It’s hard to put into words what Bratz: Rock Angelz meant and still means to me. Not only does it represent my childhood, it also represents a time in my life where I wasn’t just carefree, but free. You see, while mainstream gaming outlets in 2005 were busy focusing on gritty action titles and traditional sports games, THQ dropped an open-world adventure that was essentially Grand Theft Auto meets Vogue for tween gamers. It wasn’t just a cash-in movie tie-in; it was a full-on lifestyle simulation that turned our living rooms into high-fashion editorial headquarters.
There’s also a tad bit of irony in my life nowadays, as Jade went on to start her own magazine after being fed up with corporate media, and, well, I’ve done the same thing (though I lasted a tad bit longer).
The premise was peak 2000s drama: after Jade gets fired from her summer internship at the villainous Your Thing Magazine (shudders), the core four—Cloe, Jade, Sasha and Yasmin—decide to start their own independent fashion mag. What followed was a globe-trotting adventure that took you from Stylesville all the way to London and Paris. But what made the gameplay so fun was the freedom…be it running through Stylesville shopping, or taking in the streets of London.
Beyond the fashion customization, Rock Angelz threw an incredible amount of mini-game variety at the player. One minute you were strapping on roller-skates to race through town collecting flags, and the next you were in a photo booth setting up exact camera angles. Looking back, Bratz: Rock Angelz hit at the exact moment when open-world exploration and Y2K aesthetic design collided. It gave players full agency over their creative choices, proving that games centered on fashion, design and friendship could be just as immersive as traditional adventure titles.
And now, all of a sudden, I want to buy a PS2 again.
Featured Photo: THQ
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