As one of the only working video game critics old enough to have gone rollerskating in the ’80s, I feel it is my duty to inform you that the violent third-person rollerskating shooter Rollerdrome (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC) is in no way reflective of what real rollerskating was like back in the day. But what would’ve been horrific in the Livingston Roller Rink is great fun in virtual form…well, once you’ve adjusted your skates, that is.
Unlike sequels, the expectations for add-ons are usually low. We expect there to be new missions, new locations, new enemies, and new weapons, but we don’t expect much in the way of new mechanics. And that’s okay. Take Worldslayers, a new add-on for the sci-fi third-person action / adventure shooter Outriders. While it does add something (which I’ll detail in a moment), that something doesn’t add much at all. Which is fine because while Outriders: Worldslayer — which is available both separately and as a part of a new, more complete version of the game (PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC) — may not be an improvement on the core game, it more importantly doesn’t ruin it.
There’s a fine line between repetition and redundancy, especially where video games are concerned. But while the time loop conceit of the third-person sci-fi shooter Returnal (PlayStation 5) may have goal-oriented gamers thinking they should take a pass, this game’s lather-rinse-repeat motif actually works to its advantage.