Roblox (2023) Review
Overall
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Story And Setting
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Gameplay
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Visuals And Performance
Verdict
Roblox has proven itself to be an ever-evolving platform, providing limitless opportunities to many different creators and players.
Pros
- Encourages Creativity
- Unlimited Tools And Freedom
- Versatile Gameplay Mechanics
- Vast Social Network
Cons
- Cyberbullying
- Some Inappropriate Content
- Overmonetized
Roblox isn’t just a game, it is a global phenomenon that racks in 58.8 million daily active users in 2024, and billions of hours in user engagement each quarter. The platform has been breaking record after record since its release, and our Roblox review will look into why that’s the case.
- Developers: Roblox Corporation
- Publishers: Jakub Koziol and Recloak
- Release Date: September 1, 2006
- Platforms: PC, Android, iOS, Xbox Series X|S, MacOS, Fire OS
- Game Length: 20 Hours
- Time Played: 100+ Hours
- Editors Note: We thoroughly tested Roblox on PC, putting just over 100 hours into its various modes.
Today, Roblox has become a hub of artistry, community, and entertainment for kids and adults alike, with a unique blend of user-generated content and a wide array of social features.
Story And Setting
Despite the misconception among those who haven’t had the chance to experience it, Roblox is not actually a video game in itself; rather, it is a platform that allows people to create their own content.
It is an ever-expanding universe that allows players to explore all the different worlds brought to life by creators, many for free, but some for a price tag. Each game in Roblox can have its unique plot, narrative, characters, quests, and environments, as users have access to an unlimited number of options at their disposal. The only limit is their imagination.
From beautiful forests to post-apocalyptic hellish landscapes to backwater towns and bustling cities, each setting is unique and can align with any narrative a user wants to create.
Due to the sheer variety of available tools, players have created titles of almost every genre known to man, including Racing, First Person Shooters, Role Playing Games, and more. Some have also created social hangouts for people to interact and participate in small but fun activities.
A key aspect of what makes most games unique is the plethora of environments Roblox provides to its users. From beautiful forests to post-apocalyptic hellish landscapes to backwater towns and bustling cities, each setting is unique and can align with any narrative a user wants to create.
Gameplay
Most games on Roblox usually offer simplistic and standard control schemes, making them easily accessible to most players. These obviously vary from platform to platform, but on PC, they incorporate the WASD key for movement, spacebar for jumping, and mouse movement for camera control. The control schemes for consoles and mobile devices also follow a specific standard pattern, which is common for the games on those devices.
These are just for basic movement; the core gameplay loop varies from game to game. Action-adventure games feature combat, exploration, and platforming elements. RPGs allow players to assume the role of a character and level up their abilities.
Simulation games, on the other hand, simulate certain real-life or fictional scenarios, etc. We could go on and on about what’s present on this platform due to its overwhelming amount of content because there are essentially hundreds, if not thousands, of games of each genre present here.
Most games on Roblox usually offer simplistic and standard control schemes, making them easily accessible to most players.
The User Interface is also clean, as most games have minimal HUD, which displays only essential information such as health, stamina, and inventory. These elements again vary from game to game, but they are generally minimalistic, making them accessible even for young kids, who make up the vast majority of the user base. Players can also trade in-game items and monetize the content they create through Robux.
So it’s safe to say that Roblox is essentially a blank canvas, providing limitless gameplay possibilities, and over the years, there have been many updates that allow users to generate more seamless gameplay systems.
Some of the most notable updates include overhauled physics, allowing for more ways to interact with the environment. State-of-the-art building tools offer creative freedom when designing areas and environments and new scripting features, allowing for deeper and more complex gameplay mechanics.
It is pertinent to mention in my review that things aren’t always as simple as I have described. The over-dependency on user-generated content means that not every game you encounter will be well-designed, and there are several games with poorly designed mechanics, which can lead to a frustrating experience.
So it’s safe to say that Roblox is essentially a blank canvas, providing limitless gameplay possibilities, and over the years, there have been many updates that allow users to generate more seamless gameplay systems.
Moreover, some games implement aggressive monetization schemes and even pay-to-win mechanics, which can sour the experience for many. Luckily, you can avoid many of these by getting other users’ feedback due to the vast social features of the platform.
However, this large social network comes with its own caveats, as it can sometimes jeopardize the experience for its young audience due to cyberbullying and other issues. Roblox has taken many steps to minimize this by implementing chat filters and parental control, but these measures still have a long way to go. Adults are advised to allow their young ones to consume only the content on the website under their strict supervision.
Visuals And Performance
With the exception of some highly advanced games like Frontlines, the visuals of Roblox are designed to be simplistic, enabling them to run even on the oldest and most minimalist hardware. The graphics comprise blocky shapes and bright colors, and this unique combination has made them stand the test of time.
The simplistic graphics design has also allowed young and inexperienced creators to exercise their creative muscles even if they lack technical knowledge.
That’s not to say that the graphics have not improved since 2004. Roblox indeed has made graphical advancements along with technical ones, and the most notable ones include the Physically Based Rendering (PBR) system which has improved aesthetics, environment, character designs, and lighting. Adding this and advanced lighting and shadow effects have made the game more visually appealing.
The simplistic graphics design has also allowed young and inexperienced creators to exercise their creative muscles even if they lack technical knowledge.
Among all the platforms, the PC offers the most versatility regarding graphics settings as they can be altered to one’s liking. The graphics quality can be lowered to ensure a smoother performance on low-end hardware, and people with high-end hardware can crank up the settings to the max to experience the game at its best.
That’s not to say that the consoles and mobile devices are far behind. The simplicity of Roblox’s graphics allows its users to enjoy optimal performance with good visuals on most devices.
Verdict
Roblox has proven itself to be an ever-evolving platform, providing limitless opportunities to many different creators and players. And with continuous updates that add new content, its player base and popularity show no signs of slowing down.
It has a vast array of fun and exciting games from different genres, supported by a well-connected social community, and this is further complemented by the versatility of the gameplay mechanics that can be designed for each game.
It also has a nice and simplistic design with universal appeal and is instantly recognizable. Although there are some dark areas to this platform, such as cyberbullying and over-monetized content, it is easy to avoid these with proper guidance and supervision.
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