Hi-Rez presented gameplay for the new mode Battlegrounds in their shooter Paladins (PC, PS4, Xbox One). The mode looks like a lot of fun, but it feels more like a competitor to Fortnite than to PUBG.
Paladins is a hero shooter and is often compared to Overwatch. At the Hi-Rez Expo, the developers introduced a new 100-player mode for Paladins that follows the battle royale principle: 100 players start, fight for loot, kill each other until only one player or team remains.
Name “Paladins Battlegrounds” was perceived as brazen or shameless
The presentation of Paladins Battlegrounds reminded many of the PC hit PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Especially the fact that Paladins simply added “Battlegrounds” to the name caused some coughing and frowning. Terms like “brazen” or “shameless” circulated.
But in gameplay, there are significant differences between Paladins and PUBG. Aside from the name and the fog, they have little in common.
In a live stream, several Paladins Battleground matches were broadcasted, and one can observe the first gameplay.
The key facts about Paladins Battlegrounds
The key information from the gameplay:
- In Paladins Battlegrounds, always 4 players play in a team together
- At the beginning of a match, you choose one of 8 randomly selected champs – there are 2 champs of each type available: so DPS, flankers, tanks, and supports.
- This is a difference from the competition. In PUBG and Fortnite, everyone plays a generic hero, the same character. In Paladins, everyone plays a champ with skills, strengths, and weaknesses.
- Of these 8 champs, 4 are based on whether you own them on your Paladins account, while the other 4 are always available to choose from
- In the game, there are mounts – so you can move quickly – it all goes relatively quickly
- The main goal is to stay together as a team, loot items, and then kill other players to grab their loot
Legendary items make the difference in Paladins Battlegrounds
- There are 4 item slots that you should fill with items to become stronger: They provide percentage bonuses to life, damage, speed, and other stats – this significantly affects the character’s strength
- There is a fog that increasingly shrinks the world and drives the players together – typical battle royale
- You can obtain items from defeated opponents or from chests
- The strongest items, the legendary items, are dropped regularly – you can see the chests from afar through a laser beam, attracting players
This is how the gameplay of Paladins Battlegrounds feels
What can be seen in the gameplay rewards Paladins for a different playstyle than the tactical waiting and hesitating seen in PUBG. It won’t help to hide in the middle of the map and wait for everyone to die in the fog.
The commentators also jokingly say: You can’t wait in the bathroom until it’s over.
Who masters the loot drops, masters the game
Paladins rewards a mobile and aggressive playstyle in a team. Those who avoid fights, play stationary and passively, will later become victims because the opponents become too powerful with strong items.
As you can see from the screens: A “normal item” gives a 20% bonus to a value, while a “legendary item” gives up to 100% bonuses to 3 values. You won’t be able to compensate for that with “skill”.
Paladins Battlegrounds introduces new facets that Fortnite and PUBG do not offer
- It will likely be crucial to control the legendary drops and to fully stock up on legendaries. You will definitely notice 100% more health points.
- Teamplay also seems to be significant here; there are RPG elements with supporters and tanks like in Paladins. This sets Paladins Battlegrounds apart from competitors like PUBG or Fortnite.
- But of course: These were just the first matches with people who have little idea. Perhaps other play methods will crystalize with time.
The game seems to be relatively fast-paced and places great value on teamwork. It is more of an arcade team mode and therefore resembles Fortnite more than the simulation-heavy PUBG, but brings in new facets.
Does Paladins Battlegrounds cost anything and when can you play it?
Paladins itself is free to play – the Battlegrounds mode will also be free. An alpha version is already running during the expo, looking quite stable and good. When Paladins Battlegrounds will be publicly available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One is still unknown.
By the way: Our author Leya is currently live on site in Atlanta, USA, at Hi-Rez and has already been able to play the battle royale mode of Battlegrounds. You can soon expect a gameplay test and developer interviews here on Mein MMO!
“Battlegrounds” copied from PUBG? It’s actually WoW’s fault, says Paladins boss
Do you like the gameplay?
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