Developer: Stunlock Studios
Publisher: Stunlock Studios
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Battlerite Royale – Preview
After the positive feedback Battlerite received after its release last year, Stunlock Studios now presents us with Battlerite Royale. Just as with Battlerite, the game is available in Early Access first before releasing it as a free-to-play game. This time MOBA and battle royale come together in a new PvP adventure. Stunlock Studios offers us a new and refreshing look on the battle royale genre. Let’s see if they can blow us away or if there’s still a lot to be done.
As with most games in its genre, you won’t find a story in Battlerite Royale. There isn’t one needed either here, since matches only last a short time. The only background we get here is that the battles take place on Talon Island, a location steeped in lore and mystery. Besides this, you get some extra information about the Champions you play with.
Playing Battlerite Royale is a real joy when it comes to its looks. Both the drawn and 3D graphics are brought to us beautifully. The arena is 30 times larger than the normal Battlerite Arena maps and consists of several deserted villages. Since getting around on foot might take too long for some, you can ride on your mount, allowing you to move faster. Your Champions, as well as the mounts, all have their own unique style and look, which can be customized for the right price. At the beginning of each game a cinematic of the map is shown, giving you a beautiful look of the island. It is too bad that there is only one playable map though; implementing different maps would surely be a delightful addition.
The music and in-game sounds are just as great as the graphics. When you’re roaming around the map, you get to enjoy some peaceful and suiting music. Once in a while, you’ll hear a distant gunshot. This indicates another Champion has been killed. Footsteps are also heard when you are walking around and when an opponent is close. This is a nice addition to keep track of your enemies when they approach.
Battlerite Royale is a fusion between a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) and a battle royale game. You experience the whole game from a top-down view. While it is still in Early Access on Steam, a lot of work has been put in the game already. Let’s dive into the gameplay a little more.
There are a total of four playable modes. First there is the tutorial, which has to be completed before playing the other three modes. Sufficient information is given during this short tutorial, helping you comprehend the game if you aren’t familiar with its predecessor Battlerite. Next, there is the VS AI mode where you practice the Champions you want to train and learn about the map, while battling against bots. If you have friends who also play Battlerite Royale, you can enter a private match. Fourth and last, there is the free-for-all PvP elimination mode. Here you battle against 29 other players around the world with your various Champions. Since this is the online multiplayer part, loading sometimes seems to be taking a while.
Champions are divided into two categories; melee and ranged. Melee characters use weapons such as swords, axes and hammers. Ranged characters use bows, staffs, guns, etc. It immediately becomes clear the ranged Champions have an advantage over melees and some Champions have more useful abilities than others. This is a real shame, since you get to choose from so many Champions and each one is unique and has its own strengths.
Every game lasts around ten minutes, but there is no fixed time. Every few minutes, the Death Vortex closes in. This is a vortex with a green glow that makes you lose health points by causing a lot of damage so you want to make sure you stay inside the safe zone, indicated by a white circle. The Death Vortex spreads further and faster, making the safe zone smaller and smaller. This pushes the players that are left in a smaller arena, forcing them to battle each other.
During the game, you can choose to look for opponents and enter battle or you can opt to hide in the corn bushes or the grass and patiently wait while other players take out each other. Of course, if you want to battle, you’ll need weapons. Every Champion has its weapons and abilities. Abilities need a cooldown period of a few seconds after using them. There are also orbs to be found around the map that can contain abilities to help you.
Orbs not only grant you abilities, they can also contain equipment and gold. Gold can used to buy various goods from vendors all over the map. There is however a limit to the amount of gold you can carry, which is 900 coins. Not only vendors are indicated on the map, so are healing crystals, jump pads and special events. Healing crystals restore your health, while jumping pads beam you up in the sky so you can look around the grounds around you a little. Two types of special events can occur. Either chests can spawn in random places, or airdrops can appear, both can contain interesting goods.
Besides the gameplay, there is also your profile. You can level up by battling in matches. You can also level your individual Champions. There are also quests to be completed. These consist of daily quests, event quests (like for Halloween) and achievements. Of course you get rewarded when completing these. Rewards include various chests and battle coins.
Conclusion
While Battlerite Royale is still in its Early Access phase, the developers have already accomplished a great deal. With the beautifully executed graphics and fitting music, the fun and strong gameplay is even more enjoyable. The unbalanced feel between melee and ranged, as well as the long loading time for the PvP matches remain visible problems that need dealing with. Adding more than one map would also be a welcome addition to the game. If you were a fan of Battlerite, you will most likely appreciate this title as well. Our advice is to pick up Battlerite Royale while it’s still in Early Access. This because even though it will become a free-to-play game, the Early Access game includes all current and future Champions that might have a price tag or will need to be unlocked in-game after the full release.
Battlerite Royale - Preview,
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