Bang-On Balls: Chronicles is a sandbox action-adventure game developed by Exit Plan Games. It has been available on PC since March 3, 2021, and on Xbox One, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and PS5 since October 5, 2023. This review is based on the Xbox Series X version.
Humor Through the Ages
Bang-On Balls: Chronicles takes you on a journey through different historical periods. You play as Bob, a ball that chases its enemy through Bobbywood Studios. Each period is presented as a film set within a movie studio. The game, not taking itself too seriously, offers a light and humorous adventure with numerous references. Despite its sandbox DNA, it still offers a narrative that guides the player. It’s not the main focus of the game; here, it’s all about having fun.
Roll, Explore, and Smash
The gameplay of Bang-On Balls: Chronicles places you at the heart of exploration, collection, and combat. You roll through four 3D worlds (pirates, vikings, feudal Japan, and space conquest), smash into enemies, and complete various missions and challenges. For example, your objectives might be to free prisoners, sink Viking ships, or build a rocket. Enemies will also be in your path, including mini-bosses and, of course, a final boss that we’ll leave for you to discover.
You can customize your character with different elements, some purely cosmetic and others granting you special abilities like flying and elemental attacks.
Exploration is clearly at the heart of the experience, with environments filled with collectibles, secrets, and interactions, with the graphics engine playing up crazy physics.
The formula is truly effective, and you’ll find enough surprises to avoid feeling repetitive. As a cherry on top, you can play with up to two players locally or four players online for even more fun.
An Artistic Direction on Point
The visual style of Bang-On Balls: Chronicles combines a simple yet effective artistic direction with rich and detailed worlds that are a joy to explore. Each thematic area is visually distinct with bright colors and dynamic lighting effects. However, we note some technical imperfections, including camera issues and some encountered bugs.
In terms of sound, the sound effects enhance the game’s light and humorous atmosphere. Similarly, the musical themes are varied and particularly well-suited to different environments.
A Spherical Epic That Entertains
| Bang-On Balls: Chronicles is the quintessential sandbox game. In the vein of Goat Simulator, it fully embraces humor and fun while offering enough objectives to keep the player’s attention. The only downside is some minor finishing issues. | |
Good |
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