'Brawlhalla' was revealed at PAX (Penny Arcade Expo) East to much excitement in 2014, entering an alpha shortly thereafter. With the full game being released, one should wonder if the 3-year wait has given the developers a chance to improve the game and develop its personality, or if it is just another clone of Nintendo's long-running 'Super Smash Bros.' series like 'PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale' or 'Cartoon Network: Punch Time Explosion.'
Where is the overlap?
While fighting Games share distinct characteristics, it is worth noting that 'Brawlhalla's main game mode is very similar to 'Super Smash Bros.'s style of gorgeous backgrounds with platforms in the foreground, opting to ditch the more traditional health system.
The gameplay is similar in that players have a light and heavy attack that is able to be influenced by directional buttons. The game feels very similar to 'Super Smash Bros.' with stage design, the use of a rising percentage being used over dropping health bar, and a very familiar control scheme.
How does it set itself apart?
To differentiate itself, 'Brawlhalla' uses a cast of original characters in a similar vein to Blizzard's 'Overwatch.' Similar to Blizzard's hero fighter, 'Brawlhalla's characters have lore that can be found online (but almost nowhere in-game.) It is worth noting that 'Brawlhalla's character lore is to a much lesser extent as most characters hardly have a paragraph of background on The Official Brawlhalla Wiki.
In gameplay, 'Brawlhalla' varies itself by starting the characters with no weapons and adding them as items.
In gameplay, 'Brawlhalla' varies itself by starting the characters with no weapons and adding them as items. To further differentiate itself from 'Super Smash Bros.,' 'Brawlhalla' is free with a very limited roster, allowing the player the option to pay for access to more characters.
While 'Super Smash Bros.' does offer extra characters in the form of DLC, 'Brawlhalla's almost freemium-like model is closer to that used by 'Killer Instinct.'
Just another Smash clone?
After 3 years of being in the public eye, 'Brawlhalla' has finally been released. While the game at first glance looks like a copy of the format popularized by Nintendo's crossover fighting game, 'Brawlhalla' manages to create an experience with a unique personality that is definitely worth the price of admission (which is free.)
