Road to Ballhalla

 Xbox One
Metascore
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No score yet - based on 2 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. TheXboxHub
    Aug 10, 2018
    90
    Road to Ballhalla teases you from the get go, and is able to bring about a strange sense of joy found from the simple rolling of a single ball through multiple stages – it is an almost celestial ball roller that delivers a puzzle experience straight out of heaven itself.
  2. Generación Xbox
    Aug 14, 2018
    70
    An entertaining game that fulfills its function of entertaining the player.

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User Score
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No user score yet- Awaiting 1 more rating

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Xbox_Alive
    Aug 4, 2018
    7
    The presentation side of the game is absolutely fantastic and makes the game stand out quite a bit, especially when it comes to the awesomeThe presentation side of the game is absolutely fantastic and makes the game stand out quite a bit, especially when it comes to the awesome soundtrack.I really enjoyed tackling each level in the game because each different level is well thought out and the creativity that’s present stops things from getting tedious. In terms of content there is quite a decent amount for you to get to grips with and you will no doubt sink multiple hours in if you try to fully complete it. There is quite a bit of humour dotted around the gameplay and this humour is actually pretty funny which in the end eases any frustration that’s built up.Technically the game holds up really well throughout and you’ll please to know that the controls also hold up really well throughout as wel As you progress things do start to get quite difficult so I recommend that you play the game in short bursts to avoid becoming too frustrated.
    Sometimes the slow pace of the game can be a little off-putting especially when you’re trying to complete a difficult level. Does Road to Ballhalla do enough to get a recommendation from me? Thankfully I’ve had the fortune of already trying out Road to Ballhalla on my friends PC and even though I only played it for 30 minutes I could tell this was a game that I would really enjoy right to the end. After sinking a number of hours in it was true that I did enjoy it right to the end and even the game’s difficulty didn’t really put a dent in my enjoyment. In fact Road to Ballhalla has very few niggling problems and instead what it delivers to you is thoroughly enjoyable puzzles with an excellent presentation style and when it’s all said and done this game should be a must buy for everyone who loves game’s of this ilk.    … Full Review »
  2. GBG_Jason
    Aug 17, 2018
    8
    This is a puzzle game, requiring you to roll your way through a series of traps that become more and more difficult as you go. Many of theThis is a puzzle game, requiring you to roll your way through a series of traps that become more and more difficult as you go. Many of the dangers are so obvious that it’ll hurt like sitting on your marbles at the wrong time – some of these include glowing red segments of flooring or lasers. However, others are much more subtle, such as alternating colored blocks that follow you like the ghosts from Pac-Man. By far the most substantial challenge comes from the invisible pathways that are introduced early in the game, requiring you to find and memorize huge segments of blank areas, with little more than a few collectible orbs (we’ll get to this later) to guide you. I racked up a staggering death count in the 30’s on one challenge alone. The only thing that whizzes by faster than the death toll is the constant flow of insults, puns, and tongue in cheek bad jokes that are equal parts insulting and hilarious. I found it extremely hard to avoid reading the on screen prompts using an internal monologue voiced by the legendary GLaDOS.

    You won’t have many tools at your disposal, aside from a boost mechanic that is as deadly as it is helpful, due to the fact that any damage taken during its use will be 100% fatal. With this being said, you should only use it in the event it is absolutely necessary, which is extremely rare. In order to progress you will need to take your time and carefully assess the situations laid out before you and learn the necessary patterns, as almost everything aside from you runs on one, which works in sync with the game’s music. The music by Emmy-nominated composer Nicholas Singer is a focal point of the game; however, it wasn’t really the normal style I roll with, leaning heavily on the eletronica genre. It’s not a bad soundtrack, but Hotline Miami it is not. I feel that Limp Bizkit’s Rollin’ would’ve been a better fit, or at the least an optional track (before you jump on the comments to troll me, because let’s be honest, the game’s done plenty of that already, this is a joke. No one listens to Limp Bizkit anymore).

    As you progress through the levels you will have to collect small orbs, some of which work as a collectible that you are graded by on each level while the others work as checkpoints. The well placed checkpoints are your best friends, allowing you to manipulate the save system if you wish to collect each and every orb in the levels due to the fact they can be reused to save the current progress, as well as refill your health. Upon completion of the level, you will be graded on your performance earning up to eight marks, which takes into account your deaths, as well as how many of the orbs you collected. These marks will unlock additional areas and modes, as well as cosmetic items that allow you to customize your ball. This requirement caused me to hit a roadblock upon completing the second of three chapters the game offers, as I was forced to revisit past areas to try to improve my standings. As I get older and my free time becomes less common, I find this mechanic or requirement to be more and more frustrating as it’s nothing more than a cheap way to inject longevity into games. Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to replay games to get as close to a 100% completion as possible, but I would prefer it to be optional, not a requirement to see the entire package.

    The game’s presentation works extremely well, with a basic HUD providing the information you need with nothing else included. The level design is just short of being perfect, with very little filler (aside from the occasional “tip,” be it a red herring or a dad joke) taking up any of the visual space within the world – the majority of the tracks sit atop a solid black background. Eagle eyed gamers will find many hidden paths, often with no clear way of reaching them. With some of these being legit hidden areas that you’ll have to use trial and error problem solving to reach and others being completely unreachable, I rarely felt like the path I was taking was actually safe. On more than one occasion I found an invisible path that would’ve appeared to be the proper way forward, only to make it a few spaces outside of the unknown area to find a dead end. Coming from a console background, it’s a bit of a kick to the orbs to say this, but this would work much better on a keyboard than a standard controller. While the controls are fairly precise, my movement was not, causing me to lean too far over the edge of a narrow passage only to fall off at the last minute.

    The Road to Ballhalla is an uneven highway, and while I can’t say it is necessarily a fun one to explore, it offers a journey that is equal parts challenging and frustrating, that amounts to a strange sense of accomplishment, even in the face of adversity. If dad jokes, being trolled, and punishing challenges are your thing, look no further.    … Full Review »
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