Robot Resistors by Crablacksmith Studios

Hordes of enemies against robots with plenty of weapons and upgrades make for a winning combination in Robot Resistors, an action Rogue-like game that has clear inspirations but also some smart gameplay changes that make for an entertaining experience.

Robot Resistors takes inspiration from Vampire Survivors. If you’re unfamiliar, it’s a game in which you move your character but all attacks are automated.

Armed and Dangerous

The variation in the gameplay comes in the form of weapon pick-ups. Each weapon is different – from homing weapons, random projectiles, and mines, to weapons that fire in the direction you’re facing – and can change the way you approach movement.

This game has a nice selection of around 20 different weapons to help mix things up, but if there’s one complaint, it’s that the weapon selection is less vast and varied compared to other games in the genre.

I’d oftentimes end up finding and getting spawn of the same handful of weapons. This made different playthroughs feel a bit too repetitive for my liking. But thankfully the core gameplay loop is fun and kept me enthralled while I played.

A core aspect is the moment-to-moment action of leveling up. Compared to other games in the genre, the collectible experience orbs disappear quickly – after around 30 seconds, which drastically changes the core approach to gameplay, requiring you to kill enemies, then try and circle back to collect orbs as quickly as you can, all the while juking and dodging dangerously close enemies.

The way it incentivizes a more risky style is a nice change. And it helps that each character has a rechargeable shield, so risk-taking gameplay never felt frustrating to me, but simply more engaging.

Hardware Upgrades

Robot Resistors utilizes persistent upgrades to health, armor, and weapon damage, which helps make runs last longer and overall makes each play-through more fun than the last. There are plenty of upgrades to obtain as well as different tiers.

Don’t expect the game to get too crazy with its upgrades and weapons, though; it feels a bit more straightforward in that regard, which actually makes for a more approachable nature, easier to pick up and play.

Most characters are fun to play as is – I never felt like I had to grind for upgrades first to enjoy myself – and the absence of a steep learning curve means Robot Resistors is a more forgiving experience from the get-go.

This might be a turn-off to those looking for a more challenging experience, but the game does also offer more difficulty modes that can be unlocked later on if you want more of a challenge.

When it comes to runs and play-throughs, Robot Resistors relies more on its upgrades instead of finding the perfect combination of weapons. For the most part, weapons themselves feel really balanced to the point where most of what I picked up was useful, making each run kind of feel the same in terms of damage output. The real, more substantial changes came from the persistent upgrades themselves.

This can be divisive, particularly if you’re looking for wildly different runs or want luck to be a major factor in mixing up the gameplay, but this didn’t bother me in the slightest. I had no issue with persistent upgrades being more crucial than randomized weapons.

Roving, Roaming Robots

Unfortunately, Robot Resistors doesn’t have very many maps – there are only five levels – but it does at least mix them up enough to make them feel different, and each has unique goals. The first map is pretty standard: last until the time limit and beat the boss at the end. The other maps have objectives within them.

For example, Crystal Caverns has you find and kill four bosses around the map. The desert-themed Scorpion Land map sends you inside alien structures, each with its own separate goal. This goes a long way to make the game feel less repetitive and makes up for a less expansive weapon pool.

In terms of presentation, everything feels cohesive. Enemies are clearly detailed, sticking out just enough from items and structures, and have a nice, somewhat whimsical 16-bit pixel art style. Environments are similarly detailed and atmospheric.

Music and sound effects are nicely implemented as well. The synth-driven music is nice to listen to, and I never got sick of it, no matter how many times I played levels over again.

Robot Resistors is a fun Rogue-lite, and while my aforementioned potential turn-offs may be deal-breakers for some, they didn’t bother me.

The core gameplay loop that prioritizes more risky behavior is really engaging. I had a blast playing this game and recommend it to fans of the genre.

Robot Resistors is available via Steam.

Check out the official trailer for Robot Resistors below: