Rocket League came out in July 2015 and since then has grown into a large cult following. So much now, that there are now major cash tournaments and professional leagues dedicated to the game. For those of you who don’t know, Rocket League is basically a soccer match with rocket boosted cars. Interesting concept, so let’s take a look and see why Rocket League is such a phenomenon.
All great games have a common factor. Great game play. What Rocket League does well is that the core mechanics and controls are simple enough that anyone of any skill level can pick up this game and play with relative ease. The basic rules of the game are easy to understand, get the giant ball into the giant goal by any way you can. That’s it. There isn’t a lot to review here as game play is fairly simple. So to recap so far, you have an easy to control game with easy to learn rules of how to win. That’s a solid foundation, but there’s more to this game than its simplicity.
Overall Game play 5/5
One of the main reasons people buy games is for entertainment value and to socialize. Rocket League makes both goals easily attainable. What Rocket League did was create a multiplayer experience to play against opponents cross platform. That means you could have the game for Playstation and play against someone who has it for PC. If you are a gamer, you know there is a divide among platforms such as PC, Playstation, Xbox, and so on. Sparking at least a small natural rivalry and adding some more bragging rights to the match in the event of being paired against someone on a different platform, filthy peasants, (my PC gamers will get that reference). Rocket League also has a streamlined multiplayer experience, making it virtually painless to party up, and find a match, allowing you to be entertained and socialize with your friends. Rocket League’s matchmaking is close to, if not achieved, pure excellence. It as simple as selecting your game type and hitting search. On average, you are in a match playing in about 30-45 seconds from starting your search. Matches have a 5 minute timer on them so it’s easy to hop on and play 3-4 matches in a 25-30 minute span.
Overall Multiplayer Experience 5/5
This section is difficult for me to label, so think of this following section as more of a miscellaneous section. When you purchase the game, one of the first experiences you will have is the title screen and the main menu screen. That’s when you will hear the music. Rocket League has a fantastic soundtrack while you are in the main menu. The music itself somehow adds a lot of anticipation, and when you score your first goal the arena explodes (both figuratively and literally) with excitement and noise. All this does is makes you want to get out there and score again, and before you know it, you will have your own highlight reel.
Another aspect is the customization. The cars customization is for the most part purely cosmetic. You might get different hit boxes with different car bodies, but it won’t drastically change game play. There is so much out there that chances are you will never see the same car twice as you have the ability to choose your own car body, boost trail, hat topper (think Team fortress 2), antennas, paint color and style.
The developers at Psyonix Studios are also creating new arenas, new cars, and new game modes on a regular basis, which breathes new life into the game often.
Lastly in this section is the price for the game, it’s affordable, very affordable at a retail of $20. With PC version going on sale often (check Green Man Gaming or Steam sales), this game won’t break the bank.
To recap, this is an affordable game that is easy to play, easy to learn, and quick and easy to find friends and play against other people in matchmaking. It’s soundtrack and audio is amazing, the customization is vast so you can define your individuality within the game. New content, such as game modes, arenas, and cars, are being added on a regular basis All this leads to addictive game play for hours and hours of entertainment. This game is worth more than what it sells for at $20 so it is a must buy especially if you are looking for last minute Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers. In my opinion this game is an instant classic.
Overall I would pay closer to $40, DLC included