Botworld Odyssey by Featherweight Games is an open-world creature-collecting RPG, a Pokémon-like if you will. But instead of living creatures, it’s assembling and deploying a bot army. Botworld Odyssey takes you to a lighthearted post-apocalyptic world brimming with personality. Known as Botworld Adventure on mobile, Botworld Odyssey doesn’t look or feel like it. It’s emergence for Switch and Steam is a premium experience that should absolutely be played. Botworld Odyssey is charming, full of depth, and an impressive RPG that’s familiar yet a fresh take on the genre.
Botworld Odyssey‘s story takes a backseat to the gameplay, but that doesn’t diminish its charm. The story serves as a lighthearted backdrop for your adventures, providing context for the world and its inhabitants. Don’t expect a deeply layered plot with complex twists and turns. The focus here is on the quirky cast of characters and their often humorous interactions. The endearing personalities of both your companions and the eccentric NPCs you encounter along the way are sure to leave a smile on your face.
Starting a new game sends you to straight to the character creator, a simple yet effective way to make a connection to your character and showcase your personality. You’ll get to choose from a rat, cat, dog, lizard, and buffalo. You’ll then choose their color, eyes, and overall outfit. It’s a really neat and whimsical introduction to the game that lets you know not to take things too seriously.
The open-world of Botworld Odyssey is brimming with opportunities for exploration. Quests, both large and small, dot the landscape, offering rewards and furthering the narrative. While some quests can feel repetitive, the lighthearted tone and the quirky nature of the tasks keep things engaging. Uncovering hidden collectibles scattered throughout the environment adds another layer of intrigue, rewarding exploration with valuable loot or lore entries that flesh out the world’s history. You will easily spend over a dozen hours across its main story, and completing everything in the game will put close to 30 hours on the game clock.
With a few of the folks behind Wildfire, it’s no surprise how infectious this game was for me. Combat in Botworld Odyssey is a turn-based affair with a unique twist. Each bot has a “wind-up” time before unleashing its attack. Mastering this system becomes paramount to success. Strategically planning your attack order to maximize damage output and minimize enemy retaliation adds a layer of depth that keeps encounters engaging. However, the balance between bots can occasionally be uneven. Some enemies feel overpowered, forcing you to grind for levels or equipment before progressing. While grinding isn’t excessive, it can disrupt the flow of the game at times. Unlocking that critical upgrade or ability is where the game shines, and every successive fight feels like a progression.
It’s clear that the true stars of Botworld Odyssey are the bots themselves. From the hulking Tank, a walking tank bristling with cannons, to the nimble Chaser, a high-speed scout with razor-sharp claws, the variety is astounding. Other bot classes are brawlers, snipers, splashers, supporters, and evaders. Each bot possesses unique abilities that contribute to your party’s overall effectiveness in combat. Witnessing each of them unleash a devastating attacks and and work in conjunction together is a joy that never gets old.
One of Botworld Odyssey‘s greatest strengths is its robust crafting system. You’ll scavenge for scrap and components throughout your journey, allowing you to craft a vast array of equipment for your bots. From weapon upgrades that enhance raw damage to defensive modules that bolster survivability, the options are plentiful. This level of customization allows you to tailor your bot party to your preferred playstyle. Whether you favor brute force or a more tactical approach, Botworld Odyssey empowers you to create a team that reflects your strategic vision. However, the menus can feel clunky at times, especially when navigating a large inventory of crafted items.
This game has a robust and deep single-player campaign, but for those looking to really see if your bot army is as good as you think, can take things online in PVP battles. You can now jump online and take on other botmasters and see if your team has the metal and mettle to compete.
Lush environments teeming with flora and fauna (both mechanical and organic) create a visually stunning backdrop for your adventures. Towering scrap metal structures pierce the sky, remnants of a bygone civilization that now serve as both obstacle and opportunity. You’ll traverse biomes from deserts to mountaintops to forests. Everything is a visual feast to enjoy, and helps shake things up.
Botworld Odyssey is a delightful Pokémon-like with a surprising amount of strategic depth. The vibrant world, the diverse cast of bots, and the robust crafting system offer a compelling gameplay experience and steady treadmill to climb. While random difficulty spikes and repetitive quest design hold it back from greatness, the overall package is a charming and engaging adventure that deserves your attention. This is a quirky and strategic creature collector with a touch of mechanical mayhem. I’ve traditionally never been a fan of this genre, but it hit all the right notes, and Botworld Odyssey is built with all the best parts.
A Steam code was provided in advance by the publisher for review purposes
