Gigantic Is A Gorgeous Not-MOBA From StarCraft's Lead
Large and involves charging
Gigantic pretty clearly wants to be a big deal. It's from the former lead designer of StarCraft and Guild Wars, it has $20 million in backing, and its team size is kind of, er, gigantic for an indie studio. So it can talk the talk, but can it justify a series of costly expenditures on the part of shadowy investors and/or see why kids love Cinnamon Toast Crunch? That's the $20 million question, but it certainly looks like an intriguing prospect. Gigantic includes MOBA elements (teams of five facing off in a big ol' battle arena), but the difference is you're not on defense. Rather, both teams have a hulking colossus that accompanies them into combat, with defending/destroying them serving as your main objective. Meanwhile, the whole thing is action-based, with physics-based abilities and WASD controls steamrolling over the classic top-down approach. Impressive debut trailer below.
So that was nice and cinematic, but the actual ground level ins and outs of the game are less clear at this point. Here's Gigantic at its most basic, though:
"A mystical bond connects you and four teammates to your guardian, a magical behemoth too powerful for a single mortal to defeat. Protect your guardian as your team charges across the battlefield, then see it crush your enemies underfoot."
"Physics-based abilities let you invent new ways to amaze your friends and frustrate your enemies. The element of surprise is key as you use WASD controls to sprint, dodge, aim, destroy barriers, hurdle obstacles, and leap from danger to safety."
There will of course be a billowing selection of heroes to pick from, each upgrade-able in the heat of battle... somehow.
Despite a lack of clarity at this point, it all looks rather nice, and the pedigree is undeniable. I'm worried that certain elements - for instance battling the same roster of AI-controlled Guardians match after match - could become repetitive, but I definitely want to know more. For now, though, alpha sign-ups are already live, so you can toss your name into that particular technicolor dream hat and hope for the best.