The wonderful part about playing indie games is that you can expect a unique perspective in every one of them, and there's certainly something about Robotherapy that makes it worthwhile.

Brought to you by Lucas Molina, Robotherapy is a dark comedy game about robots doing therapy. Interesting yet? It takes place in a dystopian society that killed all the humans who thought that it could make them happy. And yet they aren't - so the question goes, If killing all humans doesn't bring happiness, then what does?

The Story & The Game

Enter: Smokes, who is a self-proclaimed Robotherapist who also happens to be the best one in the world - claimed by him, of course. You play as him and talk to robot clients to deal with their depression. You meet interesting characters throughout the story who - I'd have to assume - have quite the personality chips. They are funny in their own way and the interactions with Smokes is like this conversation at a dry bar. Smokes himself is quite the character - he's a cynical, oddly narcissistic, speaks-his-thoughts-out-loud and short-fused robot.

I think Robotherapy is a dark comedy mostly because that's how the interactions are between each character - comedic, splash of dark jokes: killing animals next and all. However, despite its quirky take of meaninglessness of life without humans, it does manage to touch on mental health. It even features some strategies that is used in therapy to deal with depression and anxiety. It surprised me that some of the thought processes included in the game somehow reflected how present mental health interventions happen. That's amazing, isn't it?

The story does take an interesting turn as we go further and the focus shifts to Smokes' life, from depressed robots post-human annihilation. And this is where I pause and hope the stuff I've mentioned above are enough to give you an idea of what adventure you're going into and whether it might be true that Smokes is the best robotherapist in the world.

As for the aesthetics and the environment, it gives me the retro feels. Very simple graphic elements and not a lot of effects really to expect. It is overall pleasing and the soundtrack is pretty funky and cool - retrowave-ish? Some scenes have a good beat going but they are mostly recycle throughout different scenes.

The writing done in this game is just profound. It just emits existentialism from a comedic, inhumane, point of view. Plus - it brings therapy in a good light: showing it as a means to feel better or just move forward.

Mechanics

The game is presented as a visual novel or narrative so the only interaction is clicking - either to the next paragraph or the next scene. There are minigames here but, again, interaction is by clicking. Throughout the game you are presented with choices, you can either go the dark path of being an unempathetic therapist or one that tries to connect with the robot clients. Or you know, just to be funny. It affects the story to some extent but not completely that the end result is altered. From what I know there's only one ending.

I don't want to say any more because I tend to overemphasize and the message gets lost in all the words, so I hope the ones I've written above are enough. If you're looking for a unique, emotional, dark comedy-laced, 2D game and don't mind just clicking - put Robotherapy on your list.

It just released this August 7, 2023 and might still be on an introductory price on steam. Don't hate on me if you miss it.

Toodles.

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If you're interested in a gameplay (spoilers ahead) I have one uploaded on my personal channel, feel free to watch: