Rowbot

Rowbot #310 is one of the minor characters that can be found in the Barrens. It helps Niko travel to the Glen.

Appearance
The Rowbot has a dark brown hat and scarf, and a cubic head. On the sides of its head are attached antennae. It does not appear to have any legs, instead there is a pole on which the body rests that connects to a boat. It has mechanical pincers, and in the center of its body there is a glowing blue lightbulb emblem.

Background
It was built to transport people and materials between the Barrens and Glen. Due to the panic caused by the Sun going out, Rowbots were used to evacuate people and important robots from the Barrens. At the time Niko entered the World, Robot #310 was covered in rust, which indicates that its services were not used for a long time.

Personality
Rowbot #310 is not a Tamed robot, meaning it cannot act outside of its programming. It seems appreciative towards Niko after being repaired, however. When it realizes that it cannot remember the route to the port of Glen, it merely tells Niko to ask the head engineer for help.

Rowbots
Rowbots are robots that are fused to a boat. Their task is to transport people from the Barrens to Glen and vice versa. In their mechanical claws are oars which they use to move the boat in the water. A navigation system is built into the Rowbots which allows them to calculate the shortest path. They can also determine the origin of various materials, which can help in cases where the navigation system is damaged. This is noticed when Niko shows the Rowbot the amber, after which its backup navigation activates and it recalls the route to the Glen.

Main Story
To activate Rowbot #310, Niko has to restore power to the Barrens generator. Afterwards, they need acidic cleaning solution, created by mixing the rare form of blue phosphor with the toxic smoke in the Barrens. They then pours it onto a sponge. They use the wet sponge to remove the rust from Rowbot so it can move. After that, Rowbot realizes that their navigation circuits are fried. To solve this problem, Niko has to go to Silver. She gives them the amber, which they shows to the Rowbot. The amber activates the Rowbot's backup navigation system and it remembers how to navigate to the Glen. After Niko throws away some of their items, the Rowbot sets off. Once it arrives, it mentions that there is a village to the north. It then returns to the Barrens.

Solstice Update
In the Solstice update, the Rowbot is unusable, as it is covered in squares. After Niko tames the World Machine, it will go to the credits room, where they will find Rowbot intact and unharmed, though unable to move. In the ending, it is shown back at the Barrens docks as the nearby squares disappear.

Trivia

 * The boat the Rowbot has a capacity of one person, as the Rowbot that Niko encountered said the boat was over capacity until Niko disposed the gas mask, crowbar, rubber gloves, and television remote (if the Player brute-forced the security code in the starting room).