Battle Arena

Game overview

Battle Arena is a free to play 2D multiplayer shooter from ShadowWolf Games, available for download on Steam. The game offers a singular mode, five different characters, and over 15 unique weapons that players can use and power up during matches. For a platform shooter, games are tentatively short, and players don't require any FPS experience whatsoever. Unfortunately, progression systems and unique customization options are far and few between, meaning there isn't much to keep you playing beyond the easy matches.

➔ Main points:

• Free to play 2D multiplayer shooter
• Platform gameplay
• No cash shop
• Minimal game modes and customization

Full review

Introduction to Battle Arena

Remember the good old nostalgic times when 2D platform shooters dominated browser-based gaming? Battle Arena wants to bring the good times back, with its 2D multi-player shooter action game that's available on Steam as a free download. First released in 2019, Battle Arena is completely free to play with optional microtransactions, and it offers PvP gameplay for up to 10 players in a free-for-all deathmatch where the player with the most amount of kills wins the game. Players can choose between 5 different characters and 15 weapon types that suits their taste. Battle Arena is easily accessible due to its low system requirements and small file size.

How The Game Plays

Battle Arena offers plenty of run-and-gun action.

Players upon starting Battle Arena can jump straight into the action thanks to the lack of a tutorial, but the game is easy enough to pick up that you won't have a hard time. Simply hit quick play and you'll jump straight into a PvP deathmatch against other players. The match itself is five minutes in duration, and the player with the highest kill score wins. As for game mechanics, players will need to maneuver around the sci-fi map by jumping and using items like boosts. Keeping mobile while shooting enemy players is key here, and if you have good coordination, you'll most likely do well. The map is also littered with other boosts like health potions and damage boosts, which should be camped often to give yourselves the advantage.

The 5 characters you pick from differ only in aesthetics, and its the choice of weapons that carries more weight. Firepower and fire rate do play a minor part in gun engagements, but its more important to keep moving around the platforms. Overall, the key gameplay loop isn't difficult to pick up nor understand, so Battle Arena comes across as an easygoing shooter game albeit it being PvP in nature. The one criticism against its quick play mode is that sometimes, the matches are filled with bots because there aren't much players in the queue.

Here's What's Missing

Gameplay aside, what does Battle Arena offer players in the long run? Unfortunately, not very much. For starters, progression is very limited; your weapons are the main form of progression and customization, but there's nothing else to look forward to. The lack of level progression will do little to keep players invested beyond a few matches here and there to kill time. Battle Arena additionally requires more varied maps in matches, because the backdrop is the same and can visually bore you. Customization is lackluster, and players have the option to purchase new cursors from the Steam Store Page, which might not sit well with casual free to play players.

Does It Look Good

Don't forget map power ups!

For a 2D platformer, graphics and aesthetics aren't going to blow you away, and Battle Arena is at the very minimum, a decent looking game. The sci-fi futuristic gun sounds are respectable and while basic, it does its job. Furthermore, the lack of a cash shop and other bloated modes means loading times are cut down. Where Battle Arena could really improve in this department is by adding more customization options, but it remains to be seen if the developers are keen.

Is It Worth Playing?

At the end of the day, Battle Arena is a simplistic free to play 2D platform multiplayer shooter that offers exactly what it claims, a quick and easy deathmatch for fans of the genre. Its easygoing pick up and play nature means you won't spend any time learning basics, but the downsides are that it probably won't keep your attention for long considering player progression is almost non-existent. There's nothing to grind for, and one hopes more match modes and new progression systems make its way to the game soon.

Review summary

1. Introduction to Battle Arena
2. How The Game Plays
3. Here's What's Missing
4. Does It Look Good
5. Is It Worth Playing?