Following our preview of Ra Ra BOOM at PAX East, I used to be very desirous to play extra of the beat’em up sport. After taking part in the sport in its entirety, I can confidently say Gylee Video games is preserving the momentum going for the style.

There’s nothing difficult about Ra Ra BOOM, and that’s completely okay. It’s a sidescrolling beat’em up that places you within the sneakers and, in a single character’s case, the skates of ninja/cheerleaders who’re educated to tackle Zoi, a rogue AI that has pressured humanity to flee Earth and take refuge among the many stars.

Supply: Gylee Video games / Ra Ra Increase

Finally, the battle finds its strategy to house, forcing the quartet of badass. Nonetheless, pretty inexperienced warrior cheerleaders to go to Earth to deal with the risk, not solely to get some revenge, however to save lots of humanity within the course of, delivering a enjoyable expertise that’s additionally greatest loved with pals.

No One Manner To Take Out Zoi’s Minions

Supply: Gylee Video games / Ra Ra BOOM

Ra Ra Increase units itself aside from different beat’em up video games by giving gamers an choice of how they need their roughly five-hour lane/sidescrolling expertise to play out.

Gamers can select from 4 characters, Aris, Saida, Ren, and Vee, who every have totally different strengths and weaknesses, however all of them have a set of melee assaults, or if you wish to play it secure, and battle from a distance, use machine weapons, a rocket launcher, or ninja stars to maintain the robots at bay.

Throughout my playthrough of the sport, I opted for a candy mixture of each ranged and melee fight as a result of I felt it made the expertise extra thrilling, as you take a threat once you are available in near take out enemies.

Ranged weapons, whereas efficient, should not as highly effective because the melee assaults.

Every character additionally has a robust particular assault that, actually, is a bit overpowered, and might even take out essentially the most demanding boss if used sufficient.

Supply: Gylee Video games / Ra Ra BOOM

Taking out foes additionally earns you scrap, which is the foreign money within the sport that you should utilize to improve your character. Ra Ra BOOM may be very beneficiant in that division as a result of it doesn’t take lengthy to completely degree up the ladies, making them fairly formidable earlier than you hit the sport’s closing stage.

A Serviceable Story With A Significant Narrative

Supply: Gylee Video games / Ra Ra BOOM

Most beat’em ups aren’t attempting to ship you a thought-provoking story, or something memorable for essentially the most half, however that’s not the case with Ra Ra BOOM. 

Chris Bergman, the developer for the sport, revealed that he used his private expertise together with his father-in-law’s passing when crafting the sport’s story, and also you get a way of that throughout the playthrough expertise, as a result of it’s a significant and memorable expertise.

You’ll take care of the younger ninja cheerleaders as they navigate this brief journey following the traumatic second they first expertise that thrusts them into their mission to cease the rogue AI.

Bergman delivers a narrative that’s participating sufficient to maintain you invested and to see the expertise by means of to the tip.

Last Verdict

Supply: Gylee Video games / Ra Ra Increase

Ra Ra Increase isn’t going to rack up awards, nevertheless it’s an excellent reminder of why we love and play video video games within the first place, to take a seat on the sofa, choose up the controller, and have enjoyable.

Whereas doing all of that, additionally, you will meet 4 characters price giving a rattling about.

Ra Ra Increase is a fantastical expertise that’s even higher when skilled with pals. It’s additionally pleasant alone with respectable replay worth, and is sort of difficult as you can see your self operating out of lives.

The improve system does lots to alleviate the frustration supplied by the sport’s difficult ranges that typically function quite a few enemies coming at you.

The sport can be lovely, that includes an artwork model paying homage to your favourite comedian books or Saturday morning cartoons, which additionally helps inform Ra Ra Increase’s story.

My solely complaints with the sport are that it’s too brief, however, hey, who is aware of, perhaps there’s some DLC within the sport’s future. Whereas the characters are cool, they don’t actually really feel too distinct from each other, and the sport can really feel a bit too simple at instances.

Ra Ra Increase is out now on PS5, Xbox Collection S and X, and PC by way of Steam.

*Steam key supplied for evaluation by the sport’s developer.*