Awesomenauts is an unique take on the Defense of the Ancients genre (MOBA). What makes it unqiue is that it’s a 2D platformer and is also quite multiplayer oriented, with charming visuals and highly addictive customization features.

The game took me by surprise with how actually pleasant it was, and the way the developers had implemented a multiplayer component which works seamlessly.

It’s available on the PSN and XBL, so it gives a lot of gamers a chance to experience how enjoyable it can be to play games of this genre. You defend your tower and attack your opponents tower is the basic premise of the genre, and in this game it’s a core that you have to destroy with your friends. It can be a challenging experience however, because mastery over the character you pick is very important to compete well.

The visuals are incredible and one of the most redeeming factors of the game. The cartoon styled visuals, with incredible character design really stands out when you start playing, and is also one of the reasons why the game manages to keep your attention for so long.

That’s exactly what happened when I didn’t know what to expect and the game took me by surprise in how excellently it was designed.

It is very straightforward as well, though. You pick a character and also can level him up as you keep playing the game. A high level character is beneficial when playing online. For example, more range for your weapon or more health helps, so this should be your main focus rather than being incredible competitive online in the beginning because you can’t, or it’s tough with a low level character.

It is also a rock, paper, scissors type of situation, but not compleley. There is no uber character here; all of them have their own strengths and weakness, and exploiting it during gameplay along with your team will decide who wins the round. Keep in mind that most rounds can be short but also incredibly long. This is one of the biggest drawback of the genre.

If you are matched up with a competent opponent, then expect matches to last very long, and this can single-handedly result in you being burnt out on the game.

There’s no single-player mode in this game, and what you find instead is a tutorial mode that teaches you the basic mechanics of the game. I would advise people to directly jump online and learn the mechanics the hard way; it isn’t that complicated too. Practice makes perfect, and that applies here as well.

The netcode which is the important part is well done. I did encounter a bunch of laggy games, but for the most part it was a really smooth experience. What tilts Awesomenauts in its favour is that it can be really time consuming if you love this genre.

And considering the fact that everything is competently designed and priced reasonably, it’s not the worst thing you could spend your money on this year.

This game was reviewed on the PS3.