Run Roll Rumble (PC) Review

Everyday life generates rage in all of us. Anger that is fed by various frustrations, annoyances, and fears that occur throughout the day. Society tells us to forgive and forget, for we all must work together to survive and thrive. However, there are those who feel differently. Those who feel a more violent solution should be sought. For might makes right and to the victor goes the spoils. Run Roll Rumble embodies this more violent opinion. Players take on the personas of various urban dwellers and then battle it out in the last man standing grudge match. Up to four players can participate with an option for either couch co-op or online play. Combat combines simple punches and kicks with roll dodges and special abilities found throughout the level.  Damage is also dealt by falling of screen or other environment traps. Victory is decided when all but one player has exhausted all of their four lives.

Run Roll Rumble is an enjoyable four-person brawler that is a much-needed addition to the couch co-op market. Combat uses the unique physics of the popular “smash bros” series but applies a more traditional damage system, creating a nice balance of chaos and order. However, a lack of variety in content means it will never be more than a temporary diversion for most players. While there are many different character options, everyone has the same stats and moves. Whether you choose the over-weight cop or the rail-thin hipster; every hit, jump, and roll is exactly the same. This lack of personalization means gameplay quickly becomes dull and tedious. While randomly spawning items can give battles a change of pace, the fact that there is only six total means this variation is also short-lived.

Visuals are rendered in 3-D, with a quirky, cartoonish flair. Stages are abundantly detailed and capture the setting quite well. Characters are rendered in a 3-d polygon style yet still manage to retain a sense of realism. Unfortunately, the lack of variety takes it’s toll here as well. Several of the stages appear to be the same with environmental additions such as flooding water to make them different. Also, while there are many color options for each of the characters, there is no way to make them custom. This is especially disappointing when paired with the online option. No custom palettes or even accessories means you can’t really stand out from your peers.

Run Roll Rumble is a good beginning of a game. What content there is performs well and can be entertaining. However, the lack of variety of said content means replayability dwindles quickly. If you are looking for something a little different or something to play with friends, then this is worth a playthrough.