Rush Bros. Review

Rush Bros. is a game about two DJ brothers that had a falling out. This is all the story you'll get though; this game is really about fast-paced racing and platforming.

Gameplay

Rush Bros is a bit different from the usual platformer. Every level is also a race to the end of the level, as the time records are the main thing that matters. All 43 levels are unlocked from the beginning to try and beat your own time. While the single player game is fun, the game is the most enjoyable as a two player competitive game. There are elements of Super Meat Boy in this game, as you die as soon as you hit one of the numerous hazards. They take similar forms, such as buzzsaws and spikes dotted everywhere. But that is where the real similarities end as the levels are much longer and have a focus on speed over skill.

In Single player you can take on any level of your choosing. While you can play them in any order, the further down the list the level is the harder it is. Some levels are fairly straight forward treks to the finish line. Many stages have you backtracking or heading in directions that seem to be heading the opposite way to find keys so you can progress. Not all of the levels are fun, some levels are repetitive or just too vicious when the levels are too long and there are no checkpoints, but there are so many levels that it isn't hard to find plenty of fun ones.

Visuals

To complement the dance/dub step music and DJ theme, Rush Bros. levels are vibrant and colourful with plenty of neon and music speakers incorporated into the background. The platforms and areas you're racing on are more plain, which make it easier to see where you're going while there's thumping speakers in the background. There's all kinds of environments in the background, they don't impact on the gameplay, but they look good and accompanied with the music it sets the right mood.

Sound

The music is a big part of Rush Bros., the energetic dance/electronica music is always present and impacts the movement of hazards. When the beat picks up, hazards move faster and when the beat drops, the hazards slow down. Whether you like Music acts like Infected Mushroom (which are featured in the game) is personal taste, I wouldn't usually listen to this music but within the game it works. If the games music isn't your style you can put your own music on instead, although the game isn't able to recognise the beat of your tunes as well as the ones already included.

Controls

Overall the controls can feel a bit sluggish, although it is possible that this was intentional, it never feels like it makes the game harder to play. You can use the keyboard or a controller, I preferred using the controller and it is recommended over the keyboard.

Multiplayer

Add another person and Rush Bros. hits its peak, either online or on the same screen, you are bound to have fun. Where single player is just a race to beat your own time, two player is a proper race against a friend or stranger. Added into the two player mode are pickups that impact the other player, such as flipping the screen, reversing the controls and low gravity. The pickups add an extra level of chaos to an already chaotic game once you're head to head. To get the most out of the multiplayer I recommend both players have some time to get used to the controls and movement. The levels are much more fun when both players can keep the racing close and competitive.

If you don't have a friend who also has a copy, you can let the game accept challenges for you and you may find another player showing up out of nowhere wanting to have a race. I found this handy and at the time of playing quickly had someone wanting to take on a level against me.

Conclusion

Rush Bros. is a fast paced platformer with a focus on racing to the end. While potentially providing hours of gameplay with friends or racing online there isn't as much for those going it alone. With 40+ levels there is enough content to last you and a friend awhile, but with all the levels unlocked from the beginning there is no real sense of achievement besides winning against an opponent. Without anything to earn except better times, the real meat of this game is in the multiplayer which involves them getting a copy or playing split screen. For some PC competitive gameplay against friends it's worth checking out Rush Bros.