Rise of the Robots was one of those games that looked incredible in magazines—all those shiny, detailed robot fighters—but man, playing it was a different story. You pick your bot (Cyborg was my go-to) and jump into this weirdly empty futuristic city where every fight feels like you're swinging through molasses.

The animations were impressive for the time, with all these mechanical whirs and clanks, but the actual combat? Super stiff. You’ve got these flashy special moves, but pulling them off mid-fight was like trying to solve a puzzle while someone punched you in the face. And the AI? Either brain-dead or psychic—no in-between.

Still, there’s something oddly charming about it. Maybe it’s the synth-heavy soundtrack or the fact that it tried so hard to be cutting-edge. Just don’t go in expecting Street Fighter—this is more of a "play it once for the novelty" kind of game.