It’s a never say die; never gets dry Arena. I didn’t say this just for the pun but also because it is true about Rocket Arena.

In case you didn’t know, this is not the same as the 90’s game mod to the Quake series. Rocket Arena was developed by Final Strike Games and published by EA, and this third-person shooter online game is going to be a blast upon release. Set for release on the 14th of July, on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. EA also announced that the game would be playable across platforms, making it one of the first cross-play games by EA.

Rocket Arena is a 3v3 multiplayer act where everything revolves around rockets. In this game, you are offered 10 heroes, each with distinct personality, skills, rockets, style, and backstory. Instead of killing your opponents, this game focuses on blasting them off the arena. Like in Smash Bros, in this game, your main goal is to knock your opponent out of the arena. This doesn’t mean the death of the opponent, because, in Rocket Arena, nobody dies. Once you are blasted off the arena, you can always come flying back into the arena. Sometimes, getting knocked out has its advantages because it allows you to survey the game and return to the fight on your terms.

From what the trailer reveals, we are expecting to see a cartoon-like art. This makes the game children friendly, but persons of all ages can enjoy it. More than just the art style, the game also brings a variety of exotic locations for you to explore. While watching the trailer, there were times where I got lost admiring the environment. The likelihood of this happening in the game is high, considering that the game boasts a collection of 10 maps, each with its unique lore. The developers have also promised more maps as we go. At launch, expect to see a hundred levels, ten hero choices, 10 maps, and various game modes. 

Before we discuss the different modes, let’s talk about Gameplay. You really can’t kill an opponent, but this doesn’t mean you can’t deal a deathly blow. You can hit a person with as many rockets as possible, at least till the Impact meter is full. Once it’s full, the opponent disintegrates and flies off the screen. The same thing applies to your character. You can take as many hits as possible while also dealing hits yourself. But, there is the option of running and hiding to reduce your Impact meter and regain your health. Winning a game depends on different things, such as the game mode you choose.

Generally, everything about the game involves rockets. From the Rocket firing guns to your movement, it’s all about rockets. So don’t expect to be walking around the arena, be prepared to jump and fly around. Even though all weapons are rocket-based, each character has a unique skill set, abilities, and weapons. 

Now, about the game modes, there are several modes of which are all very competitive 3v3 modes. The Knockout mode is probably the most common. You aim to use all within your means to blast players from the other team off the arena. For each player blasted off, the team earns a Knock Out, whichever team reaches the target number of Knock Out first wins. The game mode is time-limited and the team with the most points wins. 

In Mega Rocket mode, your aim is to secure a capture zone and seize a rocket. The capture zone is usually created when a huge rocket lands into the arena. Upon landing, the Rocket will blast everybody off the arena before creating a capture zone on its landing spot. The competition then begins. This process would repeat itself till either a team reaches the point ceiling or the time elapses. The more rockets your team captures, the more points you win. 

In the Treasure Hunt mode, you earn points either by picking up the coins that randomly spawns in the map or earning points by taking hold of the chest whenever it shows up. There are other smaller modes like the Rocketbot Attack mode, where you face off against rocket robots until the time is exhausted. You have to kill all the robots before the time runs out. There is the Rocket school where you can grow your skills and many more. 

Rocket Arena is an ingenious blend of Overwatch and Smash Bro. I like how it blends both games seamlessly without losing its own identity. Although, I fear that the absence of a storyline may count against it. Regardless, I look forward to the 14th of July. The games’ first season will begin on the 28th of July, and you can be sure I’ll be playing.