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I think most of you would agree gaming on Android has improved, but there's not quite as many heavy-hitters as we'd like. That's why I'm so excited to introduce you to a new game in the Market -- Roboto.
Simply put, Roboto is out-of-this-world awesome. You play a hoverboarding robot on a quest to find his lady love after she takes a spontaneous trip into the wild blue yonder right in front of your eyes. Is the story original? Not so much, but it doesn't matter. The gameplay is where it's at, and in this regard, Roboto delivers.
You're looking at a typical side-scroller, standard fare to any of us who grew up in the '90s. Where things get interesting is when you look at all the futuristic, robo-inspired tricks and abilities in the gameplay. For starters, you've got an energy gun. I'm not quite sure what to call it, but it shoots out little blue orbs, and when enough of them pew-pew your enemies, they explode.
There's also environmental things, like the reverse gravity portals, for lack of a better term. Whenever you pass one of these physics-defying purple spots, your whole world gets turned upside down. Roboto flips over and starts riding on the ceiling, and it's wild. There's usually a purpose for one being in your way, so take that into account and just go with the flow, and you'll be a happy camper hoverboarding robot.
There's also some cool wall climbing you can do, but only if you jump right next to a wall. It's a fun, not-often-seen ability, and it's a lifesaver (literally) if you find yourself overestimating your jump distance and near-plummeting to your demise. There's also a hover function for your hoverboard. Did I mention that?
On every level there are three big gears that are just asking to be collected. Successfully collect all three and you're on your way to some big point bonuses when you finish a level. Other factors that influence your score are things like enemies destroyed, energy left in your bar, time, and other gears picked up. It's a fun incentive to add some replayability to levels, especially for the completionists out there.
The touch controls are responsive and tight, just as they should (but often aren't) be on any game. In my time playing Roboto, I didn't experience any lag or stuttering between the joystick and my movement on-screen, and the jump and shoot buttons just work. It sounds like something small, but if you've played as many games with poor touch recognition as I have, you'll instantly recognize that this is something great.
The graphics are buttery smooth, eye-catching, and overall gorgeous, to boot. There's an incredible layer of polish from top to bottom here, and having graphics this impressive on an Android phone is something I definitely hope to see more of.
I can easily say that Roboto is one of the finest games I've played on Android to date. From the graphics to the gameplay, the lack of load times and the responsive controls, I'd recommend this to anyone. Fenix Fire has obviously developed an incredible product worthy of your time, and if you're interested in getting your game on, Roboto is where I'd do it. Roboto runs $2.99 right now, but after August 8th is jumping up to $4.99, so for a premium price and a great game, it's definitely something I'd jump on sooner rather than later.
Tons of pictures, plus the download links are after the break.
