Rocket League’s hotly anticipated 1.08 update arrived last week and boy is it a load of fun. Available on both PC and PlayStation 4, this latest patch brings a welcome mix of new features to the table. Needless to say, if you’ve been looking for a reason to dive back into Rocket League for a kickabout then here’s the perfect excuse.
First, let’s start with the small stuff. Since launch, Psyonix has continued to filter in a number of custom flags to represent video game developers and their communities. In the past we’ve seen flag and antenna objects showing off games like Chivalry, Warframe, Blacklight, and other big indie hits.
Joining them is a new batch of accessories to play around with in the garage. Again, there’s a new bevy of community flags as well as antennas for Fallout 4, Driveclub, Reddit, and The Game Awards. I wonder what Psyonix is hinting at?
Overlooking a few bug fixes and minor gameplay tweaks, the biggest addition in 1.08 is the introduction of “Mutators”. For those who have out of the loop, these are a group of modifiable settings looking to add a zany twist to your regular Rocket League matches. From low gravity to the surprisingly functional cube-shaped ball, there’s plenty to experiment with following this free content update.
Available through select multiplayer modes and offline exhibition matches, there are a number individual gameplay settings that can be customised, as well as several presets. The most fun by far – for me at least – was letting fly in the new “Moon Ball” mode. Here the gravity has been dialled down, allowing players to soar across the pitch and line up some truly ridiculous aerial shots. Of course, the ball’s physics are just as heavily affected bythese settings, but they can amplified further by adjusting its bounciness slider.
Just as fun, and little more unpredictable, is the inclusion of a cubic ball. Although similar in size, its flat faces and edges give it a sporadic movement pattern whenever slapped around by Rocket League’s mini motors. There were plenty of times where I’d be waiting for the ball to cross over, only for it to land on a corner and change trajectory.
Two other modes I really had fun with were Beach Ball and Pinball. Naturally, the former preset has you shunting into a much floatier ball which is also slightly bigger in size. Pinball, on the other hand, does quite the opposite, shrinking the ball while making it dash across the pitch at lightning speed.
A snapshot of next month’s ice hockey expansion.
Beside these are a pair of alternate modes that don’t change the formula too much, instead demonstrating two of the settings can be tweaked when making your own custom ruleset. The tool gives you the power to modify just about everything from match length and ball properties, to game speeds, boost allowances, and the impact needed to cause a demolition.
When playing alongside friends, these new tweaks are guaranteed to get a laugh here and there. They mess with your perceptions of Rocket League in a way that is both fun and inventive, encouraging players to formulate their own preferred match template. Obviously, what’s best about this slew of features is that they are all free to anyone who owns a copy of the game.
Pitcher-T
I have been playing Rocket League non stop since it came to us on PSN back in the summer. It’s the perfect pick up and play game for me. I was worried the mutators were going to detract from the focus the main game has, but if anything it’s provided a nice mix up that compliments rather than competing with the main game. The fact that these are free in a world of paid for dlc (looking at you Star Wars Battelfront) makes this even sweeter.