Rocket League Review

Rocket League for me is one of those games which I go on when I want to kill some time and then end up spending the rest of the night playing... along with the next few days. For a game that was once free with the PlayStation Plus monthly collection, Rocket League offers a good time along with a laugh, especially with friends. Where can you go wrong with cars playing football?

Gameplay

Rocket League is a fast-paced game meaning that you have to make split second decisions with fast reactions, this can lead to a number of mistakes and in turn could result in losing a game. Not to worry though, chances always arise in the game where you can bring it back or even take the lead but its if you can take those chances, that can work out frustrating but hilarious at the same time. The 5-minute games are the perfect length of time and if things are still level at the end then the players will enter overtime, next goal wins.

Rocket League offers no type of story mode however it does give the player the option of playing on their own in an exhibition against the CPU or in a custom-made season against different CPU teams. There are also several different game modes online which can be played while you are alone or with friends. Unranked is the place with the most variety and for those players which just wish to play the game but not take it too seriously. This game mode however often teams you with people that are possibly just starting out and have no idea what is going on, it is that, that can add to the fun of things or end up watching two people rage at each other in the chat. If you take your gaming a little more seriously though then don't worry, there is also a ranked section which can be played 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3. All modes here are just the basic game of trying to score points by putting the ball in the opponent’s net.

Among the unranked game section there is also currently five other game modes which mixes the game up a bit and gives the player a little more to do. Hoops and snowday is pretty self-explanatory, this is basically basketball and hockey with cars. Drop shot is another mode, this is where the map is split into two sections, if the ball hits the floor then it damages that tile until eventually breaking it and making a hole in the ground. If the ball falls through the hole, then whatever side it is on that team loses. Rumble is a game mode where you kind of get super powers, flicking the ball about on a rope, picking the ball up with a spike, freezing it in its position for a few seconds, etc etc. Lastly is the game mode Rocket Labs, this is just like the normal game mode but with a series of different shaped arenas.

Rocket League doesn't just offer different games modes, it also offers a variety of different customisation features on the car, this is from the wheels to the boost and more. Each time the player completes a game then they are rewarded with something new or a crate. If the player wants a chance at getting something which is considered rare then they could buy keys to unlock the crates, the items that are in the crate are then spun like a wheel and whatever it lands on is what the player gets. After a few days the item that was won can be traded with other players. Players are allowed to trade with each other in a bid to try and make their car look the way they want it.

The Visuals

Rocket League is not a bad looting game at all, it is a game that was built with the Unreal Engine and shows off very colourful and detailed areas. Even the cars themselves show a good level of detail and there isn't anything that jumps out to say that looks bad. The is the occasional jump or stutter when watching someone else use their boost but this isn't something that ruins the playing experience by any means.

The Soundtrack

There is a playlist to this game on the menus but by what I can tell it is small. I spend little time at the menus, but I have found that the same type of songs are constantly repeated. As you can probably tell with a car football game even sound effects are minimal, other than the car engine, the sound of boosting, the explosion of a goal and the occasional siren there isn't a huge amount to talk about. However, again for this type of game what more would you want?

The Verdict

Overall Rocket League is a game which does what it says on the tin, its football but with cars. Once you play one game you often find yourself playing another, then another and so on. It is a great game to play with friends and it is often updated with either new game modes or more customisation options. There is nothing more satisfying then watching your teammate cross the ball and timing the header for a goal... although there is nothing more frustrating when you miss. Overall, we don't find ourselves saying what can be changed about this game or where improvements can be made.

9/10 - Amazing

Pros:

Good variety of game modes

Customisation options

Good detail

Constantly being updated

Cons:

Micro-transactions

Missing the ball

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