Disco Dodgeball Remix (PlayStation 4) Review

A creative setting or premise can do a lot for a videogame, and Disco Dodgeball Remix thrives on concept alone. A dodgeball deathmatch fought between robots in what can only be described as a roller derby discotech hybrid arena, Disco Dodgeball is one of the freshest takes on the first-person shooter yet. Ammo is effectively reduced to one at a time thanks to the dodgeball premise, the neon aesthetic truly gives off the vibe that the action is taking place in a nightclub, and the various game modes push the core mechanics to their creative limits. As far as unique first-person shooters go, DDR, no relation to Dance Dance Revolution, is in the upper echelon when it comes to creativity.

Regardless of the game mode, each match begins with teams spawning on their side of the map and then rushing out to go grab a dodgeball. Ammunition is already limited to one since a robot can only hold a single dodgeball at a time, but starting out with nothing is a great way of instilling a sort of frenzy within the player base to grab weaponry as soon as possible. More importantly, throwing a dodgeball in turn renders a robot defenceless, creating a risk versus reward system with each toss.

There are ways of turning a lack of dodgeballs into an advantage, however. Most notably, robots can catch a thrown dodgeball by pressing the toss button right at the moment the incoming dodgeball would otherwise knock them out. There's also a jumping mechanic that needs to be built up before it can be triggered and a boost that launches the robot across the screen, albeit briefly, but these techniques take some getting used to. Mechanically, jumping and boosting are both clunkier than they should be, but they are rather small blemishes on a well-rounded and intuitive control scheme.

The fun of combat mostly comes out of the sheer chaos at play within each match. When dodgeballs start flying, they seldom stop. There's a hectic, almost frantic energy born out of the core mechanics, and matches devolve into pure madness in no time flat. Death happens often, but respawning is done with a blissful swiftness that keeps the action ever present.

As strong as the core gameplay loop is, there are issues with the level design. Maps aren't really that engaging on an architectural level, boiling down to a few slopes here and a few hallways there. They are serviceable for the type of gameplay Disco Dodgeball Remix is going for, but they are very much lacking compared to other multiplayer first-person shooters. There are no real standouts within the roster, and a large reason why this might be is because of the game's aesthetics. While the neon is certainly fantastic, and the nightclub style works tremendously in the title's favour, it does mean every map ends up feeling uniform. The entire experience has an overarching identity, but the maps end up lost in the crowd.

Thankfully, where the maps lack in variety, the game modes pick up the slack. Deathmatch and Elimination act as the standard player versus player fare, while Hoops and Capture the Cube add some much needed flavour, while keeping the chaos present. If anything, the latter two modes might actually make the whole experience all the more hectic. There's also the single-player campaign, which takes advantage of the game's arcade-like mechanics to the fullest. On top of that, both the single-player and multiplayer have their own progression systems, offering a healthy amount of customisation for the playable robot.

With as little buzz as Disco Dodgeball Remix seems to be getting, it seems likely its community will die out sooner rather than later, but the truth is that its community deserves to live on and prosper. For its faults, Disco Dodgeball is an incredibly creative and chaotically fun first-person shooter. Matches are fast, controls are responsive, and the experience is near unforgettable. It certainly isn't perfect by any means, but it deserves recognition and a chance at a healthy lifespan.