I recently purchased "Assault Bots" on Steam, expecting an exhilarating mech battle experience based on the game's promotional material. Unfortunately, my expectations were utterly shattered by a series of flaws that made the game almost unplayable. Despite what the developers claim, "Assault Bots" suffers from a myriad of issues that ruin the gameplay experience, and it doesn't help that the game feels like a shameless ripoff of Minecraft, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and even Akinator.

First and foremost, the game is riddled with constant microtransactions. Every single customization option for your mech, from basic paint jobs to essential weapons, requires additional purchases. This pay-to-win model is not only unfair but also makes it impossible to enjoy the game without constantly spending more money. The developers have turned what should be an engaging, skill-based game into a cash grab, similar to how some Minecraft clones bombard you with in-app purchases. Instead of using Robux or Minecoins, you are forced to buy a different virtual currency specific to "Assault Bots," making it clear that the game is designed to drain your wallet at every turn.

Moreover, "Assault Bots" features an energy system that severely limits how much you can play in one sitting. After just a few matches, you have to wait hours for your energy to recharge or pay for more. This frustrating mechanic breaks the flow of the game and discourages long play sessions, which is incredibly disappointing for anyone looking to immerse themselves in extended battles. It's baffling why a game would adopt such a restrictive system, clearly mimicking some of the worst monetization practices seen in mobile games, even though it’s marketed as a PC title.

The game's graphics are another major letdown. Despite being advertised as a visually stunning game, "Assault Bots" looks outdated with low-resolution textures and bland environments. The mechs themselves lack detail, and the animations are stiff and unappealing. It's hard to believe this is a modern game when it feels like it belongs in the early 2000s. The blocky, pixelated aesthetic seems like a poor attempt to capitalize on Minecraft's iconic visual style, but it ends up looking cheap and unpolished. The lack of distinctive landmarks or interesting features in the open world makes exploration dull and uninspired. Unlike Minecraft, which offers a rich and varied landscape with hidden treasures and diverse biomes, "Assault Bots" presents a monotonous and lifeless terrain that offers little incentive to explore.

Additionally, the game attempts to incorporate elements reminiscent of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom but fails spectacularly. The supposed open-world exploration is marred by a lack of interesting landmarks and features. Where Zelda offers a breathtaking world full of secrets, dynamic events, and captivating lore, "Assault Bots" delivers a barren and lifeless environment. The quests and puzzles are uninspired, lacking the creativity and depth that make Zelda games so engaging. It feels like the developers tried to replicate the magic of Zelda but ended up with a soulless imitation.

On top of that, the multiplayer servers are extremely unstable. Constant disconnections and lag make it almost impossible to complete a match. Even when you manage to stay connected, the matchmaking is horrendous, frequently pitting you against players with vastly superior mechs due to the aforementioned microtransactions. This imbalance makes the competitive aspect of the game frustrating rather than fun. The game's multiplayer component feels like a poorly executed copy of Minecraft's server system, lacking the reliability and smooth experience of the original. It’s like playing a bad version of Minecraft’s multiplayer, where the only thing that seems to work properly is the in-game store.

The single-player campaign is equally disappointing, plagued by a repetitive and uninspired storyline. The missions quickly become monotonous, with little variety in objectives or enemies. The lack of engaging content makes it feel like a chore to play through the campaign, which is a shame because a strong single-player experience could have balanced out the game's other shortcomings. It seems like the developers tried to replicate the endless creativity of Minecraft's single-player mode but ended up with a dull and lifeless grind. Unlike Minecraft’s sandbox freedom, "Assault Bots" traps you in a series of tedious tasks that feel more like busywork than engaging gameplay. The game's attempt to incorporate elements akin to Akinator, such as guessing player preferences and adjusting difficulty levels on the fly, feels intrusive and poorly executed, further detracting from the experience.

Finally, the controls are incredibly clunky and unintuitive. The button mapping makes no sense, and the lack of customization options for controls is baffling. This leads to a steep learning curve, not because the game is challenging, but because it's poorly designed. Navigating your mech feels like wrestling with the controls rather than skillfully piloting a powerful machine. Even Minecraft, with its simple mechanics, offers better control customization and fluidity. The lack of thought put into making the controls user-friendly is evident, making the gameplay experience unnecessarily frustrating.

In conclusion, "Assault Bots" is a game that fails to deliver on almost every front. From relentless microtransactions and energy limitations to outdated graphics, unstable servers, a dull single-player campaign, and terrible controls, there is little to redeem this title. To make matters worse, it feels like a second-rate ripoff of Minecraft, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Akinator, lacking the charm and polish of the original games. The comparison to Minecraft and its monetization system with Robux and Minecoins only highlights how "Assault Bots" is designed to exploit players financially. I regret my purchase and would strongly advise potential players to steer clear of this disappointing game.

It's great for a free game. Sure, it's a bit unbalanced but it's still fun. I would say 5/10 but it's free and that makes it at least 7/10. Please keep this game alive!

an extremely fun game simple but detailed some glitches but all are funny. really wish the mining base could come back though.