RoboDunk – PS5 Review

Robot basketball sounds like an idea that can be really imaginative, if used in the right way. JollyPunch Games have decided to take a crack at it and blended a roguelike structure to it. RoboDunk is a futuristic take on street hoops with a toys-to-life aesthetic.  The end result is a enjoyable, chaotic blend of no-holds barred hoops with a playful aesthetic. It didn’t grab me initially but the core time spent on the court is really compelling.

The action takes places within 2-on-two contests. You can pick your robots, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. I prefer to mix brawn with speed and there is a few selections to choose from. Each of them have their own weapons although ammo is not plentiful. Despite this, there’s no shortage of violence. It’s a contact-heavy sport allowing for charges, rams and shields to protect or wrestle the ball from the opposition.

Not content with the rough stuff, arenas can be filled with hazards. These range from meteor showers to the absolutely annoying rollers. These help keep contests close whilst offering more things to consider when shooting. Scoring relies on a risk versus reward mechanic. The longer you hold down the dunk button, the more points you get. That sounds simple enough but lining up a dunk can leave a player in a vulnerable state. Working the space to get the shots off is crucial. There’s also a timing to it, requiring a timed press of the dunk button to cash the shot in.

Honestly, it’s the thing that makes matches so interesting. Those constraints amidst the mayhem makes for close encounters. Controls feel responsive and reliable and the matches are easy enough to read, even with all the madness. Local multiplayeris available and playing with friends can be fun.  It’s a shame there’s no online alternative.  RoboDunk‘s main campaign is where the main meat seems to reside.

The roguelike structure has your chosen robots tackle a series of escalating bouts. It can be trivial to start but the gradual increase of difficulty makes for a smooth experience. Each branching path offers you three different opponents with different rule changes, obstacles and rewards. These are all presented up front so there’s no random chance or mystery to what you’re playing for.

Victory in each match gets you money which can be used to unlock new perks from an expansive skill tree. These are the cheapest upgrades you can make but I prefer to hoard my cash in favour of upgrading my robot’s level. There’s enough options to offer plenty of progression. There’s even the chance to build teleports to later matches, if you want. I’ve also noticed that, when a run ends, your upgrades all seem permanent. You don’t really lose anything beyond any match rewards you’ve earned.

I find runs to move very quickly. Matches are short by default and can be shorter still with one-round blasts requiring the most concentration. The regular changing of rules and environments result in plenty of variety and it helps keep the game fresh, despite the repetition. At a certain point, the financial rewards seem a little slim. You can increase them by playing on higher difficulties but it still seems like funds trickle in.

There is a story to RoboDunk but it’s all delivered in text. There is an ominous Overseer who just wants to see you dunk. Some screens give you some background on the teams but it seems incredibly light, both in tone and content. The robots themselves have a lovely toy-like appearance and animate in a very stop-motion style. It can look cheap but, in motion, it feels quite fluid.

The hub looks almost like a play set with big blocky buildings representing the garage and stadiums. The menus are less impressive, featuring a lot of metallic elements that, whilst colourful, aren’t exactly elegant. On court, things are a lot more expressive. Dunks are flashy, the arenas have a packed crowd of equally excited robots and the hazards create a lot of mayhem. The action itself is easy to follow and, whilst it does feature a soundtrack, it is firmly placed in the background. Punches and rams have a good sense of impact and there’s a lot of flourish to the sporting contest.

There are moments of frustration, particularly when hazards are involved. Turrets and rollers don’t really give you time to breathe and I do find situations where both sides are cancelling each other out with rams and shields. When a game devolves into a game of hot potato, it’s not at its best. Blowouts can feel hard to take, especially if the run of the ball just doesn’t land your way. That’s the sport it’s representing, though. For the most part, I never felt entirely out of contest.

The presentation initially put me off but the execution of the basketball is frantic and enjoyable. The action moves quickly, is easy to read and rewarding at every step. The roguelike structure does tend to favour permanent upgrades and ensures you’re always progressing. RoboDunk is a solid arcade effort that shows plenty of character and challenge.