Robot Dinosaurs that Shoot Beams When they Roar is a short, character-driven side-scrolling shoot-'em-up, controlled with the mouse. Hold the mouse button to fire, but be sure to release the button to let your power meter recharge. Due to the thematic complexities in Robot Dinosaurs that Shoot Beams When they Roar, the following review will take the form of a dialectic between myself and 5th-century Greek philosopher Socrates.
Psychotronic: There is only one level in this game, and a short one at that.
Socrates: Robot dinosaurs that shoot beams when they roar.
Psychotronic: Including lives and a health meter seems to have been merely a nod to convention, and not a considered design decision. Rather than implementing collision physics, the developer has allowed the protagonist to fly through solid walls, thus breaking the illusion of a persistent game world.
Socrates: Robot dinosaurs that shoot beams when they roar!
Psychotronic: Most players will find the difficulty level low and replay incentives limited. The artwork barely meets the minimum requirements to be comprehensible. The sound effects appear to be improvised vocalizations. Gameplay depth is non-existent.
Socrates: RAAAAWWR!!!
Psychotronic: I concede.
My favorite part of this game was the robot dinosaurs. Tied for first was the beams they shoot when they roar.
This is the greatest thing to happen to mankind since... ever. the Dinosaur highfive is the best.
Robot dinosaurs that shoot Beams when they roar>Sliced bread>Plankton>*>Optical mice.
I dig.
Hey Psychotronic, you forgot the "(tm)" in the title. XD
There is only one way to describe this game.
Dino-Tastic!
This is what Michael Bay movies would be like if you took the budget away. Which is to say, way better!!!!
YES! Great!
I really liked the part when the dinosaurs shot beams when they roared.
This is definitely the best game I've ever played about robot dinosaurs that shoot beams when they roar. In fact, I dare say that the next developer who wants to make a game with robot dinosaurs that shoot beams when they roar will find that the bar has been set very high, both in terms of robot dinosaurs and shooting beams when roaring.
However, I immediately noticed that there are no ponies in this game. I think the next game about robot dinosaurs that shoot beams when they roar needs to have ponies in it as well.
Easter Eggs:
When you try and shoot a beam with a low energy bar, you get an exasperated kind of roar.
Listen when the game is over to hear all the "roars" the developer recorded. You can listen for the ones he picked, too.
Personally I enjoyed briefly clicking the mouse as opposed to holding the button down - this makes the dinosaurs sound like dogs! Robot dogs that shoot beams when they bark - could be the sequel?
What do you mean, no collision detection? The very first building in the game drains your shields like mad when you collide with it!
This game really made me lol. The roaring and the lasers and the dinosaurs were the best part of this.
Awesome game. I especially liked the great voice acting. Such a thing has never been seen before!
Guys, I just discovered something amazing:
When your robot dinosaur roars, it shoots a beam!
RAWWRRR!
(Enjoyable)
Rawr?
This is the kind of game everyone would want to play once, laughing at the three-kinds-of-awesome crammed together in one title while shouting their favourite laser beam in-joke. If those design problems were addressed (maybe increased replay value from different characters? I'd play as an undead ankylosaur with eye lasers and a tail-clubbing close-range attack), we'd have a real winner here. Aw well, here and now this game's title is amazing!
Ooh, it also tries to be arcade-style, with a fun little intro that illustrates said title. Even the dubious should at least watch the intro.
Thanks for the review JiG! Even if you did outline all the flaws, it's about time someone actually criticised this game. it's cool to finally have an article on here.
Also, how am I supposed to add collision physics in a game where your avatar is locked to the mouse? Come on, you know that wouldn't work.
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Yes, a hope they make a sequel and this time include more than one level, and plan some more good game design elements. But the gameplay and control is actually very good.
It was hard not to laugh at work during this game, which I think was what they were going for. It makes a great piece of interactive humor, but the gameplay is too good not to give us more levels!
Often I abandon a game after I've written the article about it, but I just keep playing this one. I love the way DinoMite's tiny hind legs wobble as he flies. And how Tyrannosaurus X peeks in at a 90 degree angle to congratulate him at the end.
This game is kind of like YHTBTH in that it's short and hilarious. I'm sure I'd enjoy a sequel or more levels, but making this game longer may wear out the humor. On the other hand...
ROAAAAARRRRRRRR!!!
Hey, Tom! Thanks for dropping by!
I know it wouldn't be easy to add collision physics, but there is an opportunity here to have more interaction between the dinos and their environment.
In real life, parts of buildings smash to pieces entertainingly when robot dinosaurs fly into them. And glass shatters when robot dinosaurs roar nearby.
I saw "dinosaur robots" and I was hooked, but when it turned out they shoot lazors when they ROAR I was just beside myself.
Thank you so much.
There is a TON of replay value behind this, and such a compelling story. I mean, these poor souls, DINOMITE and Tyrannosaurus X, have crashed down on this planet and are being attacked by humans. They use the lazer beams they shoot when they roar to gain energy to leave earth.
The replay value comes from the multiple ways to defeat the final boss and you have TWO different Robot Dinosaurs that Shoot Beams When they Roar™ so you can play as each one, then after you play the second one, you forget about the first one and have to replay him, only to forget the second and replay him, and so on and so on.
IM CHARGIN MAI LAZ3RS!!!! SHOOP DA WHOOP!!!! ROAR!!!!!!!!!!!!
I don't think I can wait ten jillion years for the sequel.
This game parodies apogee's Stargunner, if anyone can be bothered to replay the space station campagin, the star boss is there, and all the flash's ships (that means two, lol) are much like stargunner's...
Dude, I played this game twice just to experience if from each character's point of view. Amazing. I dub this game ROARTASTIC.
I think Psychotronic may have looked into this game a bit too much. I found it a nice little way to waste a few minutes, and got a nice laugh out of it. However, I agree with Psychotronic on gameplay. A little more of a challenge would be nice.
This game rocked. If all games were like this game, there would be no need for other games because this game would be the bestest game evarrrrrr. I could play this awesome game until my computer crashed and (SIGNAL INTERRUPT)
Don't know if anyone else noticed this, but if you press the left mouse button, both type of Robot Dinosaurs
Shoot beams when they roar.
Update