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Rollerdrome

The Roll7 team have achieved an original greatness with Rollerdrome across the board: original concept, 80s nostalgia music and art—augmented with super fluid mechanics and gameplay.
87%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
grinding, stability
92% User Score Based on 3,449 reviews
Critic Score 82%Based on 46 reviews

Platforms

PCPCXboxXboxXbox Series X|SXbox Series X|SPlaystation 5Playstation 5Playstation 4Playstation 4WindowsWindowsPlayStationPlayStationCloudCloud
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About

"Rollerdrome" is a single player, BAFTA award-winning third-person shooter game with an amazing story and perfect mechanics. It combines high-octane combat with fluid motion for an action experience like no other, set in a retrofuture blood sport arena. With stunning visuals, a stellar soundtrack, and intense shooter-skater action, Rollerdrome offers high replayability as you grind your way to becoming the champion and uncovering the mysteries of the Matterhorn corporation.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot
Rollerdrome screenshot

92%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,352 reviews
gameplay431 positive mentions
grinding90 negative mentions
  • Unique blend of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and Max Payne mechanics, providing a fresh and exhilarating gameplay experience.
  • Stylish art direction and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • High replayability with various challenges and a satisfying learning curve that rewards skill improvement.
  • Progression is locked behind completing specific challenges, which can feel tedious and frustrating for players.
  • Some players may find the controls awkward, especially when using keyboard and mouse instead of a controller.
  • The game can become overwhelming in later levels due to the sheer number of enemies and projectiles on screen.
  • gameplay
    1,003 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Rollerdrome* is widely praised for its unique blend of fast-paced skating and shooting mechanics, reminiscent of *Tony Hawk's Pro Skater* and *Max Payne*. Players appreciate the steep learning curve and rewarding mastery of its intricate mechanics, which create a satisfying and addictive gameplay loop. However, some reviewers note that the game can become repetitive and challenging, particularly in later levels, and that the reliance on performing tricks to reload can disrupt the flow of combat. Overall, the game is celebrated for its engaging mechanics, stylish presentation, and the thrill of mastering its gameplay.

    • “Great learning curve with satisfying and challenging to master gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is very intuitive - I’m surprised how quickly I picked it up - while still offering a solid level of challenge and comfortable chaos that makes for some very exciting and replayable levels.”
    • “Rollerdrome is an addictive arcade-style game that mixes Tony Hawk's Pro Skater gameplay with Ultrakill's shooter mechanics.”
    • “You get nothing in return, no skins, cosmetics, power-ups, cool things, you just play the game like you would play Donkey Kong or Pac-Man in the arcade; there's nothing but the gameplay, and it just makes the whole idea flawed and shows how developers remained oblivious or ignorant in that regard.”
    • “A lot of the challenges provided by enemies and game mechanics are just annoying and not fun to play around.”
    • “Unfortunately, the actual game that Roll7 built around all that is rather lacking; it fails to significantly iterate or expand on its core mechanics much beyond the first few stages, even with a few new weapons, and levels are too long, with their repetitive level and encounter design getting stale awfully fast.”
  • graphics
    504 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Rollerdrome have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant cel-shaded art style, which evokes a retro-futuristic aesthetic reminiscent of 70s and 80s comic books and films. Players appreciate the clean and sharp visuals that enhance gameplay clarity, allowing for smooth action even amidst chaotic scenes. While some critiques mention a lack of graphical options and minor performance issues, the overall artistic execution is celebrated as a standout feature that complements the game's fast-paced mechanics and engaging soundtrack.

    • “The art style is amazing and a very bold choice, as it may seem 'primitive' to the untrained eye.”
    • “Beautiful cel-shaded graphics and a great difficulty that prevents it from being too easy and the right amount of challenge.”
    • “The visuals pop, enemies are easy to spot and track, and watching Kara shoot while spinning and flipping in slow motion never gets old.”
    • “Lovely game kind of ruined by there being no graphical options (not asking for much but this game desperately needs anti-aliasing, the jaggies even at 1440p are horrendous).”
    • “There is a lack of variety in terms of visuals, not enemy types.”
    • “Why minimalist art style but bad performance?”
  • music
    391 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Rollerdrome" is widely praised for its fitting synthwave soundtrack, which enhances the game's retro-futuristic aesthetic and keeps players engaged during intense gameplay. While many players find the soundtrack enjoyable and well-composed, some note a lack of variety and suggest that it could benefit from a more dynamic system that reacts to gameplay performance. Overall, the music complements the game's visuals and mechanics, creating an immersive experience, though a few players recommend supplementing it with personal playlists for added enjoyment.

    • “The moody synthwave soundtrack is a perfect match for the retro-dystopian future, which is weirdly well fleshed out considering how there is basically zero exposition in this game.”
    • “Rollerdrome is a fabulous little game with a well-defined scope, tightly designed gameplay, a banging soundtrack, and an aura of coolness permeating every frame.”
    • “Every time the beat drops when you jump into the arena is pure hype and the intensity of the music matches the frantic gameplay.”
    • “The music is underwhelming as well.”
    • “Overall I give it a subjective 9.5/10, but objectively it's probably a 7 or 8 given the back half of the game could be considered mundane or spammy when you stop getting new enemies/weapons, and the maps and music are forgettable.”
    • “The only real let down is the soundtrack; when a stellar soundtrack would have put this game over the top.”
  • story
    374 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in Rollerdrome is generally described as minimal and subtle, serving primarily as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus. While some players appreciate the intriguing dystopian elements and environmental storytelling, many feel that the narrative is shallow and lacks depth, often requiring players to seek out details through exploration rather than being directly presented. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging mechanics and aesthetic, but the story is seen as an afterthought that could benefit from further development.

    • “The story and universe are solid – they don’t overshadow the flashy gameplay, but rather make shooting while roller-skating feel less strange and detached from reality.”
    • “With smooth gameplay and excellent environmental storytelling, Rollerdrome delivers a memorable experience.”
    • “The game sprinkles just enough story here and there so that you'll understand the setting, the backstory and personality of the main character, the stakes, and why she's participating in a blood sport.”
    • “Telling your whole story through small descriptions isn't compelling when they're so few and far between.”
    • “The story is almost not there, sure.”
    • “Unfortunately, this never happens, and the story has no actual payoff.”
  • replayability
    99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Rollerdrome offers high replayability through its engaging gameplay, intuitive mechanics, and a variety of challenges that encourage players to improve their scores and complete objectives. While the main campaign is relatively short, lasting around four to six hours, the game’s addictive nature and the potential for additional playtime in sandbox modes and leaderboards keep players returning for more. However, some players feel that the lack of an endless mode or more maps could enhance the replay value further.

    • “Incredible game with gorgeous presentation and fantastic gameplay, absolutely dripping with style in every corner. The matches are just the right amount of challenging to remain interesting, and the list of challenges makes it easily replayable just to try and improve.”
    • “The campaign is admittedly short—expect around four to six hours—but the sandbox is addictingly replayable (I have an additional 20+ hours logged on console).”
    • “The challenges also add a lot to the replayability, too, because if you like to chase down the challenges, you'll be replaying these levels a few times to knock them all out.”
    • “The only thing I think would be a big benefit to the game for replay value is some sort of an endless survival mode.”
    • “It is also on the shorter side and doesn't feel that replayable to me.”
    • “This is supposed to add some more 'replayability', but I doubt players will spend a lot of time on it after the main campaign.”
  • grinding
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly when it comes to completing challenges that require replaying levels. While some appreciate the blend of trick mechanics and combat, others feel that the focus on grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, especially in later stages where difficulty spikes. Despite these criticisms, some players find satisfaction in mastering the grind and completing challenges, suggesting that enjoyment may depend on individual preferences for grinding gameplay.

    • “To progress in the game and unlock new levels and eventually the second campaign, be ready for a healthy amount of good 'ol grinding, as you're going to have to replay some of the levels to get all the tasks done and thus progress.”
    • “The grinding challenges can be a bit frustrating, and the fact that you have to replay previous levels to complete them can grind the game to a halt.”
    • “I understand the appeal of the gameplay loop is switching between tricks and combat, but there's not enough variety or character progression to keep things from getting tedious.”
  • optimization
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with many users reporting smooth performance across various hardware, including high-end PCs and the Steam Deck. While some players experienced minor stuttering in later levels, the majority found the performance to be flawless, especially given the minimalist art style. The game encourages a focus on optimization and execution, making it rewarding for players looking to improve their skills.

    • “Extremely optimized and performs flawlessly.”
    • “Also flawless PC version that most PCs should be able to run smoothly even at 4K.”
    • “Why minimalist art style but bad performance?”
    • “Pretty good game overall, some stuttering in later levels on my high-end PC; otherwise, good performance.”
    • “The game values memorization, optimization, and execution much more than it does creativity and improvisation.”
  • stability
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it runs well on the Steam Deck and is generally well-constructed, players have reported occasional glitches and buggy mechanics, particularly during grinding sequences. Some users noted that despite these issues, the game can still be enjoyable, though the fun may diminish over time due to the bugs.

    • “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “Bad game mechanics wrapped in a buggy package that offers moments of fun, but moments which get old really quickly.”
    • “Grinding feels extremely buggy; if you jump out of a grind and grind again, you magically snap to the rail. It feels very, very alpha-state.”
    • “The game offers some nice graphics and a nice aesthetic, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
  • atmosphere
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in Rollerdrome is highly praised for its engaging art style, immersive soundtrack, and the contrasting moments of calm before chaotic matches, which enhance the overall experience. While the thin storyline adds a subtle layer to the ambiance, some players may find the atmosphere overwhelming if they are unfamiliar with its inspirations. Overall, the game successfully combines elements of fun and intensity, creating a vibrant and captivating environment.

    • “Wonderful art style, amazing atmosphere, and a great soundtrack so far, not to mention it's pretty damn fun.”
    • “Atmosphere, visuals, gameplay, music on point.”
    • “If you've not played the prerequisite inspirations that are being built upon here then that oppressive atmosphere could feel suffocating, especially with a rather monotonous tutorial.”
    • “Rollerdrome is loaded with atmosphere; I'm particularly fond of the short 'run up' to an arena - a much-needed moment of calm and anticipation in contrast to the violence and chaos of the match itself.”
    • “The (extremely thin) story that is spun around the levels/tournament is a nice touch – small enough that it can be ignored, but adding to the overall atmosphere.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the humor in the game to be a blend of dark comedy and lighthearted moments, particularly through the exploration of its dystopian backstory and the satisfaction of mastering challenging levels. The relaxed first-person segments provide a humorous contrast to the intense gameplay, enhancing the overall experience. Many reviewers also appreciate the nostalgic vibes reminiscent of classic games like Tony Hawk's Underground 2.

    • “I also appreciate the more relaxed, first-person exploration in between matches, which gives the player some often darkly humorous backstory about the dystopian world of 2030 and the international Rollerdrome Federation.”
    • “At the beginning, I did not understand the game, but after 45 minutes, I became a killing machine. The game is great and has that Tony Hawk Underground 2 vibe. Completing the levels is funny; I just finished the 4th one.”
    • “It's funny because I completed these last levels pretty smoothly after being stuck and thinking I needed it to be easier.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game's exploration of themes like resistance, totalitarianism, and corruption to be emotionally engaging, even if the depth of these elements is limited. The intriguing premise effectively draws players into the narrative, fostering a sense of investment in the story.

    • “This is always an intriguing premise, and the game leaves you clues about the resistance, the totalitarian nature of society, the corruption behind the sport, etc. It wasn't much, but it got me emotionally invested.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is highlighted through the visually distinct silhouettes of enemies, suggesting a strong emphasis on modern character design. This approach indicates a thoughtful effort to create unique and recognizable characters within the game.

  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game includes options to enhance accessibility, such as slowing down gameplay and providing unlimited resources through ads, making it easier for newcomers to engage with the genre. However, this approach may raise concerns about the balance between challenge and reliance on in-game purchases.

82%Critics’ scoreBased on 46 critic reviews

Buy Rollerdrome

6h Median play time
6h Average play time
5h Main story
15h Completionist
5-6h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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