Review

Awesomenauts

Today’s game developers tend to make some of the most beautiful, unique, and intricate games of all time. Our era of gamers get some of the most cinematically smooth gaming experiences ever. What they don’t realize is that sometimes, simplicity and fun gameplay can trump all of those Hollywood bells and whistles. Ronimo Games took us back with their new Xbox Live Arcade title Awesomenauts, and it feels oh so good!

Awesomenauts is a 2D MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) strategy game that takes place in the year 3587. Two warring robot armies are locked in a stalemate; due to being so evenly matched they turned to hiring space mercenaries. This is where you and your friends come into play in this intergalactic 2D war. There are so many great things to say about this game, so I guess I will start with how it looks.

Graphically, this game is gorgeous! When I first downloaded the game I didn’t know what to expect visually. Most arena games today are 3D with all the visual affects you could ask for. Though Awesomenauts may not be 3D, the 2D side scrolling action looks…well, awesome. The feeling of nostalgia courses through every map; the old school visuals are based on 80’s cartoons. On top of that is the old school gaming feel. From Zero (Mega Man) looking slashes, to Mario style platforming, this game really paid homage to the classics while keeping the vibrancy of modern, HD gaming. This simple look flows without any hiccups in frame rate, which makes the game so easy to enjoy.

The sound quality found in this game is equally (pun totally intended), awesome! Every characters voice fits them perfectly. The amazing balance of comedic phrases and trash talk from each unique character makes Awesomenauts even more enjoyable. One part of this game that really keeps me smiling is the unique music each character has at the load up screen. It is totally different for each character but fits each Awesomenauts perfectly. The music in game has that great simple feel that the classics used to have but still feels good enough in this era to fall in love with while playing this ridiculously fun game.

Now to the part I have been so excited to write about. The main dish on any games menu is the gameplay and Awesomenauts will leave you begging for seconds. If you noticed I used plenty of exclamation points through this review and it’s simply because this game is so much fun. Just like any arena game, your goal is to take your teammates and lead your creeps (in this case droids) to the enemy’s base and try to destroy it while defending your own. There are, so far, six classes to choose from in the game. Each one has their own unique set of attacks, powerups, and weaknesses that forces you to use strategy in order to reach your enemies base. What really sets this game apart from other arena games is the countless ways to play a given character. I played this game multiple times with the same people and every match seems to feel different even if the other team consisted of the same characters and players. It’s so fast paced that the action makes time fly by and before you know it, you’ve been playing this game for hours on end. Every match leaves you wanting more and creating new strategies to defeat other teams in game.

In order to get new abilities gamers will have to get solar found in the level, dropped from defeated enemies or rewarded through teamwork. The solar is used as currency to level up your character with new movies, powerful buffs, and more. As the match goes on, and more solar is dropped, characters will go from basic to…well, awesome. At the start of a match you’ll just be a regular space cowboy (named Lonestar) that can shoot lasers and double jump with rocket boots. After a few upgrades, you’ll be able to throw dynamite and summon holographic bulls to ram opponents. After matches you’ll be rewarded with experience points based on how well you played, leveling up your profile. This of course unlocks new power ups to be added to your load out and bought during a match. Players will have to keep in mind that each match is a 3 on 3 affair. Meaning that you have to take into account what powers your teammates have to better help them in the field. All of these things add up to make a simple to learn, hard to master strategic game!

Needless to say this arcade game is a must buy! The simplicity of the gameplay makes the game easy for anyone to just pick up and play without losing the competitive nature of an arena game. The music, the visuals, the achievements that pay homage to 80’s cartoons and the gameplay combined, made this arcade title great. Ronimo has brought back the “fun” that used to be found in video games. If you don’t have it you need to get it. And after you find out how great it is I promise, I won’t say I told you so…too much!