After my first impressions of Paragon, I’ve been playing it a lot. In fact, I’ve been playing it every single day to the point where it’s the only game I’m looking forward to playing. In my original thoughts, there were two main issues I had concerns about: the pace of the game and the design of some Heroes being particularly “safe”. While I stand by both, it becomes readily apparent after playing for some time that you do get used to the speed. Although I’d still like it quicker (15% on movement and attack speed) I have to admit that I’m absolutely in love with the game.

A Beautiful Map and Incredible Jungle

Agora is truly beautiful. Not really a place for a holiday, though.

Agora is, without question, a beautiful map. It’s probably one of the best designed MOBA maps I’ve ever played and while that might sound odd - especially considering it houses many standard design decisions necessary for the genre - it’s truly brilliant. Unlike in DOTA 2, LoL or SMITE, there’s a genuine sense of apprehension as you skirt the map and importantly, it’s Jungle. Unlike in other MOBA’s that rely on fog of war to limit view, Paragon doesn’t utilise this. It has full vision at all times and your view is only restricted by objects or if players are utilising stealth pads. There are moments when sprinting through the jungle due to its depth and height that you’re genuinely nervous about who you will bump into. Several times I’ve crashed straight into an opposing player and jumped out of my skin only to then begin fighting.

The fact the Jungle is a warren of tight corridors, stealth pads and camps make it an intricate and elaborate location. It’s genuinely fun to roam in there and even to farm the camps before arriving back in lane. It’s a triumph of design and for the first time, actually reflects its name.

Tactical Depth

It’s not instantly apparent just how much finesse there is involved in Paragon and its combat but it soon becomes clear as you build your deck and learn the skills of opposing Heroes. No two fights ever play out the same, as you’re anticipating what skills they do or don’t have off-cooldown and there’s a real game of cat and mouse as you duel enemies.

Gideon. Moody but awesome.

One of my favorite players to fight against as Grux is Gideon, not because he’s easily killed but because the fight exemplifies the fun on offer. Engaging Gideon almost always guarantees he will use his teleport, resulting in Grux needing to use his charge in order to (hopefully) catch up. If Gideon has his ultimate, you can also cancel it with the stun from your own. The challenge in all of it is not only predicting where Gideon will teleport to, but if he’ll buy himself enough time to sprint away. It’s always a nervy exchange and there’s a fear that I’ll miss-time my charge and allow him to escape. Managing skills in this way, combined with your mana pool, offers a lot of depth that isn’t immediately apparent.

Those Little Extras

Four of the best things about Paragon are its stealth pads, sprint, Inhibitors and the “Overpowered Buff”. As original additions by Epic, I have to say that all four are absolutely brilliant.

Stealth Pads

A true game of hide and seek.

Throughout the jungle and leading onto each lane are circular locations that when you stand in them, turn you invisible. Anyone in the circle with you can see you, but those outside it can’t. The fact they’re in the jungle and leading onto lanes makes the reliance on map awareness even more important but it also means there’s some toing and froing when it comes to ganking lanes. Only yesterday my friends and I were constantly being attacked in lane by Steel, Rampage and Grux. They were making brilliant use of the stealth pads and we were extending too far down lane trying to push the Tower. Knowing we’d soon be ganked again, we sat in the stealth pad near our lane leaving one of our team to fight the minion wave. Sure enough, the deadly trio came rumbling through the jungle and met us head on. The fact we attacked them while they were sprinting to take down our Sparrow not only rooted them, but we wiped all three instantly, pushed the lane and secured two Towers. They’re a truly brilliant addition and although bushes and vents work similarly in other MOBAs, the fact these are in a limited set of locations and can house an entire team makes them particularly clever.

Sprinting

Agora is a large map and travelling it at default speed takes a long time. The addition of a sprint that takes a second or two to activate, that then hurries you along a swift pace is brilliant. Not just because it allows you to travel quickly but because of the fact if you’re hit while sprinting you become rooted. Whether or not you risk sprinting to an enemy or trigger it just in time for escaping is absolutely key to effective play. There’s a huge risk/reward factor to the sprint and I absolutely love it - there’s also nothing more satisfying than snagging someone who is sprinting your way.

Inhibitors

Losing an Inhibitor, the last line of defence before your core, is a big deal. If you lose one, super soldiers will begin to flood the lane and unsurprisingly they’re not only fast but hit hard. It’s a mechanic that’s brilliant for pressuring lane and while there’s a certain element of snowballing with it, comebacks from losing your Inhibitors definitely are possible. As long as you ensure someone is always protecting a lane (or lanes) the rest of your team are free to play as normal. It certainly stretches any team thinly but it’s a mechanic I absolutely love.

Overpowered Buff

The “OP Buff” collected from the central purple boss that stands in the Jungle is a brilliant mechanic. Most MOBA’s have a boss but what I love so much about it in Paragon is the fact that unlike in SMITE, you have to deliver the power-up to receive the buff. With the delivery point always being deep in the opposition lane, there’s yet again a huge risk/reward factor to securing it. Considering the carrier of the buff also shows up on the mini-map, regardless of their location, creates incredibly tense standoffs. Today my team managed to ambush the opposition who were carrying the Orb, wiping them before delivering it ourselves. It’s a brilliant mechanic.

Final Thoughts

There’s still lots more for me to discuss in Paragon and from my First Impressions to now, I really couldn’t be more impressed with the game. Yes there are things I’d like to see (greater clarity on buffs and their duration, finished camp models, more Heroes and a little speed boost to name a few) but the game is just so much fun. Like any MOBA it has depth, tons of tactics and every single match is different. The key difference is the fact that terrain genuinely makes a huge difference here and having a Z axis is so refreshing. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m itching for another match and I'll be covering Paragon some more soon.