If you’re a fan of fast-paced, skill-based, action shooters, Rollerdrome might be for you. Developed by Roll7 and published by Private Division, Rollerdrome is a 3rd person action shooter where you blaze through a stylized 80s world on roller skates.
John Wick on Wheels
When we say fast-paced, we mean it. Rollerdrome’s trailer plays like an 80s action flick mixed with Tony Hawk Pro Skater, with stylish action combos that require lots of flips and twists.
In Rollerdrome, style matters. According to the developers, deep gameplay mechanics will require a combination of techniques, like wall riding and flips.
“The cool moments won’t happen because we scripted it to happen, they’ll happen because just the perfect set of things happened one after the other, that let you do something super badass.”
John Ribbins, Studio Creative Director Roll7 Studios via YouTube
A mechanic in the game called Reflex Time allows players to slow down time. And, if you can pull off a dodge while in this state, you’ll go into Super Reflex Time. Think of it as the equivalent of going Super Sayian–you do more damage, things get intense, and you’ll feel more vascular than a pumped-up 90s Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Don’t believe us? See for yourself in the trailer below:
Doesn’t This Feel Familiar?
If you’re asking yourself, “Haven’t I heard of this idea before?” you have. You’re probably thinking about the Rollerball movie from 1975, starring James Caan. Or–the depressingly worse remake from 2002. But the fact that this is violence on rollerskates with an 80s aesthetic is where the similarities end.
Roll7 proves that you can take an old concept as inspiration but make something uniquely your own. Which, to be honest, is a breath of fresh air in a gaming sphere where IPs have been abused and reused for whatever tenth iteration in the series.
The only downside we can see is a lack of online multiplayer. It would be amazing to see skilled players go head-to-head in this game, but maybe that’s something down the line in development if people enjoy it.
Competitive players won’t be left entirely stranded, though; according to the developers, there will be Online Leaderboards that will help you scratch your competitive itch.
Rollerdrome releases on August 16, 2022, and is available on Steam and the PlayStation Store.
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