If someone were to start SMITE without informing themselves beforehand, they probably wouldn’t directly realize that it is a representative of the MOBA genre, as the camera is untypically not directed “from above onto the game world”, but is always directly behind the character being played. The various heroes – all gods and mythological figures from the real world – are directly controlled using WASD, and every ability must be aimed precisely to find its target.

Genre-typical, however, is unlocking new gods: At the beginning, you only possess a handful of the approximately 60 playable characters, additional ones can be unlocked through in-game currency earned or by purchasing a premium package – this is not necessary, and paying opponents gain no gameplay advantage.

Easy to learn, hard to master

Thanks to short, but absolutely sufficient tutorials, getting started in SMITE is exceptionally easy, and whether you are a battle-hardened veteran or a complete newcomer, the first successes will not take long to materialize – no matter which of the numerous game modes you try.

However, if you want to enter the significantly more demanding “League” mode, you’ll want to invest a bit more time into planning and gathering information, because only those who have all the abilities of all gods memorized will know what to fear. Together with other players, devastating combinations of the respective 4 abilities can be mixed, which can decisively handle reckless attackers or defenders.

Detailed implementation of tradition

Particularly noteworthy is the loving and detailed integration of traditions into the game world. All gods have been represented by the developers to the best of their knowledge and belief, as they have been depicted in paintings and ancient writings. This not only pertains to the pure appearance of the mythological beings but also to their abilities, backstory, and the various comments they throw out during a match.
If you prefer something a bit more extravagant, you can also purchase premium skins for real money to leave a more lasting impression on the battlefield.

The biggest criticisms currently are the inadequate German translation of the on-screen texts, as well as the occasionally frustrating matchmaking, as you are often assigned opponents who play significantly better or worse than you do.