A new of set of heroes is set to arrive in a couple of weeks and join the recently released the MOBA hybrid Battleborn. During the last couple of weeks, a few Digital Crack crew members and I had a chance to jump in and try out both open betas. These games are often compared and referred to as the new heroes shooters of this generation. While they both may seem similar, there actually are quite different. Since it’s been a heated debate among us for a couple of days, now it was time to compare both games and inform you the reader what both games bring to the table and what audience each game caters to. In addition to my opinion I thought it would be a good idea to grab a couple of crew memembers (because we all had our own opinions) to provide us with their thoughts about each game. Grab your popcorn as this should turn out very interesting as we bring each of our perspective into the fold
Grumpy Joe: Editor and Chief / Podcast Personality
Let me address this right off the bat: I enjoyed both betas immensely and both for different reasons. With that being said, I will be picking up Overwatch on launch. So before you accuse me of being an Overwatch fanboy or whatever you choose to label me as let me explain in more detail. While both these games on the surface are very similar there also very different, but one huge deciding factor for me is how accessible Overwatch is. This is the definition of pick-up-and-play, and often hardcore gamers want to label games as casual or hardcore. This title should be the president for easy to pick-up hard to master. The level of accessibility in this type of shooter should be applauded. I don’t have the time to play hundreds of hours in an online multiplayer shooter. I like to play lots of different games and work a full time job and dedicate some of my time to Digital Crack Network, so it’s very refreshing where I can just pick up a shooter and get instant satisfaction. Getting a 10 or 5 player kill streak is very attainable. Even when you’re not dominating a match it can still feel very satisfying by contributing in other ways, either by playing support and healing or playing as the tank, putting up a shield for your teammates. There’s always a level of satisfaction and a feeling that I’m contributing.
All 21 heroes and their unique abilities are unlocked from the word go, so there’s a good chance there’s a hero that you can find to fit your play style immediately. It was pointed out to me there’s no progression in the game, no weapons to earn and no characters to unlock. Basically, leveling up will only provide loot items like new hero skins, voice lines, victory poses, emotes, spray paint icons and other small cosmetic items. I can understand that for some this might be a turn off and lead to a stale experience. But I believe this can countered with new games modes, new maps and new heroes to provide the game with a fresh new feeling. My time spent with Overwatch has been to much fun I even enjoyed the mystery heroes game mode that randomly selects a hero and switches it after every death.
This is not a knock on Battleborn. I enjoyed that beta as well, but there are 2 things that has kept me from picking up this title. First of all, I’m not really into MOBA. There’s some great depth and team play to be found here, but I’m not really into farming and killing minions. The other thing that holds me back is that once a certain character is chosen, you are forced to play as a different character. Not a deal breaker, but a point to be made none the less. Last but not least, there are many cool characters in Battleborn that I would have liked to try out in the beta, but some required extreme dedication or time and, given my current situation, that just not possible. There a total of 25 characters, and there’s a good mix of healer, melee and shooting characters, but for some odd reason most of them didn’t click with me. Maybe it’s possible I need more time with the game to find a character that I truly like. Though I’m really intrigued, as Battleborn does have a co-op campaign. As of today I will be picking up Overwatch first and Battleborn in the not to distant future.
Luis Lopez: Founder / Podcast Personality aka Reaper
Just so you understand, I am not a MOBA gamer by any means, But for some reason Battleborn and Overwatch got me hooked, but to compare BattleBorn and Overwatch is like comparing apples to oranges. It can’t be done. Overwatch is a fresh take on FPS games. 21 different characters to choose from, all with different abilities and play styles, Believe me it’s an extremely fun game. It’s the type of game you can pick up and jump right into it and feel that instant gratification. On the other hand there is a down side to this fantastic FPS: it has no progression system. There is no leveling up or weapon upgrades, ladies and gentlemen. There is but a skin and spray paint tag system. I played the demo for about 14 hours and I have to say the gameplay got a little stale due to this fact. Changing characters is fun and all, but nothing like the feeling you get when you go on a 24 person kill streak to only get a new loot box that offers you a couple tags and a character voice line. That is the only thing keeping me from yelling to the world how great this FPS is. Unfortunately, it left me feeling like there was a part of me that was unsatisfied!
Battleborn on the other hand is a more difficult game to learn and have fun with. But once you figure out how the mechanics of the game work… the sky’s the limit. Not a true MOBA by any means, but more like a moba/FPS hybrid. Not only does it have a Story mode that has 9 missions and has a borderland-esque feel to it, It has 3 multiplayer modes that will me you scream in delight or of course frustration! Unlike Overwatch you do not get all the 25 different character’s at once. You have to progress and level to unlock new character’s. To a lot of people this can be frustrating but to me it felt like a euphoric burst every time that new character appeared. Being a FPS veteran I thought that the shooting or long range characters were going to be my favorites, Lo and behold it was a melee character that made me feel unstoppable. This game has that special sauce that makes you want to keep playing more, I recommend this game to all.
Uncle Willy: Editor / Old-School Gaming Specialist / Podcast Personality
Not only am I not a MOBA player, I am not very good at FPS games, either. With all that going against me, you would think I had a miserable time with these beta tests.
Truth is, I haven’t had more fun playing FPSes since the original Halo.
Battleborn and Overwatch both seem very similar on paper. Each game has its own rogue’s gallery of heroes, and each of them have different strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. You’re placed on a team of players, and the idea is to have a balanced team with heroes that complement each other. Once on the ground, they play somewhat similar as well: go out, shoot things in various parts of their anatomy, gloat, lather, rinse, and repeat.
The execution between the games, however, could not be more different. Battleborn is the more varied of the two, offering both story-based co-op and MOBA-themed PvP events. The team-based story modes are perfect for those those (like me) who like non-competitive, event-driven set pieces and big baddies that require teamwork. Think of any instance boss in an MMORPG like World of Warcraft and you get the idea. The PvP maps do allow you to shoot other people in the face but require more focus on minion management and team objectives.
Overwatch, on the other hand, requires nothing more than your skill and your reflexes. The gameplay is simple: you’re put on a side, you pick a hero, you run out with your team and kill as many of the other team as possible. Your only real strategy: kill them, don’t let them kill you. There are five modes and they are very straightforward: you defend something, attack something, or do both in the same map.
The differences go beyond simple play mechanics. When playing Battleborn, I feel like I am progressing more. The game begins with only a fraction of the 25 available heroes selectable, and I have to progress in levels to unlock the rest. Further, the varied gameplay allows me to switch gears and focus on more PvE-focused gameplay, switching to true PvP only when I feel like punishing myself.
Overwatch, however, is a pure adrenaline rush. I can see myself popping it in when all I want to do is pile up kill counts – or death counts, as it were – and cackle with laughter. It is a visceral thrill, more instinct that thought.
Which would I purchase? Well, both! I may get Battleborn first because it caters more to my play style, but I would definitely get Overwatch and fire it up when I’ve had a stressful day and the only thought I have is the call of Overwatch’s emo hero, Reaper, when he performs his special: “die…Die…DIE!!!”
