With a name like Awesomenauts, you will expect an entertaining storyline, and the game doesn't fail at delivering this to downloaders. The year is 3587, and two conflicting robot armies are competing in an endless battle for control of the galaxy. To gain leverage in the war, both the red and blue robot armies have recruited a group of elite mercenaries known simply as the Awesomenauts to fight on their behalf. The game's storyline offers up a simple plot that is ultimately invented by the players in online matches. The game only lacks in one area which is giving the player a true and solid ending. There is essentially one game mode and two ways to play in Awesomenauts: practice mode where you learn the ropes playing against less than intelligent AI or online matches that allow you to fly solo or bring up to two of your friends into combat.
Each match plays out in one of three arenas with the only objective being to penetrate the enemy base and destroy their drillcore. Both teams will be supplied endless waves of robots that will assist in this process, and there will also be large turrets defending each base that must be destroyed in order to enter the opposing team's base. Each match is a 3 vs. 3 battle with any open slots being occupied by AI (Bots). Each character has their own unique attacks and powers to utilize in combat, and each character has a wackier background than the last. To upgrade characters, you'll access a shop in your home base and purchase upgrades using solar credits found throughout each map or by killing enemies. Each character is reset before a match allowing for an equal playfield even for newcomers. A couple of the featured characters in the game are Froggy G—a hardened rapper frog from the ghettos of planet Ribbit IV and a crazy jetpack flying, laser firing, Russian monkey named Yuri. The game is over the top, and that's what makes it brilliant.
Awesomenauts is a nice enough looking game; its graphical presentation won't blow you away, but it’s not a bad looking game either. The game was built for online play, and matches stay relatively lag free throughout entire sessions with not so much as a drop in frame rate to report. Menus are quick and easy to navigate, which becomes important as you use credits earned to upgrade your character during matches and select custom layouts before matches begin. The game also contains a decent soundtrack featuring a catchy theme song that sounds as though it was ripped straight from a Saturday morning cartoon. If you've been debating over whether to purchase Awesomenauts or not, you need to make sure you have access to online play, as the game becomes boring incredibly fast offline. But as long as online play is no concern, you'll be hard pressed to find a more addictive new game. Each match brings a new experience, and leveling up allows you to unlock more goodies to keep the game interesting for hours on end. The game's storyline lacks flare, but if you're just looking for a fun game to take online with your friends, look no further than Awesomenauts! For more information on the game, check out the official Awesomenauts website.
Game Features
Game Information
Developer: Ronimo Games
Publisher: dtp entertainment
Rating: T for Blood & Violence
Platforms: Xbox 360 (reviewed) & PlayStation 3
Release Date: May 1, 2012 (PS3) & May 2, 2012 (Xbox 360)
Score: 8.5 out of 10
