Overview

This page serves as a breakdown of the key moments within the This Game is About Robots narrative.

Breakdown

The vast majority of robots takes place in a single interconnected level, broken down into several subareas. Each of these areas will have a slightly different visual identity. In order to progress to the next area, the player will need to unlock a new ability (key), which will allow them to progress further. The player will not be able to freely backtrack to previous zones unless specifically stated. Thus, the Metroidvania ‘loops’ should exist within each zone at a smaller scale. Below is a breakdown of each of the game’s areas:

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0. The Construction Site

Overview

The Construction Site is an outdoor mini-level in which the introduction scene takes place. This zone effectively serves as a tutorial, and is entirely disconnected from the other levels (spatially). The tutorial ends as S04R falls to into the lower levels of Cog Springs, setting the rest of the events into motion.

Environmental Appearance

Story Beats

• The game opens with a mixed-media video presentation that serves to establish the setting. This video is a piece of propaganda delivered daily by C30. It is about 60 seconds long and establishes the overall tonality of the narrative and exposits the concept of ‘going haywire’.
  • The video ends with a quote along the lines of: “and remember, if you ever see anything that is not the way it should be, it is up to YOU to make it right.”
  • As the video reaches its end, it begins to pan out, revealing S04R’s eye lens. The video was being played in a reflection of his eye, which references S04R’s exposure to the propaganda, as it eclipses all other information.
• S04R looks up at a tall building. It has an electronic messaging board in front of it that is not powered on. He then looks down the street, and sees that every other building has a sign powered on.
  • The words of the footage echo in his robot brain. “if you ever see anything that is not the way it should be, it is up to YOU to make it right.”
  • S04R enters the building, following the depowered red wire connected to the sign.
• Gameplay Begins: A short tutorial sequence through the construction site. This serves to introduce the player to the gameplay mechanics, as well as the idea that wires serve as wayfinding tools.
  • When the sign turns on, it is revealed through a cutscene to say “BUILDING CONDEMNED: DO NOT ENTER”. This building was not under construction, it is scheduled to be demolished.
  • Just then, the building begins to collapse, and S04R falls through the floor.

Keys

The player completes the tutorial. They are automatically sent to the next level through an in game event.

The Construction Site — Expanded Breakdown

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1. The Dump

Overview

Environmental Appearance

Story Beats

• S04R wakes up to a voice saying, “Welcome back!”
  • A pseudo friendly companion joins S04R.
  • This companion used to be a drone enemy but has been damaged since they also fell (they’re kind of like k2so in that way). This gives the narrative team an opportunity to write dialogue and deliver important exposition.
  • Occasionally, the companion will glitch and deliver propaganda to the player which will make for some interesting storytelling opportunities. The companion also has had his memory chip damaged, so he will occasionally reference that as well.
• The two protagonists find that all the elevators that would allow them to travel upwards are not powered.
  • In the center of the dump, there is a massive battery that is powered off, featuring large wires that travel downwards, tangling themselves in a massive garbage pile, and eventually making their way into the next zone.
  • Your companion suggests finding out how to power the battery, as it might turn the elevators back on, allowing you to escape.
• The majority of this location is a giant dump. The player recognizes that this means the city is in fact not clean and that they are being lied to. This is also the ‘reason’ why C30 is attempting to silence them.

Keys

• The player is able to exit the dump when they unlock electrodash

The Dump — Expanded Breakdown

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2. The Drone Factory

Overview

Environmental Appearance

Story Beats

• In an attempt to power the elevators in the dump back on, the protagonists make their way to the drone factory.
  • This environment is where the stakes begin to raise. C30 begins speaking to the player through an intercom system here, telling the player that they must turn themselves in. They may be going haywire.
• At the end of this level, the player finds the powering center for the factory. Interacting with some sort of terminal or puzzle, the redirect the power back into the dump. They are then able to loop back to the dump.

Keys

• The player unlocks shockwave in this environment.

The Drone Factory — Expanded Breakdown

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3. The Observatory

Overview

Environmental Appearance

Story Beats

• After looping back into the dump, the player realizes that despite powering the dump back on, the elevators are still not functional. (This is either due to mechanical sabotage, or the wires traveling to the elevators being severed).
  • Despite this, the dump is now active. Massive conveyer belts and oversized buckets transport the garbage up to a new area.
  • Riding on one of these buckets, the player is now able to travel to this new area: the observatory.
• The hub of the observatory features a large steel door. As the buckets of garbage travel along their path, your companion notes that they are being dispensed into whatever is behind that door. He mentions that is could be anything. Perhaps the water supply for the city?
  • The player then works to open the steel door.
  • Companion mentions that he thinks they should skip town when they escape. The world is so much bigger than this strange city.
• Eventually, they succeed.
  • Cutscene: The massive doors slide open revealing the cold vacuum of space. As the two friends stare into the infinite expanse of endless stars, they idle in grim, somber silence. For—perhaps a bit ironically—their world just became far, far smaller.
• The companions continue their adventure, with a new motivation: keep exploring, search for answers and a way out. Unfortunately for them, all wires point downwards.

Keys

• The player unlocks lightning leap in this section.

The Observatory — Expanded Breakdown

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4. The Boneyard

Overview

This is an incredibly hostile environment, testing the player on everything they’ve learned thus far. It should also be open enough to allow them to make use of all their abilities in a clean synergy.

Environmental Appearance

Story Beats

• Travelling downwards into the next environment, the two find themselves in a much more open environment.
• Eventually, the level funnels into a more tight hallway, littered with propaganda posters, instructing readers to turn back:
• After opening a door that is shockingly easy to open, the two companions find themselves in the heart of big ship: the bone yard. This is a massive fuel processing plant filled with giant piles of human bones.
• The player enters the processing center.

Keys

The Boneyard — Expanded Breakdown

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Characters

Characters