That’s what the folks at development studio Psyonix had in mind with Rocket League – the follow up to the tongue-twisting Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars.
Like that title, Rocket League takes you into the arena with stupidly powered and awfully damage resistant cars to battle out five minute mayhem filled matches.
|
|
In Rocket League each car is equal, you can unlock a bunch of funny items including a variety of car bodies, decals, paint finishes, toppers – a crazy selection of hats, wheels and rocket exhausts.
None of these cosmetic enhancements will change your performance in the Rocket League arena. It won’t matter if you are driving an electric blue van with a pirate hat and shooting out clouds of cash-money when you careen into the ball, you won’t hit it any harder than the orange buggy with a Scottish flag on the antenna going in the opposite direction.
Control wise, this feels like a crazy series of indestructible remote-control cars let loose on a soccer field, with pumping music and crowd chants to accompany the confusion.
As the cars run over markers on the pitch they build up “boost”, at a push of a button this extra increase in speed can mean the difference between the opposition scoring, and you making a goal line save, knocking the ball clear.
Boost is also combined with the “jump” button with skilled players able to control their air-time effectively, launching unexpected attacks or making spectacular plays at crucial moments.
Cars will ultimately need to spend the majority of their time on the ground, and coordinating your team, playing in position, knowing when to use the limited boost and understanding when to toggle the game camera between ball-cam and car-cam will all help your side be on the winning side when the final hooter sounds.
Rocket League is a blast; the driving mechanics combined with the aerial manoeuvres give a real sense of sport to the whole experience. It is best played with friends.
Playable between owners of the PlayStation 4 and Windows version Rocket League is an addictive boost of high-octane fun and – at times – sporting tragedy.
