Turning the edgy homicide fans of Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds into daffy LARPers clad in selfmade armour of tinfoil, buckets, and bathrobes sounds like an April Fools’ joke, and it was – however the devs did nonetheless make it. The Fantasy Battle Royale occasion mode launched yesterday and is round for one more six days, so I referred to as up the laaads final night time. It’s actually fairly enjoyable! The class-based LARPing is enjoyable to play, charging about with swords and magic spells, and the entire thing is tonally enjoyable in a really welcome means.
So there you and 4 friends are, offered with a alternative of 4 character lessons. The Ranger has a crossbow and flashbangs which blind enemies whereas buffing allies. The Wizard has a fireball wand and might conjure extra explosions. The Barbarian has a sword and ludicrous velocity. The Paladin has a mace which slows enemies, a protect to cower behind or cost forth with, and a number of other therapeutic talents. And, in fact, they’re all in scrappy selfmade costumes.
As the laaads tumbled out the airplane, we began laughing at our outfits. Delights then continued with all the pieces from idly spaffing fireballs because the Wizard to marvelling at how briskly our Barbarian ended up operating. Even being charged by Paladins sheltering behind their shields was enjoyable, for the shock of melee being one thing to worry on this game and the horror of seeing two baddies with bin lids bodying my boy.
Fights have an entire totally different tempo, with melee lessons making an attempt to shut the space whereas the ranged fighters zap and pling and pray to god nobody will get close to them. It’s a beautiful recent feeling for an occasion mode. I couldn’t let you know how effectively balanced all of it is. I’ve performed some harm as Wizard and Ranger, but additionally been lower down by juiced-up Barbarians and bodied by the aforementioned binboys. Class variations appear to get balanced out considerably by lessons all competing for a similar class-specific improve crystals, which suggests squads are inspired to choose one among every class or they’ll be combating for a similar gear.
Ah, I prefer it. It’s enjoyable, it’s totally different, it’s foolish, and it reinforces the game’s rich lore of stag and hen weekends gone wrong. Here you and your mates are hurling out a airplane sporting daft costumes to lark about pretending to be wizards, using motorbikes you’re pretending are unicorns, and cheering as your mate within the muscle swimsuit chugs a large Red Bull. I’m thrilled to be unlocking these costumes for keepsies by finishing the quests.
I’d guess the Paladin can be a cautious method to introduce the concept of a riot protect for normal play.
Fantasy Battle Royale will run till April eighth at 7:59am. If you’re a lapsed Plunker like me, you is perhaps glad for a return to Erangel in an entire new foolish means.
