Brick Roll Review

Tired of games that can be beaten on auto-pilot? Want a game that will make angels cry from cursing a lot? Say hello to Brick Roll.

This is an ingenious take on the Pac-Man gameplay of "collecting dots in a level" - first, players spin around free-floating blocks in the world, and navigate between them by jumping off of them in a straight line, hopefully hitting another block. Flying off into infinity costs one of the three lives that players have, and is just generally a bad scene, man. Spikes? Avoid those too. Enemies? I'd suggest not touching them. At least from the sides. There's an invincibility pellet that can be collected and used to help not take damage from spikes and to kill enemies, but it's not the only way to take out foes. By launching right on top of them, it crushes them. It takes timing, especially from longer distances, but it's an option.

Now, the core mission of collecting all the dots in a level and then getting to the exits is challenging enough as it is. The controls make it easy, with just two commands: switching direction and launching. But really, it just takes patience to complete the levels. It gets extra-difficult when trying to complete the optional objectives. Finding the secret gem in each level isn't usually too difficult, at least with a keen eye, but again, surviving is the challenge. Defeating all the enemies requires either skilled paths while invincible or great timing with smash attacks. It's beating the levels in under the specific times that becomes really challenging - these require an old-school level of skill and planning.

This is a game for the skilled, for those who want to face down a challenge and come out ahead after grueling trials by fire. The game is easy enough to play at its core, but to master? That takes time and skill. Yet it's so rewarding, and the core of the game is so easy to play that while the challenge can be frustrating, the play isn't. Those who take this on will love it after they cut their teeth on it.