Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition

 Xbox One
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  1. TheXboxHub
    Oct 18, 2018
    70
    Its lack of a story-based campaign is sorely missed and the repetitiveness of the environments is noticeable at times, but despite the infrequent flaws a good time can be found in Twin Robots.

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User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
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  1. Xbox_Alive
    Sep 2, 2018
    7
    I think the presentation side of things gives the game a little bit of charm and in the end both the visuals and sound design do their jobsI think the presentation side of things gives the game a little bit of charm and in the end both the visuals and sound design do their jobs well. Playing in co-op mode is actually pretty fun and in the end this inclusion does give the game some much needed replayability. The controls in the game thankfully remain tight and responsive most of the time and they didn’t cause me any cheap deaths, which is always good. They do a good job of easing you in gently and introducing new elements slowly not only keeps things fresh and interesting but it also keeps the frustration levels down. There isn’t really anything that makes the game stand out from the huge amount of game’s we have in this genre.
    In terms of content there isn’t a huge amount for you to be getting on with and once completed you’re highly unlikely to return back to the game. The platforming elements can be a bit of a pain at times because often the movement of the character is pretty floaty. Does Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition do enough to get a recommendation from me? All in all there are literally hundreds of platforming game’s that release each year and this does make getting excited about a new platformer quite difficult at times. That being said I’m always willing to try out a new platformer though because I like the genre so much, and in a way I’m glad I did try out Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition. Don’t get me wrong it isn’t the best platformer in the whole world and it doesn’t do anything different that you haven’t already seen many times before but that doesn’t hold it back too much because it has a lot of quirky charm dotted throughout. Another thing the game has dotted throughout is fun and whilst the platforming elements in the game can be a bit of a pain every now and then when played with a friend this game does end up delivering to you quite a lot of enjoyment. That means then that Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition does enough to get a recommendation from me and I’m sure fans of this particular genre will get their money’s worth with this game.    … Full Review »
  2. GBG_Jason
    Sep 16, 2018
    8
    If you grew up in a household with more than one kid, you know the struggle. You're sitting down for a nice game of Goldeneye 64 and then inIf you grew up in a household with more than one kid, you know the struggle. You're sitting down for a nice game of Goldeneye 64 and then in walks your little brother, whom wants to join in on the fun. The next thing you know, you're sitting in a bathroom stall with the only entry point covered in proximity mines while kicking back shoving handfuls of Doritos in your mouth, waiting for the inevitable meltdown. Sure, you could play something cooperative, but how can you torture your younger sibling if you are required to work together? Enter Ratalaika Games' newest release, Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition.

    The title follows two robots, whom are tasked with completing a number of timed trials or face certain death as all service bots do at the end of their service (sounds like a career in customer service to me). Failure leaves them in the scrap heap, whereas success will set them free. To complete the puzzles, you'll need to work as a team (or solo if a player two isn't available) as each player must carry their own weight to make it to the end of the level. I know, this doesn't sound all that torturous yet, but we'll get there.

    At the beginning of each level, one of the two bots will be locked behind a gate, with an ever descending ceiling that slowly creeps down on the secondary player. The free bot will have to quickly move forward through the level to seek out the large red button that will release the second character. Once both of the players are free, you'll simply need to book for the exit. While this is extremely basic, the fact that both robots will have to manage their battery life adds the true challenge.

    Before sitting down to play this with a second player, you'll need to evaluate their skillset. Is this person someone who can sit calmly and wait their turn? If the answer is no, you'll likely want to play solo, since doing any action, be it walking, running, or jumping depletes your battery. There are a few ways to combat this, such as walking on any of the brightly lit tiles on the path to the exit, collecting one of the few battery pick-ups tucked away within the environments, or by simply giving some of your energy to the other player, which can be done wirelessly from any distance. The kicker is the exit will require a fair amount of energy to unlock, putting real weight on decisions and deterring you from making needless actions. Since my young, slightly impatient child was my co-op buddy on this venture, it's needless to say I found the solo mode to be more enjoyable simply due to the fact that he couldn't sit still when it was his turn to be locked away in the tube (Not So Fun Fact: Jumping into the platform that works as a creeping death will also result in an early demise).

    The game falls on the easier end of the spectrum when it comes to the difficulty, with many levels only having a hazard or two to evade on your way to the exit. The short levels fail to hit their stride until late into the game, which comes all too quickly due to the fact that the game has just over 20 levels which can be completed in a matter of minutes. Once completed, there isn't much to revisit, unless you wish to seek out 100% completion on each level by collecting the batteries or activating each of the floor plates. The completion time for each level is tracked albeit fairly useless, since they serve no purpose outside of a few achievements associated with beating specific levels within a set time.

    The only weak point in the gameplay is the drag mechanic that comes into play late into the game. Most platformers use this as a tool to allow you to complete puzzles or reach secret areas - that is the same here, with the single exception being that the boxes or cubes are too light and often will move when you try to jump on them, effectively making them useless and requiring too many actions to properly move vertically, resulting in a drained battery more often than it should.

    The presentation is similar to previous Ratalaika Games releases, with blocky features and characters making up the bulk of the visuals. This suits Twin Robots well, but is nowhere near awe inspiring. Towards the end, I was growing weary of seeing the same color scheme and assets that are repeated throughout the game. The same can be said for the sound effects and music. The one standout feature is the responsive controls which make breezing through the levels enjoyable, even if they are over all too soon.

    Twin Robots: Ultimate Edition is a decent platformer even though it is on the short side. I would have liked to see more of the later levels come into play earlier in the game, making room for greater challenges, but I think this is a good starting point in what I hope to be a long running series that I can revisit with my son once he learns patience... or gets the opportunity to torture a sibling of his own.    … Full Review »