If you’ve ever felt a pang in your heart as you disposed of an old music player or another trusty inanimate object, chances are you’ll be able to relate to Robot Hospice. Developed by Buttercup Garden, a Japanese indie game circle led by Dokokashira Doko, this short adventure game puts you in the shoes of new employee Midori as she takes care of five formerly cherished robots as they spend their final days in the titular Robot Hospice.
In a similar vein to Thunder Lotus’s Spiritfarer, Robot Hospice has you interacting with the terminally ill. Along the way, you’ll learn more about each robot’s past, as well as any final requests that will (hopefully) make their passing easier. While death is inevitable, your choices and actions determine how you will say goodbye.
According to a Game*Spark interview with Dokokashira Doko, Robot Hospice was inspired by Kazuo Ishiguro’s dystopian science fiction novel Klara and the Sun, where a robot named Klara goes through great lengths to ensure the happiness of her sickly owner, Josie.
Though the initial plan was to set Robot Hospice in a future where humans and robots were at war, Doko was inspired to make the game more warm-hearted after hearing No Case Should Remain Unsolved creator Somi’s talk at the 2024 Indie Developers Conference. Upon hearing of Somi’s internal struggle over creating a sad game in an era that stokes anger and hatred, Doko changed the game’s tone to reflect his directing style.
Told within the backdrop of nostalgic pixel art and 8-bit music, Robot Hospice will take you roughly one to two hours to complete. The game is set to release for free in 2026 for Windows (Steam), with plans for a free web browser version. A free demo is also available on Steam. Note that Buttercup Garden has disclosed use of AI for generating some in-game scripts and translations.
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