This is definitely a but of a rough and easy game in a lot of respects, but I still think that this is basically a masterpiece regardless and an absolutely hidden gem. There are few games I can think of that have been able to give me such a concentrated and extended amount of dopamine as this one has, but the charm combined with a selection of insanely creative and cool systems ended up barely leaving a moment where I wasn't grinning like a fool. For a fun, comfy sort of game, I also think that making it centred so heavily around the Dragon Quest slimes was an especially great choice because well, look at them!
Really most of what makes me appreciate this game so much is the fact that basically every aspect of it feels really, really clever in one way or another and manages to connect so many seemingly disparate elements into a really solid, easy to grasp gameplay loop that carries through the 12 or so hours it goes on for. Of these I think that the whole tank system is an especially awesome part of the game, both for how they work and the surprising amount of depth that can go into it, but also for the sheer spectacle. No matter how many times one of these tank battles would happen, I never got sick of controlling this 2 storey battle fortress and slowly destroying an enemy's equally massive battle fortress both from the inside and out. While it's not especially complex since this game was clearly targeted towards a relatively young audience, there's a lot of nuance to these encounters nonetheless, not only with your ammo choice, but also your crew and how you yourself interact with this lightly strategic real time battle.
This all ties nicely into the other half of the game, which is like a simplified take on the early top down Zelda titles but with some interesting twists on the formula, namely the carrying mechanic. Rather than having a wide array of tools at your disposal to use at any time, you instead can carry up to 3 items as a stack on your back, and these can be almost anything you find in the level. This not only can contribute to some neat puzzles here and there, but you can also choose to pick up what you find and transport it back to the city that acts as your home base, being able to recruit the enemies you've brought back into your party, and use the items you find as alchemy ingredients or even ammo for your tank. I love this idea because not only is this a really interesting, unconventional idea, to be able to take the raw items you find in the environment and use it as ammo, no matter what it is, but it also makes the game incredibly rewarding through and through, knowing that literally everything you find has another use that contributes to an ever strengthening repertoire.
While all of these above points would make for a very interesting game on its own, it's all wrapped up in a really comfy aesthetic, taking a selection of the cartoony Dragon Quest monsters, making them even smaller and cuter and then having a whole little goofy story with a lot of charming characters. Watching your village fill up with characters as the game progresses is absolutely lovely, and you can tell that there was some time dedicated to a lot of smaller details to really flesh things out. The fact that each of the approximately 120 NPCs in the town feel as if they have some distinct characteristic along with having entirely separate dialogue for if you decide to attack them is only one of the many extra tidbits Rocket Slime has to really flesh out the experience way beyond what one might expect from this little DS spin off title.
Regardless of how easy this game is (because frankly there were only 2 instances where I felt at all threatened), this is still a fantastic little game that is so full of charm and heart, and it's one that I could definitely see myself returning to in the future because it's so happy and comfy while also not being quite like any other game I've played. Highly recommend giving this a shot as long as you keep in mind that it is rather simplistic in a fair few ways, which might leave some people bored if they're looking for a consistent challenge, even if some post game stuff is nasty enough to really make you consider cool strategies and the like. Kinda wish this was the Dragon Quest spin off that got some more entries rather than the Monsters one, even though those games were pretty good as well.
Really most of what makes me appreciate this game so much is the fact that basically every aspect of it feels really, really clever in one way or another and manages to connect so many seemingly disparate elements into a really solid, easy to grasp gameplay loop that carries through the 12 or so hours it goes on for. Of these I think that the whole tank system is an especially awesome part of the game, both for how they work and the surprising amount of depth that can go into it, but also for the sheer spectacle. No matter how many times one of these tank battles would happen, I never got sick of controlling this 2 storey battle fortress and slowly destroying an enemy's equally massive battle fortress both from the inside and out. While it's not especially complex since this game was clearly targeted towards a relatively young audience, there's a lot of nuance to these encounters nonetheless, not only with your ammo choice, but also your crew and how you yourself interact with this lightly strategic real time battle.
This all ties nicely into the other half of the game, which is like a simplified take on the early top down Zelda titles but with some interesting twists on the formula, namely the carrying mechanic. Rather than having a wide array of tools at your disposal to use at any time, you instead can carry up to 3 items as a stack on your back, and these can be almost anything you find in the level. This not only can contribute to some neat puzzles here and there, but you can also choose to pick up what you find and transport it back to the city that acts as your home base, being able to recruit the enemies you've brought back into your party, and use the items you find as alchemy ingredients or even ammo for your tank. I love this idea because not only is this a really interesting, unconventional idea, to be able to take the raw items you find in the environment and use it as ammo, no matter what it is, but it also makes the game incredibly rewarding through and through, knowing that literally everything you find has another use that contributes to an ever strengthening repertoire.
While all of these above points would make for a very interesting game on its own, it's all wrapped up in a really comfy aesthetic, taking a selection of the cartoony Dragon Quest monsters, making them even smaller and cuter and then having a whole little goofy story with a lot of charming characters. Watching your village fill up with characters as the game progresses is absolutely lovely, and you can tell that there was some time dedicated to a lot of smaller details to really flesh things out. The fact that each of the approximately 120 NPCs in the town feel as if they have some distinct characteristic along with having entirely separate dialogue for if you decide to attack them is only one of the many extra tidbits Rocket Slime has to really flesh out the experience way beyond what one might expect from this little DS spin off title.
Regardless of how easy this game is (because frankly there were only 2 instances where I felt at all threatened), this is still a fantastic little game that is so full of charm and heart, and it's one that I could definitely see myself returning to in the future because it's so happy and comfy while also not being quite like any other game I've played. Highly recommend giving this a shot as long as you keep in mind that it is rather simplistic in a fair few ways, which might leave some people bored if they're looking for a consistent challenge, even if some post game stuff is nasty enough to really make you consider cool strategies and the like. Kinda wish this was the Dragon Quest spin off that got some more entries rather than the Monsters one, even though those games were pretty good as well.