Rollerdrome review – skating as a bloodsport

PC, PlayStation 4/5; Roll7/Private Division
Mixing the colour palette of 80s comic books with post-apocalyptic bloodlust, movement in this fluid game feels sublime. Until you get shot in the head

Skating of all kinds became a whole thing during the Covid lockdowns. As the pandemic put a pause on indoor socialising, parks became the new pubs - and what better way to escape shut-in misery than gliding around the green? In south London at least, it's a passion that's endured: every Sunday without fail, I'm greeted by a gaggle of boombox-toting skaters. Yet for game developer Roll7, this lockdown obsession seemingly took a less wholesome turn. If you ever thought that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater would be more thrilling as a blood-drenched deathmatch, then this is your game.

Channelling the smudged colour palette of 80s comic books and the post-apocalyptic bloodlust of Mad Max, Rollerdrome is a giddying blend of murder and momentum. As in February's brilliant OlliOlli World, from the same developer, forward motion feels sublime: performing mid-air grabs atop a ramp before dropping into a polished, gym-like court, the fluidity of your flow is entrancing. And then some other deadly derby competitor shoots you in the head.