PLAYSTATION ALL-STARS BATTLE ROYALE (VITA)
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Publisher: Sony.
Developer: Bluepoint Games. Released: November 2012. Genre: 3D Fighter. Other versions: PS3. Posted 29th July 2015. By Shane Battams © 2015 |
Undoubtedly tempted by the critical and commercial success of Nintendo’s Smash Bros. series, Sony’s attempt at a beat ‘em up, which brings together a host of PlayStation icons, could have been a killer app on the Vita through PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale. A comfortable console for the genre, it undoubtedly feels well acclimatised on the Vita. But ultimately, PS All-Stars fails to provide enough meat and depth to create longevity, and suffers from an inconsistent fighting engine which fails to choose the kind of fighter it’s aspiring to be.
Upon first inspection, PS All-Stars seems like a somewhat shameless attempt to mimic Smash Bros. But there are a few key differences. Rather than rely on health meters, winning matches comes from racking up kills through special AP Moves, earned by building up the meter through offence in three stages. The first finisher is a relatively low-spread one, though good timing can kill multiple opponents at once. The second finisher is a more powerful move which is likely to kill multiple opponents with solid deployment. And the third, usually following a flashy mini cut-scene, is a devastating attack which allows you to rack up multiple kills on all opponents. It’s an interesting tweak, but it also means matches can lack excitement, as you continuously build the meter to perform three flashy, but short, moves.
Upon first inspection, PS All-Stars seems like a somewhat shameless attempt to mimic Smash Bros. But there are a few key differences. Rather than rely on health meters, winning matches comes from racking up kills through special AP Moves, earned by building up the meter through offence in three stages. The first finisher is a relatively low-spread one, though good timing can kill multiple opponents at once. The second finisher is a more powerful move which is likely to kill multiple opponents with solid deployment. And the third, usually following a flashy mini cut-scene, is a devastating attack which allows you to rack up multiple kills on all opponents. It’s an interesting tweak, but it also means matches can lack excitement, as you continuously build the meter to perform three flashy, but short, moves.
The involvement of Fargus from Pandemonium! would add +1 Jolly
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Dante was unhappy that both Bubsy and Jersey Devil were snubbed
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The other surprise is that there is a surprising amount of depth to how many combos you can perform, and each character handles a bit differently from each other. This sounds appealing, but it clashes a little bit, as PS All-Stars can’t decide whether it wants to be a casual-friendly brawler, or a deep fighting game, and it ends up leaving both uncatered for. The major issue with the gameplay is the lack of fluidity in the fighting. Attacks lack punch, leaving moves feeling weak and combat lacking bite. Characters feel unbalanced as while characters like Raiden feel overpowered, others are complete nightmares to use, such as Parappa the Rappa. And ultimately, all this never builds to a satisfying fighter.
This is worsened by some relatively basic modes. A story mode is present, allowing you to take all of the games fighters through a series of matches. Bookended with underwhelming still-image cut-scenes and lacking any interesting nuances, it feels like something ripped from a PS2 fighter, lacking any kind of long-term fun. Outside of that, a training mode allows you to practice with characters, but other than that, single-player is bare bones. Thankfully there are multiplayer modes, and these do heighten the fun a bit – whether treated seriously or casually. You can play locally through ad-hoc or online, and some settings can be tweaked, such as whether it’s down to time, kill-count or sudden death. But, ultimately, the disjointed fighting means it probably won’t be a long-term fighter you play with your mates.
Even the representation of PlayStation feels a bit uneven. Sure, PS icons like Kratos, Ratchet, Jak and Nathan Drake are accounted for, as well as a few lesser-knowns such as Heavenly Sword’s Nariko, but it fails to dip into the rich history of PlayStation as much as you’d like. Where are characters that helped establish PS, such as Cloud or Solid Snake? Oddly, characters from third-party series that aren’t synonymous with PS are included, such as DMC’s Dante and Big Daddy from BioShock. The stages fare a bit better, opting to mash up two levels from two franchises. For example, Dreamscape starts off as a LittleBigPlanet level, complete with items being added to the stage. After a while though, Buzz! takes over, including question prompts which drain AP from incorrect answers. They’re flashy and fun to watch, making better use of the PS brand.
This is worsened by some relatively basic modes. A story mode is present, allowing you to take all of the games fighters through a series of matches. Bookended with underwhelming still-image cut-scenes and lacking any interesting nuances, it feels like something ripped from a PS2 fighter, lacking any kind of long-term fun. Outside of that, a training mode allows you to practice with characters, but other than that, single-player is bare bones. Thankfully there are multiplayer modes, and these do heighten the fun a bit – whether treated seriously or casually. You can play locally through ad-hoc or online, and some settings can be tweaked, such as whether it’s down to time, kill-count or sudden death. But, ultimately, the disjointed fighting means it probably won’t be a long-term fighter you play with your mates.
Even the representation of PlayStation feels a bit uneven. Sure, PS icons like Kratos, Ratchet, Jak and Nathan Drake are accounted for, as well as a few lesser-knowns such as Heavenly Sword’s Nariko, but it fails to dip into the rich history of PlayStation as much as you’d like. Where are characters that helped establish PS, such as Cloud or Solid Snake? Oddly, characters from third-party series that aren’t synonymous with PS are included, such as DMC’s Dante and Big Daddy from BioShock. The stages fare a bit better, opting to mash up two levels from two franchises. For example, Dreamscape starts off as a LittleBigPlanet level, complete with items being added to the stage. After a while though, Buzz! takes over, including question prompts which drain AP from incorrect answers. They’re flashy and fun to watch, making better use of the PS brand.
Big Daddy hadn't even heard of PlayStation until 2008
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Kevin Butler is sadly not playable either. Oh well.
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It’s a shame the fighting lacks pizzazz, as the game is remarkably well-ported to the Vita, courtesy of Bluepoint Games. It looks crisp, as characters are brought to life accurately and stages are explosive and detailed. The animations lack fluidity at times, but the chaotic nature of matches somewhat makes up for that. The only sore point is the ghastly HUD and menus, which dampen the look. The audio is decent too, with solid music which mashes up classic PS tunes to positive effect. The fighting, though, lacks impact, as attacks often feel a bit flat. The cut-scenes which bookend each character’s arcade mode also lack satisfying dialogue, failing to engage you.
In the end, the elements of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale never quite mesh together to create a satisfying fighter. Unsure whether it wants to be a party pleaser or a hardcore fighter, it ends up lacking enough fluidity in its combat to please either market. The modes are poor show, with a dated Story Mode and little single-player content worth investing in. It has some appeal as a multiplayer brawler, but other fighting games are more dynamic. It’s a shame, because praise must be given to how well the game has been ported to the Vita. But in the end, unless you’re a hardcore PlayStation fan, there’s not much reason to invest in this fighter for the long haul.
In the end, the elements of PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale never quite mesh together to create a satisfying fighter. Unsure whether it wants to be a party pleaser or a hardcore fighter, it ends up lacking enough fluidity in its combat to please either market. The modes are poor show, with a dated Story Mode and little single-player content worth investing in. It has some appeal as a multiplayer brawler, but other fighting games are more dynamic. It’s a shame, because praise must be given to how well the game has been ported to the Vita. But in the end, unless you’re a hardcore PlayStation fan, there’s not much reason to invest in this fighter for the long haul.
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VERDICT
Visual: 7/10
Audio: 7/10 Gameplay: 6/10 Longevity: 4/10 OVERALL: 6/10 |