Pros: High levels of customization, fun action combat, high-skill requirements
Cons: High-skill requirements, limited number of maps currently
Score :TBD
GameForge recently put their new MOBA-RTS hybrid game Dropzone into closed beta, this free to play sci-fi MMO puts you in charge of a team of alien crushing walking mechs that will make their way around a battle arena destroying alien Hives and collecting vital “Cores” from them, which they need to upload to their ship in order to score a point. Meanwhile you face off against another team trying to do the exact same thing, and so it becomes a battle as to who can earn the most points in the match’s 15 minute time limit.
So as a MOBA-RTS let’s start with what makes the game a MOBA. Well firstly you are in a set arena, you have different characters you can choose from, you are fighting with an ultimate objective in mind (earn more points than your enemy); the only key difference is that it isn’t a team based game and instead it is 1 v 1 duels. However, there are a lot of things that really lean towards it being like an RTS, at least in terms of general gameplay mechanics. Firstly there is a definitive PVE element, not like MOBA jungling, but actively moving around the map to destroy Kavash hives, alien nests that continue to spawn alien AI on the map, that are you main source of cores. Secondly, you control multiple units, whilst you are the only player the MOBA team based vibe is there and you control three unique class based Rigs (walking mecha-tanks), each of which has their own unique skills.
The three units is the biggest element of the game, primarily because it requires a much higher level of micromanagement than your typical MOBA would, cycling between each of the characters using your 1 to 3 keys and using 4 to select all three units for communal actions (move them to the same place, attack the same unit, etc.). Being avid players of Heroes of the Storm, the MOBA from Blizzard Entertainment, there is a character called The Lost Vikings that are actually three characters controlled by one player in a similar fashion; it is pretty much accepted by most that they are the most difficult character to play (at least play well) and so Dropzone going down the route of everyone essentially playing a character with these mechanics is a very bold step.
Micromanagement aside having three units massively determines your playstyle and preferred strategy in a match; whilst in MOBA you choose characters for team synergy that work well with each other, in Dropzone you have at least a lot more control over this and don’t have to roll your eyes as you do in other MOBA when someone picks a trash hero or one that simply doesn’t work with a team’s composition. To start with there are currently three classes (with a total of 5 to be available at launch): Gunners to deal DPS, Tanks to soak damage and Mechanics to heal up and provide support. Within these three classes there are currently three pilots per class, each has the same typical style of play, but each has a different trait that separates them a little, such as the tank Vise has higher HP and armor than other tanks, but Knockout (another pilot) gets speed boosts when she uses any of her abilities.
The traits are subtle, but your class choice primarily defines your available Rig modules. Each rig has 6 customizable abilities, three player triggered abilities on QWE (and an uncustomizable R ultimate) and then three passive abilities. You unlock these modules as you level up, able to purchase and craft them, adding a huge element of customization to not just how each rig plays, but how the team will work together as a whole. Each module has a rank associated to it, from rank 1 to rank 4; each Rig starts a match at rank 1 and by earning XP through killing AI, Hives and Players your team will rank up, in doing so the player gets to choose which of their three pilots gets the rank upgrade. If a player has a rank 4 weapon equipped to one of their rigs then they need to rank that rig up to rank 4 before that particular module can be used. The result of this means players must think carefully and plan ahead to what they want their strategy to be and balancing having too many high rank modules, they can create different loadouts that they can choose in response to an enemy players choices during the draft, able to see what pilot/rig/modules combination their opponent picks and reacting accordingly. What this also means is that throughout the course of the match the combat keeps changing as new abilities start coming into play, keeping battles very fresh and exciting with each PVP engagement.
Our playstyle was quite aggressive, as is always the case, we preferred going with a heavy damage outfitted Tank to sit on our front line and soak damage whilst still able to dish it out with a powerful flamethrower, then supporting him with two Mechanics to keep him (and each other) healed. One of our Mechanics had a lot of self-sustain and was built to be able to go and solo Hives as well, so he could often break away and take out a hive whilst keeping himself healed. Our main strategy was typically to push in towards the enemies side of the map where often players would split their units into three to try and get more done, so we would go in and pick them off one at a time, often stalling out their progression and XP earning, taking their own objectives, and even stealing a Core or two if we were lucky and giving us a good starting advantage!
We really did enjoy the game, introduction of sub-objectives to earn points is a really fun idea (such as being the first team to kill 200 Kavash, or catch all the lookout watchtowers on the map). The concepts of the game are simple, the customization is very engaging and tactical, the game looks great and the built in Tournaments (not yet active) and spectator mode are a great platform for launching eSports. However, the gameplay and controlling three units is going to be the huge determining factor of the game’s success; it is very easy to get confused with your controls and trying to move three units at the same time and use up to 9 different skills split across them. Whilst it is an easier transition for RTS players (particularly RTS games with lots of micro such as StarCraft), it is a completely different style of gameplay for MOBA players that might put many of them off as it straddles the two game genres whilst being neither one nor the other. Fingers crossed for the game’s success though as it is very fun to play.
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