There are few developers that I hold in higher regard than OlliOlli creators Roll7. The British game studio has nailed every idea its had so far, and have had a gorgeous look to all of its 2D titles. So, when I found out that they’d be announcing a new game at E3, I was psyched. Would it be a follow-up to Not A Hero, or their take on a 2D platformer" I couldn’t wait to see what they had up their sleeves.
What I wasn’t expecting was a team-based multiplayer game with vibrant 3D graphics and a neon aesthetic that looks like Tron. To say this came totally out of left field from a consumer’s perspective would be an understatement, but I learned from founder Simon Bennett that the idea for Laser League had been kicked around the Roll7 offices for quite some time. It went from a 2D prototype that they’d occasionally show to other developers, and was something they’d slowly iterate upon on the side. Once they saw that other smaller indie studios were starting to have success with 3D games, they ended up adding to their staff, and decided to make their passion project a reality. While Laser League is very different from Roll7’s previous offerings, it does have some similarities in terms of design philosophy. Like the studio’s other games, players can learn how to play Laser League almost instantly. To be successful, all the player has to do is use the left stick to move around the arena and trigger the lasers when they p...