Review Roundup: Battleborn is a mixed bag that plays beautifully when everything clicks

Battleborn released earlier this week and while we are still working on our official review (since multiplayer servers didn't go live until release), we thought we'd give you the low down on what others are saying about the game as well as a few thoughts of our own. Reviews are slowly trickling in, but there are a couple of common themes that are popping up in regards to feedback.

For one, the game is built with longevity in mind. With 25 different characters that are all diverse, there's plenty here to learn how to master. Like any other MOBA, some work better than others, but they all have some sort of function that can contribute to a winning team, provided you have the right combination of other characters and solid teammates that are working together.

Another thing we have noticed in our time playing the game is that although the game tells you that you can play the game solo or with people, that's only true in the technical sense. In other words, don't play the game solo. It's brutal. It's a grind. And it's not that much fun.

Some characters are simply impossible to solo the game with as they can rely solely on long range or melee attacks, and the game doesn't scale itself to fit the character you choose.  You can get through the first chapter or two with a balanced character by yourself, but by Chapter 3, you're really going to need help.

Here's a look at what others are saying.

Gamespot

"[The game's] mechanical variety is not only remarkable, it also drives Battleborn's longevity. Where other game's dole out new tools or gear as you progress, Battleborn builds these unlocks into entirely new characters. You'll unlock new heroes steadily and without much conscious effort, so you'll generally have one or two new options by the time you've outgrown your current character."

Destructoid

If I wasn't playing it online or by way of split-screen, it would have felt like a complete slog. The narrative pretty much plays out exactly how you'd expect, and the levels are too linear for their own good. It's mostly a series of "go here, do this," objectives, with unsatisfying, bullet spongey bosses (with sufficiently annoying and pace-killing intermittent invincible shields) at the end of the tunnel.

Attack of the Fanboy

Characters move quickly and each enemy encounter is hectic and intense, allowing very little room for any kind of downtime. If you’ve played Borderlands then you definitely know what to expect when it comes to the moment-to-moment gameplay of Battleborn, as everything here is just as incredibly over-the-top as it was there.

Battleborn's review scores are a bit all over the place with the highest being a 90 from Hardcore Gamer and the lowest being a 60 from Destructoid. The best conclusion we can draw at this moment is that Battleborn isn't for everyone. It's an experiment in game design that can be hit or miss depending on the circumstances. If you're on the fence, see if you can rent or borrow the game before committing to a purchase.