With a backlog that could rival The Tower of Babel, I’ve found that my game preferences shift on a daily basis. Some days I want to play a game where every single detail matters . Other days I want to run around blasting the hell out of whatever monsters/zombies/aliens that get in my way. Shoot Many Robots definitely falls on the latter side, but sometimes there is such a thing as being too simple.
Bang Bang:
The plot of Shoot Many Robots is that the robotocalypse (or robot apocalypse) has happened. It’s up to P. Walter Tugnut and his RV of weapons and similar looking relatives to save the world.
The gameplay is a combination of Contra andTeam Fortress 2, with a pinch of Diablo for good measure. Each level consists of you and up to three friends saving the world, by destroying one robot at a time. Enemies are mostly of the run at you variety, with a few other varieties appearing in later levels. Besides your gun, you can equip one special weapon and can punch, slide and ground pound any enemies that get in your way.
What makes the game endearing comes in the form of upgrades. As you defeat robots, you’ll collect bolts which is the game’s currency and experience. Using the bolts, you’ll be able to purchase new equipment back at the RV, which is the game’s hub. Equipment unlocks with each level up, and players can find crates randomly during the game that can unlock new gear as well.
Upgrades fall into Team Fortress 2’s weird category. Besides new guns, you’ll also be able to equip: jet-packs, tutus , wings, belts and many more. Each new piece of equipment has a variety of attributes to them allowing you to outfit your Walter however you choose.
The upgrades do a lot to keep players motivated and as you go through each of the three difficulty levels, there will be better equipment to find. The problem with Shoot Many Robots is that while the upgrades are varied, the rest of the game is not.
Boom Boom:
The game recycles the majority of its content. Across the three difficulty levels, the enemy types don’t change with exception to having higher stats. Level design is repeated with only slight variations in paths. In fact, there are only three types of levels in the game: standard run and gun, survival mode, and the final boss of the difficulty fight. While the game was enjoyable to play with my friends, the lack of variety began to take its toll.
What hurts Shoot Many Robots the most was that the designers were planning on releasing DLC to expand the game, which was even mentioned for those that beat the game. However it was cancelled leaving the game in this state. The base idea of the game is good, but without more content the game never went anywhere.
Shoot Many Robots as a base idea is a good game. For people looking for old school gameplay with a few modern twists thrown in, it works. But the lack of variety and developer support prevented it from growing in the same way as Team Fortress 2 and Payday: The Heist has.
