Rocket League for PS4 Hands-On Preview

I had never heard of the game Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars until after I heard about its sequel, Rocket League. Both games were made by Psyonix, a developer specializing in using the Unreal Engine. After the middling reviews given to SARPBC, I doubt many people were asking for a sequel, but when I saw a trailer for Rocket League, I was intrigued. Now having played the recent closed beta on Playstation 4, I am buying it.

Rocket League is like soccer if players were rocket-strapped, remote controlled cars. A standard match involves two teams of three, a walled arena, and an oversized ball which is intended to be catapulted/launched/propelled into the opposing team’s goal. The only added complications are a boost function (hence the rockets), which drains a meter that only replenished by running over small nodes scattered about the playing field, and the ability to jump.

I loved every minute testing Rocket League. From the reviews of SARPBC, controls were an issue, but they felt solid here. It is not an easy game to master, by any means. Getting the perfect shot on the ball involves some serious on-the-fly judgement calls, which in turn takes a ton of practice. By not adding any super powers or abilities, Psyonix has kept the game accessible while still offering a ton of control for advanced plays and spectacular moments, but I worry my own dexterity won’t be able to keep up once better players arrive.

Offline offerings were limited, though the beta had multiple training modes. They were okay, but no more helpful than playing a  few matches. The game seems focused on online multiplayer, but Psyonix has mentioned adding local co-op, a single player season mode, as well as supporting the game post-release with other updates.

I enjoyed the online multiplayer and matchmaking put me into matches fast. There are multiple modes to determine team sizes, but I stuck to 3v3 since that was recommended. The game ran smooth online and if I was out-matched by my opponents, games were over quick (roughly five minutes), so I never felt like I was being abused for someone else’s entertainment. I had no problems with my connection, but if anyone else dropped, a competent bot was automatically added in their place. Outside of replays, the action doesn’t stop, and you respawn within seconds if you get demolished after being rocketed into by another player.

In addition to scoring to determine victories, each individual player earns points throughout the match to represent their contributions. Blocking shoots, taking shoots, scoring goals, etc., are reward varying amounts of points which are displayed at the end of the match. While I understand the inclusion of the system, it needs work. Assists aren’t handed out nearly as often as they should, and it's difficult to quantify plays made in the mid-field. I would strongly prefer the removal of these points, as they do a poor job measuring the input of teammates, and may lead to unsubstantiated taunting. 

From the moment I saw Rocket League, it had my curiosity, but I am so grateful for the beta test because the game now has my attention. It manages to toe the line perfectly between video game and sport, without forcing me to feel like a failure when I make a dumb play. I worry about how a bigger audience will take to the game, especially since the gameplay is minimal and the controls take time to master. The game does manage to feel like an esport, but without the added toxicity or seriousness that I feel other, more structured multiplayer titles often have. I hope others feel the same when it does launch later this summer on Playstation 4.