It’s a unique concept for a shooter, and feels more akin to Super Smash Bros than games like Overwatch.
Rocket arena new character full#
Instead, dealing damage to them fills up a meter, and when the meter is full your enemies are launched up into the air and off the map, at which point you score a point and they are returned to their spawn point. Meanwhile, the combat mechanics don’t involve killing your enemies in a traditional sense. There are a variety of match types, including a team deathmatch mode, a treasure hunt mode, and a soccer-esque mode called Rocketball. The core gameplay itself is fun, however. Flaws like this stand out, and hamper an otherwise decently fun experience. But in practice, the game just moves too fast for a character like her, who is based around precise targeting, to really feel effective. Meanwhile, one of my favorite characters was Kayi, who on the surface is a manoeuvrable sniper. Meanwhile, his two abilities are both explosives with a large area of effect, allowing him to blanket enemies with damage while remaining completely out of the fight. He can remain in the air pretty much indefinitely, making him a difficult target. The character of Topnotch, for example, has a jetpack that allows him to fly across the map.
This is a game that’s all about mobility, and faster characters have an innate advantage over the slower, tankier characters.īut even aside from that, some of the characters abilities make them noticeably more effective. First of all, any characters with increased mobility, such as those that can fly or gain extra jumps, have an immediate advantage over the slower characters. Rocket Arena suffers from some frustrating balance issues, primarily in its character design. It’s also alarming how quickly you realize that some characters are just better than others. There isn’t much opportunity for strategy, because none of the different characters really feel like they play off of each other." "There’s just not much to the gameplay beyond what’s on the surface. There isn’t much opportunity for strategy, because none of the different characters really feel like they play off of each other. There’s just not much to the gameplay beyond what’s on the surface. But after a few matches, the shallowness of its design starts to become obvious, and the enjoyment begins to fade. The action moves fast thanks to quick characters and small maps, meaning you’re never out of the fight for very long. Make no mistake, for the first couple of matches, Rocket Arena is surprisingly fun. Unfortunately, this positive first impression lasts only for a few hours thanks to its disappointingly shallow gameplay. The action never slows down, and the colorful characters are a joy to watch. The announcer, too, is loud and in your face, spelling things out to an almost annoying degree, but with a cartoonish delivery that is charming for all types of audiences. It’s no coincidence either, then, that the first three artifacts are some of the best. But the game automatically equips the first three that you unlock, ensuring that even if you’re not paying any attention at all, you’re at least getting some benefit. Characters stand out well from the environment, and important information is prominently displayed.ĭifferent artifacts can be unlocked that provide passive boosts for your characters. The characters are bright and exaggerated, and they have a certain cartoon charm that makes them appealing. In fact, one of the places this game excels is its visuals and character design. Some of them have pretty good synergy with their abilities, and there are some really interesting character designs as well.
The characters all feel diverse none of them overlap too heavily with any of the other characters abilities. "Unfortunately, this positive first impression lasts only for a few hours thanks to the disappointingly shallow gameplay."Īt first impression, this sounds like a solid game, and in some ways, it is. All of the characters have the ability to triple jump, and items that you can pick up during gameplay can enhance your mobility. She can change positions with the clone with the push of a button. For example, one of my favorite characters, the stage magician Mysteen, has an ability to create a doppelganger of herself that moves and attacks enemies. A few of the characters have some more involved abilities, however. These abilities tend to be pretty simple, usually things like a protective barrier, or explosive shots. Each of the characters have a few different abilities that help them stand out from the rest of the crowd. Rocket Arena is a class-based multiplayer shooter, pitting teams of three against each other in a handful of different modes. So how does Rocket Arena, the newest of these games, intend to stand out from the crowd? Ever since Overwatch, you can hardly turn around without seeing team-based shooters with a colorful cast of characters. Arena shooters are a dime a dozen these days.