Vicious Circle (2019)

Looking back the initial release of Vicious Circle seems like a bit of a letdown but I do think Rooster Teeth is going to be committed moving forward to enhancing the experience. While currently I would be hesitant to pay full price for this game I would be interested to see how they build this tiny world and I could very well see it becoming a completely different story after a few major updates. For now, just try and listen to that deafening Peggy Sue wail sound clip on YouTube.

If you’re a fan of quick, matchmade hero shooters and long for a spiritual successor to Evolve, then maybe Vicious Circle is for you. For most gamers however, I probably wouldn’t recommend this game. At least not right now.

Despite a few caveats here and there, Vicious Circle has managed to expand upon the asymmetrical formula and bring along with it some much-needed innovation through overhauling and an extremely uncooperative play style. In a sea of uninspired shooters, Rooster Teeth Games' attempt to move the 4v1 setting away from horrors and other shooters paid off, as Vicious Circle proves time and again that there's no better feeling that coming out on top in a game - whatever that may take.

To some, I might sound a little harsh on what is a budget title, though. For $19.99, I can't claim the content on offer is spare. It's just that maintaining interest in what is available is a tough prospect. With matches taking around 20 minutes to finish, it becomes a slog to play for extended periods at a time. During my review process, I'd play for roughly an hour and then get bored, stopping for a bit and returning later. It only took me as long as it has to write this because I just don't feel compelled to keep playing.

At the end of the day, Vicious Circle is an ambitious game that needed more time to really work out what it wanted to be.