Primordia Review

Even when the last remnants of a futuristic humanity have withered and faded, it stands to reason the sentient robotic drones left in our wake would face similar problems. Limited physical resources. Dwindling energy supplies. Crime and corruption. Shadowy rulers. Indeed, Primordia has the makings of an intriguing story. The robo-centric cyberpunk tale packs an undeniably strong creative spark full of gritty personality and intentionally low-res charm. But like the melancholy, broken world it’s set in, this journey has its rough spots that hamper your progress.

As the original Star Wars amply proved, the desert is not a friendly place for a droid. When the power core from their dilapidated ship is stolen by a burly laser-toting bot, the game's two robotic protagonists find themselves eager to restore power and get back to their gig as wasteland scavengers. Only a speedy fix just isn't in the cards for Horatio Nullbuilt V5 and his floating sidekick Crispin, and their reluctance to embark on a grand adventure sets a shaky tone for the sometimes dull, frequently dense puzzle grind ahead. The single-mindedness of Horatio's pursuit to recover the power core and get home also makes it hard to connect with or care much about later plot developments that unfold in the bustling city of Metropol where the latter half of the game takes place.

Pixel art sure can look pretty.

Horatio's dry demeanor and cold, calculated approach to the challenges you face can be a real buzzkill, which is why Crispin's jovial personality and comedic gags provide much-needed balance. Both characters are excellently voiced, as are the many oddball droids they encounter along their journey. Light humor and playful conversations between the droid duo helps to counter some of the drag of the game's early desert puzzles. More than just comic relief, Crispin plays a substantial role in the gameplay too. You can send him to investigate hard-to-reach hotspots or consult his snarky wisdom for hints on how to move ahead.

Juxtaposing classic antiquity with a touch of modern convenience, the point-and-click gameplay is functional but doesn't always feel as fluid as it should. Quick-jumping to different areas you've encountered is a nice touch that cuts down slightly on some of the meandering backtracking. On the other hand, the inventory and interface has its less savory quirks. For example, the screen for Horatio's data pouch -- a crucial device that holds information you've gathered to help in puzzle solving -- is so small it only fits a few words on the screen before you have to scroll down by tiny clicking on-screen buttons. At least locating interactive hotspots is made easy thanks to words that pop-up when you mouse-over something important.

Puzzle work is fairly intuitive in Primordia, save for a few instances that require bold leaps in logic to piece things together. Not surprisingly, hunting for items occupies a good portion of your time, and there are more than a few seedy robots who require your assistance in exchange for crucial gear your need to proceed. Combining junk you've scavenged to make tools you need to overcome obstacles is satisfying when it works, though it can be frustrating when you're missing a crucial elusive component or overlook something as obtuse as dipping a rag from one screen in a puddle of oil in another screen in order to use on a third screen across the wastes. Puzzles seem to layer atop one another too at times, so pushing hard to figuring out one obstacle only to be presented with another related problem to solve is a pain.

This city is dirty.

Primordia's robotic romp winds through lots of drab-colored domains draped in muddy hues of brown, gray, and red that cast a certain gloom over the adventure. It fits the cyberpunk aesthetic, adding an extra dose of heavy mood to each location, though some stretches of the game do tend to blur together visually. Even so, the pixelated settings are impressively detailed, particularly when you get inside the city limits. From the robotic folks you meet to the sprawling-yet-grimy future-tech backdrops, the world clicks and whirls with mechanical life. I often stopped playing just to soak in the subtleties of each environment. In contrast to the grander areas you explore, it's a shame the character animations aren't quite up to snuff with the rest of the presentation quality-wise. Horatio's movements are stiff and jerky in a way that's less a feature of his robotic frame and more a byproduct of clunky animation. The same goes for other characters you encounter.