Among my favorite games out there, Mirror’s Edge stands out as it’s one of those rare few games that make the traversal of a mission the main objective. That is to say, going from Point A to Point B was made fun with the use of a limited parkour moveset. So, what happens when you toss a similar vision of getting from Point A to Point B and cram it into a more reserved third-person free roam game? You get Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game, the debut title of indie developer MLMEDIA.
Mad hops
The gameplay itself is simple, kind of like a mixture of the classic arcade simplicity and complexity of modern gaming; you traverse around a free roam map and complete challenges — one that tasks you with achieving as high of a trick score as you can in a slowly shrinking area and another that requires you race through rings to the end as fast as you can. Of course, you could complete the races without doing any cool tricks, but that would do this game a huge disservice as once you get the hang of what tricks can be done at what altitude, it’s a great time… if you can get used to it.
For me, the game is a tricky title to really nail, but it’s still a fantastic time if you just wanna turn off your brain and roam a map for an hour or two. Maybe you’ll do some epic tricks that make you feel like you’re some parkour god… but most of the time, you’ll probably fall flat on your face. Even playing the game as much as I did, I still couldn’t really chain too much together seamlessly.
Not-so mad hops
My one gripe is how borderline unplayable the first-person mode is. Due to the game’s high octane nature and flips and stuff being standard fare, you’ll find yourself just staring at the floor more than the path ahead. It’s cool for the first few minutes but as you realize that smooth movement, including epic tricks, is key, the inclusion of the mode is almost a waste of time as for as cool as it is in concept, it’s just not practical as you’ll just mess up every trick you attempt.
Additionally, beyond that, there is much else to do outside of running around and completing challenges, I’d like to think that more will come, but as it stands, all there is are challenges, unlocking customizations, and messing around in the world either on your own or with some friends.
Vision, performance, and vibes, yo
Rooftops & Alleys runs pretty well; no stutters or graphical glitches on my end, though you glitch into walls if you smack into them hard enough or see inside hollow buildings just by running alongside them, but that’s small potatoes. I was consistently getting high frame rates with minimal stuttering.
Now, visual-wise, it feels both fantastic and lackluster at the same time. The style of the simplistic yet customizable character is a nice touch, especially as this is a game that isn’t just some single player flair; it also features multiplayer, allowing multiple people to hop in and do some sick tricks.
It also has some awesome vibes thanks to its in-house techno soundtrack that keeps you wanting to be on the move. It fits the exact type of songs you expect to be playing through the head of free runners as they jump from rooftop to rooftop or flipping through the streets.
Final thoughts
It’s a solid time killer for most anyone ingrained in parkour culture or those who want a fast-paced movement indie experience. Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game is not gonna break bounds or anything largely because of its niche demographic and straightforward gameplay, but it’s a game that you’ll quickly find is addicting once you figure out the controls, put on your running shoes, and get moving.
Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game is out on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on June 17.
The Review
Great
