Concept is interesting but it wore off pretty fast.
Basically multiplayer dodgeball. The concept’s pretty cool and it’s decent fun for a few matches, but it’s not something that held my interest much beyond the few matches I’ve played.
1 gameplay mode and DONATE
YOOOO I'M BALLIN'! And ballin'. And ball- yeah, it gets old a bit too fast.
Such a fun game. The action is fast and satisfying, and the game is constantly getting new content. One of the most underrated games of 2021 for sure. Excited to see where this game goes in the future!
Das Spiel ist ein toller Multiplayer mit kompetitiven Elementen. Dennoch hasse ich es, in diesem Spiel zu verlieren. Nicht mal lol bringt mich so ins Verzweifeln.
dodgeball but they actively encourage murder
servers are as dead as your opponents tho
could have been much better, really unfortunate
servers are as dead as your opponents tho
could have been much better, really unfortunate
Fair play to EA on this one. Has the Rocket League feel of being simple enough to pick up but enough depth to create different strategies and the spirit of Splatoon with its colours and vibrancy. A sleeper hit of the year.
would be 5 star if the fixed ANY of the glaring issues with the game. i love this game but god it is unplayable sometimes
The reveal trailer Nintendo put out for this game definitely didn't do it justice. This game is super damn fun and a blast to play with friends. A couple sweaty opponents here and there but chances are you'll be too busy laughing your ass off at your character flying back with the force of a thousand suns after being clocked in the face with a ball.
A game that just tries to do too much in almost every aspect: gameplay and character design, cosmetics, loot, and that damned announcer.
This game is dreadful. Its incredibly bland, clunky as hell, awful to look at and despite being a ps plus game all I can find are matches with bots.
This game brings my demons out.
Bem legal mas passo mta raiva
This was fun, I always like when a company makes an online multiplayer shooter that isn't Manly Military Blow 'Em Away #4572. Didn't hold my attention for long but I enjoyed my time with it. Of course because it's EA you have to pay extra for all the cool costumes and aesthetic stuff even though the game costs 20 big ones so that sucks. I'd recommend checking it out on GamePass if you have it or waiting for a sale but if you wanna play it you should probably do it soon, I'm pretty sure the community's already dying
fun for one day
I hadn't seen a game die that fast since Fall Guys, even Fall Guys got played more.
I had an absolute blast with this game, I even bought the battle pass, it's 3v3 dodgeball format is a gem to play. The few special balls give the game enough variety to stay fresh for a while
But when I asked a friend of mine who I saw had played the game before me if he wanted to play, he said he'd dropped off it hard, because once you learn the ebb and flow of the games limited systems, every game is either a stalemate or a stomp. And he was right
But when I asked a friend of mine who I saw had played the game before me if he wanted to play, he said he'd dropped off it hard, because once you learn the ebb and flow of the games limited systems, every game is either a stalemate or a stomp. And he was right
Become the ball
This game is super sick. The core gameplay loop has a lot of depth and strategy, and the mindgames are through the roof. Pump fakes, timing mixups, and more make for a very thoughtful experience. And how you position and group as a team really makes or breaks things. Despite it's depth though, it was not enough to sustain a long term competitive esport like this. Maybe some sort of singleplayer content to get attached to would have helped. The game was also pretty buggy at the time I played it, and the netcode was similarly rough. But overall this game has a lot of charm and competitive depth, and I'm always down to play some.
I bought it on multiple consoles and play at least 30 minutes a day.
really good to play with friends
What a frustrating game this was when it came out. It’s a fun multiplayer game especially with friends. However it was so bugged when coming out it made working on trophies a miserable time. Unless you like the grind it’s hard to suggest playing this for anything more than a quick fun session with friends
its cool i guess. nothing ground breaking. I do like the gameplay but i dont see myself as invested in the game
Ganz nettes Dodgeball Spiel mit innovativen Gameplay aber als reines Multiplayer Spiel letztendlich zu wenig um lange Zeit zu unterhalten.
Das Spiel schränkt sich meiner Meinung nach selbst zu sehr in seinen Möglichkeiten ein dadurch, dass man nie aimen muss.
Das Spiel schränkt sich meiner Meinung nach selbst zu sehr in seinen Möglichkeiten ein dadurch, dass man nie aimen muss.
Could not get into it..
Aight I was super pumped about this game when playing it in the open beta and even preordering it because I really did believe in it but unfortunately it's another game where the concept ideas are there and it's pretty cool but it has battlerite syndrome where there's not enough variety in gameplay so it lead to a quick burnout
Your mother
had fun for the first couple of matches but for the rest of them it was constantly getting steamrolled by people who have been playing this (pretty dead) game for 6 months. not to sound like a sore loser or anything but getting absolutely steamrolled is so demoralizing. think i'll just find a different game
"Struggling To Stay Afloat"
"Knockout City" is a unique casual/competitive dodgeball arena game with an assortment of special balls and a high skill cap. What seems to be a fun, casual dodgeball game has slowly become more of a pseudo-competitive battle arena for groups of friends to fight each other, and this has led to a bit of a disappointment for this game's life cycle so far. The game sports some fun combat, nice customization options and quirky visuals, but lacks a bit in gameplay diversity/content and a a lesser focus on casual players, which has led to a quick drop in playerbase numbers to boot.
The dodgeball mechanics are really good for the most part. Like dodgeball itself, you can throw, pass, dodge, and catch balls. In this game, throws consist of straight shots, wide angle sidewinders, and high arcing scoop shots with the ability to adjust speeds for each. Passes are conducted with the click of a button, and cause the ball to increase in charge for a successful pass (I will elaborate on charging throws/passes in the next section). As for dodging, it is used simply to dodge (obviously), leap for balls out of reach, to disrupt opponent moves, and to occasionally block an incoming ball with the correct timing. Lastly, catches are conducted with another simple button click, and help you avoid damage with the ability to time a "perfect catch" to increase the ball's velocity upon throwing it back at the opponent. All in all, some really solid mechanics with some great depth and nuance in terms of active gameplay.
However, there is a flawed mechanic that takes center stage in "Knockout City" - charging balls. Charged balls travel faster than normal balls, making it harder to react to particular throws and team maneuvers. Charges are conducted in two ways: catching repeated throws (up to six charge levels) or passing between teammates (only one charge level). While I think this mechanic is neat, I have my problems with charges gained through passes. It specifically endorses a style of play that is just not encouraged enough in this title, but it also can be abused extremely easily by teams who are coordinated enough. There is no exhaustion effect for passes, so teams can spam passes forever and keep a charge going until the opponent eventually tires of the nonsense and makes a mistake, leaving them open for damage. I believe this mechanic was included to endorse team play, but I do not see non-three stack teams use this mechanic very often and ultimately think it serves no purpose in the game at all at its current point. It exposes too much of a coordination gap between players, and really makes some matches into stomp-fests that, for a more casual player like myself, just aren't as enjoyable. This is especially highlighted by the fact that the main types of players left are high in skill and have organized teams.
Consequentially, this causes matches to feel repetitive more often than not, which is surprising considering the solid base of combat mechanics that are at play. There is a good amount of customization content to play around with, but nothing really affects gameplay. There is planned content coming very soon and in the future (new balls and maps), but I think the passing mechanic limits the variety of gameplay quite a lot. I also think this game has an identity crisis in that it portrays itself as a casual dodgeball game for your friends, but ends up playing like a hyper-competitive and reactive arena title instead. I honestly have not checked out the competitive mode for lack of personal interest, but if it is anything harder than the quick play matches I have come across it certainly will be something I continue to avoid (that is, if anyone is even playing it in the future).
The title has quickly started to lose its playerbase due to these mechanics (as well as network issues, though I personally haven't faced these myself), and I believe something besides a new ball and map must be done in order to keep this game alive. At this rate, there are two fates for this title: it remains a competitive title with a niche audience, only ever adding new content every 3 months until players move on to a new competitive title and the game eventually dies; OR the developers clean up some of the non-casual systems, make this game free-to-play, and promote more casual-friendly party modes and mechanics while SEPARATING the still-solid competitive format from the quick play modes. Right now the game is in a very vulnerable spot, and as someone that found themselves delighted by the charm and mechanics of the title, it would be a shame to see it die a quick death.
Overall, I enjoyed "Knockout City" and its good dodgeball mechanics at its core, but I have lost interest in its competitive focus and unfriendly casual mechanics. The game's $20 price point doesn't help its lifespan much and it would benefit this game to go free-to-play, but until the game's passing mechanics and focus on competitive action are figured out it will not make a difference. I think these are easy problems to fix for the developers because they have clearly shown their skill and love for dodgeball mechanics, but it will have to be done fast if this game wants any chance of surviving with a relevant audience. I can Not Recommend the game despite its solid core since I have to voice my concerns for the future of the game as a casual title. These types of titles don't come around too often, and it would be a shame for its one chance at glory to be wasted.
Final Verdict: 5/10 (Average)
"Knockout City" is a unique casual/competitive dodgeball arena game with an assortment of special balls and a high skill cap. What seems to be a fun, casual dodgeball game has slowly become more of a pseudo-competitive battle arena for groups of friends to fight each other, and this has led to a bit of a disappointment for this game's life cycle so far. The game sports some fun combat, nice customization options and quirky visuals, but lacks a bit in gameplay diversity/content and a a lesser focus on casual players, which has led to a quick drop in playerbase numbers to boot.
The dodgeball mechanics are really good for the most part. Like dodgeball itself, you can throw, pass, dodge, and catch balls. In this game, throws consist of straight shots, wide angle sidewinders, and high arcing scoop shots with the ability to adjust speeds for each. Passes are conducted with the click of a button, and cause the ball to increase in charge for a successful pass (I will elaborate on charging throws/passes in the next section). As for dodging, it is used simply to dodge (obviously), leap for balls out of reach, to disrupt opponent moves, and to occasionally block an incoming ball with the correct timing. Lastly, catches are conducted with another simple button click, and help you avoid damage with the ability to time a "perfect catch" to increase the ball's velocity upon throwing it back at the opponent. All in all, some really solid mechanics with some great depth and nuance in terms of active gameplay.
However, there is a flawed mechanic that takes center stage in "Knockout City" - charging balls. Charged balls travel faster than normal balls, making it harder to react to particular throws and team maneuvers. Charges are conducted in two ways: catching repeated throws (up to six charge levels) or passing between teammates (only one charge level). While I think this mechanic is neat, I have my problems with charges gained through passes. It specifically endorses a style of play that is just not encouraged enough in this title, but it also can be abused extremely easily by teams who are coordinated enough. There is no exhaustion effect for passes, so teams can spam passes forever and keep a charge going until the opponent eventually tires of the nonsense and makes a mistake, leaving them open for damage. I believe this mechanic was included to endorse team play, but I do not see non-three stack teams use this mechanic very often and ultimately think it serves no purpose in the game at all at its current point. It exposes too much of a coordination gap between players, and really makes some matches into stomp-fests that, for a more casual player like myself, just aren't as enjoyable. This is especially highlighted by the fact that the main types of players left are high in skill and have organized teams.
Consequentially, this causes matches to feel repetitive more often than not, which is surprising considering the solid base of combat mechanics that are at play. There is a good amount of customization content to play around with, but nothing really affects gameplay. There is planned content coming very soon and in the future (new balls and maps), but I think the passing mechanic limits the variety of gameplay quite a lot. I also think this game has an identity crisis in that it portrays itself as a casual dodgeball game for your friends, but ends up playing like a hyper-competitive and reactive arena title instead. I honestly have not checked out the competitive mode for lack of personal interest, but if it is anything harder than the quick play matches I have come across it certainly will be something I continue to avoid (that is, if anyone is even playing it in the future).
The title has quickly started to lose its playerbase due to these mechanics (as well as network issues, though I personally haven't faced these myself), and I believe something besides a new ball and map must be done in order to keep this game alive. At this rate, there are two fates for this title: it remains a competitive title with a niche audience, only ever adding new content every 3 months until players move on to a new competitive title and the game eventually dies; OR the developers clean up some of the non-casual systems, make this game free-to-play, and promote more casual-friendly party modes and mechanics while SEPARATING the still-solid competitive format from the quick play modes. Right now the game is in a very vulnerable spot, and as someone that found themselves delighted by the charm and mechanics of the title, it would be a shame to see it die a quick death.
Overall, I enjoyed "Knockout City" and its good dodgeball mechanics at its core, but I have lost interest in its competitive focus and unfriendly casual mechanics. The game's $20 price point doesn't help its lifespan much and it would benefit this game to go free-to-play, but until the game's passing mechanics and focus on competitive action are figured out it will not make a difference. I think these are easy problems to fix for the developers because they have clearly shown their skill and love for dodgeball mechanics, but it will have to be done fast if this game wants any chance of surviving with a relevant audience. I can Not Recommend the game despite its solid core since I have to voice my concerns for the future of the game as a casual title. These types of titles don't come around too often, and it would be a shame for its one chance at glory to be wasted.
Final Verdict: 5/10 (Average)