Ever since the Switch was released, Nintendo fans have been clamoring for new games from the company’s most iconic characters in its roster. One of these characters is Samus from Metroid. Yes fans did get a Metroid game on the 3DS called Metroid: Samus Returns and a fourth Metroid Prime game is on the way for the Switch, but most fans wanted a traditional metroidvania style of game on the Switch. One of those games to step up to the plate to satisfy fans is a game called A Robot Named Fight! by Matt Bitner Games.
Fighting the good fight
Metroidvania rouge like- At first glance, A Robot Named Fight looks like any other Metroidvania inspired game: a main hero with some type of upgradeable blaster, exploring a strange world with branching paths and boss encounters. What makes this game stand out is that it incorporates rouge-like elements into it such as permadeath, procedurally generated maps (more on that in a bit), a seed system and a metagame (a players finds an item during a run and unlocks its use for future runs). You don’t usually see these types of elements/mechanics in Metroidvania style games, which makes A Robot Name Fight all the more interesting.
A strange scifi story- Much like Metroid, A Robot Named Fight’s story isn’t told through traditional cut scenes, but through the player’s progression, encounters and discoveries in the game. However while Metroid’s story is about a space bounty hunter, Fight’s story is about one robot’s mission to save the world from the Mega Beast. The story may sound simple, so let’s start from the beginning and go a bit deeper. It has been over a millennia since the mechanical gods ascended, leaving order robots to cultivate the world in peace. Then one day the Mega Beast, a pulsating moon sized orb of flesh, countless eyes, mouths and reproductive organs, penetrates the stratosphere and spills its children into the world.It’s up to a robot named Fight (hence the title) to get “fight” enough to defeat the Mega Beast. Through out the game you learn more about the world and the Mega Beast and why it had arrived.
Cronenberg stylized enemies- The enemy character sprites are just as odd and strange as the game’s story, which is fitting. You can even say that most of them seemed Croenberg inspired. Fight has to contend with sacks of flesh with faces, eyes and limbs protruding out. They crawl around, fly and spit at Fight. Just looking at them can make you shiver with disgust.
Procedurally generated maps- With most Metroidvanina style of games, the maps are pretty much constant. What that means is that besides enemy re-spawns, areas of the map do not chance with each new playthrough when the player dies. A Robot Names Fight sets itself apart from other games by having the maps be procedurally generated. This gives players an extra challange and incentive to not die or risk losing everything and have to start over. This can be frustrating to some, but I see it as a way to test onc’s skills, which can be fun in of itself.
Seed system- With most rouge-likes permadeath looms over the heads of players as they progress further into whatever dungeon or world the game is taking place in. Once the player’s character dies, that’s it game over. Or is it? Although A Robot Named Fight has permadeath, it also has a seed system. Now for those who are not familiar with this term, a seed in a rouge-like is somewhat like a password that allows you to be able to replay that world configuration after your character’s death. If somehow you manage to get far into the game and want to continue in that same world, the seed system will let you do that. This is handy for those who might not to start all over in a different generated world.
The horror, the horror
Death and restart can be tedious- One of the more annoying aspects of having rouge-like elements in any game is permadeath and having to start over from scratch, and A Robot Named Fight suffers from that. Sure there’s a seed system and you could start from that world, but you still have to start all over from the beginning. And if you die again, you have to enter the seed number again or have the game roll you a new world, which can start to get tedious. Rouge-likes take a ton of patience and perseverance in order to run through them and looking at today’s modern gamer, which they don’t have.
Areas/backgrounds start to look bland- Another annoyance that A Robot Named Fight suffers from having rouge-like elements is that after a while all of the areas/backgrounds will start to look bland. This is due to the world being procedural generated each time upon death. So be ready to see the same backgrounds over and over again even though the layout will be different each time.
With no new Metroid game coming out soon, fans can count on A Robot Named Fight for their Metroidvania fix. The game has all the tools it needs to make the experience a frustrating yet enjoyable thanks to having rouge-like elements, Croenberg inspired sprites, a really strange scfi story and a procedurally generated world. The game will started to get tedious for those who die often and are not used to permadeath. Not to mention bland as well due to the game using the same backgrounds for each new world that is procedurally generated. But if you have the fortitude, iron will and stomach to face bloody sacks of meat enemies, I say give A Robot Named Fight a shot.
