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Games : Worth a Look
Ranking:
Release Date: November 18th, 2014 Movie Release Year: 2014

Rollers of the Realm

Overview -

The game of pinball has been around since the 1700s. Features like spring launchers and flippers were added over the years, and the modern version became recognizable in the 1970s. This was also when pinball was at its prime, and dozens of companies were cranking out cabinets to pull in quarters from young people in arcades all over the county. The introduction of home video game consoles in the 80s was the death knell of pinball. Today only one manufacturer makes physical cabinets on a notable scale, and many of its products are for home use. Digital pinball offers a few options, such as Zen Studios’ 'Zen Pinball' series and now, 'Rollers of the Realm' from Canadian indie studio Phantom Compass.

OVERALL:
Worth a Look
Rating Breakdown
VIDEO
AUDIO
Tech Specs & Release Details
Release Date:
November 18th, 2014

Video Review

Ranking:

'Rollers' is a smaller indie game and its visuals are right at home. The narrative is presented through static portraits and some storyboards, and the art design gives the characters a set of dwarfish, almost caricatured proportions. Despite this, and the pinball theme, the story remains rather serious, although the party members joke around and make fun of each other from time to time. The boards are not backlit LED spectacles, but are subdued and simple, with blocky models and a narrow color palette.

Audio Review

Ranking:

The game’s music punches above its weight class, and has the kind of instrumental energy evocative of an epic fantasy film. It’s not the tinny score often heard in similarly priced games. The sound effects carry the idea of pinball even with the RPG components, and hitting just about any surface with a ball elicits a ding, thump, or exclamation. The voice acting is generally fine but has a few weak points, like the ranger.

Final Thoughts

'Rollers of the Realm' nearly does for pinball what 'Puzzle Quest' did for the match-three genre. It competently takes an existing medium and merges it with roleplaying elements to create something that hasn’t been done before, which is unusual in gaming. A few design problems keep it from greatness, like a very cold, withholding system of progression. That doesn’t stop it from being an enjoyable experience and something worth trying for any pinball or RPG fan.