The other day, I was talking with some friends about upcoming games. I said how excited I was about using Tracer or Widowmaker in Battleborn . One of my colleagues had to remind me I was mixing games up, as those two characters are in Overwatch. The other person in the conversation started asking about Paragon , because wasn’t it just like those other games too? The immediate answer is no, but at the same time yes. The problem is, we’re getting three AAA games in a row that are a little too much alike.
Here’s the issue. Battleborn, Overwatch, and Paragon can all fall under the MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) category. Don’t let Blizzard and Gearbox’s assertions that Battleborn and Overwatch aren’t MOBAs confuse you. If it plays like a duck, has maps like a duck, a large cast like a duck, minor RPG elements like a duck, and simultaneous cooperative and competitive experience like a duck, it’s a duck! Well, we’re talking about games, not ducks. In this case it’s technically a MOBA. You get the idea.
Each of these three games depends on players fighting in a certain way. Different members of the cast are geared toward specific roles on the field, and you’re supposed to perform to the best of your abilities within those tactical situations. They have unique skills that set them apart from each other. It’s even possible to accrue experience to level them up. While there may be some perspective differences, the basic gameplay is the same. Head into a field, shoot anything that isn’t on your team while remaining in a role that suits your skills, and then reap the rewards that make your character improve.
There’s a major focus on Battleborn, Overwatch, and Paragon’ s characters’ personalities and backstories in each entry too, since these aren’t the sorts of games that focus on an immersive campaign and storyline, it’s the people you’re using that have to shine. While Paragon’ s are rather typical looking men, women, monsters, and robots, Battleborn and Overwatch are in a bit more trouble here. Both attempt to be clever, funny, and cartoonish. Characters are stylized. A character from Battleborn could easily fit in with the Overwatch cast, and vice-versa. They’re too similar. Paragon , well, Paragon ‘s characters have the kinds of generic looks and backstories that would let them fit into any sci-fi/fantasy/RPG/shooter. They’re fine, but not particularly special.
Which isn’t going to bode well for any of the three games. When Battleborn, Overwatch, and Paragon are all so similar, which one do you choose? Battleborn is out now, which is a big bonus. You don’t need to wait, and it’s received reviews suggesting it’s a slightly above average game. Overwatch has the huge Blizzard following behind it, and it’s the one I tend to lean toward because the character vignettes leading up to its May 24 release are so engaging. Poor Paragon is bringing up the rear with a mid-2016 window, but its price tag of free is pretty appealing.
It all comes down to a League of Legends and DOTA 2 issue. Developers saw more typical, top-down MOBAs doing well and decided to do something similar. The problem is, too many developers were inspired at once and this has resulted in a glut of comparable games. Had Battleborn, Overwatch , and Paragon been spaced out, things would have been fine. But now all three will be out in a similar span of time, competing for resources (players), and every game’s audience will suffer as a result of their divisive and analogous natures. When you have to decide which of three games to support and invest time into, nobody wins.