[quote]A review copy was provided by the developer.[/quote]
[quote]Follow my Curator page, [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41363546-Fruit-N-Doggie-Reviews/]Fruit N Doggie Reviews,[/url] so you can be updated whenever I post a new review.[/quote]
[h1]Overall Rating - Mediocre ★★★☆☆[/h1]
[h1]First Impressions[/h1]
Having enjoyed games like Road Rash before, the antics I saw in REDLINE CROOKS (RC) caught my attention. Driving around, wanting to destroy all the vehicles around me, is the sort of action I enjoy from racing games. Plus, it wouldn't be the first time I've been playing as the antagonistic force while behind the wheel, so what did I have to lose?
[h1]Gameplay[/h1]
Maybe this makes me an idiot, but when I looked at the gameplay footage, the idea there was any racing mechanics never occurred to me. The only thought on my mind was drive like a maniac, and wipe out every other vehicle that you possibly can. That's certainly the main focus, and you don't have to stay anywhere near the front of the pack to keep progressing. However, I recently discovered that there's a time mechanic, at least when playing through a loop, so that does force you to stay on task. Focusing more on the carnage, there's a variety of drivers you can unlock, who handle and fight other vehicles in different ways. Eventually, I learned to like a few of them, yet in most cases, you're merely body-slamming other vehicles. Since it usually depletes your health, overusing their unique abilities just ends a run early, so those distinct features don't come up as much as I'd want.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3482027633
[h1]Controls[/h1]
Because there's so much advantage to being aggressive, you'll often be flinging yourself all over the screen trying to crash into enemies. Initially, instead of feeling as if I'm driving the car, while also multitasking and attacking surrounding vehicles, I felt like I was constantly bumper-carring myself into whatever is around me, hoping for the best. Over time though, I began utilizing the unique and regular attacks of each character more strategically, and it became slightly less chaotic. However, when you're surrounded by vehicles and moshing against them, you'll always feel a bit out of control.
[h1]Story[/h1]
I'm somewhat surprised by the lack of story, as there's clearly two forces fighting against each other. Why all of this is being done on seemingly public roads and in vehicles is unexplained, as you merely make repeated attempts at beating all the bosses.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3482027869
[h1]Visuals[/h1]
Due in part to having no story, there's not many screens to look at while playing RC. With the art style displayed from the character images, I suppose that's not much of a loss, as I find them pretty rough looking. Aside from selecting what character to use, and upgrading your vehicle at the shop, it's nothing but roads and dozens of armed vehicles. The angled overhead view gives an interesting perspective that keeps them from just looking like rectangles, as you can see their windshields, and where the aerodynamic curves are. However, I can't honestly look at them and think that they're life-sized machines. In my mind, I keep visualizing remote controlled units being played with by rambunctious teens using their imaginations.
[h1]Sound Design[/h1]
Since this is a roguelike title, you're going to hear the music from the opening area multiple times. There's not enough variety in the game's songs for the expected length and runs you'd have to complete to unlock all the content, let alone conquering the various buttons available. I'd also say it's a bit too celebratory, as if something incredibly fortunate is taking place, when it's a high-speed death match on the road. It doesn't have to be grim or somber, but I think the pitch and tone could be tweaked so it's a better match. When it comes to the sound effects, all the honking and certain noises made from attacking can be a bit irritating. All in all, it'd be a good candidate for muting things in the options, and having your own tunes blaring over the action.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3482028040
[h1]Pros[/h1]
🌟 The range of jobs available, along with the badges you can buy with the stamps earned, provides a reason to keep playing the game.
🌟 Combat is almost constant thanks to the enemy density.
[h1]Cons[/h1]
❌ Although the shop sells unique items that match the special ability of each character, there doesn't seem to be that much variety in their merchandise. I keep seeing the same stuff across attempts.
❌ The way you have to fight the final boss goes against how the rest of the game is designed. You constantly have to stay in front, while primarily focused on defense.
❌ As you advance from one area to the next, almost nothing changes. It hardly feels like you're progressing.
[h1]Tips[/h1]
🔍 Experiment with the special abilities, as all their features might not be obvious initially. For instance, holding the button down with the shark keeps the vehicle tethered to you.
🔍 If you want to kill enemy bosses, stay on them. Levels can pass faster than you expect.
[h1]Final Thoughts[/h1]
I find this title to be reasonably difficult, especially if you're using a character with a set-up that doesn't fit your playing style. There's also pros and cons to maintaining a higher rank, as you balance more aggressive enemies against having more targets and ability to rack in the money for upgrades. However, when you do manage to make a solid run and reach the final boss, clearing that hurdle can be done within only a few minutes. Having a variety of achievements and goals to strive for, in exchange for mechanic-changing badges, does provide a reason for returning to this game afterwards. In my case though, as I tried the handful of characters available, intentionally aiming for some of the kill targets with their unique abilities, I started getting bored within a few hours. It didn't really matter whether I died early or not, because there's too little variation in the gameplay. Bosses, except the last one, all feel the same, and only the color palette and enemy attacks change from one place to the next. You'd have to really love this gameplay, and all the playable cars, to want to put several hours into RC.
[quote][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]Follow our curator page: [b]IndieGems[/b] if you like and want to see more reviews like this one.[/url][/quote]
[table]
[tr]
[th]PC Specs[/th]
[th]Performance[/th]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]Ryzen 2700
RTX 2070
16GB RAM
ADATA SSD
1920x1080
[/td]
[td]The game ran without incident on default settings.
💖 - RC is healthy
[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
