REVIEW - Rocket Riot
- Written by Rick Wallace |
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Many of the gamers in todays generation will laugh at the pixilated games we played as kids in the 80’s and 90’s. The new age of video games is truly amazing when the old generation and new generation games are compared side by side. But the truth is, the pixel world is where it all began and it’s a lot of fun to pick up those old school games from time to time. Well the folks at Codeglue released Rocket Riot in June 2009 that had pixilated graphics but in a next gen format. And it looks fantastic. But does the rest of the game live up to the great spin on graphics?
Unbelievably, Rocket Riot slipped under the radar in the gaming world. It was released on XBLA shortly after E3 and this is probably how the game got overlooked with all the E3 announcements being made. I am going to say it right now. If you have not checked out this game, you must do so immediately. I was absolutely amazed at the graphics, sound and humor throughout the game as well as the 80 levels and multiplayer mode online with up to 3 others from across the world. This game has plenty to offer and will keep you amused for quite a while. I guess for those that are experts at video games this game could be a short one in the end, but its still well worth the 800 MSP. |
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From the moment you fire up the game you will notice the mixture of both new and old. The old school midi style music plays in high definition quality with new style sound mixed in. It sounds great and fits exactly what this game is trying to accomplish. The menu system is crisp and easy to navigate, and I had to chuckle when I selected the “Return to Arcade” option and it politely asked me not to leave. Now that’s comical. During the game you’ll see how the game is pixilated yet high definition. The particle engine that Codeglue uses is simply amazing and adds a whole other dimension to the games visuals.
You’ll get 3 modes of single player gameplay which are Campaign, Endurance and Playground. Campaign mode takes you through an 80 level storyline with a ton of whitty comedy and offbeat humor. Your final goal in this mode is to find and defeat your nemesis Blockbeard. It’s not just about blowing up all of your enemies, but you will also be required to locate hidden items or people and even play a football type of game. The endurance mode pits you against an endless stream of enemies and levels. You have to see how long you can survive. Playground is your tutorial mode which will teach you the basics of the game and how to play. You'll be able to unlock new characters to use as you play through the game and you can even customize the character you are using. While customization is limited to mainly just colors, it still gives you a unique look to your character. |
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You’ll play as a character which has a rocket attached to their butt (that’s how they describe it in the game). The basic gameplay consists of you flying around levels firing off rockets at oncoming enemies using the right thumbstick to aim and to fire. Just flick the stick and you’ll unload rockets as quickly as you can shoot them. You will find power ups that will give you increased firing intensity, larger rockets, sports ball ammo, and more. Watch out for the red power ups though as these will decrease your abilities. You can store power ups and use them with the simple press of the A button. Not only should you be destroying your enemies, but feel free to annihilate the level too. Everything in a level can be destroyed including the outside border, and the level will grow back over time allowing you to destroy even more blocks. You’ll gain an achievement for destroying one million blocks.
I absolutely love the loading screens in this game. The younger generation may not understand the tape and modem sounds, but these things are appreciated and understood by us older folk and you’ll get the most out of the game but understanding these little nuances. The really great thing about this game is all the little things that go into an overall scheme and theme for the game. Not to mention the Rocket Riot theme song playing in the background as well as other up tempo music which are basically techno compilations but with a nostalgic feel to it. |
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The multiplayer mode will be a bit difficult to find matches as there do not seem to be a whole lot of folks playing online. So be sure to get your friends to get this game as well. There are several game modes on line for you to play including: Deathmatch, Golden Guy, Rugby Riot and Destroy the Object. You can also play multiplayer locally or across system link. They even give you an option to select your preferred maps which gives you a better shot at playing on those certain maps.
Overall, Rocket Riot is definitely a sleeper hit of the year for the Xbox Live Arcade. For anyone that missed this game I have to definitely recommend checking it out. Great graphics, humor and game play make this game so much fun to play. Let alone the catchy soundtrack playing in the background. You definitely can’t go wrong picking this one up a there are titles out there that touted themselves as being great and don’t even come close to this one. Download the free trial if you are unsure at all. You will not regret it. |
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SUGGESTIONS |
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Add in Avatar Awards and the ability to bring your avatar in and transform it into a rocket man. now that would be cool! But more DLC in the form of maybe a new campaign? Or maybe some more levels to tack onto the game. Love the game though as is! |
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Release Date
6/17/2009
Publisher
Codeglue
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OVERALL |
86 |
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GAMEPLAY |
80 |
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SOUND |
85 |
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GRAPHICS |
86 |
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REPLAY VALUE |
80 |
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Click Here to View Game Details |
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