Robots Love Ice Cream™ Review
PROS
- Looks great
- Shooter gameplay is fun
CONS
- IAPs ruin upgrade progression
- Slow pace of play makes replaying levels monotonous
VERDICT
An entertaining slow paced shooter, Robots Love Ice Cream's insistence on rubbing your nose in its IAP prevents it from realising its potential.
- Full Review
- App Store Info
Any dimension where ice cream can be used to save humanity is okay by us. Robots Love Ice Cream inhabits just such a dimension. With robots trying to steal vital dessert supplies, you must cruise the galaxy in your weaponized ice-cream truck, blasting mechanical agressors out of the sky.
Each invading robot looks like it has been taken straight out of a toy box. Their distinct appearances make each one easily identifiable, even during hectic moments. This ensures that you can instantly recognise units, allowing you to prioritise ice cream nabbing robots over general cannon fodder.
The worlds you protect appear spin beneath you as you drive left and right. The waves of enemies descending from the top of the screen reminded is of classic shoot'em-ups like Galaga. However, Robots Love Ice Cream operates at a much slower pace, something that might limit its appeal for genre fans.
There are four weapons available, three of which must be unlocked. Armaments are suitably ice cream-themed, and different enough that your choice of weapons will dramatically affect your tactics. We found the Rapid Pop's constant stream of low-powered aggression useful, but were also drawn to the Hot Fudge Fun Day's deliciously sticky explosions.
Unfortunately, at their initial power levels, weapons are quite ineffectual against powerful foes. Upgrading weapons eases this problem, but also proves the root of the game's biggest flaw. Despite being a premium title, the game is riddled with in-app purchase to speed up these unlocks. There seems to have been a conscious decision to impede progression in order to incentivise IAPs, forcing you to either grind through repetitive missions or pay even more money to upgrade promptly.
Robots Love Ice Cream flirts with brilliance, but shoots itself in the foot with its upgrade system. Overpriced IAPs could be forgiven in a free-to-play title, or in a game that allows you to earn currency at a reasonable rate. Here, however, the grinding feels cheap, especially when you've already paid your money upfront.
Screenshots
$0.99
