by John-Michael Koroloff

Created on: February 04, 2009   Last Updated: February 09, 2009

For all you shooter fans out there who enjoy blowing stuff up, getting power-ups, and then blowing up some more stuff this is definitely the game to purchase. With over 48 space missions and over 30 stunning space ship designs Adventures of Rick Rocket will blow you away.

The story is simple enough in that there is no story. You are a given a briefing before every mission by your space commander where he discusses the threat that you will be destroying, whether it be meteorites attacking earth or mother ships deploying alien rockets you're guaranteed an epic fight. Unfortunately this game is not recommended for story addicts, but if you're considering picking this up chances are you aren't gunning for the storyline.

Adventures of Rick Rocket's main emphasis is in game play. The only negative issue about Rick Rocket, which might be big for some people, is learning how to control your space ship properly. The controls are very stiff when starting off and you'll encounter a lot of difficulty in the first few levels, but if you tend to be an avid action shooter player the learning curve should be no problem. Despite the difficulties in control, the game play is rather simple and entertaining. By pressing spacebar you shoot miniature beams at your foes and while doing so can pick up different power-ups (health, shields, multiple beams, etc.) throughout the level. The multiple beam power-up for example will continually build up on itself, which is well worth it when you're fending off copious amounts of enemies. Be warned though that once your health at the top screen reaches zero you lose all power-ups and start right back at the beginning of the level. You're also given a map and arrows to guide you in the level so you'll always stay on track with what you're fighting off.

The graphics range from simple to beautiful. The menu presentation is simple with a very cartoonish feel too everything. The space commander is polished and although cartoony, it has hints of realism, which make it a little less comical. The space ships themselves in game play closely resemble the graphics of Asteroid raid with tiny details that truly get suffocated in the beauty of the surrounding space atmosphere. The bigger ships such as the mother ships are designed with a little more care and are visually appealing, especially when showing the damage you inflict upon them. Graphically the only thing astounding is the space backgrounds but it's definitely not a downfall of the game.

The soundtrack is exactly what you'd expect of an action shooter; adventurous, upbeat and it's really going to immerse you into Adventures of Rick Rocket. Though the soundtrack doesn't change between levels you can forgive it because of how much it actually enhances game play. The sounds from the character are your typical beam and explosion noises that are found in most action shooters. It's nothing too fancy.

While playing there wasn't really any evidence of creativity or innovation. It's just your run-of-the-mill space shooter and if you can't appreciate that then this game ultimately isn't for you.

Overall, Adventures of Rick Rocket is worth the buy and hopefully will blast a path for itself to becoming a decent and recognized action shooter.

3/5

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