Warner Bros. has just showcased their first platform fighting game MultiVersus, and it's looking good. Cross-over platform fighting games are starting to become vogue again, and Super Smash Bros. inspired fighting games are once again popping up. The difference here is that Triple A companies are also trying to take a hand on this, unlike before where only indie developers took their time and effort making platform fighting games. This time, we even have iconic characters from different intellectual properties duking it out in the arena. While Nickolodeon‘s All-Star Brawl didn't meet everyone's expectations, it looks like MultiVersus has better potential. Here are our MultiVersus impressions on our first look at the game.
MultiVersus Impressions: Batman squaring up with Shaggy is oddly a dream come true
With how Epic Games is getting all characters in all IPs fighting each other out in their Battle Royale Island, major cross-overs are starting to lose their wow factor. But still, seeing Batman punching Shaggy's face gives an oddly satisfying feeling. Seeing characters from different Warner Bros. IPs duking it out in a platform fighting game is amazing, especially since we rarely get to see these characters on the same screen at any time. While they're all Warner Bros. IPs, they are barely related to each other, and rarely do we see cross-overs of any kind between these shows.
That's why it's exciting to have games such as this in existence. This goes beyond Nickolodeon's All-Star roster, since all of those characters are wholly owned by Nickolodeon. We felt like those characters are bound to show up in each other's programs eventually. But for MultiVersus, we'd bet that nobody would have predicted Arya Stark pointing her Needle at Bugs Bunny would in any way be possible.
The range of IPs is also a bit crazy. We have Scooby-Doo, DC Super Heroes, and oddly enough, Game of Thrones, all represented here. I never would have imagined Shaggy would be in a fighting video game ever, but his inclusion here feels just about right. The weirdest inclusion for us is Game of Thrones, but they were able to unify the art direction enough to make Arya Stark not look like a sore thumb in the middle of all the other cartoony characters in the field.
MultiVersus Gameplay Impressions: Player First Games focused on Netcode and user experience
One of the failures of Nickolodoen's All-Stars is its faulty netcode and overall bad fighting game design. The gameplay experience just wasn't there for Nickolodeon's All-Stars, and most of the time it felt more like a chaotic free-for-all for whoever wanted to be in the game.
In contrast, MultiVersus developers Player First Games assures fans that the backend of the game will allow players to have a seamless experience. “MultiVersus is a dream project for our team at Player First Games, and we’re excited to officially reveal the game,” says Player First Games Co-Founder and Game Director Tony Huynh. “We’ve built MultiVersus from the ground up to be a cooperative, social game that embraces teamwork and strategy. We’re also focused on providing first class online gameplay through dedicated server-based rollback netcode so that friends and rivals can enjoy a seamless competitive experience as they duke it out with our diverse roster of characters.”
While netcode and flawless gameplay experience are both important in a platform fighting game, voice acting is also just as important in getting the right feel for the game. Thankfully, Warner Bros. didn't shy away from hiring the same talents that made these characters feel special in their respective shows. MultiVersuswill feature an all-star cast of talent lending their voices to the game, including Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Arkham series) as Batman, George Newbern (Justice League vs. the Fatal Five, Injustice 2) as Superman, Abby Trott (Carmen Sandiego) as Wonder Woman, Tara Strong (Batman Ninja, Batman: Arkham series) as Harley Quinn, Matthew Lillard (Scooby-Doo) as Shaggy, Eric Bauza (Looney Tunes Cartoons) as Bugs Bunny and Tom and Jerry, Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) as Arya Stark, John DiMaggio (Adventure Time) as Jake the Dog, Jeremy Shada (Adventure Time) as Finn the Human, Daniel DiVenere (Spirit Riding Free) as Steven Universe, Estelle (Steven Universe) as Garnet and Andrew Frankel (Jellystone) as Reindog, a new character made for MultiVersus.
With all of these factors gelled together, our MultiVersus first impressions are positive. We just do hope that the game delivers. You can now check out MultiVersus in one of its playtesting servers on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC.
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