The new trend in the genre: team shooters with a strong dose of MOBA in their DNA. In 2016, they are set to take over the market. We have taken a look at the most promising games that want to compete with Overwatch for control in the genre: How do Gigantic, Battleborn, and Paladins play?
With the announcement of the team shooter Overwatch , Blizzard is stepping into new terrain for the first time. The chances of establishing itself as the market leader in the genre look good after an impressive trailer, first footage, and test versions from fairs. But the competition is not sleeping: three brave development studios are sending a contender into the race. Let’s see who ends up on top.
I had the opportunity to extensively test all three titles at this year’s gamescom. As a reference, I have Overwatch, which I was also able to play a lot.
Opponent 1: Gigantic – a dynamic MOBA?
Gigantic is being developed by the American studio Motiga. Thanks to a collaboration with Microsoft, the team shooter will be released for Xbox One and exclusively for Windows 10. In our trio constellation, Gigantic is the most MOBA-heavy game, at least in terms of the scenario.
As usual, two teams of five face off on the battlefield. The goal of the game is to defeat the opposing Guardian. And with that, we are already at the special feature of Gigantic.
Instead of the MOBA-typical tower and base defense, the match flow is much more dynamic. The so-called Guardians are a kind of walking inhibitor that actively participates in the fight and supports the respective team both offensively and defensively. This combined with clever heroes in cel-shaded graphics and controlled from a first-person perspective results in the MOBA shooter Gigantic.
Forecast: Currently, I am spending my weekends in the Gigantic Beta, which is why I can tell a lot about the game. The unacceptable conditions of the beta (again disconnections, 30-minute wait times for a match, problems with account creation, playing with friends, etc.) I will not include in my conclusion.
Gigantic is a truly refreshing title with very dynamic fights and a challenging difficulty level. Especially the team fights can quickly seem chaotic if you don’t keep all eyes and some extra careful attention on the screen. The game system is unique, and I needed several rounds to understand the game, especially the goal of each match. Here, one can see the difference between theory and practice. The combat system can only be compared to Overwatch or the other opponents to a limited extent.
It feels less like a shooter, much more like a precise skill-shot system with targeting.
Anyone who is tired of MOBAs and finds first-person shooters too strenuous should definitely check out Gigantic.
Gigantic is expected to enter an open beta in the 4th quarter of 2015, with a possible release in early 2016. Gigantic will be playable as a free-to-play title on Windows 10 and Xbox One.
