Developer: Roll7
Publisher: Private Division
ReleaseDate: 16th August 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 4, 5 & Steam
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
▫️ Code provided by the publisher ▫️
Right before the credits rolled (pun intended) on the main campaign, we received a message saying “This game was made by 44 people at Roll7“. Taking a breath while those 44 names scrolled across my screen, I was blown away by what I had just played. I have always been a fan of the team’s OlliOlli series, but this is an entirely new level of impressive, and one of my favourite gaming experiences this year.
Rollerdrome is a futuristic take on roller derby, described as a “vicious spectacle”. It’s a bloodsport set in a near-future dystopia, funded by a mega-corporation. The idea itself isn’t so novel: plenty of fiction genres regularly explore a future where the characters want to escape their own less-than-ideal lives by watching others battle to the death. However, certainly in games, few have managed to execute it so well. The art style is beautiful and really jumps off the screen. It’s similar to the team’s previous game OlliOlli World and also evokes memories of Sable by Shedworks.
The story is thin: you play as rookie sensation Kara Hassan who has dreams of going all the way. Her idol and former champion, Morgan Fray, believes that the odds aren’t exactly fair for every competitor, with documentation suggesting a smug chap by the name of Casper Ickx is getting an easier ride. All of the narrative plays out through small first-person exploration areas at the start of each stage. Some will miss the story entirely by simply heading for the exit door in these short sections, but if you are curious like me, you can snoop around areas such as the locker room and train carriage, or read notes and newspaper headlines to examine items that flesh out the story and the world.
Given the rather throwaway story, it was imperative that the gameplay landed and I’m happy to report that Roll7 has delivered in spades here. The OlliOlli series always felt like a really fun 2D adaptation of Tony Hawk that required fast reflexes and lots of practice. It could be infuriating at times, but it had that addictive quality that kept you coming back and wanting to improve. Here, the team has gone full 3D, making the game feel closer to Pro Skater than ever before.
The skateboard being switched out for the rollerskates doesn’t affect gameplay too much, but guns definitely add a totally different dimension. In addition, we also get ample use of bullet time, which is a stroke of genius. Action can be frantic at times, so being able to slow the situation down and pick off some enemies in close proximity is both needed and endless amounts of fun; it’s Tony Hawk meets Max Payne.
It wouldn’t be an extreme sports game without tricks and Rollerdrome delivers on that front too. Each level is superbly designed with ramps, half pipes, rails, and more – all positioned for you to pull off some incredible combos. There are plenty of grabs, grinds, flips and wall slides for you to combo together as you navigate the levels. Tricks aren’t just there to make you look stylish and add to your overall level score either: this is also how you replenish your ammo. I absolutely loved this mechanic as it forces you to try outrageous tricks while simultaneously taking aim at the enemy.
Speaking of enemies, there are various foes you’ll need to take out during your quest for glory: grunts with bats; rocket-wielding heavies; snipers; guards with riot shields, and even mechs. There are a few boss fights thrown in as well, but I don’t want to explain too much about them for fear of ruining the surprise of how awesome they are. Foes appear in waves throughout each stage and while they can deal damage quickly, you can also recover health from each one you eliminate.
I also enjoyed the weapon variation too. From the dual pistols to the shotgun that features a fatal slug shot (which requires a timed button press similar to an active reload and more) there’s variety in your brutality. Enemies within range will automatically be locked onto, which again was the ideal design choice given the speed of the action. You can however free aim as well, but I would reserve that for bullet time. Judging the perfect trajectory with the grenade launcher, while soaring through the air doing a pretzel grab, is every bit the life-defining moment it sounds like.
As you may have guessed by my review so far, the game can be pretty challenging. However, we do have the very welcome addition of accessibility options that allow you to tailor the experience and difficulty to suit your skill level. There is everything from lowering the percentage of damage you take, to allowing unlimited reflex time and ammo, all the way up to enabling invincibility. I suggest starting on default and then slowly adding in assists if needed. Below is what I ended up using in the later stages, although I certainly did dabble with unlimited reflex time too, because it’s just so much fun.
One aspect that may put potential buyers off is the game’s length. Obviously this is highly skill-dependent, but the main campaign can be completed in under two hours if you are efficient. It consists of four opening stages, three quarter and three semi-final stages and then a final. Completing the main campaign unlocks ‘out for blood mode’, which is the campaign again, a year on from your initial victory with more enemies, sporting more health. ‘Out for blood’ acts as a New Game+ and is brilliantly frantic; however, it reuses the same maps from the original campaign.
The trophy list is also well put together, tasking you with doing everything the game has to offer. Using accessibility options doesn’t disable trophies, which is great, and will allow even novice players to complete all the levels on offer. Only the true elite will be able to pick up the trophies for completing all challenges in the main campaign plus the ‘out for blood’ campaign.
VERDICT
There are very few games this year that I have enjoyed as much as Rollerdrome. It may lack a proper story and be light on levels, but the moment-to-moment gameplay is nearly flawless. Because of this, there is plenty of replayability and challenges to work towards. The introductory price of £16.49 is a good deal and one I recommend everyone intrigued by this review, checks out!
-Craig ✌️