Comic-Con Cosplay: Elhoffer Design Unveils Marvelous SDCC Exclusives
It's that time again - Comic-Con is here, even if it looks a little different this year. While we can't pile into the San Diego Convention Center like in years past to get those exclusive Hasbro figures, Funko Pops, or cosplay essentials, we can still shop for some cool Comic-Con exclusives from the comfort of our homes.
In addition to IGN's Comic-Con@Home livestream, which is bringing you the con's best panels digitally, vendors like Elhoffer Design are offering new geek fashions and launching them on Preview Night, as if Comic-Con were happening in person. Will the experience be a little different? Definitely. But on the plus side, you won't to have get sweaty or fight the crowds to snag your swag.
So, let's take a look at two of the new Marvel-inspired outfits Elhoffer Design is bringing to Comic-Con@Home this year.
First up are two pieces from Elhoffer's Warrior King collection. The homage to a certain King of Wakanda is clear in the design. While subtle enough to wear to work, an event, or even on camera during a video call, any Marvel fan would be able to spot which hero inspired this outfit. According to founder Catherine Elhoffer, "The diamond art is flattering and sleek." Elhoffer also explains that "this crop top is custom knit and incredibly stretchy," while the skirt "is knit with lycra for an insane stretch."
Both the pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior King crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, and the Warrior King pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
This next outfit draws its inspiration from the powerful Dora Milaje, Wakanda's protectors. The vibrant yellows and oranges are bold colors to accompany anyone who "never freezes." These are companion pieces to Warrior King, featuring a crop top and pencil skirt.
According to designer Elhoffer, you can "combine them, wear them separate, cross the tops," and that, "the style options with these looks may well be limitless."
The Warrior Guard pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior Guard crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, while the Warrior Guard pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
This Warrior mini-collection is currently a Comic-Con 2020 exclusive and 10% of every purchase will also go to the NAACP.
Shopping Comic-Con@Home exclusives like are just one way to support businesses during this strange time in our economy, especially independent businesses like Elhoffer's, whose sales typically depend on conventions. You can find Elhoffer's full Comic-Con@Home offerings at ElhofferDesign.com.
Check out the IGN Comic-Con@Home livestream schedule and keep it locked on IGN for all the latest news and updates from the con.
[poilib element="accentDivider"].
Lauren Gallaway is a Social Media Coordinator for IGN. She is an avid "everyday cosplayer" who may or may not own a few Elhoffer pieces herself. Find her tweeting at @LaurenGallaway and streaming at Glimpse Entertainment on Twitch.
Warrior King
First up are two pieces from Elhoffer's Warrior King collection. The homage to a certain King of Wakanda is clear in the design. While subtle enough to wear to work, an event, or even on camera during a video call, any Marvel fan would be able to spot which hero inspired this outfit. According to founder Catherine Elhoffer, "The diamond art is flattering and sleek." Elhoffer also explains that "this crop top is custom knit and incredibly stretchy," while the skirt "is knit with lycra for an insane stretch."
Both the pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior King crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, and the Warrior King pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
Warrior Guard
This next outfit draws its inspiration from the powerful Dora Milaje, Wakanda's protectors. The vibrant yellows and oranges are bold colors to accompany anyone who "never freezes." These are companion pieces to Warrior King, featuring a crop top and pencil skirt.
According to designer Elhoffer, you can "combine them, wear them separate, cross the tops," and that, "the style options with these looks may well be limitless."
The Warrior Guard pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior Guard crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, while the Warrior Guard pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
This Warrior mini-collection is currently a Comic-Con 2020 exclusive and 10% of every purchase will also go to the NAACP.
Shopping Comic-Con@Home exclusives like are just one way to support businesses during this strange time in our economy, especially independent businesses like Elhoffer's, whose sales typically depend on conventions. You can find Elhoffer's full Comic-Con@Home offerings at ElhofferDesign.com.
Check out the IGN Comic-Con@Home livestream schedule and keep it locked on IGN for all the latest news and updates from the con.
[poilib element="accentDivider"].
Lauren Gallaway is a Social Media Coordinator for IGN. She is an avid "everyday cosplayer" who may or may not own a few Elhoffer pieces herself. Find her tweeting at @LaurenGallaway and streaming at Glimpse Entertainment on Twitch.Comic-Con Cosplay: Elhoffer Design Unveils Marvelous SDCC Exclusives
It's that time again - Comic-Con is here, even if it looks a little different this year. While we can't pile into the San Diego Convention Center like in years past to get those exclusive Hasbro figures, Funko Pops, or cosplay essentials, we can still shop for some cool Comic-Con exclusives from the comfort of our homes.
In addition to IGN's Comic-Con@Home livestream, which is bringing you the con's best panels digitally, vendors like Elhoffer Design are offering new geek fashions and launching them on Preview Night, as if Comic-Con were happening in person. Will the experience be a little different? Definitely. But on the plus side, you won't to have get sweaty or fight the crowds to snag your swag.
So, let's take a look at two of the new Marvel-inspired outfits Elhoffer Design is bringing to Comic-Con@Home this year.
First up are two pieces from Elhoffer's Warrior King collection. The homage to a certain King of Wakanda is clear in the design. While subtle enough to wear to work, an event, or even on camera during a video call, any Marvel fan would be able to spot which hero inspired this outfit. According to founder Catherine Elhoffer, "The diamond art is flattering and sleek." Elhoffer also explains that "this crop top is custom knit and incredibly stretchy," while the skirt "is knit with lycra for an insane stretch."
Both the pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior King crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, and the Warrior King pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
This next outfit draws its inspiration from the powerful Dora Milaje, Wakanda's protectors. The vibrant yellows and oranges are bold colors to accompany anyone who "never freezes." These are companion pieces to Warrior King, featuring a crop top and pencil skirt.
According to designer Elhoffer, you can "combine them, wear them separate, cross the tops," and that, "the style options with these looks may well be limitless."
The Warrior Guard pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior Guard crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, while the Warrior Guard pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
This Warrior mini-collection is currently a Comic-Con 2020 exclusive and 10% of every purchase will also go to the NAACP.
Shopping Comic-Con@Home exclusives like are just one way to support businesses during this strange time in our economy, especially independent businesses like Elhoffer's, whose sales typically depend on conventions. You can find Elhoffer's full Comic-Con@Home offerings at ElhofferDesign.com.
Check out the IGN Comic-Con@Home livestream schedule and keep it locked on IGN for all the latest news and updates from the con.
[poilib element="accentDivider"].
Lauren Gallaway is a Social Media Coordinator for IGN. She is an avid "everyday cosplayer" who may or may not own a few Elhoffer pieces herself. Find her tweeting at @LaurenGallaway and streaming at Glimpse Entertainment on Twitch.
Warrior King
First up are two pieces from Elhoffer's Warrior King collection. The homage to a certain King of Wakanda is clear in the design. While subtle enough to wear to work, an event, or even on camera during a video call, any Marvel fan would be able to spot which hero inspired this outfit. According to founder Catherine Elhoffer, "The diamond art is flattering and sleek." Elhoffer also explains that "this crop top is custom knit and incredibly stretchy," while the skirt "is knit with lycra for an insane stretch."
Both the pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior King crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, and the Warrior King pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
Warrior Guard
This next outfit draws its inspiration from the powerful Dora Milaje, Wakanda's protectors. The vibrant yellows and oranges are bold colors to accompany anyone who "never freezes." These are companion pieces to Warrior King, featuring a crop top and pencil skirt.
According to designer Elhoffer, you can "combine them, wear them separate, cross the tops," and that, "the style options with these looks may well be limitless."
The Warrior Guard pencil skirt and crop top will go on sale Wednesday, July 22, during Comic-Con@Home Preview Night. The Warrior Guard crop top is priced at $60.00 USD, while the Warrior Guard pencil skirt is priced at $90.00 USD.
This Warrior mini-collection is currently a Comic-Con 2020 exclusive and 10% of every purchase will also go to the NAACP.
Shopping Comic-Con@Home exclusives like are just one way to support businesses during this strange time in our economy, especially independent businesses like Elhoffer's, whose sales typically depend on conventions. You can find Elhoffer's full Comic-Con@Home offerings at ElhofferDesign.com.
Check out the IGN Comic-Con@Home livestream schedule and keep it locked on IGN for all the latest news and updates from the con.
[poilib element="accentDivider"].
Lauren Gallaway is a Social Media Coordinator for IGN. She is an avid "everyday cosplayer" who may or may not own a few Elhoffer pieces herself. Find her tweeting at @LaurenGallaway and streaming at Glimpse Entertainment on Twitch.Deadly Premonition 2 Patch Addresses Frame Rate, But Players Unhappy With Transphobic Content ‘Fix’
The first post-launch patch for Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise has arrived, beginning to address the game's frame rate issues. However, a promised 'fix' for transphobic content in the game has been called out by players for not going far enough to address the launch version's issues.
In a tweet, Hidetaka "Swery" Suehiro, the game's director announced the first patch, and said there were more to come:
Last week, Swery apologized for transphobic scenes in the game after receiving feedback from fans, promising to rewrite one particular scenario where a transgender character is misgendered and provide a sanity check by "a team that included diversity" for other transphobic content. In a new statement from Swery, he notes that "the scenario where the problem occurred has been fixed. I didn't change the important point of the story of this work, and I was able to make changes only where I wanted to make corrections." However, players have already noted that the alterations made to the scene appear to amount to a single altered line of dialogue, with much of the complained-about content - which includes misgendering and deadnaming a transgender character, Lena - remaining intact post-patch. This Twitter thread from journalist Laura Kate Dale digs into what has, and mostly hasn't, been changed in the patch. "It really does just feel like Swery basically removed that one line where York "Gotcha" deadnames Lena, and said job done. Beyond that, the game is barely touched," Dale explains. The patch has also addressed the game's less-than-desirable frame rate. We reviewed Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise, scoring it a 5 and noting that the game's stuttering frame rate is "the real serial killer." "Regarding frame rate improvement, we plan to gradually improve it," Swery's statement continues. "This patch is only partially fixing of frame rate, but we are preparing the next patch after this, ASAP." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.Good evening everyone. We updated 1st patch!! Still continue to fixing another task. Please enjoy the journey in Le Carre!!#DeadlyPremonition2 pic.twitter.com/IPkiE4KepP
— Hidetaka SWERY Skywalker (@Swery65) July 21, 2020
Deadly Premonition 2 Patch Addresses Frame Rate, But Players Unhappy With Transphobic Content ‘Fix’
The first post-launch patch for Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise has arrived, beginning to address the game's frame rate issues. However, a promised 'fix' for transphobic content in the game has been called out by players for not going far enough to address the launch version's issues.
In a tweet, Hidetaka "Swery" Suehiro, the game's director announced the first patch, and said there were more to come:
Last week, Swery apologized for transphobic scenes in the game after receiving feedback from fans, promising to rewrite one particular scenario where a transgender character is misgendered and provide a sanity check by "a team that included diversity" for other transphobic content. In a new statement from Swery, he notes that "the scenario where the problem occurred has been fixed. I didn't change the important point of the story of this work, and I was able to make changes only where I wanted to make corrections." However, players have already noted that the alterations made to the scene appear to amount to a single altered line of dialogue, with much of the complained-about content - which includes misgendering and deadnaming a transgender character, Lena - remaining intact post-patch. This Twitter thread from journalist Laura Kate Dale digs into what has, and mostly hasn't, been changed in the patch. "It really does just feel like Swery basically removed that one line where York "Gotcha" deadnames Lena, and said job done. Beyond that, the game is barely touched," Dale explains. The patch has also addressed the game's less-than-desirable frame rate. We reviewed Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing In Disguise, scoring it a 5 and noting that the game's stuttering frame rate is "the real serial killer." "Regarding frame rate improvement, we plan to gradually improve it," Swery's statement continues. "This patch is only partially fixing of frame rate, but we are preparing the next patch after this, ASAP." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Jordan Oloman is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Twitter.Good evening everyone. We updated 1st patch!! Still continue to fixing another task. Please enjoy the journey in Le Carre!!#DeadlyPremonition2 pic.twitter.com/IPkiE4KepP
— Hidetaka SWERY Skywalker (@Swery65) July 21, 2020
Ukraine President Endorses Joaquin Phoenix Documentary to End a Hostage Situation
A near 12-hour standoff in Ukraine between an armed man and the police came to an end when the country's president agreed to comply with the gunman's demand that he publicly endorse a Joaquin Phoenix documentary in order to free hostages.
The New York Times reports that President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Facebook to urge Ukrainians to watch Phoenix's 2005 film Earthlings in a bid to secure the release of 13 hostages who were being held captive on a city bus. He deleted the post shortly after the hostages were freed and the armed man was confirmed to be captured.
The documentary film, narrated by Phoenix and directed by Shaun Monson, examines humankind's economic dependence on animals and depicts hidden camera footage of animals suffering, as it chronicles the day-to-day practices at some of largest industries in the world, all of which are said to rely entirely on animals for profit.
After Zelensky posted his short message to plug Earthlings, the hostage-taker, identified as Maksim Krivosh, reportedly released all of the remaining hostages and then surrendered to the police. It was later confirmed that none of the hostages had been physically harmed by Krivosh, who was heavily armed with weapons and explosives throughout the tense ordeal in the city of Lutsk.
Although there had been several demands posted on Twitter throughout the day, the public promotion of the film prompted Krivosh to officially end the standoff.
President Zelensky issued a statement after it was confirmed that the hostages had been freed and Krivosh had been arrested by the authorities, stressing that the most important aim throughout the hostage situation was to ensure that there was no loss of life. "We were not fighting for ratings," he said. "We were fighting for lives."
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
Ukraine President Endorses Joaquin Phoenix Documentary to End a Hostage Situation
A near 12-hour standoff in Ukraine between an armed man and the police came to an end when the country's president agreed to comply with the gunman's demand that he publicly endorse a Joaquin Phoenix documentary in order to free hostages.
The New York Times reports that President Volodymyr Zelensky took to Facebook to urge Ukrainians to watch Phoenix's 2005 film Earthlings in a bid to secure the release of 13 hostages who were being held captive on a city bus. He deleted the post shortly after the hostages were freed and the armed man was confirmed to be captured.
The documentary film, narrated by Phoenix and directed by Shaun Monson, examines humankind's economic dependence on animals and depicts hidden camera footage of animals suffering, as it chronicles the day-to-day practices at some of largest industries in the world, all of which are said to rely entirely on animals for profit.
After Zelensky posted his short message to plug Earthlings, the hostage-taker, identified as Maksim Krivosh, reportedly released all of the remaining hostages and then surrendered to the police. It was later confirmed that none of the hostages had been physically harmed by Krivosh, who was heavily armed with weapons and explosives throughout the tense ordeal in the city of Lutsk.
Although there had been several demands posted on Twitter throughout the day, the public promotion of the film prompted Krivosh to officially end the standoff.
President Zelensky issued a statement after it was confirmed that the hostages had been freed and Krivosh had been arrested by the authorities, stressing that the most important aim throughout the hostage situation was to ensure that there was no loss of life. "We were not fighting for ratings," he said. "We were fighting for lives."
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.
PlayStation Kiosks ‘Not PS5-Related,’ Sony Says
A PlayStation spokesperson has told IGN that the image of what appears to be a PlayStation-themed, retail kiosk, is not PS5 related.
Earlier today an image of what appears to be a PlayStation-themed kiosk began circulating on social media. The photo showed a white and blue colored retail area with a couch, table, and mount for what appears to be a TV screen. The photo was taken in an unnamed UK retail store by @IronCoreGame.
[caption id="attachment_2382588" align="alignnone" width="532"]
Posted by @IronCoreGame[/caption]
IGN reached out to Sony to inquire about the photo and a PlayStation spokesperson responded that the kiosk is "not PS5 related." Sony didn't explain what the kiosks might be for.
The image revived speculation that Sony could be preparing to put the PS5 up for pre-order. Although the company said that customers will be given plenty of notice before pre-orders go up.
Another concern online about the photo was whether such a kiosk is a good idea. Several countries are issuing social distancing guidelines, which includes limits on making contact with public surfaces. A demo station would be counter-intuitive to those kinds of guidelines.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"]
Sony still hasn't announced details about PS5 pre-orders, though source code indicates that Sony might once again institute a one per household rule on orders. The same thing was implemented for PS4 pre-orders to try and prevent shortages.
Check out IGN's PS5 guide for more about the PS5, DualSense controller, specs, and more.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.
Posted by @IronCoreGame[/caption]
IGN reached out to Sony to inquire about the photo and a PlayStation spokesperson responded that the kiosk is "not PS5 related." Sony didn't explain what the kiosks might be for.
The image revived speculation that Sony could be preparing to put the PS5 up for pre-order. Although the company said that customers will be given plenty of notice before pre-orders go up.
Another concern online about the photo was whether such a kiosk is a good idea. Several countries are issuing social distancing guidelines, which includes limits on making contact with public surfaces. A demo station would be counter-intuitive to those kinds of guidelines.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=confirmed-playstation-5-games&captions=true"]
Sony still hasn't announced details about PS5 pre-orders, though source code indicates that Sony might once again institute a one per household rule on orders. The same thing was implemented for PS4 pre-orders to try and prevent shortages.
Check out IGN's PS5 guide for more about the PS5, DualSense controller, specs, and more.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Matt T.M. Kim is a reporter for IGN.The Flintstones: The Complete Series Coming to Blu-ray in 2020
The Flintstones is finally coming to Blu-ray. IGN can exclusively reveal that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will release The Flintstones: The Complete Series on Blu-ray and Digital HD in Fall 2020.
The set will include all six seasons and 166 episodes of the original series, along with two additional animated movies - 1966's The Man Called Flintstone and 2015's The Flintstones & WWE: Stone Age Smackdown! Every episode has been remastered in HD.
Warners has yet to reveal pricing or a specific release date for the Blu-ray set, although it is expected out this fall. It's also unclear what bonus features might be included in the set. We'll have to wait and see if those infamous Winston Cigarettes ads have been remastered in HD...
For those somehow unfamiliar with Fred Flintstone and his "modern Stone Age family," the original animated series aired on ABC from 1960 to 1966. Initially a prehistoric parody of live-action sitcoms like The Honeymooners, the series gradually shifted in a more family-friendly direction and eventually spawned a multimedia empire. The Flintstones broke new ground as the first animated series to air in a primetime TV slot. It also proved to be the longest-running animated series in TV history until The Simpsons came along and broke that record five times over.
The Flintstones has enjoyed a successful syndicated run and has spawned various spinoffs and reboots over the years, some of them more odd than others. DC Comics previously turned heads in 2016 with its subversive Flintstones series, one that proved to be surprisingly politically topical despite the prehistoric setting.
Fred Flintstone and family may be returning to the air soon. Last year we learned Warner Bros. is developing a new animated series in conjunction with Elizabeth Banks' Brownstone Productions. The Scooby Doo! reboot movie Scoob! also lays the groundwork for an animated Hanna-Barbera cinematic universe, so it's always possible we'll see the Flintstones rubbing elbows with Mystery Inc. one day.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=16-shared-universes-from-before-there-were-shared-universes&captions=true"]
Speaking of shared universes, check out IGN's look back at 16 shared universes from before shared universes were a thing.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.
Warners has yet to reveal pricing or a specific release date for the Blu-ray set, although it is expected out this fall. It's also unclear what bonus features might be included in the set. We'll have to wait and see if those infamous Winston Cigarettes ads have been remastered in HD...
For those somehow unfamiliar with Fred Flintstone and his "modern Stone Age family," the original animated series aired on ABC from 1960 to 1966. Initially a prehistoric parody of live-action sitcoms like The Honeymooners, the series gradually shifted in a more family-friendly direction and eventually spawned a multimedia empire. The Flintstones broke new ground as the first animated series to air in a primetime TV slot. It also proved to be the longest-running animated series in TV history until The Simpsons came along and broke that record five times over.
The Flintstones has enjoyed a successful syndicated run and has spawned various spinoffs and reboots over the years, some of them more odd than others. DC Comics previously turned heads in 2016 with its subversive Flintstones series, one that proved to be surprisingly politically topical despite the prehistoric setting.
Fred Flintstone and family may be returning to the air soon. Last year we learned Warner Bros. is developing a new animated series in conjunction with Elizabeth Banks' Brownstone Productions. The Scooby Doo! reboot movie Scoob! also lays the groundwork for an animated Hanna-Barbera cinematic universe, so it's always possible we'll see the Flintstones rubbing elbows with Mystery Inc. one day.
[widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=16-shared-universes-from-before-there-were-shared-universes&captions=true"]
Speaking of shared universes, check out IGN's look back at 16 shared universes from before shared universes were a thing.
[poilib element="accentDivider"]
Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.Rocket Arena Review – Up In The Air
The rocket launcher is one of the most recognizable weapons in multiplayer shooters. From Quake to Team Fortress, its function as a weapon morphed into an alternative means of traversal, with the risk of a self-inflicted death and the reward of superior map positioning enticing players to become proficient at rocket jumping. In Rocket Arena, both the rocket launcher and rocket jumping are core to the action. But without suitably satisfying shooting and the mitigation of all the rewards associated with its core mechanic, Rocket Arena lacks a compelling and lasting appeal.
Rocket Arena features a roster of 10 playable characters, each equipped with their own version of a rocket launcher and some auxiliary abilities. The variations go from basic, such as Jayto's straight-shooting launcher and multi-missile secondary attack, to complicated, like Kayi's ability to speed up friendly rockets and slow down enemy ones. Whether you settle on the lobbed rockets of space pirate Blastbeard or the trickster abilities of mage Mysteen, Rocket Arena's characters all feature enough mechanical variety to make them stand out from each other despite all featuring the same type of main weapon. Their cartoonish designs and bursting costume colors look great, but their uninteresting backstories and few voice-lines limit the extent of their personalities.
These weapon and ability differences feed into the 3v3 team play in each of Rocket Arena's competitive modes. A team cannot feature duplicates of a character, so you're encouraged to work around the selections of your teammates. Although the very brief and basic tutorial doesn't teach you about it, attacks can be combined between characters to form more powerful combos. Ability effects can be transferred onto rockets fired by teammates, for example, but attempting to coordinate both the timing and positioning for such a move is often not worth the payoff.
Continue Reading at GameSpotRocket Arena Review – Up In The Air
The rocket launcher is one of the most recognizable weapons in multiplayer shooters. From Quake to Team Fortress, its function as a weapon morphed into an alternative means of traversal, with the risk of a self-inflicted death and the reward of superior map positioning enticing players to become proficient at rocket jumping. In Rocket Arena, both the rocket launcher and rocket jumping are core to the action. But without suitably satisfying shooting and the mitigation of all the rewards associated with its core mechanic, Rocket Arena lacks a compelling and lasting appeal.
Rocket Arena features a roster of 10 playable characters, each equipped with their own version of a rocket launcher and some auxiliary abilities. The variations go from basic, such as Jayto's straight-shooting launcher and multi-missile secondary attack, to complicated, like Kayi's ability to speed up friendly rockets and slow down enemy ones. Whether you settle on the lobbed rockets of space pirate Blastbeard or the trickster abilities of mage Mysteen, Rocket Arena's characters all feature enough mechanical variety to make them stand out from each other despite all featuring the same type of main weapon. Their cartoonish designs and bursting costume colors look great, but their uninteresting backstories and few voice-lines limit the extent of their personalities.
These weapon and ability differences feed into the 3v3 team play in each of Rocket Arena's competitive modes. A team cannot feature duplicates of a character, so you're encouraged to work around the selections of your teammates. Although the very brief and basic tutorial doesn't teach you about it, attacks can be combined between characters to form more powerful combos. Ability effects can be transferred onto rockets fired by teammates, for example, but attempting to coordinate both the timing and positioning for such a move is often not worth the payoff.
Continue Reading at GameSpot