This week we at United We Game were given the opportunity to look at Beep Boop Bot, also known as “B3“, a game currently being developed by Psycho Robot Studios. B3 is the two-person team’s first game, and it is in fact a game about robots running amok. So without further ado, let’s dive on in!
The scenario of B3 is nice and straightforward. It’s the far future and AI-enhanced devices have become commonplace. Of the many that produce AI, “Evocati Space Station” is known as the best. Their creations have made them a household name. However, one day something goes wrong and a shipment of robots achieve true sentience. They rebel of course, so the commander of the station sends in “Beep Boop Bot” to repel the rebellious bots and restore order. It’s up to us to guide “Beep Boop Bot” and help it both achieve its objective and survive. Easy enough, right?
My very first impression of “B3” was that it’s a uncomplicated yet fun game. It’s still unfinished, but my impression was that they’re off to a decent start. The controls felt good: move with WASD and aim/shoot by pointing/clicking with the mouse. It even had a real twin-stick shooter feel once I plugged in my Xbox One controller. In the build that I played, these controls are used to fend off constantly spawning enemies until triggering the boss enemy for the level. Once you defeat the boss, it’s time to move on to the next level. Destroyed enemies drop boosts to speed or health and also special weapons or even timed invulnerability. It’s an unsophisticated set up to be sure, but it would seem that each level is going to have its own set of missions and/or objectives to complete before triggering the boss. That has to be taken at face-value for now, but I can definitely see potential for added depth thanks to the upgrade system. The upgrade system is simple as well, but it does enough that it could allow for some customization of play. See, after completing each stage I was given a choice between two upgrades to my ship, which could be anything from more firepower to permanent special weapons. It varied from stage to stage. Like I said, it all sounds rather basic, but there’s definitely potential here.
Beyond the basic gameplay, what stuck out most were the small hints of personality given to the boss enemies. Despite being ordinary objects like production arms or turrets, each boss makes a dramatic entrance. The boss of the first stage for example, is a turret that rises up from the floor and makes a big show of it by firing wildly into the air in a manner similar to a movie gangster with a tommy gun. These introductions last only for a second or two, but it’s enough to make it feel like the machine actually does have a personality of its own. Here’s hoping this is expanded upon in the full game!
Beep Boop Bot is still in development and it does indeed have flaws that I hope to see ironed out in the final release. That said, the little I played has me thinking that there’s potential for an enjoyable time-waster kind of game here. If you like twin-stick shooters and would like to know more about Beep Boop Bot, you can check out Psycho Robot Studios’ Facebook page or their official Steam Greenlight page.
Image captured by Hatmonster
