Rocket League is a rare example where the execution of a simple, absurd idea is so strong and so engaging that it doesn’t need a ton of extra features around it. Rocket League is a great, goofy, easy to learn and difficult to master action-sports game which demands that you grab a few friends and play a few rounds.
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When you watch other games, it can be tough to understand why what you’re seeing is impressive. When you watch a last-second save in Rocket League, it doesn’t require much explanation. When you witness someone punt the bminall from one side of the arena, only to have it quietly bounce into the other goal, long before anyone can reach it, you can appreciate how cool that is.
Rocket League offers fantastic, over-the-top fun that anyone can enjoy, while also retaining the nuance required to be a highly competitive game and esport.
It’s hard to qualify Rocket League’s greatness because it lies in its simplicity. The game is easy for anyone to play, regardless of your video game experience or interest in sports. Matches are five minutes of emotion, disarray and anxiety, and that is precisely what makes it so compelling.
At under £15 Rocket League is an absolute bargain. Yes, it's difficult to learn but once you get the hang of it, it's really hard to stop – it's got that 'one more match' draw to it. Add in the fun of the customisations, achievements and point system and there're lots of reasons to come back for more. Our only real quibble is players being able to leave matches too easily ending up in some wasted matches won by forfeit.
Everything looks fantastic too, right down to every blade of the artificial grass, and the sunlight shining through the transparent walls of the arena. The music is the exact brand of cheesy techno you’d expect from a made up future sport, and the crowd cheers and groans when shots are scored and saved.
Rocket League represents a simple idea well executed, forgoing variables like powerups and dramatically different vehicles or maps in favour of balance and tight mechanics.
Within a few hours of playing Rocket League, I had amassed plenty of “holy shit, did you see that?!” moments, both accidental and intentional. It’s easy to see why the game’s popularity has spread like wildfire despite little to no pre-release buzz. It’s easy to pick up, nearly impossible to put down, and tuned to perfection.
inc VAT Developer: Psyonix, Inc Publisher: Psyonix, Inc Platform: PS4 tested. Also on PC Growing up, I was never allowed to play football with the other kids. I was a behemoth compared to the others, a foot taller than second largest in my year. As a...
Once I fully connected with Rocket League’s controls, my car felt like an extension of me. It’s a sensation that’s all too rare in games, which makes it all the more satisfying when something like it comes along.
About This GameSummarySpecificationsFeaturesGame EditionsRocket League, the hyper-powered sequel to Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars, is an arena-based, futuristic vehicle sports game that will test your driving and stunting skills like...