I’ve become very skeptical when I learn a game is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA.) The thought that runs through my head is, “Oh good. Another MOBA.” I really think there are too many companies jumping into the market that’s dominated by League of Legends and DOTA 2, in hopes of riding the wave. In my experience, none of them have anything new to offer. But Gigantic is different—vastly different—and a ton of fun.
When playing Gigantic the first thing you’ll notice is the on-the-ground fully 3D third-person perspective. The second major thing that’s different is that there are no lanes and no bases to be captured. Instead, your team’s goal is to keep your guardian alive. Your guardian is a massive boss-like creature that moves through the level. Based on how you’re doing, your guardian will attack the opposing guardian. Once attacked, the losing guardian will be vulnerable for a limited amount of time. That’s only time the players can do any damage to him. The game ends when one of the guardians is destroyed.
Guardians are huge beasts that attack based on how your team is doing.
I found this change in gameplay to be vastly more fun than standard MOBAs. Gigantic is truly an “arena.” The entire world is open and you battle members of the other team anywhere and everywhere. This made the gameplay feel more like the multiplayer modes of first-person shooters like Call of Duty and Halo, only with the third-person perspective.
One of the things Gigantic does have in common with other MOBAs is the wide selection of characters with different gameplay styles. That way you can find a character that suits your preference. You can also upgrade your weapons and abilities as you fill your skill meter. You can upgrade these at any time, but I found the best time to do this was waiting to respawn after getting taken down. Gigantic also shares the same monetization strategy as other MOBAs. The game is free-to-play with cosmetic items or new heroes available for purchase before they become available to everyone. This assures that no one gets an advantage by paying money.
One thing Gigantic has in common with other MOBAs is the ability to upgrade your attacks once you earn enough experience.
While I thought Gigantic was a blast to play, it’s important to note that the gameplay is very quick and very intense, somewhat even more so than traditional MOBAs. That’s another reason why it reminds me of the multiplayer first-person shooters.
Gigantic is in closed beta right now, but will be available for both Xbox One and Windows 10 later this year. The game has been rated T by the ESRB.
