Awesomenauts

MOBA ( Massive Online Battle Arenas), is a genre of games that spawned thanks to the popular Warcraft III Custom Map, Defence of the Ancients.  The gameplay is pretty straightforward: you and a few other players must choose from a roster of diverse characters, and defeat the enemy base all while doing battle across minion-infested and turret-guarded lanes. Awesomenauts is one such MOBA, and it is done completely in 2D in a side-scrolling environment, hoping thus to draw fans of both genres.

All of the most popular MOBAs out there are usually done in a semi top-down view 3D environment, but not Awsomenauts. It brings a new twist to the genre by setting the gameplay in a completely 2D side-scrolling environment. The art design is also a bold move since the cartoonish graphics are the type that will either make the players love or hate the game. Nonetheless, this coupled with the comedic atmosphere of the game makes it a great way of relaxing after a long day. Matches don't last too long either, with the longer ones lasting around 15 minutes. This ensures that if you have a bad game, the torture won't last too long at least.

Due to the game's theme of a MOBA set it space, character selection is pretty varied since pretty much any alien life form you can think of makes up the games character roster. It doesn't matter if you want to use a space cowboy that knocks you back with a holographic bull, or a noble swordsman made up of green goo, the game has it all. Each character comes with his skillset, and upgrades that can be bought within a match with the currency earned from killing drones, enemy Awesomnauts or enemy structures.

Awesomenauts follows the same objectives as traditional MOBAs, meaning that everything revolves around killing creeps, enemy player's characters, their turrets, and eventually a central building that acts as their base. Currency can also be gained from randomly spawning coins that float around the map, similar to those found in the Super Mario games, but also whenever the character respawns via a grab-a-coin minigame. Matches end when one team's base is destroyed, and then everyone gains experience for both the character used and the overall account, as well as a form of currency used to permanently unlock other heroes.

Awsomenauts does not have a storyline, just a roster of galactic warrior fighting to have fun, and that's exactly what some of you want. The 2D side-scrolling platformer feel along with the cartoonish art style also make the game exactly what it should be: a form of entertainment and not additional stress.