It's the future. You are a computer professional. You decide to customise and buy a childlike sentient android. Five years of service are included. After that, the android will be free to stay with you or move on. How you treat them will determine whether they stay and what sort of relationship may develop.

They can be your servant. Your friend. Your ward. You choose.

The player character and the android each have a choice of nonbinary, female, or male.

Some routes contain romantic content but not sexual or graphic content.

This took me about a year to make.  I've played it hundreds of times if not thousands, and I had several beta testers (thank you!). I will probably release a few updates if problems are found, but I don't plan to make any major changes to the interface or story. Please let me know if you find bugs or any language errors! Note that spellings are in Canadian English.

Thanks for playing, human!

StatusReleased
CategoryOther
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, HTML5
Rating
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
(33 total ratings)
Authorcuterobot
Made withGIMP, Ren'Py
TagsCute, friendship, nonbinary, parenting, Ren'Py, Robots, Romance, Sci-fi, Singleplayer
Average sessionA few hours
LanguagesEnglish
InputsKeyboard, Mouse, Touchscreen, Smartphone

Download

Download
cuterobot-soundtrack.zip 101 MB
Download
Cute Robot 1.2 for Android: com.domain.cuterobot-release.apk 170 MB
Download
cuterobot-1.2-linux.tar.bz2 151 MB
Download
cuterobot-1.2-mac.zip 146 MB
Download
cuterobot-1.2-win.zip 162 MB
Download
cuterobot-1.2-html.zip 139 MB

Install instructions

Linux: Extract it. Run cuterobot.sh. You might have to start it from a terminal window.

Mac: Extract it and move the cuterobot file to your /Applications folder. Then run it from there.

Windows: Extract it and run cuterobot.exe.

Android: Download directly or copy it over USB. If you download it with the Chrome browser, you should be able to open it directly from there after giving it permission then and there. Or use a file manager to install it and get past the "unknown developer" warnings. Note that now there's only one Android version for phones, tablets, and emulators.

Web: Download the web version, run it through a web server, and open in a browser to play offline. Or play it directly in the window above where it says "Run game"!

Development log

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Comments

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(+1)

this is so unbelievably cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it gave me baby fever to the max

Show post...

so can you type what you do?

What?

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can you type words then your character does what you type?

Oh! Sorry, it's not set up that way. You have to make a choice from a set of options.

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can you make an option where we can? you don't have to if you don't want tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo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No, sorry. That would require an entire rewrite and some kind of language recognition.

(+2)

I really loved the game, I wished we could have a longer game like this. Seeing all the developments and how they handled the robot racism would of been nice, I wanted to see how she would feel about everything.

(+2)

Thanks! The original script was even shorter, but I made it longer thanks to one of my testers' requests. But I hit a writer's block. Perhaps some day I'll expand it though! I'm currently working on a sort of sequel, more news to come!

(+4)

Thank you for the game. I had much fun playing!

One thing though ... You must have been really really hungry when wrting the script. All those foods, there were moments I thought I was reading a cookbook ;)

(+2)

Haha, should there be a Cute Robot Cookbook?

I was hungry some of the time, and I think cooking together is a good bonding experience.

(1 edit) (+2)

Thank you. It's such a meaningful, well-thought out game.

(slightly spoilery stuff below)

The only route i felt comfortable playing was the friend route. Treating them as an equal being. In the parent/child and romance route... Even though I sort of expected to enjoy it, I felt out of place, lying to myself. No matter what I was doing or what I was projecting at them, no matter the appeareance, they just weren't a child. Sort of playing a role, yes, and I didn't know how willingly. They were a small adult... real kids are not small adults. Yes, it raises the questions of AI and morality etc, but also a couple of very personal ones - what do I really want?

Amazing job, really.

(+1)

I found this game randomly browsing vndb. I honestly wasn't expecting much. I'm a hardened visual novel veteran (lol) so I know all the tropes, I know every single character type, so I'm rarely surprised anymore. But this game!!! This game!!! It moved me so deeply!!! Oof. I even had to make an account on this site to say this because I just couldn't hold it in lol

Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I made it because I wanted to play a game like it and couldn't find one.

(+1)

(Spoilers discussed, beware!) This was so interesting! I was vaguely uncomfy with the idea of a romantic route with this game. I don't mind such content, but usually I'm only personally comfortable with/interested in narratives where I can project on the "child" whether they are a child or not. So I didn't think I'd enjoy that story line, since we play from the POV of the MC. But the android character acts so not childlike in the lead up to what seems to be the divergence, that it almost felt uncomfortable not going that route, as someone who feels a lot of affinity for automatons, particularly romantically. It felt like being like "uh no" was infantilizing them unduly. They very much felt more like their own person, of a small stature, just playing whatever role the MC wanted from them, which I think is genius on your part! Especially when they confront the MC about their feelings and talk about how things will need to change if they enter a relationship, and they won't keep doing whatever MC wants, they need to be an equal. At this point it seems most if not all of their childlike air disappears, except of course their small cutesy frame. I think the android character is a very interesting, fun character, I really enjoyed them.

The support group plot point was also really engaging to me. Initially I thought the AC was hinting at a ped support group, which of course is a great message and a great idea- even if we get to a point where those feeling can be safely acted on with consenting individuals who understand consequences and can and will act out their will, it will probably be for the best for people with those attractions to get help with that, to make sure they and their brains understand the difference between someone who can consent and someone who can't and have people to talk to who share that struggle- but needless to say it felt a bit weird to be confronted with as someone who was interested in the android component and a fair bit put off by the childlike elements. But then the AC bish slapped me with "It's called botlovers support chat!" and I was just like "HEY! THIS IS NOT HOW I WAS READY TO BE UNCOMFORTABLE, DON'T CALL ME OUT LIKE THIS!" lmao But really, probably also a good call, and interesting. Obviously there's still the implications of the childlike attraction angle, but it made me wonder how this society generally reacts to Human/Android relationships in general.

This game also did make me think about the morality of the situations put forth, both the servitude the Androids are obligated to carry out upon creation, and of pursuing a relationship with a being so new to experiencing life, even if they are fully thinking and reasoning, especially one that you own and that is obligated to stay with you. Clearly the company in the story makes their contracts so the androids don't have to do anything they don't want to (besides cooking and cleaning), and can be taken out of particularly abusive situations, and clearly they make sure the androids are able/willing to assert boundaries, but even still it makes you think. The androids don't ask to be created, why should they owe anything for it? Sure if the android doesn't want to reciprocate romantic affections, they can assert their boundaries and trust they can leave if they aren't respected, but turning that down could make the next 5 years of their life an awkward, possibly even toxic or abusive, hell, as they're trying to figure out who they are and what they want. A hell they can't seem to leave unless their contract and boundaries of service are violated. It raises a lot of really interesting questions!! I would love to see another story exploring this universe, maybe with a "standard sized" unit if you will. No pressure at all of course, just wanted to express interest in case it was something you'd though about! lol

Thanks so much for such a cool experience!

(+1)

Wow, thank you for the detailed review!

Yes, the support group plot was kind of a play on both kinds of attraction there. I agree with your points about support groups!

I hadn't thought about an android "owner" pushing boundaries like that and making those five years a living hell. Perhaps an android in such a toxic situation could make an appeal. I put a few options in the game to be rude and treat the android like they don't matter, but haven't really thought over how bad things could get.

I do have another idea that would take place in the same universe, with an android who's been around a long time. Probably the same size, but a very different story, with no romantic options. Let me know if you'd like to hear more about it.

(+1)

Hi!! Your game is beautiful and I loved it! If you ever want to translate it to Spanish let me know. I can do it for free, Spanish is my native language. It really would be nice more people could play this awesome work.

Thanks, glad you loved it! I would love a Spanish translation! I did some coding with the writing so that it works for female, nonbinary, and male characters. If you could provide female and male translations, I think I could figure the rest out. You can DM me on Twitter, or I can provide my email address if that works better. Gracias!

(+1)

Such a cute game, but now it's unable to be played on the site?? Makes me really sad, I LOVED playing it after school on my chromebook!

Oh no! Let me see what went wrong.

I recently made a small change from Opera and saved the project, and it looks like the setting for "playable in browser" doesn't show up in Opera.

Long story short, it's fixed now. Thanks for pointing that out!

(+1)

Thanks so much for the quick response and for fixing it! This is my absolute favorite visual novel on itch!

Admin

What version of opera was this? I just tested opera and didn’t have any issues editing a project page

63.0.3368.35. But! I think I ticked the wrong box somewhere when I was uploading something. I don't think it was an Opera issue after all.

(+1)

Very great and a cute game, i love how visual novels get more creative with time. Like how the locations are made out of paper, nice!

(+1)

Oh, the name of the game is really funny for some reason.

(+1)

very cute game ! <3

Yay! I was going for cute.

(1 edit) (+1)

This is adorable! I love it! I've only just finished a route but I had to say something! As aforementioned this is so cute! Also I got too excited when it was established we were in Canada. Overall I thought it was great! :) <3

Thank you! I'm glad you like it. You're the first to mention anything about it taking place in Canada!

(+1)

I'm from Canada so whenever I see it in games and stuff I get unreasonably giddy.  (^_^')

(1 edit) (+1)

i tried to do all the routes but after 4 or 5 play throughs i still could not do the romance route options it just made me feel off every time i hovered over the option.  i enjoyed the parent option and the existential ideas it gave about us and the loose comparison to modern predjudace. the friend route was comfortable and i felt like maybe i was a roomate with a child genius or maybe a second cousin that i felt responsible for.

that being said even though it was just a game and the character was a android some part of me still couldnt connect it as not human not a child the design of the androids were to blend in seamlessly with humans as to not tell the diffrence and becuase of that they instill a mental moral siren in my head.

i will say you made the game with artistry that followed a stable continuity and characters that didnt break their characters. I felt in the role of the Mc the entire time without immersion breaking on the routes. except the one i failed to do. who know maybe ill one day do the last route just to solve that completionist itch.

Thanks for your review. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I like your honest description of your reaction.

I have playtested hundreds of times, and for me, the android seems the most non-human in the romantic route, if that helps.

(+1)

A wonderful game! I've only played the Mom route so far but its so sweet! The customization is a really nice touch~

(+1)

I can not put into words how much I love this game. It is an artful masterpiece with beautiful artwork, amazing songs, and the cherry on top - the skilled writing that was riveting, and enthralling. I was completely engrossed in the game until the end. Thank you so much for putting it on the phone, because I don't have a windows device, so I couldn't have played it otherwise. Thank you so much for making this game! 

Thank you for your detailed comment! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Deleted 3 years ago
(+1)

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

(+3)(-1)

I found this game very interesting and enjoyable. However, it almost felt, wrong playing it. After playing a few times, I decided to go the romantic route, not because I'm romantically interested in children, but because I wanted to find as many routes as possible. When I finished and the message about the website to visit if you're attracted to children came up, I felt almost dirty. I figured, whatever, I'm enjoying the game, I'm sure that's just for the people who are using the game for,,, different reasons. Then i played again, and the passphrase "I am virtuous" was used, and it connected, virtuous pedophiles, I am virtuous. 


I dunno, you're very talented and have made a great, enjoyable game, but some of the options rubbed me the wrong way. 


Ideally, there would be the same options, but with more education on what is and isn't okay. For example, the romantic route, instead of having the positive romantic ending, only the choice of a negative ending, where the android, having lots of knowledge on csa and pedophilia, decides to end the arrangement as soon as feelings are admitted. Or even a positive "romantic" ending where when feelings are admitted, the android uses their knowledge to explain that the arrangement will no longer work, and recommend therapists or websites to seek support (this is where you could put the website that is at the end of the current positive ending).


I dunno, i really enjoyed the game, but I think normalizing attraction to children and being in a relationship with children is not okay, even if they are just androids, well, this type of thing could attract a certain crowd, especially with the romantic endings.


Thank you for this game, I hope you make others in the future, just hopefully without the problematic options ;P

(+1)

Oh and I forgot to mention how much I love the art in this, the idea of using craft materials to make it like a collage/school project looking thing is something very unique and cool that I have never seen before.

Thanks! It's something I came up with when figure out how to do more on my own, not being much of an artist.

(+1)

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. This is probably the only game I'll make that is anything like this. It seems to me that everything that you think would be problematic would be okay if the character is not an actual child and does not think like a child.

(1 edit) (+3)(-8)

Seriously? "You decide to customise and buy a childlike sentient android" "Some routes contain romantic content." This is disgusting.

(+1)

Awesome!

(+2)

Currently halfway through my third time playing it, I want to see how many different endings I can get. I have to say, as someone who's not used to videogames, this was really fun. The story is fun and endearing, the art is unique without compromising plot or playability and you can aim towards an ending without it feeling like a straight line.

10/10 Would Recommend.

(+1)

Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it!

(+2)

Such a wonderful game! I really enjoyed the art style of it, did you make everything yourself? :o

The music and atmosphere in the game was very nice and I can't wait to finish the game :D

I don't know if you've heard of Game Development World Championship before (gdwc2019) but it's a competition for indie game developers where they can submit their games and it's free! It's great if you want some more visibility for the game and it only takes a couple of minutes to join :)

Thank you! I commissioned the character art and found public domain music and sound effects. 

I will look into the Game Development World Championship.

Great! :D

I haven't done a video capture of the game, but I'm sure I can figure that out. That's the only part I'm missing.

Oh, nice! :) One option is to just screen record when you play the game :D

Okay. I have a Twitter. Maybe I'll post a clip there.