Roller Drama

not off to a great start. the chat bubbles move too fast for me so i had to watch the intro three times just to read what each character said. personally i find the very first things a character says to be very important and dismissing the player's ability to be introduced to the character properly is a pretty important design consideration. less important, swapping between controller and mouse a little more fluidly would be nice. i prefer controller for this game and one time i was unable to use my controller and had to restart the game to try and figure out why. not sure but it seemed to lock whatever control method you use first. referring to the women on this roller derby team as "maidens" is an *interesting* choice. but *girls?!* in the house the quests are unintuitive and uninteresting object placement quests. the dialogue choices aren't meaningful, they're either correct, occasionally hurt your stats, but most often it's either the "right" choice which has little to no character rhyme or reason, mostly seems arbitrary, or they make you restart the quest calling the events you chose "a dream". so you end up just trying a bunch of different combinations of picking up items, saying certain things, putting the items down, and none of it seems to have *reason* it's all just random. they use a "magic" world to justify some of the elements, but that just ends up feeling like an excuse for the lack of reasoning in this part of the game. on the derby track, it feels like they had a decent game concept going, but instead of fleshing it out they wanted it to be simple so they could focus on the visual novel elements more. they didn't seem to flesh out the visual novel to compensate though, so it just ends up playing as a game that tries to fit two genres and fails to even be a game in either. the energy level selection again, seems arbitrary. trying to balance increased energy use to improve your team's advantage, doesn't clearly work, but does clearly result in automatic loss - which you aren't warned about ahead of time. but if you reach zero energy, you lose all your points and the bout ends immediately. if the bout was otherwise a functional roller derby game, this mechanic would be fine. but since there is no clear benefit to increasing your player's "energy" usage, and you can *lose* for increasing it, that mechanic is functionally excluded from play so why is it even there. further, you don't really control anyone on the track, and what you *can* control has coin-flip levels of effectiveness. pressing "guard" will sometimes bolt you through the whole pack. sometimes it will just steer you into your own teammates, who don't get out of your way and there are no options for telling them to move. often my own teammates are the most effective blockers against me. jumping is, again, arbitrary in it's effectiveness. sometimes you gain no-clip and jump all the way through every player in the pack, other times you just get hit out instead of even going aerial. hitting, as the jammer, shouldn't even be a button, because no matter how it's timed, it has no effect. calling off the jam, is restricted to only the first two of three jams, and only in the last 30s of the jam. each match effectively feels like a coin flip, except that if you play enough, you can auto-lose. part of me wants to see the sports-game aspect fleshed out more than the visual novel. but i honestly came here with high hopes for the visual novel. but the ghost "psychiatrist"[sic] and the zombie cat, and the unclear interpretation of contract law, which may just be poor translation (as is scattered throughout the game), together all kind of kill any immersion that may have been possible in this story. none of the characters seem to have any character. they're all dry, uninteresting, and hardly even one-dimensional. the animations are kind of awesome. i love the art style. and they basically got roller derby right, if it were 5v5. this game and each of its elements carries strong potential, unfortunately unrealized in their amalgamation. (i am still part way through this game, i intend to complete it, and will update this review accordingly if necessary)

è un gioco difficile da valutare. Vorrei tanto dagli un 8 bello pieno ma è come se qualcosa non si incastri bene, e mi lasci a tratti perplesso e interdetto. Premetto che ho apprezzato il gioco e non mi pento affatto di aver supportato i creatori. Art Direction superba, dai disegni incredibili alle interfacce dei menu, dalle icone alle schermate varie, davvero di ALTISSIMO livello! Il tanto criticato gameplay del Roller Derby non è poi così male, è divertente una volta capito e non è così difficile vincere una volta capita la tattica (ed il gioco da i giusti indizi per migliorare), peccato forse che il 3D non si leghi così bene alla bidimensionalità artistica del gioco. La storia è molto particolare, viene narrata in un modo che non penso di aver visto da altre parti, lasciando molto all'immaginazione e inserendoti in situazione come se sapessi già tutto. Non mi è dispiaciuta ma al tempo stesso è come se fosse stata ridotta all'osso e forse non sempre selezionando le idee giuste. I personaggi sono molto godibili e differenziati, avrei voluto avere più interazioni con loro e la possibilità di usare del "tempo libero" per interazioni non legate alla trama, vorrei sapere molto di più. L'ambientazione è interessante ma ho come la sensazione anche qui di sapere le cose metà. Il sistema di "puzzle" con i vari piani dell'edificio e gli appartamenti è ben pensato ma non ben realizzato, ogni sequenza dura meno di 3 minuti una volta capito cosa fare e non da soddisfazione, anzi spesso non capisco dove va a parare la storia :/ Insomma, è in toto un esperienza singolare, non mi ha lasciato pienamente soddisfatto alla fine purtroppo, è come se mi fossi perso delle parti anche se sono sempre stato incollato, tuttavia ero ammaliato dall'estetica dall'inizio alla fine e le partite sono state un giochino divertente. Detto questo sono comunque contento di aver giocato e spero che questo team, artisti inclusi possano sfornare qualcosa di nuovo in futuro.

Loved the art, loved the concept, and I genuinely enjoyed the game. That said, it still felt a bit lacking overall. I’d recommend it, but with some reservations. (Spoilers below) The ending left me thinking “that’s it?” more than once, with several elements feeling unresolved. The roller derby gameplay, in particular, felt unpolished at times. It can be fun, but there are moments where the jank really shows. Bad RNG can put you in situations where you’re effectively stuck, forcing you to spend more resources than you should right from the first round. Do I love the characters? Absolutely. Was the narrative heading in the right direction? Also yes. I just wish the gameplay had received the same level of care, since it ends up feeling like the weakest part of an otherwise perfectly fun game.

All Drama I Did Not Even Get To Play Roller Derby

Roller Drama is an unusual blend of genres that immediately distinguishes itself from the typical indie lineup on Steam. Created and published by Open Lab Games, it combines narrative-driven storytelling, team management, and arcade-inspired roller derby matches into a cohesive experience that feels both intimate and experimental. Set in a near-future world burdened by social unrest and uncertainty, the game places players in the role of a coach guiding an all-female roller derby team through a season of competition while helping them navigate the challenges of their personal lives. The result is a title that is less concerned with athletic dominance and more interested in exploring the emotional toll of ambition, companionship, and survival. The game's narrative is its greatest strength. Each member of the team is given meaningful screen time, with their own personalities, aspirations, and insecurities influencing how events unfold. Conversations between matches often carry more weight than the competitions themselves, revealing a cast that feels authentic and layered. Roller Drama touches on themes of anxiety, identity, loyalty, and the pressure of living in a society that seems to be steadily losing its humanity. The dialogue is thoughtfully written, balancing moments of levity with heavier emotional beats. Players are encouraged to make decisions that affect relationships and morale, reinforcing the idea that coaching extends far beyond tactics and training schedules. Gameplay alternates between story segments and roller derby matches. Rather than simulating the sport with absolute accuracy, Open Lab Games opts for an accessible approach that emphasizes quick decision-making and team coordination. Matches are energetic and easy to understand, with players issuing commands and adapting to changing situations in real time. While seasoned sports simulation fans may find the mechanics relatively simple, they serve their purpose well within the broader framework of the experience. Victories feel rewarding not because of complex systems, but because players become invested in the people behind the helmets and skates. Artistically, Roller Drama leaves a lasting impression. Its hand-crafted visual style gives the game the appearance of an animated graphic novel, with expressive character portraits and environments that effectively communicate the melancholic atmosphere of its setting. The soundtrack complements this aesthetic nicely, shifting between reflective and energetic tones depending on the moment. Together, the audio and visual presentation create a distinct identity that helps the game stand apart from more conventional sports or visual novel releases. Even with a modest budget, the developers demonstrate a clear understanding of how consistency in artistic direction can elevate an entire project. What makes Roller Drama particularly memorable is how it uses its dystopian backdrop. The world is never the sole focus, but its presence is always felt. News broadcasts, environmental concerns, and societal tensions quietly shape the context surrounding the team, giving the story a sense of urgency without overshadowing the characters themselves. It creates the impression that these women are trying to hold onto something meaningful while the world around them continues to change. This understated approach to world-building adds depth to the narrative and encourages players to reflect on the parallels between the game's fiction and contemporary issues. There are, however, a few limitations. Players expecting a highly detailed roller derby simulation may be disappointed by the streamlined mechanics, and some narrative sequences can occasionally slow the pacing. Likewise, those who prefer action-focused gameplay may find the emphasis on dialogue and character interactions overwhelming. Yet these compromises feel intentional rather than accidental. Roller Drama is unapologetically focused on telling a specific kind of story, and it rarely deviates from that vision. In the end, Roller Drama succeeds because it embraces its uniqueness. It is a heartfelt and imaginative title that combines sports, strategy, and storytelling into an experience unlike anything else currently available on Steam. While its niche premise may not appeal to every player, those willing to engage with its characters and themes will discover a compelling tale about resilience, friendship, and finding purpose in difficult times. It stands as an excellent example of how independent developers can take creative risks and produce something genuinely memorable. Rating: 7/10

Ora, come viene detto dai devs : questo non è un simulatore di Roller Derby: le partite sono ispirate al Roller Derby ma abbiamo creato una propria versione del gameplay. Alcuni comandi però non sono perfetti, il gameplay scorre liscio certo ma alcune fasi sono fantasticamente confusionari e non lo so, sopratutto sul finale è un problema. Sulla trama non dico nulla mi ha fatto spaccare dal ridere e lasciandomi perplesso il giusto con le scelte morali. Poi dubbio personale, io non ho ancora capito se il gatto zombie ha una coscienza e poteri cosmici illimitati nel suo piccolo spazio oppure solo un canopi e basta. Ahh devo ancora sbloccare gli altri due finale, rigiocherò il titolo per sicurezza.