Boti: Byteland Overclocked Review

Game: Boti: Byteland Overclocked
Genre: Action, Adventure, Platformer
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: Purple Ray Studio | Untold Tales
Controller Support: Yes
Price: US $19.99 | UK £16.75 | EU € 19,99
Release Date: September 15th, 2023

Review code provided with many thanks to Press Engine.

A Computer Adventure

Boti: Byteland Overclocked is a delightful 3D platformer focusing on collecting. This is family-friendly, suited to players young and old and better still, it can be enjoyed in co-op both online or on a split screen. If you want to add a bit of cheer to your gaming diet, I can’t recommend this enough.

You play as Boti. An adorable-looking data bot on a quest to rid the computer world of viruses and glitches. Accompanied by your floating buddies, One and Zero, you explore a variety of levels themed on computers and technology. What’s immediately striking about this game is its graphics. It’s been a very long time (in gaming) since I’ve been taken with the attention to detail in a game. Consistently, as I explored every level, I was floored by the numerous NPCs hanging around the environment, watching TV, running a mini bar, or just floating in the ocean.

Brimming with Life

The world is brimming with life. There is never a moment where your eyes are not greeted with some spectacle. The levels themselves are huge in scope, with most taking me around twenty minutes to finish. If this concerns you as someone who can only commit to bite-sized gaming sessions. I am pleased to report the game autosaves after frequent checkpoints, so you can switch off the game and return later when you are ready. The music also brings that upbeat positivity reflected in the graphic design.

My only real niggle with the game’s design is your companions Zero, and One commentate excessively during gameplay, to the degree they will repeat similar lines repeatedly. The voice actors do a good job in their performance, but it reminds me of the old PSone era, where characters just would not stop commentating. You can turn this down in the options, but during the review, it still felt they chatted too much.

Boti is in a factory, bussaws can be seen on either side of the room — Boti is buzzsaw-approved

Platforming and Collecting

Boti follows a familiar formula for a 3D collectable platformer. The objective of each level is to find your way to the exit, although it won’t take long before you are quickly distracted by other activities. You are heavily encouraged to explore each level, seeking out all the collectables: shards of dates, chests and coins.

You can also find computer nodes which will unlock new costumes. A handy scan option will allow you to look into the near vicinity to see what’s about, including enemies and collectables, should you want to locate absolutely everything.

Pick Up and Play Controls

Controls are easy to pick up and play for all audiences. The controller feels preferable to the experience, but you can use a mouse and keyboard if you prefer. Jumping feels responsive and comfortable. Boti can double jump and glide. You can also unlock some neat moves, like the ability to magnetize to certain objects, allowing you to move platforms, swing over nodes and shoot balls out of cannons.

The gameplay is regularly mixed up with unique sections, such as sliding down a track, collecting boxes and having control of the music playing. You can sometimes ride in vehicles whilst avoiding hazards along the route.

Botis scan mode highlighting friendly green objects and red enemy objects — Scan the area

Combat

The combat is a bit lacklustre. In many sections, you can sneak past enemies or just hack away at them. Usually, the latter is the easiest option I found. It lacks impact and punch and feels like it’s just there to add some variety to the platforming and light puzzling, which is far superior.

The other minor niggle is the game is quite easy. Checkpoints are regularly keeping frustrations at bay. This probably won’t bother most players, especially if you’re going for a stress-free experience, but there were times when the casual feeling of the game made the experience a tad boring. Back at the main hub world, you can exchange your collected blitzes for unlocking new areas in the hub world. Additionally, collectables even upgrade your character’s health, scan range and collectable attract range. These upgrades are handy but didn’t feel essential to success, adding to the game’s casual feel. When you finish a level, you are given a 3-star rating and a tally of all the collectables you found in case you want to jump back in to seek out anything you missed.

One of the big draws is the ability to play in co-op online or offline. Here, both players are given independence to explore the levels, making the collectable aspect much more enjoyable. It’s rare to see collectable platformers feature co-op, so this is a big plus in my book. It is an appealing prospect for parents sharing the game with their children or just friends wanting to enjoy the happy vibes in the game together.

Boti riding around in a boat — Take a ride

Few Bugs

What is rather amusing for a game about defeating glitches and bugs? I sure encountered a fair few during the review process. So much so it did irritate my overall experience, furthermore, some enemies didn’t appear, I fell through the floor a few times, and a vehicle would not spawn, so that I couldn’t progress through the level.

The game also crashed on an important boss fight. Most glitches disappeared when restarting a checkpoint, and the major ones I mentioned appear to have already been fixed with patches. Before posting this review, I still noticed the developers patching the game, which shows they are dedicated to making this the best experience possible.

Bot preparing to go down a slide, you can see far into the distance thanks to the games generous draw distance — Sometimes, you have to take in the view

Conclusion: MegaByte

Boti: Byteland Overclocked will likely win over the hearts of any gamer looking for a fun casual experience to play alone or with a loved one. Gorgeous graphics, tight platforming, and collectable gameplay make this one of the best platformers I have played this year.

On top of that, you can enjoy this game either online or in local co-op, enabling you to share the positive vibes together however you please. The game falls slightly short with its combat and being a tad too easy. Even so, if you’re looking for something just to put a smile on yourself, then Boti will absolutely achieve that.

Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot