Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break

Part racing game, part destruction derby, and even part tower defense, Rock of Ages 3 is all ridiculous fun. With a variety of gameplay modes and a map editor, there’s a lot of life to this game, too. Rock of Ages 3 is a game that focuses on just being plain ol’ fun and you know something? It really is.

Rock of Ages 3 may falter in the gameplay department thanks to repetition, uneven AI and a wobbly foundation for its strategy, but its madly charming presentation and a dedicated community of fans should be able to sculpt something gneiss out of this brave and boulder game.

There’s no doubt in our minds that Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break is the best game in the series yet. A lengthy campaign laden with Monty Python-esque humour is bolstered by a powerful course creator that offers perhaps unlimited replayability. And the gameplay itself remains as enjoyable as ever; an eclectic mix of action and strategy that is accessible and fun for all. If you’ve ever found yourself enjoying rolling boulders through a gauntlet, this game is a must-have. Even more so if you also enjoy a spot of tower defence too.

If you’ve played Rock of Ages before and enjoyed it, Rock of Ages 3 is worth picking up for these additions, and in particular, for the new eras explored in the story. If you’ve never tried it before, you should, if only because of how different of an experience it is to any other game you’ll find. Where else will you hear the high-pitched squeal of Genghis Khan, helpless in defeat, the Mongol Empire’s fall signed and sealed by the deadliest of weapons, now rolling casually towards him; the swollen mass of an inflated cow?

This game will undoubtedly be best enjoyed among friends, but Rock of Ages 3: Make & Break offers an enjoyable experience to both groups and those looking to hit a few high notes with a well-timed solo.

Rock of Ages III will surely satisfy fans of the series, but if you didn’t enjoy the previous games, this one will not win you over either. If you’ve never played Rock of Ages, watch the trailer – if it makes you laugh, you should give the game a chance. [10/2020, p.86]

Rock of Ages 3 appears to be more of the same. It’s crafted well…but it’s just not something that fits in my personal taste. For a tower defense fan whose never tried out the franchise, this is likely a good starting point. Otherwise, only hardcore fans need apply.

Together, Make and Break showcase the strengths and weaknesses of Rock of Ages 3 overall. At its best, it's a thrilling and often hilarious ride through an imaginative and surreal landscape. At its worst, its formula is too rigid, its challenges too rote, and it can feel like your frustration with its idiosyncrasies could boil over at any moment. Thankfully, in such times, the bite-size structure comes to the rescue, and you can roll into something new.

Disappointing it may be to see the same infrequent defining of difficulty — as much the over-reliance on visual gags at the cost of gameplay variety where it matters — Rock of Ages III: Make & Break still manages to entice, but not impress. At the very least, ensuring players will gladly once again come back for another roll down a winding level or two.

There’s a lot to like about Rock of Ages 3, but its tower defence half simply isn’t one of them. Thankfully, community-made levels will keep the game fresh for a long time.

Rock of Ages 3 could be incredibly popular with the right audience with its impressive inclusion of map-making on top of its wacky, over the top design. But there are so many caveats to what you need to enjoy the game, its hard to see it reaching widespread appeal.

Rock of Ages 3 is an additional serving of the series in a party-sized bag. What could have been the culmination of a decade of progress feels more like a thrown-together greatest hits collection. Diehards will find lots to like about the potentially endless supply of community creations and this also drives up potential value for newcomers. A high level of patience will be required as the bugs nearly derail the experience but the current version of the game can be made solid with the help of a few patches. It is not as exciting as it once was, but you could certainly do worse.

The series mainly distinguishes itself through its bizarre atmosphere, as well as its capacity to surprise by introducing new environments and characters, but remixing familiar templates in a level creator captures little of that same charm.