No Money, No Problem: Pocket Robots Test Chamber

Title: Pocket Robots Test Chamber
Developer: echa
Platforms: PC, Browser, Android
Price: Free, $0.99
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I'm no programmer; I just pretend to be one. Between Glitchspace, Hack n Slash, SpaceChem (kind of), and other games, there's a certain appeal to messing with Not, And, Or variables to initiate actions. Pocket Robots Test Chamber is another welcome addition to that category.

Pocket Robots Test Chamber is essentially a platformer. Your robot can move left, right, and hover with a jetpack to reach the exit of each level. That task quickly becomes more complicated than your usual game, since you don't control your robot directly, instead coordinating its actions through a simple drag-drop visual programming interface. The game starts out (relatively) simple, providing a six interval set-up to coordinate behaviors. It took me a few levels to wrap my head around how the system worked, how to best utilize And gates and Not gates; there are a few tutorials, but half the fun is figuring what to do and how to accomplish that and what isn't working.

Soon PRTC introduces colors and a variety of other twists on the base programming mechanic, and each time, it feels like a return to the square one. Not in a negative way, but a chance to learn and master something new. With 56 regular levels and a handful of user levels as well as a level editor, Pocket Robots Test Chamber has a nice amount of content. Don't dismiss the game for its simple style, or else you'll be missing out on this fun challenging puzzle game. You can download the game from itch.io or play it in your browser for free. The Android version is $0.99