Blazing Core; Knights of the Future is a “team centric tactical shooter”. Developed by OctoBox Interactive and powered by Unreal Engine, Blazing Core takes the player into a 3rd person battle arena style of gameplay. It is currently available on Steam in an Early Access format.
The unique feature of this battle arena game is that you play a Mech. There are 6 Mechs to choose from each battle. The game provides a few varieties of battle modes: Versus AI, Quick Play, Tournament and Training. Most games are a 3v3 battle, however, in quick play, you also have the option of 6v6. Something to keep in mind is that the “Versus AI” mode will not give you any rewards.
I got the opportunity to try out this early access version and overall it was an enjoyable experience. Graphically the game is very well done. The graphics are as refined as some of the Triple A games out there today. The maps are fairly large and due to the limited number of players, you often don’t get a chance to see the entire map. That was a bit disappointing.
When you first enter the game you are immediately brought into the “Hanger” where all the Mech suits are located. Here you can check out the look and abilities of each. The Mechs have unique abilities and are said to have been inspired by ancient legends. Choose your Mech carefully, however, as the balance of the team could determine your odds of winning the match. Each battle will also give you upgrades that will allow you to upgrade the abilities of the Mech.
As you progress through the matches you will earn crowns, stars and other rewards. The crowns will allow you to unlock special items in the Inventory store. Like other games, these items will add uniqueness to your Mech and Hangar. For example, you can unlock a Halloween themed drone. It was nice to see that even though it was an early release version the developers held a small seasonal event this past Halloween.
Like many other battle style games, Blazing Core also tracks your achievements and statistics. Found in your Profile, you can see things such as: the number of kills, Win Rate, Battles Fought, etc. This is tracked for each Mech as well as an overall score. I’m not sure what the developer’s intentions for these statistics are but I could see a ranking system in the future.
This game definitely has the makings of a top battle arena game. It has a lot for everyone and would appeal to a wide range of players. There is enough challenge for players to learn the mechanics of the characters while still being easy enough for new players to contribute to the battle. There are also side challenges and medals for those who thrive on earning achievements. The only downside that I found was that some of the Mech’s movements are a little too slow and with no ability to move any faster. For someone who has played similar games, I found this caused the pace of the battle to be slow as well. My one recommendation for the developers would be to work on how the Mech’s move.
I look forward to seeing and playing the final version once it is released.
Blazing core is available via Steam Early Access HERE. Priced at £13.99 or your regional equivalent
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