0 
0 There’s no better way to describe parkour than the word “cool”. Perhaps not the most eloquent way to describe something, but leaping from rooftop to rooftop whilst performing aerial acrobatics is just bloody cool. Unfortunately, there aren’t nearly enough games based around the sport, and the ones we do have aren’t too impressive. Thankfully, developer MLMEDIA has just released version 1.0 of Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game!
Initially released into Early Access on Steam in May 2024, the game is now available for consoles. Today, we’ll be reviewing the PlayStation 5 version, although it’s also available on Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. With the average Steam review score sitting at “Overwhelmingly Positive”, I was certainly optimistic about the console iteration!
Flip, Jump, It’s All in the Mind!
“Extreme” sports games have given me great joy over the years. From the original Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater to the more recent Riders Republic. Do you have a favourite in the genre? Do you prefer the more sim style or arcadey games? Let me know in the comments below!
Gameplay
Rooftops & Alleys is definitely one of those “easy to pick up, hard to master” types of games. Jumping straight into one of the six available maps, I was able to quickly zip around, perform some basic tricks, and fall over. The last one happened quite a lot! Sure, you can easily pick things up as you play, but I would recommend going through the available tutorials. They only take a few minutes, although they omit several key mechanics that you’ll just have to figure out yourself.
Parkour is all about getting from A to B in the fastest, most efficient way possible. Rooftops & Alleys‘ movement mechanics manage this mantra very well. It has a great sense of speed and feels silky smooth as you jump, slide, and trick your way to your goal. Almost every movement has their own unique button input, meaning it takes time to learn instead of just holding down one button and automatically vaulting to victory. Seamlessly transitioning from a cartwheel to a backflip off a ledge before landing safely into a forward roll always felt rewarding.
It’s a shame, then, that things don’t always go the way you want them to. There were times when my character didn’t grab a ledge or ran up a wall instead of across it, which interrupted my flow. This caused some frustration when tackling the various challenges across each map. It’s not that it controls poorly, just that the game will register your input as something you didn’t want to do on the odd occasion.
Within each map, you’re free to roam around or attempt the aforementioned challenges. These are simple time trials and earning a set score, but your runs will need to be flawless to beat them! Each one does reward new cosmetic items to customise your runner with, so at least there’s a nice incentive for going for gold. Each level also has a hidden pigeon to find, which, when collected, allows you to become said winged rat. Sounds strange, but being able to take to the skies and scope out new or out of reach areas is really useful.
Graphics & Audio
Visually, Rooftops & Alleys has a clean, simple look. Vibrant, vivid environments are simple to navigate and fun to explore. Each of the six well-designed levels had its own distinct flavour; none of them felt rehashed or too similar to one another. Character movement is perhaps the standout here, though. Each trick is so smooth and effortless looking (apart from when you faceplant the floor), and all credit to the animators for such fantastic character animations.
As for graphical modes, you’ve got a choice between quality and performance. Performance nets you a solid 60 fps and I didn’t notice a difference in graphical fidelity, making this mode the way to go. Overall, the game ran flawlessly both solo and in multiplayer.
What falls short, however, is the music. Whilst the relaxed, rhythmic beats were fine, it didn’t take me long to just mute the soundtrack and play my own. Having said that, it does at least fit with the tone of the game, and the relative stress-free nature of just exploring the environments.
Longevity
In terms of content for single-player, there isn’t all that much in Rooftops & Alleys. Aside from the challenges and hidden pigeons, there aren’t any set goals or objectives. That said, I did have a good deal of fun just exploring and getting some impressive trick combos going. Oh, and I had way too much fun spamming the dedicated slow motion button!
The game also supports multiplayer, where up to four players can join a session. Here, you’re able to just roam freely or set up games of tag, trick battles, or capture the flag. I joined a game with random online players and still ended up having a blast. Even if they did wipe the floor with me in trick battles!
Final Thoughts
Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game is a decent game that just doesn’t have quite enough content to keep me going back for more. Whilst the multiplayer is undoubtedly the most enjoyable aspect, the single-player mode’s lack of activities does let it down. If you’re as starved for extreme sports games as I am, then this will satiate your appetite somewhat. Best to grab some friends for this one, though.
Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game get the Thumb Culture Silver Award.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
Fancy a bit more parkour? Then why not check out our review of Supermoves!
YouTube | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Discord | Podcast
About Author
