Battlerite free week trial launches today

"Even if you wouldn’t touch a MOBA with a ten foot barge pole, this might still be for you," wee cherub Matthew Cox said about Battlerite [official site] when it hit early access last year. Because it's not a MOBA, okay. It's a team-based arena brawler which, sure, has heroes/champions/summoners/duelists/wizards throw down but it's not a MOBA, rite. I understand tone is difficult to assess in text, especially coming from a sarky prick like me, but I mean it: Battlerite is not a MOBA. You can see for yourself later today, as a week-long free trial is launching in a few hours.

Battlerite, see, is a 2v2 and 3v3 multiplayer throwdown between characters who have their own unique attributes abilities. Like classes, except someone else has already set up the character sheet for you. Thanks, DM! And off they go fighting, and it's all a lot of fun and there's a load to master. As Cox said:

"As with Dota, Battlerite's already starting to feel like a different beast as I rack up hours in it. Improving at one element of the game frees up another to focus on, allowing me to incorporate more and more information into the decisions I'm making at every second."

Battlerite is made by Bloodline Champions developers Stunlock Studios, and follows a similar enough line that Stunlock have essentially ported some bloody champs to Battlerite.

If you fancy a crack, swing by Steam later. From 6pm Tuesday until 8pm on Sunday, the full game is free to try.

If you want it for keepsies, Battlerite will have a 33% discount during the event too, which should bring it to about £10. Stunlock expect to launch Battlerite in full later this year, says the Steam page.