Roller Champion First Impressions: A Solid Start

ign.com:

Any multiplayer game that makes me push up my glasses and lean forward in my chair is right up my alley, and Roller Champions, the hyper-competitive roller derby, certainly appeals to that competitive sensibility. I split my sides as my team relentlessly tackled the enemy team in a highly toxic manner, fist pumped to zero onlookers in my living room as I heroically sunk a nail-biting shot, and devised a strategy with my team to pull off crazy stunts just for a laugh, and all of that was an absolute blast. But although I’ve only played for a short time as of now, I’m already a little concerned that the experience might already feel a little played out after the initial climb to learn the ropes has been overcome. Though it’s a solid start to what could be my next team-based competitive addiction, it also feels in danger of becoming repetitive rather quickly.

At its best, Roller Champions reminds me a lot of its pseudo-sport brethren, Rocket League, where a simple concept became endlessly entertaining as I honed my skills and pulled off trickier maneuvers. Should I try to tackle the ball carrier, or should I speed ahead and try to intercept the ball when they shoot for a point? Should I try dodging my pursuers, or should I throw the ball down the loop in hopes a teammate can recover it? Communicating with my squad and devising a strategy to dominate the competition became increasingly important as my opponents’ tactics evolved, and that’s exactly the kind of dynamic I want in this kind of fast, team-based contest.

But while it nails its core rollerblading mode, it’s also very one-note and lacking in variety. All three of the courses are near-identical oval arenas with most of the changes being entirely cosmetic that don’t