Bleeding Edge is a game that has been on my radar and after a few matches, there’s definitely potential, despite some minor annoying gripes.

Bleeding Edge has officially launched today and I was able to run a few matches. I’m not sure whether I’m ready to write up a full review since I have to play some of the other characters and play all of the modes in the game in its entirety before I can give some proper thoughts on the overall experience. But, I figured I can talk about what I have played.

From seeing gameplay footage months back, I was intrigued by how everything works, including the characters and their different abilities, the different kind of game modes, and how the game is played. At its core, it’s an action-packed combat game. Depending on the character you choose, that specific character can play a specific role, such as a tank, who gets in your face while absorbing a ton of damage and tries to hurt you. There are also other characters that focus on their abilities and basic attacks to do most of the damage, and there’s also supporting roles who focus on healing their allies, as well as themselves. But, one thing each character has in common is the brawling aspect. Every character is capable of making it an all out Battle Royale (not to be confused with the genre of video games).

The tutorial does a fantastic job at introducing the game, such as the controls, which are pretty simple and easy to pick up on. It feels much smoother than I originally anticipated since, if I’m being honest, the gameplay seemed a bit clunky. Then again, it may not be fair to judge it on the footage since it was more than likely an unfinished product. It also lets you try out some of the characters, who all play pretty differently and are unique in their own way.

Some of the characters I have played include Daemon, Gizmo, and Kulev. Out of all of these though, I’ve enjoyed Gizmo the most. She’s kind of slow, but she can keep her range, has an ability which deploys a trampoline and helps her get to higher places, and has two ultimates to choose from. I think she’s an extremely versatile character and I’ve loved playing her so far.

As for the modes, there are two that I know of, those being Objective Control, which is very similar to the Domination mode seen in the Call of Duty series, and Power Collection. Going a bit more in depth about Power Collection, there are two phases in this game mode. The first phase is destroying canisters or barrels randomly scattered across the map and each of them drop one cell. Your team has to collect these cells and try to hold on to them. If you die, you drop them and the opposing team can collect them. The second phase is depositing these cells in a certain position on the map and that’s what rewards you the points. It can get pretty intense and chaotic.

Despite some minor frustrations, such as the lack of teamwork in terms of partying up with random players online. They seem to want to do their own thing without supporting the cause and actually playing the objective. It gets very annoying after awhile. But, this game has the potential to be fun. I can see it growing stale, however, if the developer, Ninja Theory, doesn’t update it with new content every now and then. For example, new game modes, new maps, new characters, and cosmetic items would be the way to go.

I’m not sure if I’ll write a fully fleshed out review, but I would say to give this game a shot. It’s very similar to some MOBA’s I’ve played in the past. The most familiar is Smite. I would also say there are some Overwatch elements involved. If that’s in your wheelhouse, I think you’ll find some enjoyment.