MultiVerse Review

Introduction

MultiVersus is a free-to-play brawler that takes iconic characters from different Warner Bros licenses and properties, pitting them against each other in a handful of game modes. There are currently seventeen playable characters with more on their way such as Rick and Morty. MultiVersus is rated 12 for its mild swearing and in-game purchases.

Gameplay 

When it comes to fighting games, gameplay has to be compelling, so does MultiVersus meet that expectation? For the most part.

When starting the game you have five characters you can play as; Finn, Garnet, Reindog, Superman and Wonder Woman (Wonder Woman being available once you complete the tutorial). While these are the only characters you start with, you can play as any character in The Lab, which is essentially MultiVersus’ training area. Each fighter fits into one of five classes; bruiser, tank, mage, assassin and support. 

As of writing this the amount of game modes is underwhelming, with two main ways to play, against bots and normal. Against bots has three modes; 1v1, teams (2v2) and FFA (free for all). Normal has four, the ones available with bots as well as co-op vs AI. Other similar games have challenges such as fighting waves of enemies that spawn highly damaged and are easy to kill, the challenge being how many you can defeat in a set time or having one giant boss fight or even using your fighter to attack a punching bag and see how far you can make it go. The lack of modes feels uninspired and bland. With only four different gameplay modes, there is little reason to play it as much as other games on the market.

MultiVersus is easy to pick up and play, ideal for casual gamers while also being enjoyable for veterans of the genre who might be more competitive. There are two types of attacks, normal and special. These will vary depending on how you’re moving. For example directing your character left and using your special attack will result differently to if you were to use your special attack while crouching. Some characters allow the player to charge attacks to increase the power which forces you to make a choice, do you charge your attack and possibly be interrupted or do use a quicker attack that will be weaker but less likely to fail. The ability to quickly dodge also gives fighters more flexibility on how they play, being more aggressive or defensive. I for example dodge a lot with some success, misdirecting an opponent, but have also lost my share of matches from people who don’t dodge as much. If you’re familiar with the Super Smash Bros franchise you will be right at home in MultiVersus as players have a number under their fighter similar to the percentage meter in Smash, where the higher the number the easier it is to launch them off the map and gain a kill. For the most part I found MultiVersus to handle well, there were times where my character felt a bit stiff but wasn’t an issue that was game breaking. 

Players are also able to unlock perks and equip up to four at a time. Some of the perks are character specific and a lot more powerful than others which might be something to keep an eye on, especially for more competitive players getting into the game late. Speaking of perks, MultiVersus is clearly set around team play which you will either love or not be too fond of. This is seen in the types of perks that add buffs and stack if a teammate has the same perk equipped, the class system promotes teamwork by moves that can be used to aid teammates for example preventing them from falling off the map. If you’re playing with friends you are certain to have a blast, not only experimenting with the variety of move sets but also how to use them together to get the best results. That said if you’re more of a solo player there is less to try out and the game runs the risk of neglecting that portion of the player base. Connectivity was also a none issue, loading times in my experience were quick as was finding a match and I didn’t experience any problems with connection.

Free-to-Play

It’s no secret that the free-to-play formula is disliked by many gamers. MultiVersus tries to be as consumer friendly as possible while still using a predatory business model. For the most part MultiVersus gets it right; I wouldn’t class it as pay to win as characters and perks are unlockable, perks cannot be bought and there is a good time to be had without spending a penny. That said, it doesn’t take away from the inherent anti-consumer practices that the gaming community has sadly become accustomed to. As mentioned earlier MultiVersus isn’t pay to win, but it is pay for an advantage or at the very least pay for convenience, as you can use gleamium (the in-game purchasable currency) to unlock characters, again not a huge advantage but one that could become frustrating to players especially later on in the games life cycle when there are more characters to unlock. I want to mention that MultiVersus is rated 12 and a large portion of the player base will be under the age of eighteen which can lead to kids spending their parents money without them knowing and could also be seen as using guardians' kids as emotional leverage to make in game purchases and spend a lot of money over time. I spoke to one mum who asked to remain anonymous who said “my son is obsessed with dinosaurs and plays a game about them on my phone. You start with some already unlocked and each dinosaur has their own facts. His favorite wasn’t one of the free ones and he started crying, wanting to have his favorite. Eventually I gave in because I hate to see him like that, he’s two.”

I'm not saying that kids by default shouldn’t be a target market or that any products marketed towards children are inherently wrong, but this feels sneaky. Because it’s not just one substantial game where you spend more but get a lot for your money at an upfront cost. It draws kids, vulnerable people and those who likely don’t have the best financial situation in with the allure of being free-to-play then tempts people, especially children and carers to spend a lot of money for a small add-on and then another small add-on and so on. With currently three different founder’s packs ranging from £32.99/$40, £49.99/$60 and £72.99/$100, with the least expensive one only offering character unlocks (that you can do anyway by just playing the game), 300 gleamium and 1 exclusive rare banner. To put that into perspective 300 gleamium isn’t enough to unlock a single fighter. 

Sure MultiVersus is far from the worst offender when it comes to predatory business practices in the gaming industry, but is that really good enough? 

Maps and Characters

Maps are a very limited area, which is a problem exacerbated by how forgetful and similar most of them are. The Batcave, Scooby's Haunted Mansion and Cromulons are my personal favorites. But even then, the layout and overall feel doesn’t change enough to make a match on one different to the rest and other than some really nice touches they’re still a bit too familiar. It would be interesting to see more environmental hazards, bigger, more open maps and maybe more stuff going on in the background because currently the maps aren't a real highlight. That said, the soundtrack for the game is very strong. The way songs have been remixed to sound familiar while also being action packed is a great way to build atmosphere.

Character design is pretty solid. Most of them hold up really well being brought into a 3D space where they might have originally been 2D. Player First Gamers and Warner Bros. Games have stayed true to the source material and fans of the current properties featured will be impressed with characters overall look and attacks. Not to mention the amazing voice acting with favourites like Maisie Williams, Tara Strong, Kevin Conroy, John DiMaggio, Matthew Lillard and more reprising their roles. It really feels like the game does have some heart and makes it feel more authentic. That said there are some not so great character designs, I have seen a lot of discourse around Steven Universe not looking quite right and also having a different voice actor.

Verdict

MultiVersus has a lot of potential and offers a slight twist on the genre. The characters stand out from one another, combat is engaging and it does feel like a lot of passion and creativity has gone into it. That said it is still in beta and there are some bugs and things that need to be ironed out and as of now a lot that needs adding. With some things such as characters showing real creativity, while others like the maps and game modes feeling like the bare minimum. Again this is the beta, so I do expect it to improve. As for micro-transactions the jury is still out on how consumer friendly it is, as only time can really tell. But it does use the free-to-play model which I can’t advocate or support and would have much preferred a more polished traditional full price game.

There is a lot this game could be and I want that. Hearing Arya Stark trash talk Superman is exciting and I have had moments in-game that are a glimpse into what this game could become. The charming art style that makes me nostalgic of Saturday morning cartoons of days gone. The current roster of fighters, while limited, are fun and recognisable and Warner Bros do have the potential to add more iconic characters for both younger and older players. So I guess I'm hopeful but it’s a very mixed bag. What’s on offer is an enjoyable foundation and worth checking out. I just hope they can build on it and work with the community to make pricing more consumer friendly.