|| REVIEW || Mekabolt (PC)

Developed By : Somepx      
Published By : Ratalaika Games SL ; GrabTheGames
Category : Puzzle, Platformer, Pixel Graphics
Release Date : Aug 23, 2019

Welcome to Mekapark, where everything is robotic, autonomous, and runs picture perfect smoothly...except for right now. The robots are going crazy currently, and you must control the theme park tech and guide her around the various locations of the park in hopes of collecting the 100 different batteries that will restore the bots to their former calm selves. How will you do this? With the game's titular device, the Mekabolt. 

Mekabolt takes you through 100 levels of puzzling, platforming challenges, and it will all be made possible with the use of your tool. There are four main areas of the game, each with a couple dozen levels that are populated with crazy robots. Luckily, your Mekabolt allows you to control and manipulate them, using them to reach the end of the levels and collect the battery. 

On your own, all you can do is run and jump, and a lot of the jumps you need to make are just out of your reach, so using the bots is a necessity. Some variants stick to the ground, running back and forth until you shoot them to deactivate them In this mode, they can serve as any number of assists for you, including a height boost allowing you to jump higher, some red-capped ones serve as a spring, letting you really jump up high. Blue ones traverse vertically, and if you can get on these they'll gladly be your elevator. 

Exercise caution though, as the levels are also filled with quite a few hazards that hope to stop you from getting the batteries. For the most part these are just spikes, either in pits, or hiding inside the floor waiting for you to trigger them. Eventually, when you reach areas like the Caves, you'll have hazards like lava pits, and falling rocks from the ceiling. Some of the bots that are meant to assist you can also be your enemy, like the ones that shoot out giant spears to create ladder-like climbing surfaces in the hard walls. If you don't move quick enough, those spears can end you.

Your character in Mekabolt doesn't have a health bar, and instead succumbs to any single hit. So whether you get squished by a giant rock fist, poked by a spear, or have your butt burned by a fireball, you'll find yourself restarting the level over. Fear not, all the levels are quite short in the time it takes to complete them, and the entire game can be tackled in just a couple of hours.

Short as it is though, it's a great play and the levels are a lot of fun. I had fun with every single one of them, and can't recall a single one where I finished it and thought "That was a dumb level". Using the Mekabolt is a lot of fun, figuring out which bots to manipulate, and in what order so you can complete the level properly. Some levels are a straight up puzzle of figuring out how to traverse, while others will be about timing and precise jumps. Either way, every single level is fun. 

Legitimately, my only complaint about this game is that it's too short and doesn't offer anymore levels. If it's possible to expand the concept into a sequel or some DLC, I can't wait for that release because the style of this game is a ton of fun. My favorite thing about it is the fact that there is never a time limit that pops up to taunt you. Some games use a timer for these level-based challenges, whether it's to rate you or just give you something to compare for yourself. However, I always dislike it because I feel that no matter the intent of the clock, it adds this bit of pressure to beat the level as fast as possible. Here, there is no clock and therefore you can relax and enjoy the levels for what they are. 

Mekabolt is short and sweet, and is plenty worth it's pricetag, so no matter what platform you play on, this title should be a welcome addition to your digital shelf of games, so make room for it and prepare to have a ton of fun.

Game Rating : 8.5/10

Pick the game up HERE (PC) or search for it
on any of the shops for the platforms below

Game Played on PC (Steam) 
Also Available On :  Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch