BATALJ reminds me of a lot of games. Naturally, being a turn-based strategy game will always thrust it into comparison with others of its kind — a couple that immediately come to mind are Atlas Reactor and Overwatch (yes I know, it’s not turn-based but has similar match objectives). This is not necessarily a bad thing; however, does BATALJ manage to distinguish itself from the pack? My initial impression after trying it out is tentatively, yes, it does have a niche in the market, but could be overlooked in favor of more established or cheaper games.
Gameplay
The overarching idea of the game is quite straightforward. Before every match, players get to choose to play as one of three factions/races, each with very different skill-sets. Players can maneuver their faction’s units to capture targeted area and kill enemy units to win the match. Sounds simple enough, until you realize that every unit has its own active and passive abilities along with stats such as mobility, health, and armor. Being the fumbling noob that I was, I often ran past my turn timer attempting to process information about my own units along with my opponent’s. I’d like to imagine that a more knowledgeable player would comfortably make their moves within the allotted time, although even just 20 more seconds would be helpful. Another suggestion would be to make an option where players can “zoom out” and view the full map fitted onto their screen, rather than always having to move the camera around to different areas (or maybe have a “mini-map” available like in League of Legends).
A great result of having these character complexities is a high skill ceiling and with it, countless strategies and team variations. This is where BATALJ shines the most; players that get past that initial “huh?” barrier have room to develop and explore unique play styles.
Story/Characters
Although there aren’t paragraphs of detailed lore on each character, they all have their own unique quirks and I appreciate how their abilities and appearances reflect that.
Aesthetics
The developers did a really solid job on the maps and character graphics. Each race has a defining color and appearance, and the model movement when using an ability is always satisfying to watch in game. I only wish that my computer could play this at a higher resolution without deteriorating to single-digit FPS. Nothing much to say about the music other than that it’s fitting for a battle theme.
Rating
I waffled for a bit about the rating. Although BATALJ wasn’t the most enjoyable or intriguing game of its style that I’ve ever played, it definitely has its charms. I’m hesitant to say that its current state justifies its $25 sticker price, but with future patches and a growing playerbase, I believe it will live up to its potential. Overall, a 7/10.
Check Out the BATALJ Trailer:
BATALJ is available for PC via on Steam.
Steam Review
In second grade, I received my first console, a purple GameCube on which I would spend hours playing games such as Animal Crossing, Mario Kart, and Zelda Wind Waker. Although those GameCube days are long gone, I have continued to play and be fascinated by games more than a decade later. My current university schedule keeps me busy, but I still enjoy playing Smash with dorm-mates and friends, torturing myself by trying to climb on League of Legends solo queue, and exploring mobile games
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