Blockbuster Gaming – RIGS: Mechanised Combat League

Occasionally here at Player2.net.au, we will play something that deserves your attention but probably doesn’t need a full review written for it. Be it DLC for the latest AAA title, a little indie game or even an Android/iOS title. We play these titles for a blockbusting amount of time (2 – 5 hours) and report back to you the reader on what we found. So grab your popcorn and settle in for the latest episode of Blockbuster Gaming.

Blockbuster Gaming – RIGS: Mechanised Combat League 

How’s your stomach? I hope it’s stronger than mine because RIGS: Mechanised Combat will put you through your paces! Coming from Guerrilla Games, the studio behind the Killzone franchise and the upcoming Horizon: Zero Dawn comes RIGS: Mechanised Combat. RIGS has been arguably the marquee title in the PSVR portfolio as the marketing push took off for the peripheral because of the experience it brings to the player. This is a multiplayer experience that wouldn’t be anywhere near the fun that it is if it weren’t for Virtual Reality.

Blockbuster Gaming - RIGS: Mechanised Combat League

Much like Rocket League and VideoBall, RIGS is a sports game that isn’t actually a sports game, you’ll be the pilot of a twin-legged mech (known as a RIG) with the goal of each match being to outscore your opposition. The way you do this differs dependent upon the mode you’re playing; Team Takedown works just like a typical competitive death match mode where the goal is to wipe out the opposition team, Endzone requires teammates to pass the ball around, eliminate contesting opponents before putting a ball through a goal, and Powerslam is the best of both these worlds. In Powerslam the objective is still to run the ball through the goal, however a point is only registered if Overdrive is activated, and to activate Overdrive, you must perform particularly well in general combat. In the Overdrive state your RIG’s healing, Speed and DPS skyrocket making it a defensive scramble for the opposition team to stop you as you charge for the goal.

Blockbuster Gaming - RIGS: Mechanised Combat League

In large part, RIGS plays much like your typical FPS, save for the ball handling feature of course, but during matches it is important for players to manage their priorities. At any given stage you can divert your power into your Healing, DPS and Speed attributes, and this allows for players to inject a tactical element to gameplay that if successful could change the momentum of any given match. Of course, there’s not much reason to dive in if there’s not a carrot dangling in front of you, and so outside of the natural drive to win, players will also be consistently progressing towards further unlocks, both skins and alternate RIGs. The wide range of different RIGs was impressive, while I enjoyed many of the cool perks that each possessed. Few things are as awesome as the damage you inflict post-death because your RIG can drop a bomb just as you get destroyed – wiping the smirks off your opponent’s faces is incredible satisfying.

Blockbuster Gaming - RIGS: Mechanised Combat League

The potential for motion sickness has been a concern held by many when discussing VR technology, and it’s one that rears its head here in RIGS. The game itself is also quite aware of the potential issue, warning players regularly that short sessions are advised, but like with most things, as you spend more time with the game, the easier things become. Initially I couldn’t spend more than perhaps 20-30minutes with the game, which was enough for a few matches, before the sick feeling began to take hold, but as I spent more time with the game and further learned the ropes, that feeling began to dissipate – for those of you without the stomach of steel, it’s one concern to be wary of.

Blockbuster Gaming - RIGS: Mechanised Combat League

RIGS minimises lag, boasts exciting fast paced movement and combat, a tonne of replay value, and puts you right in the cockpit of an exciting new concept. Again, the game is not ideal for those with a weaker stomach, but with prolonged experience, it’s a hurdle that can be overcome. With any luck, and some continued support from the developers, RIGS could become a competitive gaming mainstay and before you know it, spoken about in the same conversation as the likes of Rocket League.

Blockbuster Gaming - RIGS: Mechanised Combat League

Paul James