Trover Saves the Universe is a creative and hilarious ride through the wonderfully insane mind of Justin Roiland. Boasting memorable characters, an incredibly funny script, and unique but thoroughly enjoyable gameplay, Trover is one of the most fun games currently available for VR.
Trover Saves the Universe
Developer: Squanch Games
Price: $30
Platforms: PS4 (reviewed) and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS4 code for review
Something about Justin Roiland’s sense of humor just gets me. Obviously, Rick and Morty (the hit show he and Dan Harmon co-created) is a great example, but I have a real soft spot for his older, surreal internet work from his Channel 101 days. House of Cosbys, Mr. Sprinkles, The Unmarketables, The Grandma’s Virginity Podcast— all incredibly different shorts and shows with the connecting thread of Roiland’s pleasantly gross absurdism. I was immediately interested in Trover Saves the World when it was announced, if only to get another dose of his humor, but upon playing the game, I found myself surprised at just how genuinely good it is.
It’s hard to describe the story of Trover. It’s loose and all over the place, but in a way that works with the game’s humor. Your dogs get stolen by a rogue Abstainer, which is a god-like being that looks like a big bird. By putting the dogs in his eyeballs, Glorkon (the Abstainer) gains some form of power. You, alongside Trover, have to do a variety of surreal and seemingly unrelated jobs in order to take Glorkon down. One minute, you’re beating up an old curmudgeon. The next, you’re overfeeding an enormous man so you can find a Crystal Power Baby in Flesh World. It’s all kinds of weird, but it works so well with Trover’s humor that I can’t recommend it enough.
Like with all humor, Trover’s writing (and assumedly, its gallons of improvisation) won’t be for everybody. There’s a lot of gross-out humor and observational humor, but it’s delivered in such a genuine and goofy way that it just works. As I said before, I have a soft spot for Roiland’s humor, so fellow fans of Rick and Morty and his other works will likely get the most out of Trover. The humor isn’t tailored to be exclusive to these existing fanbases though, so you may very well find it hilarious without having heard of Justin Roiland. If the humor isn’t for you though, you’ll likely have difficulty with Trover, since the jokes and dialogue are an enormous part of the game.
“… I’d definitely recommend playing Trover in VR if you have the option. It’s far more fun and immersive, and it just works better.“
In Trover, you technically play as the titular Trover. You’re actually a Chairopean, a lifeform that exists by sitting in a chair and holding a controller. Trover lets the Chairopean remotely control him, allowing him to solve puzzles, battle enemies, and climb platforms. This mechanic is necessary because the Chairopean can’t walk around or move on his own. Trover has to step on special nodes that allow the Chairopean to teleport to him. It’s hard to describe through text, but it’s a unique system of control that works incredibly well-especially in VR.
The one negative to Trover is that its controls are definitely weaker outside of VR mode. Having to use the controller to look around makes subtle changes in direction and specific actions a bit frustrating, and more cumbersome. It’s not broken, by any means, but I’d definitely recommend playing Trover in VR if you have the option. It’s far more fun and immersive, and it just works better.
“Every alien world feels like a completely new and fascinating place– even when you’re platforming on giant flesh nodes and teeth.“
The majority of Trover is spent platforming, fighting, or solving physics-based puzzles to advance. Fighting is pretty basic, as you only have a few combos and a couple of Chairopean skills to work with. Combat never really overstays its welcome, so it’s fun to smack chickens and throw objects at them for a bit of time here and there. Puzzles are fairly simple for the most part but can be solved in alternative ways if you’re willing to experiment with platforming and physics. Overall the difficulty of Trover’s puzzles is completely fine, as I was never frustrated or stumped, and never really bored either.
The platforming in Trover could easily have been an enormous issue, but the well-implemented ability to “pop-up” in your chair makes it an enjoyable breeze. If you need to change your perspective, you can just zip upwards (or back downwards) in your chair, giving you a new angle to see platforms, collectibles, and enemies from. This is especially helpful when collecting Green Power Babies, Trover’s suitably odd main collectibles (each with their own wacky description, some of which are truly gold). To collect a floating Baby, you just look at it and hold R2– an easy task if you’re willing to search a bit.
Finally, I’ve got to give credit to Trover for its visuals and music. Roiland’s iconic style is on full display in Trover, with crazy colors and odd shapes everywhere. Every alien world feels like a completely new and fascinating place– even when you’re platforming on giant flesh nodes and teeth. Every living thing has its own vibe to it, and I never found myself getting tired of my surroundings. The music is often quite relaxing, with the title screen’s song and “Vanilla Village” standing out as my two favorites for how strange but relaxing they are.
The Final Word
I love Trover Saves the Universe a whole fleeping lot. Justin Roiland’s surreal worlds and ridiculous humor had me laughing out loud a number of times throughout the entire game, while the actual gameplay kept me invested at all times. It’s a bit clunky outside of VR mode, and Roiland’s humor won’t be for everyone, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Trover–both the game and the character.
MonsterVine Review Score: 4 out of 5 – Good
