Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken

The game is reasonably priced on PSN, so if you love 2D side-scrolling games that offer a good challenge and also try to attempt to distinguish itself from the rest of the games out there, do give this a try. There is also a demo available, so check it out if it matches your taste or not.

61%Game Brain Score

music, gameplay

stability, replayability

75% User Score Based on 1,128 reviews

Critic Score 68%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $1.47

Buy NowGet on Steam$4.99

About

In Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken, players control a commando chicken on a mission to overthrow the penguin dictatorship in Albatropolis. The game combines side-scrolling shooting and puzzle-solving, with a blend of humor and action. Players can use various weapons, stealth moves, and rocket-powered flight to defeat enemies and progress through the levels.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken screenshot

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,130 reviews

music210 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game features a unique and humorous premise of a chicken fighting against a penguin regime, which adds charm and entertainment value.
The soundtrack is outstanding, with many players praising it as one of the best aspects of the game.
The art style and animations are visually appealing, contributing to an engaging atmosphere throughout the gameplay.

The controls are often described as clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The game can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with many players noting that the combat mechanics are simplistic and not very challenging.
The multiplayer experience is plagued by lag and connectivity issues, making co-op play less enjoyable.

music
386 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
43%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its engaging and unique soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some noted issues with volume inconsistencies and repetitive loops, the majority found the music to be a standout feature, often describing it as a hidden gem worth purchasing the game for. Overall, the soundtrack is characterized as energetic, fitting well with the game's aesthetic and gameplay, contributing significantly to its appeal.
- “Now that that's out of the way... this game's soundtrack has been in my playlist for the better part of a decade at this point, worth buying alone just to listen to the music but the game is also pretty good too.”
- “The soundtrack is brilliantly suited; there's a decent sense of humor, again, good fun, would recommend.”
- “This game has a wicked soundtrack and the gameplay is solid.”
- “By the way, the music (songs, with lyrics) start and stop randomly, making it very annoying.”
- “The music is absolute trash.”
- “And not just in a 'this type of music uses four chords and repeats the same crap over and over again', but the actual system that delivers the music seems to be somewhat broken - often restarting the music for doing simple things like pausing or walking through a doorway.”
gameplay
256 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
59%
12%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it simple and repetitive, often lacking depth and variety. While some appreciate the unique mechanics and humor, others criticize the clunky controls, unbalanced difficulty, and overall lack of engaging gameplay. The visuals and soundtrack receive praise, but many feel that the gameplay does not live up to the potential suggested by the game's presentation.
- “This game has a wicked soundtrack and the gameplay is solid.”
- “The gameplay is unique and fun.”
- “There's a ton of love that went into this game and it shows in both the presentation and the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is trash.”
- “Gameplay was way too easy.”
- “This would not bother me so much if the gameplay were spot on, but sadly I found it tedious, repetitive and boring, controls seem heavy and lack the responsiveness we see in titles like Super Meat Boy and Broforce.”
story
229 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
52%
6%
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a mix of humor and action that keeps players engaged, with many praising its unique premise involving chickens and penguins in a Cold War setting. While some find the narrative simple or lacking depth, others appreciate the entertaining cutscenes and the overall charm of the storytelling. The art style and soundtrack further enhance the experience, making it a fun and memorable journey despite its brevity.
- “Awesome art style (especially the cinematics), great music, and a genuinely compelling little storyline.”
- “However, the story and overall experience is unique and quite compelling, considering we're talking about farm birds playing out the Cold War here.”
- “Rocketbirds has it all—fantastic and unique artwork, voice acting that manages to be both hilarious and perfectly in character, a story about apocalyptic drone life that doesn't take itself too seriously, puzzles and side endeavors, and of course the kickass soundtrack.”
- “The story is awful.”
- “There's practically no story here; you are a hardboiled chicken hero who must liberate a land from Nazi penguins.”
- “The plot is hilarious, but it is a very lacking story.”
graphics
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
27%
2%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and stylish art style, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive animations, detailed environments, and vibrant visuals that enhance the overall experience. While some players found the graphics to be a standout feature, others noted that the execution could be inconsistent, with gameplay transitions feeling awkward at times. Overall, the combination of good graphics and a compelling soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's appeal, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics.
- “Awesome art style (especially the cinematics), great music, and a genuinely compelling little storyline.”
- “The graphics look sharp and detailed; the blood splatters on the wall look quite amazing, for example.”
- “It has surprisingly impressive graphics, with lots of detail and texture.”
- “Interesting game mechanics... but the cutscenes and gameplay transitions feel weird, and the gameplay and graphics are a bit tricky to get used to at first.”
- “The graphics are okay for a 2D game, but you feel bored very quickly, and the gameplay is kind of bad.”
- “I don't like the gameplay, the graphics, or how it works with a controller.”
humor
179 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with many players finding it genuinely funny and entertaining, often highlighting the quirky character designs and amusing dialogue. While some reviews note that the humor can be hit-or-miss or occasionally cheesy, the overall consensus is that it adds a delightful charm to the gameplay experience. The combination of a humorous storyline, engaging co-op features, and a fitting soundtrack contributes to a lighthearted atmosphere that players enjoy.
- “Hilarious game”
- “The humor was great - the way your character runs makes me laugh every time I play.”
- “The fact that you're a chicken going through and beating up/killing penguins is just hilarious.”
- “Boring, buggy, poor mechanics and gameplay, poorly animated, and most of all, not funny while it clearly tries to be.”
- “Boring, buggy, poor mechanics and gameplay, poorly animated, and most of all, not funny while it clearly tries to be.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
14%
14%
The game's atmosphere is a standout feature, blending oppressive, dystopian elements with a humorous and dark tone, reminiscent of classic titles like Abe's Oddysee. Players appreciate the unique art style, detailed environments, and well-crafted audio, including a rock soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Despite some criticisms of the co-op mode, the single-player experience is praised for its engaging and fun atmosphere, making it enjoyable to replay.
- “The art style mixes cartoonish and serious atmosphere, with clean graphics and detailed environments.”
- “The music is also really well done and lends a unique feel to the game's atmosphere.”
- “In terms of both oppressive, dystopian atmosphere and gameplay, the closest comparison I can think of is Abe's Oddysee; the fact you can psychically control your enemies to complete platform puzzles is especially reminiscent of that game.”
- “It's a healthy mix of humorous, dark, and badass; a thick atmosphere that can be shared in co-op.”
- “The art style mixes cartoonish and serious elements, with clean graphics and detailed environments.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
14%
71%
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting a bug-free experience in singleplayer, while others highlight significant issues in multiplayer, describing it as a "buggy mess." Overall, the game suffers from various glitches and poor mechanics, leading to a frustrating experience for many players.
- “No glitches detected.”
- “Bug free, pure joy.”
- “Buggy mess in multiplayer, but it's mediocre and kinda fun (?) in singleplayer.”
- “Very buggy.”
- “Boring, buggy, poor mechanics and gameplay, poorly animated and most of all not funny while it clearly tries to be.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
Overall, the game has limited replayability, with many users noting it offers "absolutely no replay value." However, some players find that co-op mode enhances the experience, providing a slight boost in replayability when played with friends.
- “The game is really enjoyable and has a bit of replayability, especially in co-op mode. If you have a friend, it makes the experience so much better.”
- “Absolutely no replay value.”
- “Too bad it's hardly replayable.”
- “Replayability?”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with heavy controls that lack responsiveness. The puzzle elements are often seen as aggravating rather than engaging, requiring cumbersome actions that detract from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “This would not bother me so much if the gameplay were spot on, but sadly I found it tedious, repetitive, and boring. The controls seem heavy and lack the responsiveness we see in titles like Super Meat Boy and Broforce.”
- “The puzzle element is more aggravating than most, as you'll most likely need to brainbug and control an enemy (which is cool, but the process involved is tedious) and flip switches or slide boxes around because you're too short or fat.”
- “A couple of the 'puzzles' were more tedious than they were interesting or fun, but they do not stay around long enough for me to really take them into account.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a jarring contrast, as players experience an unsettling narrative centered around a hard-boiled chicken attempting to avert a nuclear disaster, which some find to be extremely boring. This juxtaposition creates a unique but polarizing emotional experience.
- “The emotional roller coaster of being in control of a hard-boiled chicken saving the world from a potential nuclear catastrophe in this game is unsettling.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game's optimization has received criticism for imprecise controls and a laggy online mode, indicating that performance issues persist despite attempts to adjust settings for smoother gameplay.
- “I opened it and went into the settings to make sure it would run smoothly.”
- “However, the controls were imprecise, and the online mode seemed a bit unoptimized and laggy.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that while the game features stunning visuals and appealing character designs, there is little mention of depth or progression in character development. Overall, the focus seems to be more on aesthetics rather than meaningful character growth.