ROCK OF AGES 3: MAKE & BREAK
A rolling stone gathers cows
Smashing things is one of videogaming’s oldest pastimes. It’s the rock upon which everything in this boulder-rolling blend of tower defence tactics and Monkey Ball is built, and for the most part it’s as satisfying as crushing your enemy with a bulbous, inflated cow can be.
As the title suggests, Rock Of Ages 3 is divided into two main modes: Make (create your own courses to play and share) and Break (a story mode that sees you roll through the ages crushing famous leaders with a variety of ball-shaped objects). The latter is the most fun on console, as while functional, creating courses in this PC conversion can be eye-straining, and not so much fun on a DualShock.
Break is where the good stuff happens. Each historical figure offers a mix of time trials, obstacle courses, and tower defence challenges to master – stars are awarded to put towards unlocking more eras, leaders, and missions. It can be hit and miss, however. The tower defence idea is finicky on our DualShock, and later leader events suffer from a framerate drop as multiple units (cannon, guillotines, and more1) clutter the screen. The core Monkey Ball-like stages fare better, and mastering new ‘boulders’, each with its own stats, offers plenty of replay value. Even when familiarity sets in, the Monty Python-like humour keeps you going, 2 and it gets weird: a peeping tom Humpty Dumpty getting his kicks spying on the local chickens raises a smile.
There’s a lot to enjoy here if you need a Monkey Ball itch scratched, but Rock Of Ages 3 is a mixed, scrappy ball of ideas that never quite lands. Ian Dean