After having played this on PC, I get why the initial batch of reviews for this game were mixed. With a mouse and keyboard, the controls feel natural. With a gamepad, aim assist is turned off by default and if you do choose to turn it on, it practically nerfs the most powerful weapon in the game. It's a shame because nobody plays co-op online -- and even if you do get a round going, I'veAfter having played this on PC, I get why the initial batch of reviews for this game were mixed. With a mouse and keyboard, the controls feel natural. With a gamepad, aim assist is turned off by default and if you do choose to turn it on, it practically nerfs the most powerful weapon in the game. It's a shame because nobody plays co-op online -- and even if you do get a round going, I've heard the netcode isn't particularly good. Local play isn't bad, but it'd fare far better if aiming on a gamepad felt less awkward than it does. Regardless of how you play it, the co-op is absolutely the highlight of this game.
In terms of the overall package, it's pretty good for ten bucks. I don't think it holds up quite as well as its predecessor, but that's because Rocketbirds 2 isn't aiming to be another Hardboiled Chicken. Hardboiled Chicken was an exercise in style over substance. It harkened back to a time when platformers had substance but they were all about their style. Rocketbirds 2 has some style, but I think it'd be an overstatement to say that that's why you should play it. Taking cues from what most players didn't like about the original, Ratloop Asia has put a lot more emphasis on substance here. Platforming no longer feels clunky, each jump feeling just light enough to be forgiving but having enough weight to it as to not feel floaty. Shooting has a lot more impact, and while enemies still feel like bullet sponges from time-to-time, the large variety of weapons means that the weapons sandbox is ten times more fleshed out than it was in the first game. Aside from gameplay, Rocketbirds 2 maintains the camp that defined the first game. The voice actor for Hardboiled has changed and, while that seems jarring at first, the guy who voiced him does an admirable job here. Where Rocketbirds 2 really differs from the original game is that it takes itself far less seriously. Where the original had cutscenes revealing how our main character had a very serious character arc, this game has a mech with a rocket launcher coming out of its crotch in the very first level. This may turn off those wanting a more in-depth look at the universe, but come on, how serious can you get with chickens fighting birds with guns? Another area of major change is the way maps are laid out. While levels are still somewhat linear, they're now bigger and have more ground to explore. The easiest way to put it is 'light Metroidvania'. There's less backtracking that you'd expect from a Metroidvania, but exploration is still key here.
I like Rocketbirds 2. At first, I was indifferent about it, but having played more of it, I'd go as far as to say it's even more overlooked than its predecessor and deserves just as much attention.… Expand
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