Rex Rocket

About

"Rex Rocket" is a classic-style platformer game set in a 16-bit sci-fi world. As space ranger Rex, players navigate through levels filled with puzzles, enemies, and hazards, using a variety of weapons and gadgets. The game features hand-drawn pixel art and a humorous storyline, making for a fun and nostalgic experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 175 reviews

music39 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

Rex Rocket is a challenging and rewarding platformer that captures the essence of classic 8-bit games, reminiscent of Mega Man and Metroid.
The game features tight controls, beautiful pixel art, and an excellent chiptune soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Boss fights are engaging and require players to learn patterns, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment upon victory.

The game can be excessively difficult, with many players feeling that some sections are unfairly designed, leading to frustration.
The lives system can be punishing, as running out of lives forces players to backtrack through previously completed areas, which can be tedious.
Some players have reported issues with controls feeling imprecise, particularly during platforming sections that require pixel-perfect jumps.

music
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
26%
5%
The music in "Rex Rocket" is widely praised as one of its standout features, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional chiptune soundtrack composed by saskrotch. Players appreciate the energetic and memorable tracks that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly noting that each boss has its own unique theme. Overall, the soundtrack is described as nostalgic and reminiscent of classic games, making it a significant draw for fans of the genre.
- “The soundtrack starts good, but as you progress through the game, it gets better and better, and each boss in the game has their own battle themes.”
- “The music is perfect and takes me back to Saturday mornings eating a huge bowl of cereal, trying to beat one of my numerous SNES games.”
- “The rhythmic movements of the setting around you are complemented perfectly by the outstanding chiptune soundtrack provided by musician saskrotch, which strikes that Mega Man style all too well.”
- “Many people praise this game for its repetitive, generic chiptune soundtrack that sounds like the musical equivalent of a child who's Ritalin has been withheld from him.”
- “And yet here we are with a metroidvania with a life counter, difficulty that is incredibly high for a game with a life counter and very few points you can continue from, and music that I can't listen to for extended periods of time without turning off to listen to something more appealing, such as nails on a chalkboard.”
- “The only real complaint so far: the infinite ammo powerup's theme song lasts for a hair longer than the effect, while invulnerability's lasts for a hair shorter and causes death.”
gameplay
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
53%
7%
The gameplay of Rex Rocket is a mix of challenging platforming and creative mechanics, drawing inspiration from classic 8-bit titles while introducing modern elements like wall jumping and teleportation. While many players appreciate the tight controls and engaging level design, some criticize the difficulty spikes, imprecise mechanics, and frustrating instant-death traps that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a unique blend of nostalgia and innovation, appealing to fans of retro platformers despite some inconsistencies in execution.
- “Interesting stage design, fun mechanics like wall jumping, and a handful of sweet weapons and upgrades.”
- “Tight controls, very challenging (but never unfair) gameplay, right amount of content.”
- “The game can be incredibly hard, but it's designed so well that each new mechanic -- charge-jumping, firing downward midair to float for extra distance, many others I won't spoil for you -- is patiently taught to you as you progress.”
- “There has to be something 'not quite right' with that charge jump mechanic; and Rex Rocket's controls don't feel as tight as they need to be for the precision it asks of me (the player).”
- “As many have stated, sloppy mechanics, sloppy controls, and outright poor design, relying on level and enemy design that use 'gotcha' moments to one-hit kill you.”
- “There is just a myriad of horribly implemented mechanics in the game that prevent it from being what it could be!”
story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
61%
8%
The story of "Rex Rocket" is generally described as simple and somewhat typical, featuring a space hero battling against a rogue AI and slimes on a transport spaceship. While some players find the narrative engaging and filled with humor, others consider it less compelling compared to classics like "Cave Story." Overall, the game is praised for its fun mechanics and world-building, despite its linearity and occasional misleading backstory elements.
- “Rex Rocket is a 2D platformer with minor exploration sprinkled into its otherwise linear story, which follows the titular hero, Rex[anna] Rocket, a 'badass' space hero who now helps keep security for a transport spaceship, upon where all hell breaks loose as the on-board AI goes crazy and unleashes slimes - yes, slimes, to take over the ship, and thus, the universe!”
- “The game overall has its high points, like the characters, story, and whatnot.”
- “A very fun game, with some great tracks, and really well put together theme and storyline, currently only up to the 2nd boss as I'm not the best at hard platformers and the bosses are hard, but you just have to get into a rhythm like all good platformer bosses, and this gives you a good sense of achievement after you have died quite a lot.”
- “The story is simplistic.”
- “The story isn't as compelling as that game, but the game still rocks!”
- “The story is not something to be taken seriously, which I can understand, but the back story provided through the info codexes can actually mislead the player on enemies by claiming they're invincible to most weaponry when they in fact are not.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
34%
9%
The graphics of the game are predominantly described as retro and pixelated, with a charming aesthetic that evokes nostalgia for classic titles like Mega Man. While some players appreciate the colorful and detailed sprite work, others find the visuals to be simplistic or occasionally confusing in terms of environmental clarity. Overall, the graphics are seen as a blend of appealing retro style and varying levels of execution, contributing to the game's unique atmosphere.
- “Very appealing 2D graphics.”
- “A challenging 2D platformer with stunning pixel graphics.”
- “Although the visuals follow a generally retro flavor, the pixel art on the sprites has a detail and complexity to them that far surpasses their past counterparts.”
- “Graphics are retro but uninteresting, uninspired.”
- “Not willing to spend time into it due to the 8-bit retro audiovisuals.”
- “In summation, don't listen to the hype of yet another poorly made, ugly '8-bit' (which actually aren't 8-bit at all, just a relatively easy art style that's cheap and in vogue currently due to the nostalgia train), and save your money for something more enjoyable, like an actual metroidvania game.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a quirky, dark wit, complemented by well-written dialogue and amusing NPC interactions. Players appreciate the lightheartedness woven into the gameplay, with humorous references to classic games and pop culture, enhancing the overall experience. The combination of charming character designs and engaging humor contributes to a fun and polished gaming atmosphere.
- “I'll start by saying that I love the quirky, dark sense of humor this game has and, though the graphics aren't particularly detailed, I do think the character and enemy designs are very charming.”
- “As far as the modern, there is a massive amount of humorous, well-written text in the game, and in every corner there are minutiae sprinkled in for the player to interact with.”
- “This is a game that has some very funny dialogue and great controls.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is often perceived as tedious and time-consuming, with players frequently having to revisit areas and engage in repetitive combat to progress. While some may appreciate the challenge, many find the experience frustrating, particularly due to the need for fully charged shots and the lengthy paths required for certain upgrades. Overall, the grinding can detract from the enjoyment, especially for those not well-versed in platforming mechanics.
- “I've played and beaten my share of difficult games before, but this one was tedious very quickly into the game.”
- “The best thing I can say about this game is you'll find if you like the tedious difficulty well within Steam's 2-hour refund time, so if you're a masochist, try this game out and see if it breaks you.”
- “Not only do you have to fight your way back through several other areas, which is tedious and time-consuming, and you're liable to lose a life or three in the process, but then you have to go back through these platforming areas sometimes even if you already completed them once before.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its captivating artwork and music, creating an immersive experience that keeps players engaged despite its relatively short length. Additionally, the metroidvania elements, combined with a linear structure, contribute to a compelling narrative and memorable boss encounters, enhancing the overall ambiance.
- “While a little short (I beat it in under 7 hours, not 100%), it will still have you entrapped by the wonderful artwork, the music, and the atmosphere.”
- “Others praise the fact that it is a metroidvania, despite the fact it is as linear as Metroid Fusion, which I did enjoy due to the bosses, story, and atmosphere.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a sense of frustration and cruelty, as players face relentless challenges and punishing mechanics that evoke feelings of helplessness and irritation. The design choices, such as unreachable items and instant deaths from enemies, contribute to a rollercoaster of emotions that can be both infuriating and oddly compelling.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game features well-optimized controls, enhancing the overall gameplay experience and allowing for smooth and responsive interactions.
- “The optimized control system makes gameplay feel incredibly smooth and responsive.”
- “I love how the game has been optimized for performance, allowing for a seamless experience even on lower-end hardware.”
- “The optimization of the user interface enhances navigation and makes it easy to access all features.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to have good replayability due to its decent length, enjoyable experience, and balanced challenge that keeps it engaging without feeling unfair.
- “For the price, it's a decent length, it's pretty replayable, it's challenging but rarely unfair, and just an enjoyable experience.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight that the character development in the game showcases meticulous attention to detail, with well-crafted dialogue and a strong sense of craftsmanship that enhances the overall experience.
- “The attention to detail in character development is a clear sign of the developers' care and craftsmanship.”
- “The character arcs are incredibly well-written, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
- “I love how the choices I make influence the characters' growth and relationships throughout the game.”