What Makes Rocket League So Special?
Image credits: Facebook
About the game
Rocket League is a soccer game that you don’t play with people but with rocket-powered cars. The game involves driving fast, attractive cars to play soccer. You sit in a car and drive through the soccer ground knocking the ball around. Just like soccer, here too, the objective is to score a goal. There are teams with eight players, and your aim is to get goals and stop your opponent from scoring goals. The game can be played in single-player mode, as well as in multiplayer mode, where you take on players from across the world. The game supports cross-platform play, which is one of its highlights.
The game is developed and published by a San-Diego gaming company Psyonix. The company was recently taken over by Epic Games. Psyonix’s initial successful games were Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-powered Battle cars and Monster Madness: Grave Danger. The former was a vehicular soccer game that they developed for the PlayStation 3. The loyal fan base of the game led to developers planning a sequel, and that is how Rocket League was developed. The developers addressed all the issues in Battle cars and then came up with the concept of the Rocket League.
They engaged with players and initially offered the game for free to get player input. This helped them to rework all the negative issues that Battle cars had and thus ensure that Rocket League would be well-received. The strategy worked with Rocket League becoming popular. The game was first released on Windows and PlayStation 4 in 2015. Subsequently, it was released for the Xbox One, macOS, and Nintendo Switch. The game achieved sales of more than 10 million copies. There are reportedly more than 29 million registered players who play this game. The game won several awards in recognition of its popularity, including PlayStation 3 ‘Best Sports Game’ at E3 2015.
The game plot, characters, and storyline
The game characters
As you would have realized, the main character in the game is the car itself. As a player, you choose a car and play with the car with the objective of being able to maneuver it well to score goals. There are different sizes, as well as the shapes of cars to choose from. Hitboxes are the car component you need to keep in mind while selecting a car. The hitbox that is bigger allows you to hit and maneuver the ball easier. However, controlling cars with big hitboxes are tougher. There are all types of cars in the game, including the Batmobile and an ice-cream truck.
Image credits: Facebook
What is the game about?
The game involves playing soccer in a team of cars with the objective of winning. There are different options for matches. It can be one to one or in a team of four players taking on four others. Each match usually is for a duration of five minutes. Your objective is to take the ball in your control using the car and try to score a goal. At the end of the five minutes, the team (or player) who has more goals is the winner. If there is a tie, then there is a sudden death to decide on the winner). You can play against the computer or real people. Single-player mode allows you to play against other players that the computer controls. In multi-player mode, you are challenged by players from across the world, and your goal is to increase your ranking.
The game has continuous updates with new features and additions to the game. For one season, soccer was replaced with ice hockey, where you use a puck instead of a ball to play the game. Dropshot was another new option introduced, where there is no concept of goal. Instead, you need to damage the floor of the opponent. This happens through electrifying the ball. When the ball is fully electrified, it breaks the floor and drops in, allowing you to score. There are events launched regularly and new seasons to compete against the best in the world.
The Rocket pass is an innovative feature the game introduced to try and increase its revenue. Buying the rocket pass allows you to get extra and exclusive features. You can get special options to customize your car and increase its winning abilities. You can get extra bonuses and get more rewards when you play using the rocket pass. You get access to new cars and new features to make the game more fun.
Image credits: Facebook
Gameplay
One of the key aspects of gameplay is the use of the physics engine in the game. The game uses a Bullet Physics engine to make gameplay realistic, interesting, and fast. One of the problems with the earlier game of Psyonix (Battle cars) was a complaint that only highly skilled players could win the game, and novices would find it extremely tough. The physics engine helps to overcome this problem. It tracks all the cars in the game and their movement and synchronizes the game in such a way that players would not find a problem competing with expert players. It helps create a level playing field.
The gameplay is smooth and easy, making it a delight to play. The cars can be easily controlled, and the ball handled smoothly. The trick is in using different maneuvers to take control of the ball and score goals. There are various actions the car is capable of (similar to a human playing football). The car can somersault or even bicycle kick to send the ball sailing past the goalpost. What is important is having the right strategy. You need to use the right moves at the right time to score a goal. It takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, the game becomes easy and more fun. Trying out the single-player first is recommended before you take part in online competitions.
If you are a serious player and play to win, then the game offers many options to help you. Just like a real car racer would consider various features in a car, so can you select features in your game cars. You can consider factors like turn radius and power slide angle that gives you an advantage while playing. Selecting the car and customizing it is an art, and as you get the hang of the game, you will understand how important it is. You can use the camera to focus on the ball allowing you to target it.
There are different game modes for you to enjoy the game. There is Soccer that allows you to play the standard game of soccer and score goals. Snow day allows you to play on a snowy field, and instead of a ball, you use a hockey puck. Rumble is an extension of Soccer that gives you a special power-up randomly that adds variety to the game. Dropshot makes you juggle the ball to electrify it and break tiles on the floor. You can play on your own, privately, or participate in online tournaments. One of the most attractive features of the game is that it allows cross-platform support. You can play on a Nintendo Switch with another player playing on Steam or a PS4 device.
Game features
The features of the game tell you what makes Rocket League so special:
· Rocket League is a soccer game that you play operating a rocket car with the objective of striking a ball and scoring a goal.
· The game is available in the single-player and multiplayer modes. You can compete with players across the world and even play with those using another gaming platform.
· There are different game modes that ensure you don’t get bored playing the game.
· You can buy the Rocket pass to get extra benefits and additional customizations, and a new car to play in.
· The game uses a physics-based engine to ensure smoother gameplay.
· You can participate in competitions to increase your rankings. Getting a higher rank allows you to get more rewards.
· There are new events launched for different occasions to make the game more fun.
· There are 500 trillion customization options available. You can get free items or buy them to customize your car.
· The graphics and music make the game all the more interesting.
Conclusion
Whether you play video games for fun or play them for the thrill of winning, Rocket League is a game you must play. The game offers hours of fun for all those who love fast cars and soccer. Get new cars, customize them for newer options, and play a fast-paced game of soccer sitting in your car and score goals to win. If you want to play for fun, try the single-player mode to master the game. If you want to compete against the best and prove yourself, then play in the online competitions, where you get a chance to take on the best players in the world. The amazing features of this game explain its popularity. Highly recommended!
Game Trailer
Video Source: YouTube
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