Graham’s game reviews: ‘Rocket League’

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My passion is for more than writing, I enjoy other hobbies as well. The most prominent of these hobbies? Playing video games.

The feel of a controller between my hands, the buzz of my console as it displays an amazing interactive medium and the deep satisfaction of beating a game after hours of dedication all make for a heart racing and exhilarating experience. It is for this reason I want to review video games for an audience of readers. My hope is through these reviews, we can weed out the bad games and bring to light some games that might make for an even greater time. Maybe slowly we can shift some of the AAA title game companies toward a direction that is more than just the feel of “Copy and Paste” to make money.

This week I am going to review a game I have been playing quite a bit recently.

Titled “Rocket League,” this game was developed and published by Psyonix and is the “much anticipated sequel to the popular ‘Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars.’” A heck of a name for a heck of a game, but the sequel “Rocket League” has capitalized on the fast-paced feel of the original. This game is available on Playstation 4 and on Microsoft Windows and has done something more games should do in my opinion, cross platform gaming. In short, this is the term used to represent games that are not restricted to one set of console servers, but instead bring more gamers from many consoles (or computers) to play together.

The game breaks down like this: Each team can have one to four players and two teams will duke it out in a match that resembles a soccer game with a five minute match time. The cars, which have a fairly large variety of body types, color choices, antennae toppers, decals and vehicle toppers, are powered by a jet-like propulsion. Using this rocket vehicle, teams fight for control of the ball and ultimately are aiming to push the ball into the enemy’s goal. With a resounding and celebratory explosion, the ball bursts sending nearby cars flying, and a replay will show everyone who made the goal and can sometimes bring to light that your own team has failed you and pushed the ball into your goal themselves. Each goal is filled with tension as up to eight people race to control a ball that reacts well to the physics from the Unreal Engine 3.

To keep the game frantic and unpredictable, each person can only hold so much fuel, which should be used sparingly. Any moment can open up the opportunity to score a goal and the fuel is the only offense against so many other goal driven individuals in a single match.

I personally played this on the PS4 and in my own experience, this game is worthy of the praise it has received from many other organizations. The game play is difficult and interesting. Many times I have been pushing the ball on a straight B-line for the the goal only to have it violently shoved away by a well placed rocket boost from the other team. And I for one have found only a few feelings to be as satisfying as batting away a perfect shot on my goal from the enemy team or bursting from the side field to score a profound set-up from one of my teammates, while the other team is scrambling to keep us away from victory.

The adrenaline of tying a game in the last few seconds after you fought all five minutes of the match to catch up is unparalleled, and the victory that occasionally follows after an overtime scramble can leave you in a great mood all day long. I would have to give this game a four out of five for the way it builds upon the originality of the first game, well done physics and the amazing replay value that keeps me coming back day after day.

The next game up for review is decided by the readers. If I do not get enough submissions I will choose personally. The current choices are Destiny, created by Bungie, or Dragon Age: Inquisition, created by Bioware.

Don’t think I gave the game the correct review? Think I am perfect in my line of thinking? Maybe you have been thinking about buying this game and want to ask a few questions before you make the purchase? Email me at [email protected], call me at (740) 313-0351 or tweet me on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy and let me know.

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By Martin Graham

[email protected]

Reach Martin Graham at (740) 313-0351 or on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy

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