing for any truly memorable moments to speak of.

Shoot Many Robots also allows the inclusion of internet connectivity allowing players to team up with three companions in order to offer more firepower to the fight. The CO-OP aspect is really where the game begins to shine and with the use of an impressive net code Shoot Many Robots offers a fun and hassle free online experience. All of the loot found is shared out amongst the players and with no friendly fire there is little chance of a team of strangers from turning against each other preventing the possibility of a stereotypical over the mic argument.

Graphics
Shoot Many Robots is sadly severely lacking in the graphical department. While the game adopts a now very common cel-shaded look the visuals are hindered by a strange blurry art filter which prohibits the bright and colourful art direction from truly popping out of the screen. This graphical misstep also goes further than simply damping the games graphical impact. The gameplay is also seriously affected attempts to make out what’s going while being shot at from all sides is made more difficult just because the player has to make observations of their surroundings while looking through a smudge.

A ton of crazy action!

Poor palette choices occasionally hinder the game as well, as more often than not you’ll encounter a group of enemies that share a similar colour scheme as the environment it inhabits. When you stack this with the already flawed art filter the game can become more than obstructive and ultimately adds to the tedium of the entire experience.

The game is also accompanied by a suitably themed Blues, Rock and Country soundtrack which sits neatly on top without drawing too much attention to itself for either good or bad. However like many other aspects of the game this limited soundtrack also falls victim to much repetition.

Design
It only takes mere moments before the main hook of the gaming experience is made apparent for all to see. The game’s main crux comes in the form of a progressive levelling up system that has now become a regular staple of the modern video game. Players collect a currency in the form of (mechanical) nuts from killing enemies and are rewarded a bonus multiplier on their drooped loot if they can keep the kill combo going. This currency is then banked between missions giving players the opportunity to spend their hard earned nuts as they browse through the extensive catalogue of weapons and clothing. The variety of equipment choices are on par with some RPG’s offering hundreds of different weapons and clothing to purchase and wield.

Seriously... who do you think is going to win here?

The weapon variety is vast offering a plethora of opportunities in terms of range, firing speed, damage and accuracy. Each player is equipped with a main weapon and these can range from high calibre rifles to handguns and everything else in between. Players also carry a far more destructive but limited in usage sub weapon which provides players with a trump card when fighting tougher enemies and bosses. The vast arsenal in Shoot Many Robots will cater to almost any play style and the process of experimentation alone provides a tremendous amount of fun.

In addition to the weapons various headgear, backpacks and leg wear are also available in a variety of novelty get ups ranging from the slightly silly to the outright ridiculous. Though despite the cosmetic mish-mashes each piece of equipment offers various stat boosts to health, damage, jump height etc and when combined with the already gigantic weapon variety of load out possibilities are truly endless.

Though the myriad of goodies offers a significant boost to the games longevity it is ultimately held back due to the lack of variety in the gameplay department and eventually serves as a harrowing reminder of the game’s possibilities that failed to see the light of day.

Final Verdict
Shoot Many Robots is a harmless romp that will allow you to kill some time for an hour or two. However due to some poor design choices and limited content it fails to live up to its full potential and can hardly be recommended over older, shorter yet far more exciting games in the genre. With friends the game can certainly be fun and while it is not a bad game by any means Shoot More Robots will leave you with a slightly bitter taste in your mouth wishing for more to quench your thirst.

Gameplay = 5/10
Graphics = 5/10
Design = 7/10

Final We Know Gamers Score = 6/10
Had a chance to play the game? Tell us what you thought in the comments section below!

Shoot Many Robots Review

Reviewed by Spencer Marshman
on Mar 21 2012

Rating: 6/10