Honestly, if you haven’t sat in a virtual chair while a purple monster screams insults at you for accidentally killing a group of innocent "Popols," you haven’t lived. Trover Saves the Universe is a fever dream. It’s a mess. It is also, perhaps, the most cohesive example of how to actually make a comedy game work without it feeling like a cringey, scripted slog. Justin Roiland’s signature improvisational style is all over this thing, and while he’s no longer the face of the studio he co-founded, Squanch Games, the DNA of this 2019 release remains a bizarrely influential blueprint for VR interaction.
You play as a Chairorpian. You're basically a person stuck in a floating recliner holding a video game controller. Your dogs have been stuffed into the eye sockets of a giant cosmic beak-monster named Glorkon, who is using their life force to destroy the cosmos. It's weird. It’s very weird.
Most games try to make you feel like a hero. This game makes you feel like a slightly incompetent middle-manager of a purple alien named Trover. You control him with your "Power Babies" (the joysticks), and the dynamic is less "master and servant" and more "two guys who hate each other trying to survive a road trip."
The Mechanics of Meta-Comedy in Trover Saves the Universe
Usually, when a game tries to be meta, it feels forced. It’s a fourth-wall break that makes you roll your eyes. But in Trover Saves the Universe, the meta-commentary is the engine. Because you are canonically a person playing a game within the game, the characters acknowledge your presence constantly. They argue about the UI. They get annoyed when you don't move fast enough.
It’s genius, really.
By grounding the player as a literal observer, Squanch Games solved the "silent protagonist" problem. You aren't silent; you're just a guy in a chair who can't talk back, and the NPCs treat you with the exact amount of dismissive pity that implies.
Why the "Vibe" Matters More Than the Combat
If we’re being real, the platforming isn't Mario Odyssey. The combat isn't Dark Souls. It’s basic. You jump, you hit things with a sword-like light beam, and you collect "Green Power Babies" hidden in the environment to upgrade your health. If this were a standard platformer without the writing, it would be a 5/10.
But it’s not.
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The value comes from the "nothingness." There are moments where you can just stand still for ten minutes, and the voice actors—Roiland, along with guests like Tom Kenny and Mary Mack—will just keep talking. They have recorded hours of incidental dialogue that most players will never hear. It’s that commitment to the bit that makes the world feel lived-in. It feels like a chaotic, unedited cartoon that you happen to be piloting.
Is Trover Saves the Universe Still Worth It Without VR?
This is the big question. When the game launched, it was a PSVR and PCVR flagship. Later, it dropped for Switch, Xbox, and standard PC play. Does it hold up?
Yes, but it's different.
In VR, the scale is hilarious. You’re looking down at Trover like he’s a little toy. When a character gets in your face, it feels invasive in a way that’s genuinely funny. On a flat screen, it’s just a solid comedy-action game. You lose that sense of physical presence, but the writing is strong enough to carry the weight. If you're playing on a Switch, you're getting a great "Adult Swim" style experience, but if you have a Quest 3 or an Index, you owe it to yourself to plug it in. The depth perception adds a layer to the platforming that makes the (admittedly simple) puzzles feel a bit more engaging.
Breaking Down the Glorkon Problem
Glorkon is a great villain because he’s pathetic. Most games give you a world-ender who is cool and brooding. Glorkon is just a guy who found some dogs and realized they gave him god-like powers. The stakes are high, but the tone is low-stakes.
This juxtaposition is what keeps people coming back. You’re saving the universe, sure, but you’re mostly doing it because your dogs are gone and Trover wants to get home. It’s personal and stupid at the same time.
The Evolution of Squanch Games
We have to talk about the context. Squanch Games went on to make High On Life, which took the "talking gun" mechanic to the extreme. But many fans argue that Trover Saves the Universe is actually the tighter experience. It’s shorter—about 6 to 8 hours—which means the jokes don't wear out their welcome. High On Life felt like a AAA attempt at this style, while Trover feels like a passion project made in a garage.
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There's a rawness here.
The "Important Cosmic Jobs" DLC, which is included in most versions now, added even more of this. It’s basically a workplace comedy set in a sci-fi hellscape. It doubles down on the idea that the universe is a bureaucratic nightmare.
Technical Performance and What to Expect
Let's get into the weeds for a second.
- Frame Rate: On PC, it's buttery smooth. On Switch, you’ll see some jagged edges, but the art style is stylized enough (lots of bright colors and simple shapes) that it doesn't really matter.
- Controls: The "chair" mechanic means you teleport to fixed points. This was originally designed to prevent motion sickness in VR. Even in non-VR modes, this remains. It can feel a bit restrictive if you're used to open-world movement, but it helps the developers control the "camera" for comedic timing.
- Audio: This is the most important part. Play this with headphones. The spatial audio in the VR version is top-tier. You’ll hear NPCs whispering insults from behind a rock to your left, and it adds to the immersion.
Honestly, the game is a masterclass in sound design. Not because of the explosions, but because of the mouth sounds. That sounds gross. It kind of is. But that's the brand.
The Cultural Impact of Trover
Back in 2019, people weren't sure if "comedy games" could actually be a genre. We had Portal, sure, but that was a puzzle game with jokes. Trover Saves the Universe was a joke game with puzzles. It proved there was a massive market for "M-rated" humor in a medium that often plays it safe to avoid offending the censors or the "hardcore gamer" demographic.
It paved the way for a specific sub-genre of meta-humor. You can see its influence in how indie devs approach player interaction now. It taught creators that you can yell at the player, and as long as it's funny, the player will love you for it.
Common Misconceptions
People think you need to be a Rick and Morty superfan to enjoy this.
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You don’t.
While the stuttering, neurotic vocal style is the same, the world-building is entirely original. In many ways, it's more creative than the show because it isn't beholden to existing lore. It’s just pure, unfiltered weirdness. Another misconception is that it’s "just a VR game." As mentioned, the "Cosmic Shorthand" version for consoles is perfectly playable. You aren't missing the "ending" if you don't play in VR; you're just missing a bit of the physical comedy.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Playthrough
If you’re going to dive in, don’t rush. This isn't a game you speedrun.
- Wait for the dialogue. When you get to a new area and two NPCs are talking, just sit there. Let them finish. Often, the funniest lines are buried four minutes into a conversation about nothing.
- Find the babies. The Green Power Babies aren't just collectibles. They actually provide some of the best world-building flavor text in the game. Plus, upgrading Trover makes the later "boss" fights (if you can call them that) much less frustrating.
- Try the VR mode if possible. Even if you have to borrow a headset. The "Chairorpian" perspective is one of the few VR designs that actually explains why you're sitting down, which eliminates that weird cognitive dissonance you get in other VR titles.
- Explore the corners. The game likes to hide little "easter egg" conversations in places you aren't supposed to go.
Final Thoughts on the Cosmic Chaos
Trover Saves the Universe isn't for everyone. If you hate improvisational humor or "gross-out" aesthetics, stay far away. But if you want something that feels like it was made by humans who were having a blast (and maybe a few drinks), it's a gem.
It represents a moment in gaming where a studio took a huge risk on a specific voice. It’s loud, it’s vulgar, and it’s surprisingly heartfelt in its own twisted way. It’s a reminder that games can just be fun. They don't always have to be 100-hour epics with skill trees and crafting systems. Sometimes, you just need a purple guy and a chair.
Next Steps for Players:
Check your digital storefronts for the "Bundle" versions. Since the game is a few years old, it frequently goes on sale for under $10. If you’re on PC, check the Epic Games Store or Steam; it’s often included in "Squanch" collections alongside High On Life. Once you start, make sure you go into the settings and toggle the "Censor" option if you're playing around kids—though, let’s be honest, the whole game is a "Censor" nightmare in the best way possible. Start by focusing on the first planet, Shmandy’s World, and pay close attention to the tutorial—Trover will literally mock you if you fail the basic jumps, and it sets the tone for the next six hours of your life.