Rollin’ Rascal Preview: Roll On! (PC)

Rolling onto multiple platforms bounces 3D indie-platformer Rollin’ Rascal, developed and published by Kiskadee Games and Curiomatic. In this upcoming title, you play as Rascal as they charge through the world trying to stop an evil villain from taking over the world. You’ll run, grind, bounce, turn into a ball, and bash baddies as you try to save the day in single-player and online multiplayer. In a title very much inspired by the Sonic Adventure titles of yesteryear.

Rollin’ Rascal is a game that I’ve seen floating around the indie gaming space for a while now. Always teased and always looking increasingly polished and enticing. So when a chance came to preview it, I jumped at the opportunity. And whilst I’m not the biggest fan of these kinds of platformers, I have to say that I’ve been very impressed with what I have seen thus far. It is an incredibly promising title to say the least! Even if there are a few issues here and there that I found in Rollin’ Rascal’s current preview build. With that said, let’s get to it!

Rollin’ Rascal is set to release on PC and Switch. A release date has yet to be announced.

Story – Roll Of A Lifetime

In the current preview build of Rollin’ Rascal, there is no story, nor really a hint at one. Aside from the suggestion that some evil machines are knocking about. There is a little something on the Steam page, but not much. And I can’t comment on what isn’t here. But, in fairness, whenever a preview is light on story, it is a clear sign the developers are (rightly in my opinion) focusing on gameplay first and foremost. And we’ll get onto that in a moment.

However, as is time-honoured tradition with my previews, it gives us a chance to look at UI and Tutorial text. All the UI text, be that in-game or on menus, is clean, crisp, and easy to read. And has all the information you could need. Nothing is hidden. And nothing is hard to understand.

Rollin’ Rascal does feature some well-animated cutscenes.

As for the Tutorial text, well, it is nonexistent. Despite the opening level in this preview suggesting it would be a tutorial. It isn’t. Whilst it is a relatively easy level (though I think the second one is easier), there is never a moment when the buttons or quirks of the gameplay are really explained. Whilst some are easy to grasp and are fairly intuitive if you’ve ever played a 3D Sonic game before, others need better explaining.

I don’t like it when games hold my hand. And poorly timed tutorial text can ruin the flow of games like this. But hey, a dedicated optional tutorial level wouldn’t be a bad idea. Especially for less experienced gamers coming to this kind of game for the first time.

Gameplay – Gotta Bounce Fast!

As mentioned in the intro, Rollin’ Rascal is very much in the tradition of the Sonic Adventure games from the Dreamcast and Sixth/Seventh console generation. You must run, roll, jump, and bounce your way as far as your little legs can carry you to the level’s goal. Avoiding robots, pitfalls, spikes, and all the obstacles you’ve come to expect in most platformers.

I will admit that I’m not a massive fan of the Sonic Adventure games. As such, some might question why I’d want to preview Rollin’ Rascal. Well, quite simply, I liked the looks of it. And even as someone who isn’t into those games. I have to say that I’ve had a ton of fun with what I’ve played thus far.

Even in the preview, Rollin’ Rascal’s levels are massive and multi-layered.

Controls are easy to learn and are responsive. And like I said, whilst the controls in general feel rather familiar if you’ve played any of the Sonic Adventure games, it does feel like it has its own spin on things. Plus, Rollin’ Rascal is at least forgiving enough that it gives you the space and chances to save yourself or retry fairly quickly.

The camera doesn’t feel quite as responsive as it should. Though that may be more of an issue on my part due to having not played a game like this since the Bun N’ Gun last preview build. Or at least I should maybe take another look at the options to see if I can tweak the sensitivity. By default, it feels a tad stiff.

Ballin’

One of the features that I liked the most about Rollin’ Rascal is that the levels feel multi-tiered. The levels themselves are linear, but you are offered different paths to go down. Each folds neatly into the layout of the level. And each of them varies in difficulty. The easier ones tend to be lower down and are slower, whereas the higher ones are faster but broadly more difficult. In fairness, it isn’t literally layered on top of one another. But you get the idea.

There are more ways to tackle the levels than you’d otherwise get in similar titles, and I can appreciate that. And it opens the door for experimentation and challenges for later play-throughs. Naturally, being in an alpha state, there are a few bugs here and there.

No, no, I’m sure if I spend another three minutes on this, it will work!

These bugs can hold back the game, with some requiring a full restart of the map, given that there is no “Restart to Checkpoint” option. At least I hope they are bugs. As there was one right at the end of the first level, it meant I had to start the whole thing from the beginning. A bigger issue for me is that the levels (or at least the first one) feel a tad too big. And without a clear indication of where you’re supposed to be going, you are racing forward, hoping that the route you are taking isn’t going to see you looping back to earlier in the level.

All the same, issues like this are easily dealt with. And I’m sure that Rollin’ Rascal will evolve from the preview into a brilliant game with time. Honestly, it is an enjoyable title even now!

Graphics & Audio – Bouncing Beats!

Whilst I played an Alpha, I really don’t think much will change between this preview and the final release of Rollin’ Rascal. Honestly, even from a graphics and art point of view, the game feels rather feature-complete. With vibrant and well-designed worlds that are filled with colour. And expressive characters both in cutscenes and in-game. So much of what is seen here really pops and has such a bold character that it is a treat to the eyes. Not just aesthetically. But also in how the game avoids feeling like it is overly stimulating with overwhelming with information.

Sure, it isn’t without its flaws. There are times when props will randomly fall over due to bad placement in development. And that is well before you get there. And some enemies have a habit of just exploding randomly. But these are things that can be tweaked with time. The soundtrack is fine and offers an enjoyable backdrop to the title and your adventures racing along. Both of the in-game tracks feel like they match the levels they belong to. And fit the vibe of the title as a whole remarkably well.

Rollin’ Rascal was previewed on PC.