Crasher First Look

24 Sep 2010 at 16:39:42 by James Chalmers

One thing that Crasher has going for it at this stage is that it’s the only vehicle-based Multiplayer Battle Online Arena  (MOBA) out there. Taking the concept of numerous online games; ranging from the battle arena gameplay of Heroes of Newerth to the teamplay of Counter Strike it can be labeled as a truly unique title.

Not knowing what to make of the game when I first made the trip to Punchers Impact in Paris I was pleasantly surprised when I took the game for a whirl. First things first, the game will offer a steep learning curve to master, knowing which class to control and what abilities work best is something that is going to take you a while to figure out. The action is off the wall, frantic and non-stop.

Players have the choice of six different classes ranging from the close-combat melee DPS all the way through to the support and medic classes. For players who are used to MMOs there will be a class that will suit every player's playing style. Supporting up to 5 v 5 matches the games will last between 10 to 20 minutes and feature a variety of objectives throughout each match including capture and hold locations and team deathmatch-esque scenarios.

As you progress through the matches players will earn experience points for the vehicles. This where players  can upgrade the different vehicles with a wide variety of items and loot, and much like a MMORPG, you'll be given different stat increases depending on what items are equipped. This means that as you progress, better gear will be unlocked.

Items to upgrade include the weapons, movement mods, and control skills. What you’re also going to be able to modify is the situation skills, which can alter the specific range of certain attacks or the effectiveness a healing power can have. As you progress you will be able to heal or attack from a further distance depending on the specific situation skill that you have equipped to your vehicles.

There is a variety of vehicle models including 2, 3 and 4 wheels. Punchers Impact is still working on the final amount of vehicles to be included in the game but the team said it was working on bringing 18 vehicle models to the final game. Along with the 18 vehicles, the team is hoping to incorporate over 100 different weapons and skills into the game giving you countless customisation options for your own vehicles depending on what movement mods and specs you wish to choose.

Within the maps, only certain sections of the level are going to be accessible for vehicles with certain control (movement) skills. Before the match you can decide which of the control moves your vehicle will be equipped with for the battle and these can range from a speed boost all the way to a jump and the ability to drive along walls. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages meaning you will need to explore which ones work for each vehicles. For example, the melee DPS vehicle is going to benefit more from the speed boost than the ranged DPS vehicle is. Then again when you can find a hidden ledge with the jump control skill why not sit there and take pot shots with your ranged weaponry?

Your vehicles are going to be equipped with mana bars meaning you’re going to have to work out when and where to use your powers that your vehicle is equipped with. Powers come in numerous different forms including AOE attacks, buffs for you and teammates, ranged attacks, melee attacks, heals and more. The variety depends on which class and what skills you decide to specialise in, but it also encourages you to try out each of the different classes so you can experience the different type of attacks that each of the vehicles have to offer.

This means that if you find a group to play the game with you can sort out certain game plans and teamplay depending on which classes the member of your group prefer to roll. When we were playing with some of the developers we had the close range DPS units moving in first with the healers making sure they were kept alive, at times you feel like you’re playing a true MMORPG especially with the different strategies that you can conjure up.

There are classes for everyone, and if you find a good enough group to play the game with, then there is definitely the opportunity for Crasher to have a following such as the likes of Heroes of Newerth does. Whether the game will appeal to the masses I’m not too sure, but with the fact there's no subscription fee,  Punchers Impact has definitely opened it up for everyone to try. The beta is planned for November and those wanting some fast paced vehicle based combat should look no further than Crasher.

Watch out for our special interview with Punchers Impact who discuss the game more with IncGamers in the coming days.

Comment