Rocketbirds 2: Evolution
Fowl play is afoot! You need someone tough as nails, someone confident and someone a little cocky. You need Hardboiled Chicken. The original Cock of War!
I had heard the name Rocketbirds previously but never got my
hands on the original. Rocketbirds 2: Evolution luckily doesn’t care if you
played the original or not. You jump straight into the action as Hardboiled
Chicken, one bad mutha plucka tasked with hunting down and destroying his arch
nemesis iL Putzki. A penguin bent on destruction!
Rocketbirds 2: Evolution, from Ratloop Asia, is controlled with a duel stick
method, left to move, right to aim with the triggers to shoot in a side
scrolling environment. Relatively easy yet too often I found the controls to work against me, leading
to my downfall on more than one occasion. They take a little to get used to and are a bit touchy but you will get a better handle on them soon enough.
Level design is brilliant. As you move throughout the
background “shifts” to show that you’re indeed in a 3D world, an effect I
enjoyed seeing. Levels are huge but the map can be a little difficult to
decipher. Puzzle elements add to the levels but don’t pose too much of a
challenge.
Where Rocketbirds really shines is in its humour. Think of
every 80’s action hero cliché. Hardboiled Chicken is every bit the action hero.
Banter between characters had me laughing way too hard on occasion and kept me
coming back for more. The music lends itself well to the tone of the game with
a bit of metal and even dub-step amping up the excitement to proceedings.
Visually, at what I believe is 1080p and 60fps, I have not seen much better.
All animations are crisp and the world is beautifully polished. Fire and explosions look realistic and the blood splatter not only looks great but adds to the corny tone.
Also featuring a rescue mode where you can rescue the great
Hardboiled Chicken on your own or with a team of 4, both online and offline. With over 100 unlockables of weapons and costumes
there is plenty to do.
Once you get used to the controls there is a bit of fun to
be had here. While Rocketbirds 2: Evolution does have its problems, overall it
is a great package for those looking for an old school 2D shooter with some
upgraded visuals and a killer soundtrack.
The campaign is only short but the multiplayer has enough to keep it on your system. If only to have a bit of a crack with mates.
Pat (Snoogan512)
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