Tony Hawk Meets Mirror’s Edge In This Parkour Game With Great Steam Reviews

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If you’re not into playing PC games or if you are, you might not be aware that there’s been a surge in popularity for parkour games recently. These games often rival titles like Roblox and Fortnite, with parkour simulations becoming an integral part of the user-created environments within these games. However, among all these parkour games, one stands out: Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game.

This game is not only Steam’s top-rated parkour title (with significantly more than a few reviews), but it also boasts the highest number of Steam reviews. An impressive 96% of its nearly 5,000 user reviews on the platform have awarded it the coveted “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating. In the near future, it’s set to depart early access and expand to consoles too, with a full PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S release slated for June 17.

While playing the game, it became clear to me that solo developer Michel Losch took a lot of inspiration from games of the past. The layout of the arena-style maps and the freedom to move around and combine impressive moves had a very nostalgic feel, reminiscent of classic Tony Hawk games. One map in particular, “The Shed”, seems designed to evoke memories of Tony Hawk’s famous warehouse level. However, I also found that Losch’s game falls somewhere between Tony Hawk and the more simulation-focused Skate series from EA, as its physics and control requirements are somewhat similar to both.

In essence, neither R&A nor boards are associated with the activity referred to as R&A. This reminded me of Mirror’s Edge, albeit in a third-person perspective rather than first. Jet Set Radio Future was another inspiration mentioned by Losch. Similar to DICE’s classic dystopian freerunning game, advanced play in R&A looks incredibly stylish and cool. Even a novice like myself can seem skilled and fashionable with practice, but it’s crucial not to overlook the tutorial. Like Jet Set Radio Future, R&A’s gameplay is heavily influenced by style, extending beyond movement to impact the overall audiovisual experience. Customizable characters bring a burst of color, and an eclectic soundtrack was produced together by Losch and his fiancée.

The game’s mechanics left me both awed and a bit daunted at times. Each individual move was straightforward, but the true brilliance lay in stringing together a series of moves, which proved challenging. Despite the occasional crash landing for my character, I found the gradual increase in difficulty to be an engaging challenge that led to a momentary feeling of fluidity when everything clicked.

For the authentic assessment, I passed the control to my 12-year-old son, who might as well be known as a (virtual) parkour pro. He was thrilled with what he experienced, finding that, despite being harder than games like Parkour Reborn on Roblox – which is essentially a Spider-Man simulation in my opinion – he admired the precision of the controls and how the game’s actions closely mirrored real-life parkour. Rooftops & Alleys doesn’t appear to veer too far from this realism, at least for now, instead providing players with tools to execute stunts that real-world parkour athletes can perform. While it may one day take players to the moon, for now, everything is deliberately earthbound.

Ever since it was first introduced on Steam Early Access, this game has undergone 30 updates according to Losch, featuring new elements like two additional maps, a plethora of challenges, multiple multiplayer modes such as Tag and Capture The Flag, and significant improvements in the fundamental movement mechanics. However, the upcoming milestone might be its most significant yet.

0 will mark the most significant update for the game so far, according to Losch. This update includes a sixth map, an innovative online multiplayer game mode called Tricks Battle, numerous new time trials and trick rush challenges, fresh music, over 100 customization options, a comprehensive progression system with unlockables, engaging achievements, enhanced gameplay mechanics including the brand-new momentum-based physical sliding mechanic, and a stunning photo mode that I am incredibly proud of.

So far, R&A has sold over 150,000 units, which isn’t too shabby when you consider that Losch initially started game development as a side project during his 15-year tenure as a music producer and DJ. [2023] was the year he embarked on his solo game dev journey, meaning he had to teach himself Unreal Engine from the ground up and tackle numerous challenges that previously deterred him from pursuing his passion for creating a parkour game, as he shared with me.

It’s not a stretch to say that I am elated now, having accomplished it, and I truly enjoy witnessing others appreciate it just as much as I do. He went on to explain, “For years, I’ve yearned for an outstanding parkour game…I feel fortunate, in a way, because my preferences and the longing for a particular kind of parkour game seemed to resonate with the broader community and players within this genre.

On June 17th, the full version update for the parkour game “Rooftops & Alleys: The Parkour Game” will be released on Steam, and it will also make its console debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

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2025-04-24 20:39