Roller Champions
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Summary
Put those roller blades on and speed through the opposition in Ubisofts' new brightly colored free-to-play game. Rollerblade Champions is a straightforward competitive sports title with not-so-straightforward gameplay. Imagine roller skating mixed with Aztec basketball, and you will get this. Coordinate with up to two friends or random people and take on other players worldwide. With a striking visual style and sometimes break-neck speed matches, this feels like a solid addition to everyone's library collection.
Plotline
In the distant future, entertainment of the athletic variety introduces a new sport combining roller skating and ullamaliztli (an ancient Aztec ball game). It is fast-paced with adrenaline-pumping action that sees participants pull off incredible maneuvers and brutal tackles that surely bring the fans in. During this period, Roller Champions is the most popular spectator sport in the world, and high-tech arenas are built to showcase the games against teams. You will play as a newcomer to the hardcore recreational activity. Work your way up from being a nobody into the most well-known athlete.
Gameplay
This title's gameplay is best described as quick and precise, filled with fantastic teamwork. The mechanics are simple to understand, just like real competitions of the sporting variety that exists in the real world.
Two teams of 3 people duke it out in an elliptical arena to score goals by having a ball pass through a small hoop while riding roller blades. Of course, there are additional rules implemented to add a sense of complexity and strategy in every match. Teams in possession of the ball must pass through 4 checkpoints in a specific order before the hoop is activated to receive shots. Getting the ball stolen from a team will reset its progress, and the process must be repeated from the beginning.
Individual participants have access to some move sets to pull off impressive plays. A player can lower their center of gravity and gain an increase in speed when moving on a downward slope called "pumping." Is the ball held by the enemy, or is the opposition harassing your teammate? Tackle others by pressing the appropriate key bind and see them crash to the floor thanks to this brutal action. The final main move anyone can do is a charge function for shooting; hold the fire button for a certain amount of time, then release it for a longer and more accurate toss. The minor move sets also included are breaking and jumping, and these are both supplemental moves for maneuverability.
Community
Ubisoft is going for the "free-to-play" and multi-platform release route, allowing the influx of an impressive amount of players. Gamers can find matches almost immediately with no unreasonable queue times. There is even a mode where you can hang out with others in a lobby of 6; in there, you move around a skate park trying to polish your skills while listening to fun music. With a simple premise and rules, it is guaranteed to be a fun time with friends!
Graphics/Sound
The graphics feature a futuristic candy-colored aesthetic, undoubtedly similar to games like Fortnite. The characters are stylized and rendered in a cartoon manner. Cinematic intros, end-of-match screens, and general movement are well animated. The character customization could use a boost since it only has a minimal amount of variation. This is offset, though, by the numerous amounts of cosmetics and costumes available to be equipped. The arenas come in a couple of different flavors, all mostly in theme, but unfortunately, the main circuit course track remains the same in every iteration.
The audio is carrying this title for quite a bit. The voice acting may sometimes come off as corny, but it fits the setting so well. The most obvious example would be the announcer's way of speaking! He is over the top and exaggerated but undeniably raises the excitement by hyping up matches so well. Music playing in the background is all high quality; most of them are licensed soundtracks from cool artists. The feedback from specific actions sounds so meaty, nailing that pinpoint accurate tackle gives off a satisfying crash and crunch. Truly a treat that adds a lot to the experience.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Roller Champions, produced and developed by the wonderful people at Ubisoft, is a game worthy of anyone's game collection. It is fast-paced and requires a bit of teamwork to be successful, and this equates to intense matches with all the players slipping into a competitive attitude. The core gameplay loop is impressively simple, guaranteeing players want to come back regularly. It is a treat to the eyes thanks to the aesthetic design and myriad of cosmetics to gain. You can also chill out with buddies and listen to good music while polishing your skills in a non-competitive lobby. What are you waiting for? Download it today for free!