Shoot Many Robots
| Shoot Many Robots | |
|---|---|
 Cover Art | |
| Developer(s) | Demiurge Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Composer(s) | Rich Vreeland |
| Platform(s) | Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android |
| Release | PlayStation Network Xbox Live Arcade March 14, 2012[1] Microsoft Windows April 6, 2012 Android March 20, 2013 iOS TBA 2014 |
| Genre(s) | Shooter |
Shoot Many Robots is a downloadable video game developed by Demiurge Studios and published by Ubisoft for Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network, and Microsoft Windows via Steam.[2] It is the first original title to be released by the developer previously known for its work on titles such as Rock Band, BioShock, Mass Effect and more.[3] The game was released in March 2012 for XBLA and PSN, and a month later for Steam.[4]
Gameplay
Shoot Many Robots is an action platformer game. Players start in the character's RV, where they may equip their character with five items: one weapon that will have unlimited ammunition in the game, a special weapon with limited ammo, and hats, pants, and backpacks that can boost performance statistics such as damage given or health or impart special abilities such as slide attacks or a jetpack. They then select a stage to complete, generally following stages in a linear order, but players can return to a previously completed stage.
There are two types of stages. The most common requires the players to make their way through a level from start to finish, often ending on a final boss or a large rush of robots. Checkpoints are laid out through the course, so that if all players die, they will respawn at the last checkpoint passed. The other type of stage is a survival one, where players attempt to withstand several rounds of increasingly difficult enemies; as long as the player makes it through the first wave, they will have succeeded, but gain better rewards for lasting through bonus stages.
Players fight off robots by using their weapons, a melee attack, or any special attacks granted by their load-out. The robots have various offensive and defensive mechanism that the players must work around. Some will fire special slow-moving but powerful bullets that can only be stopped by melee attacking them back to the robot that fired them. Other robots are near impervious to attacks from one side, but are vulnerable to attacks from the opposite side. The player has a health meter that will drain when they are hit. If they take too much damage they will collapse; in multiplayer games, another player can revive them, otherwise they will start back at the last checkpoint. The player begins a level with a number of bottles of beer that can be taken to restore health.
Robots will drop nuts on dying; this is the game's currency which can be used to buy new equipment. Sometimes robots or special boxes will drop crates that contain tickets with which to purchase new equipment, or a large quantity of nuts. These rewards are tied to a player and can only be picked up by that player. Additionally, power-ups may be dropped by the robots, some giving temporary boosts like extra speed or attack damage, while others restore beer or special ammo. Killing each robot also boosts the player's experience level, which affects what equipment the player will have access to.
After completing a level, the players are rated on a star-based scoring system based on the number of nuts collected. To boost their score, players can chain robot kills together to increase a scoring multiplier up to 5x, though players must continue to kill robots to maintain this. The total cumulative stars that a player has earned will influence which levels the player has access too. Players are rewarded with additional nuts based on their relative performance. Once back in the RV, the players can then proceed to use the nuts to purchase equipment that they have obtained a ticket for and within their experience level.
The game supports co-operative play between two and four players. Individual player characters are identified by unique color to distinguish them from others.
Reception
Shoot Many Robots was released to mixed reviews and currently holds a 69/100 on review aggregate site Metacritic.[5] GamesBeat gave it 78 points out of 100, saying, "As team-carnage games go, you'll get some mileage out of this one. Grab a few of your drinkin' buddies, and have yourselves a fun (and cheap) night of gratuitous hillbilly firepower and richly deserved robo-death. Preferably with your beer goggles on."[6]
References
- ^ http://www.destructoid.com/shoot-many-robots-arrives-march-13-222604.phtml
- ^ "Shoot Many Robots Hands On Preview". 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2011-03-16.
- ^ "Shoot Many Robots: A Robot Murder Simulator". 2010-10-13. Retrieved 2011-03-16.
- ^ "Ubisoft to publish Shoot Many Robots on XBLA, PSN and PC in 2012". 2011-08-22. Retrieved 2011-08-22.
- ^ "Shoot Many Robots for Xbox 360 Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and more at Metacritic". Metacritic.com. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
- ^ McLaughlin, Rus (March 14, 2012). "Shoot Many Robots gives good carnage (review)". GamesBeat.com. Retrieved 15 April 2012.