Roller Drama
- January 26, 2023
- Open Lab Games
Roller Drama is charming but undermined by technical issues and obtuse puzzles.
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Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of visual novel and sports management elements, providing an engaging and emotional experience.
- The artistic design and character expressions are praised for their uniqueness and polish, contributing to the game's overall charm.
- The roller derby gameplay, while sometimes frustrating, is described as intense and rewarding once players grasp the mechanics.
- The gameplay can feel clunky and relies on luck during player collisions, leading to frustrating moments in matches.
- The story sometimes feels incomplete or rushed, with missing elements that can leave players confused about character motivations and events.
- There are issues with game design, such as the lack of manual saves and unclear objectives, which can lead to repeated failures and a tedious experience.
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story in the game is described as fragmented and at times incoherent, with players feeling as though key elements are missing or rushed, leading to a lack of emotional engagement. While the quirky roller derby setting offers potential for depth, the narrative often feels shallow and disconnected, with little opportunity for reflection or character development. Despite these shortcomings, some players appreciate the story's intensity and express a desire for more replayability to explore different narrative paths.
“There were also lots of little story elements that make you feel like you're only taking a peek into this universe, where roller derby is kind of a big deal.”
“I will probably come back and try to find the parts of the story I missed out on and to improve my roller derby skills!”
“The story is both intense and at the same time deep.”
“Also, the story sometimes feels like parts are missing or skipped, which makes some sense since we are only the coach and not 100% involved in the players' lives, but it still feels odd when group issues are suddenly thrown in your face.”
“And being blunt, the story is a little inane, less due to the quirky setting and more due to the fact that nobody really reacts to anything that happens in a way that seems informed by human thoughts.”
“They are trying to move along a very grand story arc, but don't have nearly enough game/scene time to get there naturally; the scenes do not give you time to breathe or to reflect on what is happening, and there is little sense of the passage of time.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a whimsical art style that, while not universally praised for aesthetic appeal, effectively complements the game's mood. Many players appreciate the high-quality artwork and presentation, particularly in the visual novel format, highlighting it as a standout feature of the game. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point, with some players expressing a desire for additional art-related content.
“I love this art style and I wish you would sell some sort of art book PDF DLC.”
“I think the artwork in this game was fantastic; the panels are really good, not just the design of the characters, but also the way the game presents the visual novel aspect of the experience.”
“Not the most aesthetically pleasing, but one friend of ol' il pallino was impressed, and the graphics do fit the mood of the game.”
“The graphics are of a whimsical nature.”
“Not the most aesthetically pleasing, but one friend of ol' il pallino was impressed, and the graphics do fit the mood of the game.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a unique blend of visual novel, management, and point-and-click elements, offering a distinct personality but not fully capitalizing on its potential. While the sport management aspect and roller derby gameplay are generally enjoyable, they can also be frustrating due to a lack of depth and intuitive design. Overall, the game appeals to those who appreciate narrative-driven experiences and innovative gameplay mechanics.
“Gameplay is quite unique, being largely a visual novel with moments of management as well as point & click, and although I don't think the game fully exploited these systems, they did give the game an overwhelming personality.”
“The first layer of gameplay is 'sport management' by way of being a den mother/coach at the team's housing complex.”
“If you love a good story and games that try new things gameplay-wise, look no further!”
“The gameplay was not that intuitive, and the team management was okay, just not that deep.”
“As far as the roller derby gameplay goes, it can be a little frustrating but it is mostly enjoyable.”
“Gameplay is also quite unique, being largely a visual novel with moments of management as well as point & click, and although I don't think the game fully exploited these systems, they did give the game an overwhelming personality.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received criticism for being subpar, with some users suggesting that it would be better to mute it entirely and listen to "Roller Girls" by The Soviettes instead. This sentiment is echoed multiple times, indicating a strong preference for an alternative soundtrack.
“Like the song said: watch out for the roller girls!”
“The music could have been better, but ol' il pallino advises muting the music and instead playing the song [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebey28hougq]roller girls[/url] by [i]the soviettes[/i] instead.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, primarily through character events, but lacks sufficient achievements for optional content, which diminishes the incentive to revisit. Players feel it missed an opportunity to enhance replay value and appeal to those seeking a more straightforward experience.
“It does have a little bit of replay value with the character events. I would highly recommend going back and adding achievements for all of the optional things that you can do, because it's not clear how much you actually missed.”
“This game has the potential for replayability, but it feels like a missed opportunity to add more novelty and appeal for players who want to enjoy a simple derby game without the story.”
“This was a missed opportunity to add replay value and novelty to a game that already had the ingredients, appealing to someone who wants to play a simple little derby game without the story.”
“It does have a little bit of replay value with the character events, but it seems like there are no achievements for all of the optional things you can do. I would highly recommend going back and adding those because it's not clear how much you actually missed.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the connection between sport management and emotional or mental health management, highlighting the potential for sports to serve as a therapeutic outlet.
“I love the idea of sport management as emotional and mental health management.”
