Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game
- May 21, 2024
- MLMEDIA
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game" is a single-player experience being developed by a solo developer in Unreal Engine 5, with an emphasis on free roaming and challenging parkour and freerunning gameplay. The game features a unique control scheme and tricking system, and is currently in development for PC, with plans for console release later on.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Incredible parkour mechanics that feel smooth and satisfying.
- Great potential for future updates and community engagement.
- Fun and relaxing gameplay, perfect for chilling while listening to music.
- Limited content with only a few maps and challenges available.
- Controls can feel clunky and unintuitive at times, especially on keyboard and mouse.
- Some bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, but expected in early access.
- gameplay210 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this parkour game is widely praised for its smooth mechanics and fluid movement, making it enjoyable and addictive to master. While the core mechanics are well-executed and offer a high skill ceiling, many players express a desire for more content, including additional maps and game modes, as well as clearer tutorials for complex mechanics. Overall, the game is seen as a promising entry in the parkour genre, with a strong foundation that could benefit from further development and community engagement.
“Best parkour game mechanically that I’ve played.”
“The gameplay is incredibly fun and feels great to chain together moves, and the score system is very rewarding.”
“Amazing gameplay, good graphics for a cartoon environment, and the type of game you can sit on for hours not even paying attention to the challenges, but rather just trying to master the mechanics and hit new clips, especially if you're a fan of parkour.”
“The gameplay feels incomplete; the modes are skeletal, but pulling off illusion twists then plummeting is strangely addictive.”
“The lack of any sort of wall kick really sticks out, but the wall running and wall climbing mechanics in general are very stiff and rudimentary.”
“Some of the movement mechanics feel oddly grouped control-wise and, as others have said, clunky.”
- music97 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its energetic and catchy quality, enhancing the overall experience and vibe. However, many players express frustration over the limited number of tracks, leading to repetitiveness, and suggest the ability to import personal playlists or expand the soundtrack. Overall, while the in-game music is enjoyable, players are eager for more variety to keep the experience fresh.
“The soundtrack slaps—electric, energetic, and sharp.”
“It's perfect for those gaming sessions where I just wanna listen to my own music and have a great time.”
“Very fun game to chill and listen to music or a podcast.”
“Beyond the music, the audio design falters.”
“There are too few songs currently in the game, no way to select them (besides skipping to the next one), and a few are too repetitive.”
“And please add more music; having the same 4 songs on repeat constantly is very repetitive and tiring, which makes me completely put it on mute and listen to my own songs.”
- graphics84 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their aesthetic appeal, smooth animations, and vibrant design, with many players noting the impressive quality given that it was developed by a single creator. While some users found the visuals to be somewhat basic or desaturated, the overall consensus is that the graphics enhance the gameplay experience, making it visually rewarding and immersive. Additionally, the game runs well on lower-end systems, further broadening its accessibility.
“From the moment you dive into the game, you’re immediately struck by its stunning visuals.”
“The graphics are crisp, vibrant, and meticulously designed, making every leap and roll visually rewarding.”
“I have been following this game since it was in very very early development and it is so much better than I ever could have imagined, the visuals are beautiful, the tricks amazing, and the flow from move to move is so natural and satisfying.”
“The visuals are a struggle of ambition and opacity.”
“Graphics are okay but not worth playing longer than 10-30 minutes... tried a few times to enjoy the game but couldn't force myself to stay longer than 5 minutes in the game!”
“I really wanted to play this game but whenever I load into a map it just flashes models at the screen. I lowered graphics to the minimum but it did nothing.”
- story45 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many users expressing a desire for missions, objectives, and a more structured narrative to enhance the gameplay experience. While some appreciate the sandbox nature and focus on parkour mechanics, they feel that the lack of content and progression systems detracts from long-term engagement. Overall, players are hopeful for future updates that might introduce a story mode or more complex gameplay elements.
“Just simply yes, I like it. It's fun; it's the type of game to tell stories in the background.”
“Looking forward to more in-depth stages and potentially a story :) All in all, what an absolute vibe of a game (music kicks too).”
“As well as the lack of things to do in the game, there's no content, no story, no real progression system; nothing will make people want to come back.”
“The sandbox nature of this game is exactly what I wanted out of Mirror's Edge Catalyst, which has great execution with its parkour mechanics, competent level design (up until the last district), and terrible overall execution due to its need for a half-baked story and pointless combat.”
“If you are looking for a game with a storyline, missions, and big open maps, then I would wait for some time.”
- stability38 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is characterized by a mix of minor bugs and glitches, particularly in multiplayer and parkour mechanics, which are expected in early access titles. While some players report game-breaking issues, many find the glitches to be non-intrusive and part of the game's charm, with developers actively addressing these concerns through updates. The game runs well on lower-end devices, and despite its imperfections, it remains enjoyable and promising for future improvements.
“Otherwise, no complaints whatsoever. The game is fun, responsive, not littered with microtransactions, and well polished in terms of bug-free gameplay a month from release.”
“Best game to ever exist! It runs great on lower-end devices, with very smooth movement and animations.”
“Will change the score when it's fixed, but yet it's buggy and totally unplayable.”
“I absolutely love this game but a few critiques about it: glitches more often than not, the game crashes whenever I try to go to a different map when I am already in one, and I have to close the game and go back in.”
“Unless my controller is faulty, I often end up with my character completely ignoring input and missing grabs, and even camera glitches where it'll whip around randomly in the opposite direction.”
- humor20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players enjoying funny interactions, amusing glitches, and entertaining ragdoll physics that enhance the overall experience. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to generate laughter through its chaotic gameplay and funny moments, particularly during multiplayer sessions. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted and enjoyable element, making it a fun choice for both casual play and competitive scenarios.
“This game is pretty funny when playing with friends.”
“I've been playing the game since release and have been completely addicted to mastering the movements for fast and creative movement and laughing at funny bails and mega launches here and there.”
“Therer are a few bugs but it adds to the funny randomness.”
- grinding17 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 41 % negative mentions
Players consistently express that grinding in the game is extensive, often requiring significant time investment to achieve mastery or progression. While some appreciate the fun and skill-building aspects of grinding, others warn that it may not appeal to those who dislike repetitive tasks. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable, but the grinding element is a prominent and time-consuming feature.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“But, if you're the type of person who gets bored without any progression or grinding whatsoever, then I don't recommend this to you.”
“This is a game designed purely for fun and fun only, and I really appreciate that considering the modern gaming market is designed entirely around grinding to get you to purchase micro-transactions.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed feedback; while many players praise its smooth performance, intuitive controls, and frequent updates, some users with low-spec systems report significant performance issues. The developer is noted for their responsiveness and commitment to improving the game, contributing to a generally positive experience for most players. However, concerns about long-term map variety and performance on lower-end PCs remain.
“Very fun and runs smoothly.”
“I recommend playing, and also the dev keep up the good work because it feels smooth and optimized well.”
“Developer is putting a lot of effort into this, and the game feels smooth, and it’s well optimized.”
“Good game, bad performance.”
“I did refund it; I don't have even an hour on this game due to performance issues on my old low-spec system.”
“Workshop compatibility is also a must down the line; if the world isn't open world, it's only a matter of time before the maps get stale through optimization and repeated play.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is seen as a mixed bag; while some players find it highly replayable due to its learning curve and potential for community-created content, others feel that the lack of substantial content limits its long-term appeal. Suggestions for workshop support and additional content could enhance replayability and community engagement.
“Basically infinite replayability with these community-made projects.”
“The replay value of this game isn't very high.”
“Eventual workshop support is also a must, and I feel like that would really help with replayability and community engagement, even if the rest of the game remains in its current state.”
“I do have some suggestions that could make this game constantly replayable and will always make you come back for more.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a desire for a more vibrant and immersive atmosphere, suggesting that the current individual maps feel small and lifeless. They envision an open-world environment, similar to Mirror's Edge, with tall buildings and NPCs to enhance the game's liveliness and exploration potential.
“I wish the atmosphere of the game was a little more lively.”
“In the future, I hope for an open world (think Mirror's Edge type aesthetic) where you can immerse yourself in extremely tall buildings and streets filled with NPCs. This would add more liveliness to the atmosphere, as each map currently feels rather small and lacking in activities after exploring them.”
“However, I do wish the atmosphere of the game was a little more lively.”
“In the future, I would hope that instead of individual maps, there would be an open world (think Mirror's Edge type aesthetic) where you could submerge yourself in and have extremely tall buildings to run around on, as well as access to streets with NPCs to add a little bit more to the atmosphere and liveliness of the game. Each map feels rather small and dead, with not much to do after exploring each little part of it.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is viewed as genuine and not merely a cash grab, reflecting the creator's passion for the project. Suggestions for improvement include the potential introduction of trick bundles as downloadable content or in-game purchases to enhance the experience.
“Trick bundles: If there are more tricks to include, you could turn them into trick bundles (like DLC or in-game purchases).”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, with prices that are far too high for the content offered.”
“It seems like the game is designed more to extract money from players than to provide a rewarding experience.”
“The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall enjoyment and immersion of the game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is characterized as a wholesome experience that evokes emotions through its humorous multiplayer interactions and unique gameplay elements, such as the ability to become a pigeon, fostering a lighthearted and enjoyable atmosphere.
