Dull and largely uninteresting 3D Mario rip-off
As long as you're not in a demanding mood or expecting a classic slice of platforming action, you won't be disappointed with Rocko's Quest. It's fairly similar to many other examples of the genre and follows the minimalist adventures of the titular barbarian who is out to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend. The basic plot isn't the only similarity the game shares with Mario and it features the usual running, jumping, climbing and swinging that we've seen so many times before. As Rocko is a barbarian, there is a greater emphasis on fighting than in some games, and he starts out able to use a sword or his fists, but with other weapons like bows also becoming available later, as he steals them from his enemies. There's the standard mix of platforms and environmental hazards to avoid, with geysers, spikes and pits all rearing their ugly head and really Rocko's Quest is nothing we haven't seen a million times before from Croc to Pandemonium. Working against it are its visuals, which are dated and lacking in charm. There are also some distinct problems with the control system, which is not exactly intuitive and causes some frustrations, while the main gameplay is simplistic and repetitive to the extreme and which will likely prove dull for most gamers very quickly. Despite being apparently aimed at younger audiences, the difficulty level is also surprisingly high and ultimately this is just a bland mixture of platforming cliches that comes across as shoddy and poorly thought out. 3D platformers don't get much better than Super Mario 64 so check that out before you come anywhere near Rocko's Quest.
