Battlerite Review - Combat arena that we never knew we wanted

lyra.roberge (56)in #gaming • 7 years ago (edited)

Since Stunlock Studios has succeeded in taking the complex moba genre and taking out the team-fighting element and pouring it into something totally new and refreshing.

2-on-2 and 3-on-3 following the same rules, apart from the size of the teams. Teams have to win three rounds to win the game; and to win a round, all players of the enemy team must be defeated. On the 'map' there are 'health orbs' and energy 'orbs' to find 'ultimate' skills to recharge. Players fight for the big orb that occasionally appears in the middle of the map as a neutral energy source - the team that hit the orb last gets the energy. If a team member is defeated, it will not go back in the fight until the next round. Focusing on the important enemy damage distributors while protecting your important team members is difficult to manage, but finding the balance is crucial to winning.

There is also a competitive 'ladder' for the more hardcore gamers who have confidence in their skills and they have exactly the same set-up as the 'casual' pots. The competitive part is therefore equipped with a ladder for climbing, as well as rewards for players who reach higher levels. These intense defining battles are what drives players to the maximum and test both their endurance and gameplay skills. It is these moments that make Battlerite so incredibly entertaining; it is these win or loss situations that make your heart beat faster; while you ask your team like a madman or "have they seen that?!".

There are three main character groups: 'melee', 'ranged' and 'support', so team diversity and synergy play a role in the game, as in League of Legends and Overwatch. All characters (current and future) can be unlocked about 27 euros, allowing you to spend your hard-earned in-game currency on outfits and chests.

The overall design of the game is beautiful: very cartoon-like, but not so bad that it can not be taken seriously anymore. 'Champions' come in all shapes and sizes, from furious gigantic chiefs to a peaceful deer; and each character has his own personality and background story. In fact, it is even explained that they can all be found in the arena to blow off some steam.

Players can earn 'tokens' and 'battle coins' that they can exchange for a variety of things, such as weapons, outfits, 'mounts' and even chests that give a chance to legendary objects. If you do not like microtransactions, quests and events can provide you with many different rewards and the Achievement system lets you return again and again for more.

As said, the gameplay shares comparison with moba games, but it plays more like a twin-stick shooter. Champions are controlled with the WASD keys, using the surrounding keys and mouse clicks for attacks; the skills vary from 'crowd control' to the setting out of damage; each character also has his own individual 'kit'. The 'load-out' option also offers full customization options for the skills, allowing players to try out different 'builds' to find an appropriate one.

For fans of moba games, Battlerite will be relatively easy to pick up. Some skills of characters reflect those of certain Dota 2 and League of Legends characters, as well as the mouse cursor used for targeting. For new players, however, it is also very accessible, with a "Beginner Friendly" indication with easy to pick up characters. Something that makes this game even more addictive is how easy it is to pick up and how difficult it is to get the hang of it completely. Gameplay skills are necessary to win, which means that the more experienced player is most likely victorious.

However, comparing this game with League of Legends would not be fair, as LoL is one of the biggest game franchises and there are few games that come close to the e-sports giant. Battlerite, on the other hand, takes just the first steps. However, it suffers from the same problems as the aforementioned titles, of which the community is an example. In-game communication mainly consists of 'trash talk' and 'flaming' if a skill is missing, although this often occurs the chat can be filtered, but it is something that this game is likely to suffer from. This luckily does not ruin the game. Although it is not ideal to see this toxicity, it is easy to ignore and expand. However, this can be annoying if you try out a new character, but chat bans offer a solution here.

Battlerite delivers fantastic work by taking a beloved moba option and making it as good as possible. The controls are well thought out and the games are short. Given the long jars we see in other games in the genre, this is a relief. It gives players an experience that does not require a lot of dedication and is easy to learn, while it also remains attractive visually. Battlerite provides an entertaining and rewarding experience, which is also challenging - for both experienced and new players.

➕ Jars are short; no long commitment needed; fun and compelling; leveling of characters feels rewarding.

➖ High skill ceiling; community seems pretty toxic already.