It’s funny that so many hardcore, previously regarded PC-centric genres are seeing a console revival. In the ’90s, gamers thought the FPS would only thrive with a keyboard and mouse, but now it’s one of the most bankable types of controller-bound games to make. The Real-Time Strategy (RTS) is home to plenty of titles that have made the transition quite well. MMOs, “Point and Click” games… the list goes on. One of the more recent efforts can be seen in the Mutliplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre with the release of Ronimo Games’s Awesomenauts.
In Awesomenauts, two teams of up to four players are pitted against each other in a 2D side-scrolling arena in which the only objective is to invade the enemy base and destroy it. This simple goal is marred by a surprisingly robust load-out system complemented by level progression; the more you play, the more you earn. Kills are dependent on how quick and skillful the player is at platforming and close-quarters combat. It’s a game that at first feels unfamiliar, but really clicks after just a few hours in.
