Developer: Psyonix, Inc.
Publisher: Psyonix, Inc.
Genre: Action, Racing, Indie, Sports
Platform: PC (Reviewed), Xbox One, PS4
Release date: July 7, 2015
Find the game here: https://store.steampowered.com/app/252950/Rocket_League
Rocket League is a mash up of the racing and football genres which come together to create a fast-paced multiplayer oriented gaming experience. Game developers Psyonix, released the title back in July 2015 and ever since it has been making headlines and retaining a very high active player base by releasing a plethora of free content updates such as maps, seasonal events as well as general game improvements, additional features and much more. Rocket League is the sequel to a title called Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars which although had a loyal fan base, it wasn’t a large one.
The gameplay in Rocket League is silky smooth. A very well optimised game engine means players can enjoy the title even on low-end PC’s and consoles. Apart from the occasional server issues, the whole experience is fast, fluid and fun. For the minority of you that don’t know the concept of Rocket League, it is an arena team based match in which you must out-score your opponent within a 5 minute period to win the match. You can choose from a variety of cars, some in which are paid DLC cars but offer no in-game benefit but simply a cosmetic difference.
The physics based gameplay means that there is an unlimited amount of potential when it comes to gameplay creativity and strategic plans. Whether you keep it on the ground or dribble the ball through the air with the help of arena boost pickups, the choice is yours. I must say however, if you are looking to pick this title up, a controller is highly recommended as the mouse and keyboard does not suit the game’s fast paced nature.
The graphics and soundtracks in Rocket League create a fantastic atmosphere in game. The arcade style visuals and gorgeous lighting effects as well as unique map design mean that no two games feel the same. The soundtracks on the main menu have a vast variety of ever growing content, all of which add to the in-game experience. The user-interface is extremely clean and simple to use, the setting are all very accessible and you have countless options such as advanced in-game camera options as well as graphical options.
The game modes in Rocket League are fantastic, whether you want to play a casual against other players online, a ranked match in which you can reap rewards at the end of the season or one of the many fun filled and action packed game modes such as dropshot which puts you in a totally different setting with new rules and objectives or rumble in which you can use insane abilities to conquer your opponents as well as many more. Don’t feel like playing online? Rocket League even has a career mode in which you play against AI in a series of matches or the incredible practice mode where you can hone your skills as a goalkeeper, hitting aerial balls or just general control! Thanks to the Steam workshop, you can also play on custom challenge maps from the community to further enhance your own ability.
The Rocket League community is vast and so is the gap in the skill level between new players and those that have been here since the release of Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars. Thankfully, the ranked matching system works pretty well and matches you against people of your own skill level, and as a beginner it is easy to be dissuaded when you see someone perform some ridiculous aerial goals, but rest assured, with practice comes skill, and one of my favourite things about Rocket League is you can feel and see the self-improvement as time goes on.
The amount of features that Rocket League offers is honestly incredible. Firstly you have the replay mode, in which you can look back at a previous game and use the intuitive camera controls to watch and / or record your gameplay and also have the option to hide the UI, use slow motion, free camera ability for those cinematic shots and much much more. Next you have the mutator options for private matches in which you can change almost every factor of the gameplay from ball size, shape, speed and again, much more. Furthermore, the recent implementation of the tournament mode means that you can play a proper optimised tournament against friends. Finally, more features are always being added, such as the much anticipated cross-platform party system that will let PC users play online with their console buddies.
Rocket League does have a micro transaction system… But thankfully it is not pay to win at all, unless you think a flashy car makes you bigger, better, faster and stronger that is. The crates are opened by keys which can be purchased in game from real money and include various items ranging in rarity. Rocket League trading is a huge part of the community, with numerous websites dedicated to players trading in game items. The amount of customisation that is available is amazing, even without paying for crate items, so don’t feel like you have to pay, it’s totally optional.
Rocket League has taken a big chunk of my time over the last couple of years, I’ve been through periods of frustration and anger with it, I even uninstalled it once when I didn’t make it into champion rank… But I keep coming back. The reason I come back is because I love this game. It is fast-paced with games lasting just 5 minutes each, fantastic fun with and without friends and it offers so much in terms of replayability. I cannot recommend this game more, and for just £14.99 full price (or regional equivalent) as well as frequent sales, this really is a no-brainer. See you on the pitch, scrubs.
Rocket League – 9.0 out of 10
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- Scorpio
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