Tape to Tape is a hockey roguelite that mixes slick play with fun jokes

Despite being Canadian, I’d by no means fallen in love with our nationwide sport till not too long ago. It took a shocking supply to get me fascinated with the ins and outs of hockey: a game referred to as Tape to Tape, which is about a disgraced golfer trying to redeem his sins by assembling a superteam of ice-skating athletes. Throw in wild talent upgrades and zany artifacts, groups of mountaineers rappelling throughout the ice, and sinister referees, and hell yeah — this is a model of hockey that I’m right here for.

Tape to Tape is a roguelite that entered early entry on May 3. While the game is nonetheless being tweaked and up to date, the core is strong. There are two parts to the game, the primary of which is the precise hockey. Playing a match in Tape to Tape is slick, though the keyboard and mouse setup is greatest described as purposeful. If you need to actually benefit from the game, taking part in with a controller works higher.

There are all the belongings you’d anticipate from an arcade hockey game — passing to your ahead, face-offs on the ice, determined longshots, intelligent passes, and hype targets. The puck physics are glorious; the puck ricochets off sticks and bounces off unfortunate gamers. It’s the primary time I’ve ever understood why hockey is so dang fun. Matches in Tape to Tape are quick, aggressive, and filled with alternatives that I can exploit. Sometimes I can snag the puck with some intelligent skating work, and different instances I can take the puck by power with a brutal examine.

The tensest elements of Tape to Tape come when gamers cluster round one of many goalies, and the puck bounces from stick to stick. One incorrect transfer and the puck may ricochet into your web, main to a devastating defeat. It’s uncommon that I’m afforded the time to leisurely line up a shot; it’s extra seemingly that my ahead shall be checked and knocked proper on their rump. But as soon as I work out how to do a little triangulation, I can move, move, shoot, and reliably rating targets.

Here’s the place all the foolish stuff is available in. Tape to Tape’s roguelite marketing campaign tells the story of Angus McShaggy, an embittered golfer who has determined to restore the fantastic sport of hockey by claiming the cup again from golfkind. I’ve to battle previous hockey the Aristocracy, Lovecraftian cultists, and worst of all, rogue referees. This is all depicted with blocky, cartoon-ish graphics that deliver classics like Munchkin to thoughts.

Every time I win a game, I get some sort of improve. Perhaps I’ll earn a knight helmet for considered one of my gamers that slows them down, however makes them very robust. Maybe I’ll unlock a random potential for the following run, like a sick disco ball that makes my opponents compulsively boogie down. Tape to Tape is obtainable on Steam for $17.99 (discounted from $19.99).