RocketGirl (XBLIG): "Prepare Yourself For Full-on Sensory Overload!!!"

W ... T ... F!? WTF!!! ... Okay let me compose myself a bit ...

I'm not exactly sure what Software By Eugene was thinking when creating this game but it most definitely warrants a warning label. When I first laid eyes on the game I thought "Cool!!!". This is a shmup I could definitely get into. It featured a voluptuous girl riding a rocket. What's not to like there??? I have to say before I go any further though that I was dead wrong about the whole shmup (shoot 'em up) thing. This game is definitely not a shmup. Instead what we have here is one of those intense sensory overload survival games where the point is to make it to the end without crashing into objects. As you can probably guess you pilot a scantily clad girl riding a large rocket (obvious sexual innuendo!!!) through the course of these lengthy adventures. With the application of a single button press (A) you control the ascent, and descent of this buxom young lady as she flies through what could be best described as some sort of sexually drug induced fantasy trip. Often times the screen flashes with possible seizure inducing light shows, and half naked ladies flying through the air all over the place as you fly onward on the larger than life rocket that's between your legs. Logic is definitely not present here.

RocketGirl is a simple yet visually complex game. The art style (when you can focus on it) is actually quite impressive. All the girls look amazing, and are almost realistic in presentation. As you fly your very own missile guided girl through a sky full of disaster waiting to happen you'll experience trippy visuals that contain sickening screen movements as well as flashing lights that would put nearly anyone into a full blown seizure. In the background, and foreground of the game you'll notice girls on stripper poles, sexy police women firing at you from atop cop cars, and even cavewomen kneeling down in sexy positions on the ground. This is likely only a small taste of what you'll witness if you can withstand the sensory onslaught. I was only able to make it a fraction of the way through level one, so I may never know though.

As I mentioned in the introductory paragraph of this review RocketGirl only requires one button (A) in order to operate the unlucky girl who finds herself hugging the rocket. Holding down the (A) button will make the rocket rise while releasing the (A) button will make the girl plummet. If you hit the ground you will die, but it's not the only way to expire in this game. The main threat that you will find in RocketGirl are the flashing squares that are placed haphazardly throughout the air space. By rising, or plummeting via the (A) button you can avoid your untimely demise by dodging these squares of doom. Doing so can be a real task though since you are constantly being bombarded by onscreen displays of sexy girls, and flashing lights. The fact that the screen has a constantly moving trippy display only furthers the challenge at hand. I should also mention that the further you make it in the game the higher your score will be. Yes this is a score based game. You have a set amount of lives with which to obtain a respectable high score, but sadly I did not see any leaderboards of any sort, so gaining a top score is pointless.

In closing I once again say "WTF!?". This game could have been so awesome, but as it stands it's damn near unplayable. If the developer would have slacked off on the flashing lights it would have been more accessible to a wider audience, and would have been more fun to play in my opinion. I highly suggest that if you are known to have seizures, or if any of your relatives have had seizures, stay away from this game!!! There's not much else I can say about it. The art style was amazing, but sadly it's overshadowed by constantly flashing lights. The heavy metal soundtrack was awesome, but only added to the frustrating sensory overload that was taking place. I'm gonna have to say skip this one unless by some miracle the developer can remove the flashing lights. It was too much even for me.