I wish it wasn't so hard to find calm multiplayer shooters. My current favorites are all ultra-competitive tactical games that make me nervous all over. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I want a laid-back shooter where eight matches are over in a blink of an eye, and Rocket Arena is yet another contender in the increasingly crowded pile of heroic service games. This game is one of those, but it's also a throwback to a time when shooters weren't so cutthroat.

With a name like Rocket Arena, one might expect something similar to the original Quake Mod, but the similarities extend only to the rockets. This is a team-based shooter that is all about that classic fire-propelled projectile, and Final Strike Games has essentially taken the rocket launcher apart and created a tasting menu of different interpretations. Not every hero shoots a literal rocket launcher, but the spirit of the rocket launcher is alive and well throughout. Kai's crossbow. Sharp rockets with a long wind-up time. Mistin's throwing card. A bunch of magic rockets that explode. Boon's detonator sniper rocket.

Like Halo 3's rocket-only custom game or TF2's Soldier, the explosive payload of rockets is secondary to the fun of mastering slow-moving projectiles. Guiding targets and hitting them with direct hits is a whole different set of shooter muscles than the twitchy hit-scan weaponry of "Valorant" or "Rainbow Six Siege". Whether the result is a pile of meatballs (a welcome bonus in "Doom Eternal") or something else doesn't matter much. In DreamWorks' cinematic children's game "Rocket Arena," the exchange of blows feels like a long-distance game of tag.

Triple jumps and movement abilities make nailing a perfectly guided shot much harder than in the "Halo" days. Instead of one-shot matchups, Rocket Arena's weapons and abilities are tools for knocking each other out of range. Continuous damage fills up the meter, and each subsequent blow knocks you farther into the air, until you can't recover and are "mega-blasted" across the map barriers. This is essentially the knockout mechanic of "Super Smash Bros." in full 3D space, and fits perfectly with the lighthearted fun that "Final Strike Games" aims for. After being knocked out, the player slowly floats back up to the designated respawn point and returns to the fight. It's a minor detail, but being with my character during these breaks allowed me to learn the map more quickly, get a bird's eye view, and plan my next move.

There is a lot of great visual and audio feedback that sells the explosion of rockets without the need for blood squibs or chunks of flesh. As you hit the enemy repeatedly, the notes rise and the tension of close combat builds. When you finally build up enough of an enemy's damage meter to land a mega blast, the sound of the bat is intoxicating as the enemy soars off the map as if you've hit a home run; the post-kill violins in "Valorant" and the overwhelming impact sounds in "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare The post-kill violins of "Valorant" and the overwhelming thump of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" were tantalizing, but this is another brain drug that gets the brain pumping.

Combat is deepened (slightly) by unique secondary attacks, movement abilities, item pickups, and simple upgrades to equip outside the game. Random item pickups give you a small speed boost or a throwable bomb in a pinch, but do not hand you the fight. Some mobility abilities feel overpowered. For example, Lev's free-form flight ability allows him to quickly change his stance in any direction and recover better than anyone else from the brink of being knocked out. Her mobility is especially outstanding because it is easy to be juggled by multiple enemies without any chance of recovery. A well-timed press of Q allows her to dodge rockets (much like the aerial dodge in Super Smash Bros.), but she rarely finds it useful due to its long cooldown. The whole dynamic of the battle would be more interesting if there were more skill-based evasion methods. So far, Midea's follow-up shots are so punishing that it feels like a waste of time to try to recover. It is often faster to just drop out of range and reset.

It will be interesting to see how each of the 10 launch characters will distinguish themselves in the action, but overall, Rocket Arena looks forgettable. It has a cutesy fantasy tech look that is starting to blend in with many hero games. As I played Rev, where you ride a hoverboard and shoot miniguns, I felt as if I was back in Bleeding Edge.

That said, there are a few designs that stand out, including Top Notch, who is no Sam-Elliott, and Misteen, who looks so nice in her magician suit that I spent a lot of in-game currency on her skin. I am amazed at how many times I find myself visiting the cosmetics section to get new outfits and effects for my mega-blasts. Partly because I'm looking for something I can do while waiting in long lines, but also because I'm having so much fun that I want a fashionable outfit.

You can dive into Ranked if you really want to break a sweat, but I had all my fun with the Social playlist, which cycles through objective modes like conquest-style Mega Rocket and Rocketball, a CTF mode with a strong Grifball vibe I had a great time. The mode I consistently disliked was Standard Deathmatch (called Knockout). Being outnumbered and endlessly juggled by the enemy is even worse when there is no primary objective to worry about.

Rocket Arena's launch price of $30 was previously quite difficult to recommend, but you can already get it for much less. As of this writing, the regular version is available on Origin for $5 (on sale for 83% off), while it is still at the old price on Steam; Rocket Arena's niche appeal is bound to limit its potential player base as it is, so it is good that EA is reacting is a good thing; a small purchase makes much more sense, given that Rocket Arena already has a free-to-play game with premium currency and a Seasonal Battle Pass plan. Still, a full push to free-to-play may be in order.

The new price makes Rocket Arena an enjoyable low-cost shooter, but I fear it may be too slow. The long wait is already affecting my willingness to play. It would be great to see the game thrive under the low price, and there is hope that a smaller dedicated community could keep the game alive. For now I am eager to see new heroes, maps, and modes. There just aren't enough opportunities to shoot each other with rockets.