Ra Ra BOOM
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Critic Reviews for Ra Ra BOOM
While the main campaign is on the shorter side, and ultimately the game feels a little too easy at times, it's still a fun time and well worth checking out.
The debut release from Gylee Games has a lot going for it; a charming cartoony aesthetic and reliably punchy fisticuffs being at the forefront of that particular list. Yet, it also feels too light on content, suggesting we might have to wait for a sequel before Ra Ra Boom's true potential is realised.
Confusion within the mechanics hold Ra Ra Boom back from being an excellent debut from developer Gylee Games, and an excellent example in its genre in its own right. From its punchy, wholehearted aesthetic to its ambitious combat, there was tons of potential here. Unfortunately, while I still had a fun time, that potential wasn't met as I ended up just sticking to the beat ‘em up basics to get through, ignoring the bells and whistles almost entirely after growing tired of wrestling with them.
Ra Ra Boom has style and ambition, but style alone can’t make up for undercooked gameplay that never fully clicks. Combat is rough around the edges, the lane system just feels ‘there’ and the story lacks any real staying power. Ra Ra Boom feels like the type of game that presents well in motion and in screenshots but the fun starts to waiver the more time you spend with it.
Beat 'em up/shoot 'em up collage with ninja cheerleaders saving humanity
A side-scrolling beat 'em up in which it's feasible to simply shoot your enemies rather than actually punch and kick them into submission, Ra Ra BOOM stands out in what is inexplicably becoming a crowded genre. It has some issues that bring it down, though, including poor balancing and some technical woes on PS5 Pro.
Ra Ra BOOM is a high-energy, upbeat beat 'em up game with a vibrant look and ninja cheerleaders that you control through nine different stages.
If your feelings about this genre are anything other than negative and you like what you see, what you’ve got here is an incredibly solid beat-em-up with a fun cast, a great soundtrack, wonderful presentation, and plenty of replay value. And that’s without getting into the fact that it’s an absolutely perfect game for sitting down with a friend or two as a team venture.
