Tickets, passports, luggage… Now you’re all probably thinking “Lewis, what are you on about?” Well my fellow gamers, have you ever been abroad? Could be to go away or come home and you go through the border of any country and you are asked to show your passport, they look you up and down to make sure you don’t look dodgy, make sure you are who you say you are and then stamp your passport and bingo you are home free to proceed where you need to go!
Well now imagine if the shoe was on the other foot but in a futuristic location, no I don’t mean you have to intimidate people who just want to go on holiday, well kind of… you get to do the very same but with ROBOTS! Yes, you are one of the border control booth operators who will look at and make sure the robots coming through are legitimate, and the best part about this game it’s in VR. Developed by the talented team at Paw Print Games Ltd, vTime Ltd and published by the amazing Team17. Welcome humans to your new job in Border Bots VR!
Here on Business or Pleasure?
Story
Border Bots VR is set in the future a time when humans no longer need to work and do what they want but now living amongst robots and A.I. being in complete control jobs are a thing of the past. Unfortunately, that doesn’t last long for you as you are the lucky Number One who wins a lottery to be allowed to be given a job! LUCKY Number One! Now it is your job as a border control booth operator amongst other humans who have also won this amazing prize to make sure every robot and A.I. that comes through the border has the right credentials. This won’t be an easy task as the robots will try to trick you, using forged badges, hiding contraband, and using expired passes plus making sure each model and their parts are correct. As you progress through Border Bots VR you will be given choices that will affect the story as you go along, such as helping The Firmware or the quirky robots. Border Bots VR is packed full of comedic moments that had me laughing, and truly beloved characters you get to know such as Max, Dusty, and a few other notable individuals. Each character has a unique personality that you will get to know and have a choice to do missions for as side quests that you can choose to take part in or decline and ignore. For a puzzle simulation game, it comes with loads of secrets and surprises for you to find that you will truly enjoy. The story also introduces you to different gameplay mechanics that will unlock the more you progress. Border Bots VR has a very long but enjoyable journey that I did not see coming and thoroughly enjoyed. The story continues after an update that gives the robots more life and consciousness while trying to find out why this update was created, who was behind it, and why the robots have started to act more human. Each day comes with a new event for you to find, which makes this game progressively different from the next becoming harder as you go along with more to find. Is there a sinister plot behind this story? You will have to find out.
These Are Not The Droids You Are Looking For
Gameplay
When you think of a puzzle simulation game, I would not have thought you could have so much fun investigating and processing robots just trying to enter the city. As a border control booth operator, you will have to seriously look at every robot from the date of construction to the date their credentials expire. You will have to make sure they match their current model and have given the correct details regarding changing their parts. Using a stamp or approval or rejection you will give every robot a chance to be processed or be rejected from entering. Some robots will argue their case or call you a jerk which can be a truly funny experience. You will need to memorise each model and how they look but if you struggle to do this a 3D printer is next to you which will give you a rundown of each robot and its class such as a Complexo and the class being an Elite or a Lancer who would be a Worker bot, there are many to come across so it will take you time to remember them all. Some robots will try to smuggle in contraband such as a book or even a knife, depending on the rules set on the day you will need to use the contraband scanner to find these items and discard them. Sometimes you will need to check if a robot is faulty or flammable using different tools such as a fire extinguisher or even a firebomb. More options will unlock as robots become smarter giving you a set of new tools and objectives.
Every robot will also have a manufacturer that could be Nova Link, Beta Ways, or many others. Sometimes the robots will try to fall you into thinking the badge is legit, but this is where your job comes into it, and if by any chance you process a robot that is not meeting the right requirements you will be penalized for the incorrection and lose points. At the end of every shift, you will be granted a new rank depending on completing the current requirements and this will help unlock new items for you to buy at the store on your tablet. You can customise the way your character looks such as the gloves on your hands with loads to choose from and put on at a moment’s notice at the glove machine once the item has been delivered by the delivery bots. You can also buy items that customise your apartment from posters to food items and even new music for your work and apartment radio.
If you are a trophy hunter then I have amazing news for you, earn 53 trophies through progression and a few hidden ones to unlock, can you collect them all and get that platinum?
I’m Rodney Copperbottom
Graphics and Audio
Border Bots VR has such a colourful art style with hi-fidelity graphics, and no stuttering or lagging as I played this on PSVR2 I had no issues whatsoever, and the character models looked like something from a movie, kind of like something from Disney Pixel, it was just well made and the developers at both Paw Print Games Ltd and vTime Ltd have outdone themselves creating something that plays as good as it looks but also creating something you won’t get in any other game with a unique look. The music in this Border Bots VR varies with a lot of different styles that you can also unlock in-store. The voice acting in this game is one of the best performances with the voice actors truly bringing their characters to life and giving them unique voices, with comedic dialogues honestly, they were just brilliant as were the voices of the robots coming through security. Wait till you meet r0nn13 he is hands down my favourite robot that comes through security and of course, the gangster robot from The Firmware, got to love a true cockney accent, which made me feel right at home being cockney myself.
Is There A Problem With The Three Laws
Options and Motion
Border Bots VR is a game that will have you walking around so if you have motion sickness with that kind of style then there are 3 different options to make this easier for you. You have the option first to choose between sitting and standing depending on how you’re playing. You have the choice between gliding or teleporting with gliding allowing you to walk freely. Lastly, you can choose between the speed you turn but also walk with the option between low to highest to be fair you don’t have to stress that much, but I preferred using the glide mechanic as you will find it easier, especially in the booth.
Final Thoughts
Border Bots VR was an extremely wild ride for me, I never saw any of this game coming and had an amazing experience one I will return to again after writing this review to collect the last trophies, and fingers crossed for maybe a future DLC? Team 17 has always published some absolute bangers and has yet to disappoint with Border Bots VR with no glitches or bugs found once I cannot wait to see what comes next. The game was released today on the 8TH of February 2024 on the Meta Quest Store, Steam VR, and PSVR2. Now get ready to experience the mayhem of stopping the most wanted or even just someone with a cupcake from getting into the city and experience the secrets to be found! Border Bots VR reminded me of the movie “Robots” from 2005 that starred Robin Williams and was a favourite of mine as a kid thanks to my dad. All in all, Border Bots VR is such an amazing game, I cannot recommend it enough, just check it out yourself and help keep the city safe.
Available Now on Meta Quest Store, Steam VR, and PSVR2
GAMERHUB RATING: FIVE (Out of FIVE) JOYSTICKS
(Thank you to the team at Press Engine, Team 17 and the team at Paw Print Games Ltd and vTime Ltd for providing the code for this review)
