whats-on,

THE launch of Blizzard’s Overwatch has seen thousands if not millions of people abandon the games they were previously playing, including an absolute gem, and in many ways very similar game, made by Gearbox Software called Battleborn. Battleborn was released to little fanfare, at least in Australia, at the beginning of May. It comes from the people behind the wildly funny and thoroughly engaging Borderlands series, and follows the same artistic, cartoonish style, which Borderlands is renowned for, and has the same genuine laugh out loud humour that Borderlands had. No matter how much adrenaline is coursing through your veins as you try to KO an opposing hero in online play, you can’t help but laugh as you hear fellow hero Isic shout “I enjoyed murdering you, fella” after dispatching an enemy, or hear an M7 Sentry Bot cry out “Hey guys, I’m having my ass handed to me over here” as enemies attack it. Like Overwatch, Battleborn features a variety of heroes, at time of writing the number is 26, but there will eventually be 30, and they all have different play styles. If Battleborn is ever to beat out the behemoth that is Overwatch, it will be in the vastly different play styles that will eventually develop thanks to the different characters, and a binary-choice level up system, which means even two people playing as the same hero could have drastically different play styles. The loot, generated through the story mode or via loot packs (earnable with in game currency as well, not micro-purchases which many franchises are addicted to rolling out), also gives a number of different power-ups to players, both offensive and defensive. Loot does not play quite as big a role in Battleborn as it did in Borderlands, but it nonetheless has a role and will, somewhat ironically, attract those who enjoy Diablo, made by Blizzard, for its loot system. When playing Overwatch, while very different to Call of Duty there is a similar feel in the fast paced gameplay. Adrenaline comes easily, but so does the frustration that comes with spawning and rapidly dying. Battleborn has a much more relaxed and indeed fun feel to it. There is more depth, both in gameplay and in the character and story mode. Where Battleborn falls, certainly in Australia, is there seems to be a lack of players. It can a very long time to find a game, and then when 10 players are corralled, it can, though not always, take up to three minutes for it to start. The match making issues are a shame because Battleborn is downright fun to play, and is made by Gearbox Software, a company which, Like Blizzard, genuinely cares not only about its games, but the fans who play them too. Overwatch’s greatest asset currently is its player base, whereas, many of these will likely abandon the game once the next Call of Duty is released, given it is a no frills, basic first person shooter. Battleborn is a game which has much more long term appeal, and if it is to be successful, it will be down the track, when Gearbox has optimised the game, added new heroes and possibly even maps to go alongside its humour, art work and engaging gameplay.

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