Tickets, passports, luggage. You are probably wondering what any of that has to do with a VR game about robots. Well, think about the last time you travelled abroad. You reach border control, hand over your passport and wait while someone checks your details, makes sure you are who you claim to be and decides whether you can continue your journey.
Now imagine doing that job yourself, except instead of dealing with tired holidaymakers desperate to get through security, your queue is filled with robots. Some have dodgy paperwork, others are carrying contraband, and a few are definitely trying to pull a fast one.
Welcome to Border Bots VR, where keeping the city safe means inspecting every robot that rolls, walks or awkwardly shuffles towards your booth.
WELCOME TO KING WASH
Border Bots VR takes place in a future where artificial intelligence and robots have taken over almost every job, leaving humanity free to enjoy life without worrying about employment. Sounds brilliant, right? Unfortunately for you, that luxury does not last very long.
You play as Number One, a human who has somehow won the opportunity of a lifetime through a lottery: a job. Lucky you. Alongside other humans who have received the same wonderful prize, you are assigned to work as a border control booth operator, inspecting every robot attempting to enter the city.
Your responsibility sounds simple enough, but things quickly become more complicated. Robots will attempt to cross the border using forged badges, expired passes and incorrect documentation. Others might have undeclared replacement parts or try to smuggle prohibited items through your checkpoint. It is your responsibility to spot anything suspicious before stamping their paperwork and allowing them through.
What surprised me most was how much of a story Border Bots VR builds around such a simple concept. As you progress, you meet memorable characters such as Max and Dusty, alongside members of groups including The Firmware. Many have their own personalities, motivations and optional missions, which you can choose to complete or completely ignore.
Your decisions can also affect parts of the story, giving you more involvement in what happens beyond your everyday job. Things become even stranger when an update appears to give the robots greater consciousness. Machines designed to perform specific tasks begin behaving more like humans, raising questions about where the update came from, who created it and why.
Each working day introduces new events, rules and challenges, allowing the story and gameplay to develop alongside each other. What starts as a straightforward job checking robot credentials gradually becomes a much bigger mystery.
There is plenty of comedy along the way too. Some of my favourite moments came from the ridiculous characters and excuses I encountered while working at the border, but underneath all the humour are secrets waiting to be discovered.
Is there something more sinister happening behind the scenes? You’ll have to clock in and find out for yourself.
FROM LAUNDRY WITH LOVE
I never expected checking robot passports to become one of the most entertaining things I had done in VR, yet somehow Border Bots VR manages to make it work.
As a border control booth operator, your main responsibility is processing every robot attempting to enter the city. That means carefully examining their documentation and making sure everything matches the regulations you have been given for that particular day.
You will need to check construction dates, expiry dates, manufacturers, identification badges, robot models and any replacement parts they may have installed. Once you are satisfied, you can either approve or reject their entry using your trusty stamp.
Of course, the robots are not always going to make your job easy. Some will arrive with expired credentials, while others might have forged badges or parts that do not match the information they have provided. A few will even argue with you after being rejected, which can lead to some genuinely funny interactions.
Recognising the different robot models becomes increasingly important as you progress. There are numerous models and classes to learn, including Complexos and Lancers, and remembering what each one should look like can become surprisingly challenging.
Thankfully, you have access to a 3D printer inside your booth that provides information about the different robots. If you cannot remember whether a particular component belongs on the machine standing in front of you, checking the model can save you from making a costly mistake.
Then there is contraband. Depending on the regulations for that particular shift, robots may attempt to smuggle prohibited items such as books or knives into the city. Using your contraband scanner, you can search them and remove anything they should not be carrying.
Your inspections become increasingly complicated as new mechanics are introduced. At certain points, you may need to determine whether a robot is faulty or even flammable, requiring you to use different equipment such as a fire extinguisher or firebomb. Apparently, stamping passports was not dangerous enough.
Manufacturers also become important. Robots can come from companies such as Nova Link and Beta Ways, so you need to check that their badges and information match the machine standing in front of you. Some will attempt to fool you with convincing forged credentials, meaning you really do need to pay attention.
Make the wrong decision and you can be penalised, losing valuable points from your shift. This becomes particularly important as the regulations increase because there is much more information to process while trying to keep the queue moving.
One of the things I enjoyed most about the gameplay was how naturally the difficulty increased. Border Bots VR does not immediately throw every mechanic at you. Instead, new rules, equipment and responsibilities are gradually introduced, giving you time to understand each system before another problem lands on your desk.
At the end of every shift, your performance determines your rank. Completing the required objectives allows you to progress and unlock additional items that can be purchased through the store on your tablet.
There is also a surprising amount of customisation. You can purchase different gloves for your character and change them using the glove machine once they have been delivered. Your apartment can also be decorated with posters, food and various other items, while additional music can be purchased for your radios.
These smaller features give you something else to spend your earnings on and make your apartment feel more personal as you progress through the game.
And if you are a trophy hunter, there are 53 trophies waiting to be earned, including progression-based challenges and several hidden objectives. If you want that Platinum, you are going to have to prove you really are the best border officer in the city.
KEEPING KING WASH SQUEAKY CLEAN
One of the first things that stood out to me about Border Bots VR was its colourful visual style. I played the game on PSVR2, and the bright environments, detailed booth and exaggerated robot designs look fantastic inside the headset.
The robots themselves are easily one of the visual highlights. Each model has its own recognisable design, and the animations give them plenty of personality. Combined with the colourful environments, the game has an animated appearance that suits its comedic tone perfectly.
The overall presentation actually reminded me of the 2005 animated film Robots, starring Robin Williams. That immediately gave me a little nostalgia because it was one of my favourite films growing up thanks to my dad, and I found myself thinking about it several times while playing.
Performance was also excellent during my time on PSVR2. I did not experience any noticeable stuttering, major glitches or technical problems that negatively affected my experience.
Developers Paw Print Games Ltd and vTime Ltd have created a world with its own distinctive personality. The colourful presentation fits the humour perfectly while making the different robots, locations and objects easy to recognise while wearing the headset.
The audio is just as important to the experience. There are several different styles of music to listen to, with additional tracks available to purchase from the in-game store. Being able to unlock more music gives you another way to personalise both your apartment and your workplace.
However, the voice acting was probably my favourite part of the audio. The cast really brings these characters to life, with each having a distinct personality and style of delivery. The comedic dialogue works particularly well, especially when dealing with the robots attempting to pass through your checkpoint.
Then there is r0nn13, who is hands down one of my favourite robots to come through security. I also have to mention the gangster robot connected to The Firmware. Hearing a proper Cockney accent immediately made me feel at home, especially being Cockney myself.
Those characters and interactions give the game so much of its charm, turning what could have been simple NPCs into memorable parts of the experience.
RUNNING DAD'S BUSINESS
Comfort options are incredibly important in VR, particularly for players who experience motion sickness, and Border Bots VR gives you several ways to adjust the experience.
Firstly, you can choose whether you want to play seated or standing. This is particularly useful because much of your time is spent working inside the booth, meaning you can choose whichever option feels most comfortable for longer sessions.
Movement can also be changed between gliding and teleportation. Gliding gives you traditional smooth movement, while teleportation provides an alternative for anyone who struggles with free locomotion in virtual reality.
Personally, I preferred using the glide option because I found it much easier when moving around the booth and interacting with the equipment surrounding me.
You can also adjust movement and turning speeds, allowing you to make navigation slower or faster depending on your preference. There is not a huge amount of travelling involved, but having these settings available gives players more control over how they experience the game.
MAKE VR WORK FOR YOU
Border Bots VR completely surprised me. I went into it expecting a quirky puzzle simulator about checking robots at a border checkpoint, but what I got was a funny, charming and surprisingly substantial VR experience packed with memorable characters, increasingly complicated inspections and a story that became far more interesting than I expected.
The basic concept of checking credentials might sound simple, but the developers continually build upon it. New regulations force you to pay closer attention, additional tools change how you perform inspections, and the robots become increasingly difficult to process. Just when you think you have mastered your job, the game finds another way of making your next shift more complicated.
I also loved how much personality there is throughout the experience. Whether a robot was arguing with me because I rejected its paperwork, attempting to sneak contraband through the border or simply saying something completely unexpected, there was usually something happening that made me laugh.
The story also went in directions I genuinely did not expect. What initially appears to be a light-hearted game about working at border control gradually develops into something much bigger, and I enjoyed discovering more about the robots, The Firmware and the strange events unfolding around the city.
Visually, the colourful art style works brilliantly in VR, while the character designs and voice acting give the world plenty of charm. Add in the apartment customisation, optional missions, secrets, unlockable items and trophies, and there is plenty to keep you occupied outside of simply progressing through the main story.
Team17 have published some absolute bangers over the years, and Border Bots VR is another game that thoroughly entertained me. During my time playing on PSVR2, I did not encounter any major bugs or glitches, and the experience remained smooth throughout.
Even after finishing the story, I wanted to jump straight back in and collect the trophies I had missed. I would also love to see the world expanded in the future, whether through DLC, additional shifts, new robots or completely different challenges.
A key for Border Bots VR was provided for review purposes.
Positives
✅ Addictive Gameplay –
Checking robots and spotting incorrect credentials is surprisingly satisfying.
✅ Great Characters –
The robots are memorable, funny and packed with personality.
✅ Plenty of Variety –
New rules, tools and mechanics keep your shifts interesting.
✅ Colourful Visuals –
The bright art style looks fantastic in VR and gives the game its own identity.
✅ Excellent Voice Acting –
Strong performances and comedic dialogue bring the characters to life.
✅ Lots to Unlock –
Customisation, collectibles, secrets and trophies give you reasons to keep playing.
Negatives
❌ Can Get Repetitive –
Repeatedly checking credentials can become familiar during longer sessions.
❌ Slower Pace –
Players looking for constant action may find the inspection-focused gameplay too methodical
Co-owner of Indie Critical. I’m passionate about highlighting independent voices in film, games, and culture. I focus on honest, thoughtful reviews and love helping great indie projects get the recognition they deserve. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m probably diving into the latest hidden gem or discovering the next big thing in the indie scene.
Written by
Lewis Langton
