Marvel’s Avengers

When Marvel’s Avengers was first revealed, “yikes” was the only real way to describe it, from the characters’ looks to the proud announcement of no loot boxes. All of this before any real gameplay, mind you. Following the game’s first delay, Crystal Dynamics began offering up more details and its looter focus became a bit clearer. But cue the first beta, which was monumentally flawed from the get-go, and the anticipation for launch became all the more soured. Sure enough at launch, Marvel’s Avengers suffered from performance issues, connectivity issues, balance issues, the list goes on. Even from a design standpoint, it was criticized for its grindy gameplay, one-note mission design, shallow end-game, lackluster loot, etc etc.

While it did sell an impressive 2.2 million digital units in its debut month, Square Enix would reveal in its second quarter FY2021 financial briefing that sales were lower than expected. In fact, development costs had yet to be recouped and the company suffered an operating loss of about $67 million. New content is on the way with the two Hawkeyes and Spider-Man, not to mention launches for Xbox Series X/S and PS5 next year but for now, Marvel’s Avengers is perhaps this year’s biggest commercial flop.

We’re at the point now to where the year is slowly winding down. Thanksgiving is here (if you’re in the United States) and December is right around the corner. It’s been a year I imagine a lot of us want to put behind us with hope that 2021 will be a lot better. With one last month also comes one last month of free titles for PS Plus and now we know what Sony is giving us to close out the year.

The final PS Plus selection for 2020 consists of three titles. First up is the multiplayer-focused Rocket Arena, a unique 3v3 title all about blowing each other up. Then you have the massive open world title from Avalanche Studios Just Cause 4 that will allow you to also blow up a lot of stuff, but in a huge sandbox world. Finally, like last month, we have a game that will be debuting day and date on PS Plus, Worms Rumble, a new entry in the franchise all about worms blowing each other up in turn-based warfare.

All three titles will be available to redeem for PS Plus members starting December 1st. All three games will also be redeemable on either PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 4.

December’s PlayStation Plus games bring the chaos, with Worms Rumble, Just Cause 4 and Rocket Arena leading the line-up: https://t.co/VCTOJtmOH2 pic.twitter.com/foo1B6tss6

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) November 25, 2020

The gameplay is very simple. Rocket Arena is a class-based multiplayer shooter, pitting teams of three against each other in a handful of different modes. Each of the characters have a few different abilities that help them stand out from the rest of the crowd. These abilities tend to be pretty simple, usually things like a protective barrier, or explosive shots. A few of the characters have some more involved abilities, however. For example, one of my favorite characters, the stage magician Mysteen, has an ability to create a doppelganger of herself that moves and attacks enemies. She can change positions with the clone with the push of a button. All of the characters have the ability to triple jump, and items that you can pick up during gameplay can enhance your mobility.

"Unfortunately, this positive first impression lasts only for a few hours thanks to the disappointingly shallow gameplay."

At first impression, this sounds like a solid game, and in some ways, it is. The characters all feel diverse; none of them overlap too heavily with any of the other characters abilities. Some of them have pretty good synergy with their abilities, and there are some really interesting character designs as well. In fact, one of the places this game excels is its visuals and character design. The characters are bright and exaggerated, and they have a certain cartoon charm that makes them appealing. Characters stand out well from the environment, and important information is prominently displayed.

Different artifacts can be unlocked that provide passive boosts for your characters. But the game automatically equips the first three that you unlock, ensuring that even if you’re not paying any attention at all, you’re at least getting some benefit. It’s no coincidence either, then, that the first three artifacts are some of the best. The announcer, too, is loud and in your face, spelling things out to an almost annoying degree, but with a cartoonish delivery that is charming for all types of audiences. The action never slows down, and the colorful characters are a joy to watch.

Unfortunately, this positive first impression lasts only for a few hours thanks to its disappointingly shallow gameplay. Make no mistake, for the first couple of matches, Rocket Arena is surprisingly fun. The action moves fast thanks to quick characters and small maps, meaning you’re never out of the fight for very long. But after a few matches, the shallowness of its design starts to become obvious, and the enjoyment begins to fade. There’s just not much to the gameplay beyond what’s on the surface. There isn’t much opportunity for strategy, because none of the different characters really feel like they play off of each other.

"There’s just not much to the gameplay beyond what’s on the surface. There isn’t much opportunity for strategy, because none of the different characters really feel like they play off of each other."

It’s also alarming how quickly you realize that some characters are just better than others. Rocket Arena suffers from some frustrating balance issues, primarily in its character design. First of all, any characters with increased mobility, such as those that can fly or gain extra jumps, have an immediate advantage over the slower characters. This is a game that’s all about mobility, and faster characters have an innate advantage over the slower, tankier characters.

But even aside from that, some of the characters abilities make them noticeably more effective. The character of Topnotch, for example, has a jetpack that allows him to fly across the map. He can remain in the air pretty much indefinitely, making him a difficult target. Meanwhile, his two abilities are both explosives with a large area of effect, allowing him to blanket enemies with damage while remaining completely out of the fight. Meanwhile, one of my favorite characters was Kayi, who on the surface is a manoeuvrable sniper. But in practice, the game just moves too fast for a character like her, who is based around precise targeting, to really feel effective. Flaws like this stand out, and hamper an otherwise decently fun experience.

The core gameplay itself is fun, however. There are a variety of match types, including a team deathmatch mode, a treasure hunt mode, and a soccer-esque mode called Rocketball. Meanwhile, the combat mechanics don’t involve killing your enemies in a traditional sense. Instead, dealing damage to them fills up a meter, and when the meter is full your enemies are launched up into the air and off the map, at which point you score a point and they are returned to their spawn point. It’s a unique concept for a shooter, and feels more akin to Super Smash Bros than games like Overwatch. Still, once you get past the initial novelty of it, it doesn’t drastically change the way you approach the game. You still need to shoot your enemies just like normal. And when their meter is full, they will get launched off the map regardless of where they are or how far they have to fly, meaning you don’t really have to worry about positioning. You just aim and shoot like any other game.

"The core gameplay itself is fun, however. There are a variety of match types, including a team deathmatch mode, a treasure hunt mode, and a soccer-esque mode called Rocketball."

Rocket Arena has a certain innocent appeal to it that is charming. And for a few matches, that charm and creativity can be enough to carry the experience. But after a few matches, you realize that the game’s appeal can’t really extend past that initial positive impression. The repetitive gameplay and balance issues keep it from being a true contender in the crowded arena shooter genre. With that said, I don’t really think Rocket Arena is intending to do that. You might find yourself enjoying it as a fun time-waster for a few matches. It’s not going to dethrone Overwatch any time soon, and some players will grow disinterested fairly quickly.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Electronic Arts’ Rocket Arena was unveiled during the company’s recent EA Play Live 2020. While the show itself didn’t set everyone’s world on fire, Final Strike Games’ title came across as a colorful addition to the world of multiplayer shooters. Further highlighting its vibrant design is the latest trailer which showcases the various maps that players will battle across.

The maps in question range from underwater locations to jungles and deserts. Each map should provide an adequate amount of space to maneuver around in, which is fitting for an arena-based shooter. Interestingly, there’s a story to be had in Rocket Arena and it’s written by Leh Uhley of Disney’s TaleSpin fame.

Releasing on July 14th, Rocket Arena will be available for Xbox One, PS4 and PC (both Steam and Origin). It will feature cross-platform support at launch and several modes like the zone-based Mega Rocket, the score-heavy Rocketball and Ranked Play. Stay tuned for more details on the title when it comes available.