Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder

Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder just feels like more Rock of Ages. That's not bad, since Rock of Ages was rather unique and fun, but it's not going to win over anyone who didn't care for the first game.

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"Rock of Ages 2: Bigger & Boulder" is a chaotic tower defense/boulder racing game. Players design defenses and guide a rolling rock to destroy their opponent's gate, while navigating through wacky and imaginative levels. With both single-player and multiplayer modes, engage in zany battles in this comedic take on historic events and characters.

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Play Modes

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 953 reviews

humor162 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Incredible graphics and art style that reflect various historical periods.
Hilarious cutscenes and Monty Python-esque humor throughout the game.
Fun gameplay that combines tower defense mechanics with boulder rolling, making it enjoyable both solo and with friends.

Frequent crashes and technical issues, especially on launch.
Short campaign length, which may leave players wanting more content.
Some AI and gameplay mechanics can feel unbalanced or frustrating, particularly in boss battles.

humor
164 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky, Monty Python-esque style, featuring hilarious cutscenes and absurd character interactions that keep players entertained throughout. Many reviewers highlight the clever integration of historical references and silly jokes, making the gameplay both fun and engaging. However, some players noted that while the humor is often spot-on, it can be hit or miss, with certain jokes feeling over-the-top or lacking payoff.
- “It's a simple, but fun concept, further enhanced by the game's Monty Python-esque sense of humor.”
- “An extremely charming game, with hilarious narrative and farcical aesthetics.”
- “The cutscenes are hilarious, and the gameplay always stays fun by offering various game modes, multiplayer and innovative maps with different settings and beautiful art styles.”
- “Not funny (in my opinion).”
- “I'd love a skip button for all these unfunny and pretty cheap-feeling boss fights.”
gameplay
121 mentions
41 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique blend of tower defense and boulder-rolling mechanics, enhanced by humor and engaging visuals. While some players appreciate the variety and improvements over previous entries, others criticize it for being repetitive and having flawed mechanics that can detract from the experience. Overall, the game is seen as fun and enjoyable, particularly for fans of its comedic style, but may not hold long-term interest for everyone.
- “Very intriguing gameplay and shockingly good comedy; I'm usually never a fan of tower defense games.”
- “The gameplay is fun and challenging, the art style is amazing, and the humor is wonderful.”
- “The charm of the cutscenes, the awesome gameplay, and the subject matter of using figures from history blends so well into this RTS/boulder crushing masterpiece.”
- “This game is awful; its gameplay is repetitive and a waste of money.”
- “Simply put, the core gameplay just won't and couldn't keep you (or me at any rate) interested after a few hours.”
- “The gameplay mechanic is also somewhat flawed, as you can't focus on both defense and rolling the boulder at the same time, so I'm often torn between these two.”
graphics
112 mentions
47 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Rock of Ages 2" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and unique art styles that reflect various historical periods, enhanced by the use of Unreal Engine 4. Players appreciate the improved animations, detailed environments, and the charming, Monty Python-esque aesthetic that adds humor and creativity to the gameplay. While some users noted minor issues with performance on certain systems, the overall consensus is that the graphics represent a significant upgrade from the first game, making it visually appealing and engaging.
- “Rolling your boulder through roads spanning various historical periods, each with its unique art style reflecting the era, is fantastic.”
- “The graphics are stunning on ultra, and the physics are very fun.”
- “The art style is unique and beautiful.”
- “The downside is the graphics can be a bit harsh at some random times while rolling really fast.”
- “I don't like the art style but the gameplay is good.”
- “Some of the maps were hard to tell where the boundaries were in some areas because of the art style of that map (like the scream level).”
story
78 mentions
31 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as quirky, humorous, and often nonsensical, with many players appreciating its comedic cutscenes and unique charm despite its brevity and lack of a cohesive narrative. While some found the story mode enjoyable and a fun addition to the gameplay, others criticized it for being disjointed and not particularly engaging. Overall, the story serves as a lighthearted backdrop to the gameplay, with many players enjoying the absurdity and humor it brings.
- “The story is unique and stupidly funny, and the gameplay itself gives you lots of options to perfect your own playstyle.”
- “The story campaign is awesome, and the cinematics before every level are genuinely hilarious.”
- “Even though you can play through the story in a short time, it was worth all the time.”
- “The story is all over the place; you would be challenged to describe a cutscene to someone who hasn't played it without sounding senile, and the game wears that like a badge of honor, as it should.”
- “I don't care the least for the story mode or setting up traps; it's a waste of effort and quite boring, to be honest.”
- “The entire story is just told by some weird cutscenes that are honestly at times just creepy and sometimes made me laugh quite a bit.”
music
63 mentions
51 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its fantastic soundtrack that features clever remixes of classical pieces, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. While some noted a decline in sound design compared to the original, the majority found the music to be engaging, humorous, and well-integrated with the game's whimsical art style and mechanics. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and replayability.
- “Came for the rocks, stayed for the mesmerizing music.”
- “Genuinely might be one of my favorite games ever, in no small part to the amazing soundtrack.”
- “The music is amazing as always (always seems to catch me humming).”
- “The music is somewhat irritating.”
- “- worse sound design (for me music is extremely important in the game and here it isn't as good, it doesn't get as lively when you hit enemy gates and my personal grudge, song when you destroy enemy gates, I know it is minor, but I would love to have Requiem in D minor as it was in the 1st game)”
- “3- no music when escape menu is pressed”
replayability
15 mentions
47 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability, particularly through its multiplayer modes and various difficulty settings, making it enjoyable for both solo and cooperative play. While some players found the single-player experience satisfying, others noted a decline in replay value after unlocking all content. The whimsical visuals and engaging gameplay contribute to its appeal, though the potential for additional maps could enhance its longevity.
- “There is a lot of replayability, and it is a ton of fun to play with friends.”
- “The soundtrack and visuals are whimsical and wonderful, and the gameplay, while fairly simple in concept, has a surprising amount of depth and replayability.”
- “Not to mention that the campaign has lots of replayability with many different difficulty modes.”
- “I'm not a fan of online, so it doesn't have much replay value.”
- “I played this game for 6.6 hours with a friend and it lost a lot of replayability once we unlocked everything.”
- “It's an occasional party game that could become more replayable if more maps could be made (via workshop or whatever).”
optimization
7 mentions
57 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its impressive performance and graphical quality, achieving 45-60fps at 1440p on medium settings. However, users report significant issues when playing online, including lag and crashes when connected via Wi-Fi, suggesting that server optimization may need improvement. While the single-player experience is generally smooth, the multiplayer aspect detracts from the overall experience.
- “This game is also very well optimized.”
- “Incredible optimization for Unreal Engine 4, achieving 45-60fps at 1440p with an HD7950 on medium settings.”
- “The optimization is impressive; it took me only 3 hours to beat the game.”
- “If it were optimized better, I would definitely recommend this.”
- “But when I'm playing online only, I lag so bad. I just bought fiber optic for my house, so connection to the internet is no problem. I am wondering if it's the servers themselves that are not optimized or if it's a problem talking to my friend. We play many games together and we don't lag, but we do lag on this game.”
grinding
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to a sense of monotony as they engage in similar tasks, such as breaking enemy gates and battling bosses. While the art style and humor are appreciated, the grinding can result in frustration and analysis paralysis, particularly during defense building and boss encounters. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a necessary but unenjoyable part of gameplay.
- “Grinding in this game is a rewarding experience that keeps you engaged for hours.”
- “The grind is satisfying, as it allows you to see tangible progress in your character's development.”
- “I love how grinding feels purposeful; every battle and quest contributes to my overall growth.”
- “On the other hand, it could lead to analysis paralysis, making it take too long for some players to do the slightly more tedious building part of the game.”
- “Very nice art style and the humor is Monty Python-esque, but it has unpredictable physics, tedious defense building, monotonous gameplay, and it's the same repetitive goal every time to break the enemy gate.”
- “The only minor weakness is that some of the boss fights (yes, this thing has boss fights) are frustrating and tedious.”
stability
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent freezes and crashes, particularly when using dual monitors or navigating menus. Many users report that these bugs severely impact gameplay, making it nearly unplayable and causing loss of progress.
- “Display settings are horribly buggy with two monitors.”
- “I bought this game and the first minute was great, until it froze and then crashed.”
- “Game is barely playable and extremely buggy.”
monetization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The monetization of Rock of Ages 3 has been criticized as a rushed cash grab, offering minimal new content for players who already own Rock of Ages 2. However, it does not include microtransactions or season passes, which some players may appreciate.
- “No microtransactions.”
- “There are no microtransactions or season passes.”
- “Rock of Ages 3 is essentially a rushed cash grab in terms of the content it adds from this game; very little to justify the purchase if the player already owns Rock of Ages 2.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game varies significantly, with some players enjoying a lighthearted, cartoonish vibe, while others prefer a more serious and strategic environment focused on tactical planning.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into a world that feels alive and vibrant.”
- “Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
- “The game's atmosphere perfectly balances tension and tranquility, creating a unique experience.”
emotional
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for a more engaging emotional experience in future installments, suggesting that the story elements and trap mechanics detract from the overall enjoyment. They advocate for a shift in focus towards more captivating tracks to enhance the emotional impact of the game.
- “The emotional depth of the story felt lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I expected a more engaging narrative, but the emotional moments fell flat and felt forced.”
- “The game tried to evoke feelings, but the execution was so poor that it left me feeling indifferent.”