If you can dodge bullets, you can dodge a ball?
No, there aren’t any actual balls to duck in the Dodge Ball mode found in Rogue Company. But that doesn’t stop this side mode from currently being the best reason to play this free-to-play shooter.
In Dodge Ball, two teams of four engage in a shootout. When a player gets killed, they don’t respawn right away. Instead, their teammates have to kill a member of the opposing team to bring the downed teammate back. The first team to eliminate everyone on the opposing side gets the point and the first team to six points wins.
A round of dodge ball is punchy and exciting. Each decision matters, as there’s a chance that you’ll only have one life to live. However, there’s always room for a comeback. In a 4v1 scenario, the sole player just needs to drop one enemy in order to respawn an ally. If they can drop two or more, it might be enough to completely turn the tides. Even drawn out battles where teams exchange kills are tense, as each side is one hot streak away from ending a round.
This mode isn’t quite like anything I’ve played in a shooter before. It also takes the best elements of its main modes without the fluff. It takes the intensity of Demolition’s shorter rounds without the hard limit of one life per person. It also takes the shoot-em-up action of Strikeout without the lengthy rounds and higher odds of a blowout victory.
Dodge Ball also features the game’s best map. The Rooftops map has Rogues battling across the rooftops of tall buildings. The bright sun and pink motif give the level a very different look from everything else in the game. It also requires players to jump between platforms or fall to their death. Platforming as a skill is rarely used in shooters, so it’s nice to see it here to spice things up.
Alas, Dodge Ball is relegated to being a side mode that rotates in on occasion. During the times it’s been on, I try and play as much of it as I can. If I had it my way, it would be a main mode in Rogue Company. For a game that has really struggled to find its footing, Dodge Ball somehow manages to showcase the game at its best yet.
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