Battleborn Reviews
Although certainly not without its flaws, Battleborn is a solid foundation for Gearbox to build upon in the upcoming months. There's the feeling of a distinct lack of modes and variation in the mission structure. Adding enhancements to your character is a fun exercise and allows for a lot of experimentation, even if it can be a little hard to focus on during the heat of battle and the mixture of genres works surprisingly well, for the most part.
Battleborn mixes the FPS and MOBA genres to produce a game that oozes character and original ideas. Just don't expect to love it straightaway.
The combat is frantic and tense, but often feels samey and superficial. The in-match leveling works wonderfully in the campaign, but can become problematic in multiplayer. The varied cast of heroes adds longevity, but the game still feels relatively content light. With so many moving parts that never quite gel, I found plenty of things to love but just as much to feel confused by and ambivalent about.
Battleborn is a well-oiled machine with the potential for some great times to be had, but sometimes getting to those great times can take some patience.
Despite my issues with it, I'm having way more fun with Battleborn than I thought I would. It took a while, but I've managed to find a couple of characters whose playstyle I really like, and that's enough to keep me going for a while longer. And I've had enough exciting matches that I see its potential.
Most of its problems are fixable, but Gearbox really needs to fix them and serve up some more content if it wants to turn Battleborn into an ongoing hit concern.
With issues peppering its campaign as well as its multiplayer, Battleborn's fusion of first-person shooter and MOBA is far from a complete success. A lengthy list of complaints comes perilously close to overshadowing proceedings, so it's fortunate that its engaging upgrade system and varied roster of characters end up being the true stars keeping you invested in the multiplayer.
Battleborn is a good game, that provides plenty of fun but it's just incredibly frustrating seeing all of these tiny issues that come in and ruin the fun every so often.
Battleborn has flaws but it also has potential. With time and the right attitude, it could be brilliant, but it's going to take a little work first.
Battleborn isn't quite the innovative blend of MOBA and first-person shooter that it could have been, but that does not stop the game from delivering fun with a group of friends or random people online.
A surprisingly complicated shooter that could prove worthwhile for those who invest the time.
Bold concepts, but the experience never quite comes together. For all its potential, Battleborn feels dead on arrival.
On the surface 'Battleborn' is a lot like other competitive shooters we have seen in this generation: solid mechanics that provide a sweet honeymoon period, but are only held up by a stringy framework that brings down their replay value. I can see myself playing it a month from now, but six months, or a year? Anyone's guess.
While Borderlands was always going to be a fairly tough act to follow, Battleborn succeeds by possessing enough depth and charm to stand up on its own two feet. Here, Gearbox have created an interesting universe brimming with their trademark humour and populated by an interesting cast of characters that make it a fun place to kill time and other people in. Yes, there are a few minor issues that mar the experience somewhat, and the overall package could definitely use a bit more content to boost its longevity, but hopefully these are concerns that are currently being addressed.
The Battleborn experiment has been largely successful. Fusing humour and shooting together with the mechanics from a MOBA sounds like it should be a recipe for disaster, but the charm of the graphical style and characterisation lifts the whole game. The story (or lack of it compared to Borderlands 2, say) is a bit of a let down, but it does enough to keep you interested and eager to see the next mission. There are issues with online play, which we're hoping get ironed out, but there's fun to be had as you and your fireteam roll up the battlefield, combined with the genuine laugh out loud moments.
There is no doubt that at its best Battleborn is a very fun game. It is a colourful delight and the visuals really pop amongst the chaos of flashing lights, explosions, and movement. The characters are all quite memorable and well designed, with humorous charismatic touches to their personalities. Not to mention it is a fine shooter in its own right. The disappointment is that a lot of the experience lacks a certain polish that would have really taken it to the next level.
Gearbox attempted to think outside of the box with Battleborn and try something genuinely different. In many respects, they succeeded in this mandate.
With each mission lasting between 30-45 minutes with no real checkpoint system, Battleborn can became an exercise in tedium.
An ambitious team shooter that struggles with its identity and is let down by a weak script and try-hard comedy.