Paladins

In the competitive world of hero shooters, trying not to look like a knockoff can sometimes be more than a bit tough. Considering this, what games like Paladins achieve is offering players a viable alternative to the loot box-ridden model of the leading brands.

Even if Paladins seems to be more than just “inspired” by a certain popular multiplayer game, this title still has more than enough personality to shine on its own. To make things even better, Paladins offers some of the most fun you can ever have in a hero shooter, as long as you can put up with somewhat slow gunplay.

Against the Current

Even from its inception, there’s no denying that Paladins has always positioned itself as a free alternative to Overwatch. It makes perfect sense, to be honest: Paladin’s free-to-play business model seems more in line with modern mobile games – a fact that Overwatch’s steep entry fee ignored completely.

Being able to play for free, with no semblance of a P2W model in sight, is a wonderful thing. As is the case in games like Call of Duty Mobile, most of the purchases you can make in Paladins are simply cosmetics that offer no real gameplay advantage.

The question here is, from a gameplay perspective, how well does Paladins mimic the Overwatch experience? Some of the earlier Paladins champions look and feel like direct copies of their Overwatch counterparts – but that’s pretty much where comparisons end.

While Overwatch has an almost exclusive focus on escort-based game modes, Paladins chooses to play more like a classic multiplayer shooter. While payload and control modes are just as centrical as they are in Overwatch, things like capture the flag and classic team deathmatch play a bigger role in Paladins than they do in its triple-A competitor.

Charming Champions

As mentioned before, the earlier champions introduced in the game were clearly homages to those we saw in Blizzard’s immensely popular hero shooter. However, Paladins differs from Overwatch in that it has magic as a central design element in its game world.

This means that, while most of the characters make use of standard weaponry as their main artillery, some others use magic to outmatch their opponents. This offers a fantastic opportunity for some champions to feel impressively unique, almost like playing entirely different games depending on the champion you choose.

Another area where Paladins benefits thanks to its setting is its character designs. While some of the earlier characters can look downright ugly, the game has been improving visually since its release.

Later characters look impressively detailed, and most of them have outstanding designs that make them feel original in a game that otherwise began as a cheaper alternative to Overwatch.

Cards and Loadouts

As you get used to the champions, you’ll unlock different cards for them that will allow you to customize their loadouts. Unlike Team Fortress 2, where your loadout could modify the weapons and abilities of your character, in Paladins, loadouts mostly affect some other minor aspects of your champion.

For example, you can get cards that benefit a ranged character more than a melee one, either by improving its aim or giving them better regenerative abilities.

This adds an extra layer of complexity to an otherwise basic shooter, and that’s great news for fans of this popular genre.

Pros

• Good and clear visuals optimized for frantic multiplayer shootouts
• Excellent character roster
• No pay-to-win mechanics

Cons

• Some of the earlier champions are easily outmatched