This review was written before the game released
Last year, we got the undercooked but decently fun Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl; a Smash clone with a bunch of iconic Nickelodeon characters. This year, we have Multiversus, another Smash clone, but this time having a bunch of Warner Brothers property characters. After playing for around 5 hours, I can confidently say that Multiversus is a much better package than Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, with a more diverse roster and more polished gameplay. However, corporate greed could end up being this game's undoing in the future.
While Smash Bros. is the gold standard of platform fighters, Multiversus has a solid foundation in its own right. Where NASB was very combo heavy and all the characters essentially played the same, Multiversus feels as though it has many different styles of gameplay. There are combo heavy characters like Finn and Harley Quinn, zoners such as Reindog, bruisers like Iron Giant and Superman, and gimmick characters like Tom & Jerry. Every style feels effective and viable in some way. Sure, combo heavy characters are sure to be the meta as the game moves forward, but for more casual players or online warriors, there is some great character variety.
Speaking of variety, the characters in this roster are already great. We have characters from DC, Cartoon Network, WB films, and even an original character in Reindog. With more great characters on the way (Rick & Morty and LeBron James (????)), this roster is sure to be stacked. While this game will never have the same amount of character hype as Smash, it feels as though you'll never truly know what character will be coming next.
Stages are pretty neat, though they are limited at this time. I expect that more and more will be added with time, but theres a good variety visually and for competitive play. There are stage hazards, but they can easily be turned off both online and offline. It makes for a great customizable experience.
In terms of game modes, the game has a lot going for it. There's already dedicated 1v1, 2v2, Vs Bots, and Free-For-All modes all operating online, and the game is only in Beta. I have had no issues whatsoever connecting to others online. I've had no issues with lag and haven't noticed much, if not any difference in how the game plays online or offline. It's incredible how well the game is operating at such at just in its beta.
But now we come to the biggest reason why Multiversus will not get any more praise from me: the monetization. I bought the $40 version of the game so I could get the character unlocks from the get-go. Sure, gold is relatively easy to get to unlock characters by simply playing the game online. However, there are two forms of currency that go into everything: unlocking characters, profile icons, costumes, aesthetics, and more. And on top of that, theres a Battle Pass, both free and premium. I wouldn't have such an issue with this per-say, but I hate that it prevents people from experiencing everything the game has to offer. This is because of how many characters are locked. The game is a little less greedy than others, with around 4-5 characters being unlocked from the get-go. But with how much great variety there are in movesets and play-styles, it really limits what a player who can only play the free version of the game. As the game gains more characters and receives more and more updates, the corporate greed could end up being this game's ultimate downfall.
I'd honestly say that this is one of, if not my favorite Smash clone that I've ever played. It's extremely fun, which is the most important thing in a game like this. The roster is already incredible and will only get better and more crazy over time. The monetization is an issue, and honestly prevents me from giving this game an 8 instead of a 7. I def recommend this game to fans of these properties and/or Smash fans. You may wanna wait until it leaves beta, but honestly, it's a good enough game to warrant picking up now. My girlfriend and I have been loving playing this and experiencing all of the hijinks and pleasure of seeing all these crazy characters beat each other up.
While Smash Bros. is the gold standard of platform fighters, Multiversus has a solid foundation in its own right. Where NASB was very combo heavy and all the characters essentially played the same, Multiversus feels as though it has many different styles of gameplay. There are combo heavy characters like Finn and Harley Quinn, zoners such as Reindog, bruisers like Iron Giant and Superman, and gimmick characters like Tom & Jerry. Every style feels effective and viable in some way. Sure, combo heavy characters are sure to be the meta as the game moves forward, but for more casual players or online warriors, there is some great character variety.
Speaking of variety, the characters in this roster are already great. We have characters from DC, Cartoon Network, WB films, and even an original character in Reindog. With more great characters on the way (Rick & Morty and LeBron James (????)), this roster is sure to be stacked. While this game will never have the same amount of character hype as Smash, it feels as though you'll never truly know what character will be coming next.
Stages are pretty neat, though they are limited at this time. I expect that more and more will be added with time, but theres a good variety visually and for competitive play. There are stage hazards, but they can easily be turned off both online and offline. It makes for a great customizable experience.
In terms of game modes, the game has a lot going for it. There's already dedicated 1v1, 2v2, Vs Bots, and Free-For-All modes all operating online, and the game is only in Beta. I have had no issues whatsoever connecting to others online. I've had no issues with lag and haven't noticed much, if not any difference in how the game plays online or offline. It's incredible how well the game is operating at such at just in its beta.
But now we come to the biggest reason why Multiversus will not get any more praise from me: the monetization. I bought the $40 version of the game so I could get the character unlocks from the get-go. Sure, gold is relatively easy to get to unlock characters by simply playing the game online. However, there are two forms of currency that go into everything: unlocking characters, profile icons, costumes, aesthetics, and more. And on top of that, theres a Battle Pass, both free and premium. I wouldn't have such an issue with this per-say, but I hate that it prevents people from experiencing everything the game has to offer. This is because of how many characters are locked. The game is a little less greedy than others, with around 4-5 characters being unlocked from the get-go. But with how much great variety there are in movesets and play-styles, it really limits what a player who can only play the free version of the game. As the game gains more characters and receives more and more updates, the corporate greed could end up being this game's ultimate downfall.
I'd honestly say that this is one of, if not my favorite Smash clone that I've ever played. It's extremely fun, which is the most important thing in a game like this. The roster is already incredible and will only get better and more crazy over time. The monetization is an issue, and honestly prevents me from giving this game an 8 instead of a 7. I def recommend this game to fans of these properties and/or Smash fans. You may wanna wait until it leaves beta, but honestly, it's a good enough game to warrant picking up now. My girlfriend and I have been loving playing this and experiencing all of the hijinks and pleasure of seeing all these crazy characters beat each other up.