Platform Played On: PC
Anybody who knows me knows that I appreciate innovative games, or at the very least games that take an old idea and re-imagine it in original ways. It could be a terrible game and I would still give it props for trying something new. A unique idea is grounds for at least a three or four out of ten, regardless of how crappy the rest of the game may be.
With Lethal League, we have a new multiplayer based game that is an intriguing mixture of Pong and fighting games, with a hip-hop paint job all over it. And luckily, it is not a terrible game.
You can play with up to four players, but you can't actually hit each other like you would in a normal fighting game. Instead, there is a ball and you have to hit your opponents with it like you're playing dodgeball. The ball will fly around the screen, getting faster and faster, until eventually it's basically just a blur. Your basic attack is a normal swing, a volly swing that hits it up in the air, and a smash.
The core mechanics may seem simple, but don't think that there isn't depth here. Each character has a special ability, and there are a couple moves -- like parrying -- that you may not even know exist unless you read a tutorial (like me). You can power up your swings, and using the variety of attacks is key to being successful. It has a lot in common with Super Smash Bros in the sense that it may seem like it's just chaos on screen, but don't confuse dynamic with confusion. This game isn't about button-mashing, and a skilled player who is aware of their surroundings and the trajectory of the ball will beat someone less familiar with how things work more often than not. But at the same time, there is always a chance you can win.
You're going to want a controller if you play it because I found the PC controls really awkward. I generally don't think they work with fighting games anyway, but maybe some strict PC gamers will be able to handle it more than I could.
Lethal League is a little light on content, but unlike a game like Titanfall, it is not a full-priced game either. You can choose between five characters, each with their own ability, look and feel, and there are different skins for each that you acquire as you level up.
There are only two match types; one-on-one and a free-for-all with up to four players. The four player mode is infinitely more fun because I appreciate the organized ridiculousness of it all. It gets fast and hectic in a hurry, and it's when Lethal League is at its best.
There's a challenge mode that acts as a story only there isn't really a story, so you just go through a series of different fights, against the characters in the form of singles competition or even handicap matches. I do have to admit, that the final boss was a nice touch, but ultimately you play this once and then there's no real need to play it again.
I'm more forgiving of the lack of content because they're an indie studio, it's a cheap game, and I love the premise so much, but unfortunately it already seems to suffer from the same thing a lot of online indie games do: a lack of community. There are people who play it, but I tried connecting to a game for two minutes today and couldn't. This will only get worse as time goes on because it is not Call of Duty and sustaining a fanbase will be difficult. It's a real problem, but it's not one that detracts from the talent of the team or the game itself... it's just the reality of popularity or lack thereof.
Lethal League oozes style, and is one of the best games of the year in that regard. The way it blends music and visuals is a sight to behold.
Firstly, the music is incredible. It's an awesome mash-up of 8-bit chiptune and hip-hop, and sounds much cooler than that may seem. Or maybe you're the kind of person who likes Nerdcore and that sounds great to you anyway. It's not like that, but it's legitimately awesome and some of the music -- such as a track that starts with, I think (but could be wrong) Bulgarian chants -- really gets you in the mood to fight. I don't know if there's even been a fighting game with a soundtrack this good. That could be hyperbole, so maybe I should pull it back a little: there hasn't been a fighting game with music this good in at least five years. Maybe ten. Regardless, the soundtrack is awesome.
The visuals follow suit, with a sort of graffiti tinged animation style, also helping with a hip-hop feel. If you haven't noticed, rap is clearly an influence here. This is even more evident when you look at the bottom of the screen and there is a boombox. The Lonely Island would be proud.
There is a lot of variety in the few stages that you fight in. Be it a street, or outside of a factory, there is a lot of detail put into the environments that you Pong each other to death in. Look into the background and you will see buildings, or a sunset, all drawn carefully and lovingly. The developers knew what they were doing with the visuals. Luckily, everything flows together well, and character animations are fluid.
Lethal League is the type of game you should definitely seek out. While it is low on content, it is still an enjoyable game and I hope the developers end up adding more at a later date. It's a special game, one that messes with genre conventions to present a slightly twisted, stylish, unique take on the games it was influenced by.
Rating: 8.5/10
Verdict: Low on content, but the gameplay, visuals and music are all outstanding and interesting. Unfortunately the strength lies within the online realm, and it's an indie game, so the community will not be big for very long... if you can even call it big now.
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