Platform: Sega Saturn

Developer: Micronet

Publisher: Acclaim

Release Date (NA): 1995

Genre: First-Person Shooter

Nerd Rating: 6 out of 10

Reviewed by Nerdberry

When you encounter a loose disc Saturn game for under $5, YOU BUY IT. Period. And that’s exactly what happened here. I happened upon a thin jewel case with a Robotica disc safely secured inside. The back of the disc was in OKAY condition, but I know the difference between scratches that make it unplayable and ones that are acceptable. I had never heard of this game, and research was unnecessary as I was just going to buy it and play it no matter what. And so, this is exactly what I did.

I dusted off the ol’ Saturn and fired up Robotica, going in blind. I was immediately greeted to exceptional cinematics, something I did not expect from a 25+ year old game. I’m dead serious, the graphics / animation are very impressive for their time. Today, they’re clearly dated, but for 1995, these are the things that made kids say, “whoa! It’s so realistic!” True story.

Robotica kicks off with a lengthy (for the time) introduction setting up the surprisingly well-thought-out story that is supposed to drive the game. If I’m being honest, I glossed over the story the first time, then hit reset and actually glossed over it a second time. I finally zoned in on the third reset, but this is an indicator that, well, who gives a fudge about the story really? Games like these have stories but they really mean nothing once the game actually starts. And as it turns out, wouldn’t ya know it, the same is true here. But it is a cool concept, and not a half-assed story, so I’ll skim it over for ya:

In the year 2077, the world’s nations collapsed and a singular government emerged to assume planetary control, the WSSS. This government ruled over Earth from the Deadalus, a space station established in the orbit of Earth. For over 800 years, mankind lived in peace. In the late 2800s, humans began to question the archaic existence of the Deadalus, having slowly forgotten its origins and purpose. Some began to worship the Deadalus while others sought to destroy it and bring it down (described as terrorists). This is where the story begins – as the terrorists make their first attempt at an insurrection.

What is very unclear at first, and tough to understand until later in the game, is: am I playing as someone who is protecting the Deadalus or as a terrorist trying to destroy it? It’s not much of a spoiler alert, so I’ll tell you: you’re trying to destroy it.

Level 1, stage 1 (properly known as Floor 1), sees you inside the Deadalus. The game’s layout is very reminiscent of Doom and Wolfenstein 3-D : First-person shooter perspective, tight-quarters in a labyrinthine design, big firepower, etc. Lacking is the gore of Doom fame, but present is the gameplay of the early FPS genre. Traversing the mazelike floors is easy enough, but often feels like pointless meandering. Enemies are few and far between, and easily identifiable on your short-range radar.

The graphics in Robotica are absolutely topnotch for the time. Although the games’ visuals may leave much to be desired – due to a lack of visual variety – what they do deliver is very sharp for the time. One of the biggest struggles of early 3D games is the lack of textures and excessive polygons and pixels, which often lead to confusion about your orientation on the screen, especially if you get too close to a wall. Robotica suffers these same issues, but smart shading, lighting, and design at least help you realize where you are and what you’re doing better than some of Robotica’s contemporaries.

Sound effects and the “soundtrack,” if you can really call it that, are both sharp and vibrant. The “soundtrack” is mostly comprised of ominous tones, lending an uneasy feeling as you traverse the dark and mysterious ship. It may not have the grandiose feeling of a John Williams score, or the complexity and emotion of a Yuzo Koshiro track, but it does convey a certain emotion, and it does it well. Aside from the soundtrack, the sound effects are sharp and accurate.

As much praise as I’m heaping on the graphics, soundtrack, and sound effects, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how bloody boring Robotica is from Floor 7 onward. When I reached the 7th floor, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “um, is this it? Will the rest of the game be any different?” The answer is no. You’ll feel like every stage is nearly exactly the same as the last, but the layout is different… making it a different level? I did enjoy the darkness of some levels, paired with the ominous background tunes. It had the feelings of a horror/survival game. But none of the positive moments can take away the monotonous and slow pace of the game.

CONCLUSION

Overall, Robotica is a serviceable video game that is worth trying out if you’re into futuristic sci-fi shooter games. Technically it functions and you can get from point A to point B without much trouble or fuss, but the controls definitely feel dated with its singular D-pad directional controls. The graphics and sound effects still impress, but that’s not quite enough to save the game from the trappings of early 3D games.

Robotica is a fun look at the past, 1995, when these types of 3D games were a marvel in graphical power. We were in awe at the CD-based gameplay with the then-impressive 3D level design and CD-quality audio. But most games from the era just feel unplayable today. Fortunately, Robotica is an exception as it is very playable from a physical perspective, as you can just pick up the controller and start playing immediately with little to no instruction. But it lacks variety on a massive scale, making Robotica monotonous, and it won’t take long for tedium to set in. Overall, Robotica is fun for about one hour, but it’s ultimately not worth more than the novelty of playing an early-age 3D shooter game.

Nerd Rating: 6 out of 10

Reviewed by Nerdberry