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Awesomenauts - the 2D moba

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba Game Cover
83%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
grinding, monetization
83% User Score Based on 15,333 reviews

Platforms

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Awesomenauts - the 2D moba Game Cover

About

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba is a single player and multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Ronimo Games and was released on August 1, 2012. It received positive reviews from players.

"Awesomenauts" is a 2D MOBA where players control a variety of unique characters, called "Awesomenauts," with different abilities and playstyles. The game features both online and local multiplayer, as well as a single-player campaign. The objective is to destroy the enemy team's base, using a combination of strategy, teamwork, and last-hitting to gain advantages and come out victorious. Character Limit: 399

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83%
Audience ScoreBased on 15,333 reviews
gameplay597 positive mentions
grinding65 negative mentions

  • The game features a vibrant, cartoonish art style and a catchy, upbeat soundtrack that creates a cheerful and engaging atmosphere reminiscent of 80s cartoons.
  • Awesomenauts offers fast-paced, engaging gameplay that emphasizes teamwork and strategy, making it enjoyable for both casual and competitive players.
  • The diverse cast of characters, each with unique abilities and personalities, contributes to high replayability and keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.
  • Many players report significant performance issues, including stuttering, lag, and unbalanced gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • The game's monetization model has drawn criticism as a cash grab, with some feeling that the presence of microtransactions in a paid game is excessive.
  • The lack of a substantial narrative or campaign mode leaves the story aspect feeling weak and simplistic, serving primarily as a backdrop for multiplayer gameplay.
  • gameplay
    1,374 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Awesomenauts is characterized by its unique blend of 2D platforming and traditional MOBA mechanics, offering fast-paced, engaging matches that emphasize teamwork and strategy. While the core mechanics are generally well-received for their accessibility and depth, players have noted issues with balance, matchmaking, and occasional bugs that can detract from the experience. Overall, the game is praised for its colorful characters, vibrant art style, and addictive gameplay, making it a fun choice for both casual and competitive players, though some may find it repetitive over time.

    • “Whether you’re coordinating with friends or jumping into quick matches, the gameplay always delivers that addictive 'just one more round' feeling.”
    • “It’s a perfect mix of nostalgia and modern competitive gameplay — a must-play for anyone who loves teamwork, strategy, and chaotic fun.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and fun, with a variety of characters to choose from and a variety of strategies to employ.”
    • “The gameplay itself is more reminiscent of a hns game with a poor number of skills we can use.”
    • “The core of the game is corrupt: it has two snowballing mechanics (money and experience) which make comebacks very hard.”
    • “The gameplay is lackluster and uninspired, and so is the shop.”
  • music
    871 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in Awesomenauts is widely praised for its catchy and diverse soundtracks, with each character featuring their own unique theme that enhances their personality and gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the nostalgic 80s cartoon vibe of the music, which complements the game's vibrant art style and adds to its overall charm. Many players find themselves humming the tunes long after playing, making the soundtrack a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's appeal.

    • “The variety of heroes (each with their own playstyle and personality) keeps things fresh, and the cartoony art style paired with a killer soundtrack gives the game a vibrant, Saturday-morning-cartoon vibe that never gets old.”
    • “The soundtrack complements this energy with catchy, synth-heavy themes—most memorably the iconic theme song that plays on the main menu, which gives off a nostalgic 1980s cartoon vibe.”
    • “Every character has their own theme song, and if you go on a killing spree, a remixed version of their theme song begins playing, making killing sprees very satisfying.”
    • “Music is also pretty terrible with annoying theme songs.”
    • “The new characters' songs are both forgettable and have no actual lyrics (but that may be for the best).”
    • “Even relatively new nauts like Sentry and Yoolip had some good songs, but the new nauts just have only what I can describe as generic stock music.”
  • graphics
    810 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Awesomenauts are widely praised for their vibrant, cartoonish art style reminiscent of 1980s Saturday morning cartoons, which adds a unique charm to the game. Players appreciate the colorful visuals, smooth animations, and distinct character designs that enhance the overall gameplay experience. While some mention minor technical issues, the general consensus is that the graphics are appealing and contribute positively to the game's fun and lighthearted atmosphere.

    • “The game features a quirky Saturday morning cartoon art style, with each character looking and feeling incredibly distinct.”
    • “Its vibrant, cartoonish graphics and a diverse roster of characters, each with unique abilities and playstyles, make every match an engaging and dynamic experience.”
    • “The graphics are colorful and cartoonish, making it a joy to look at.”
    • “The game has a lot of flashing visuals and animation stuttering/rubber-banding from certain types of character attacks, especially blinding attacks and pushing/grabbing attacks, and it's a serious accessibility issue.”
    • “The graphical menu alone is an embarrassment for this game.”
    • “If they put half as much effort into tracking down bugs, fixing matchmaking or getting the game properly balanced, as they put into making new skins and improving visuals, this game could have been a huge hit on the scale of League of Legends.”
  • humor
    365 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in Awesomenauts is widely praised for its lighthearted, cartoonish charm, featuring a diverse cast of characters with funny backstories and memorable voice lines. Players appreciate the game's ability to blend fast-paced action with comedic elements, creating a fun and engaging experience, especially when played with friends. While some find the humor to be a bit cringy or reliant on references, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a humorous and enjoyable atmosphere.

    • “Awesomenauts is one of those rare games that perfectly blends fast-paced action, strategy, and humor into an unforgettable experience.”
    • “The fluidity of combat, the thrill of outmaneuvering foes, and the humor sprinkled throughout make Awesomenauts an experience to savor.”
    • “Whether you’re soaring down from a starship, strategizing with allies, or laughing at the absurdities of battle, this game is a delightful way to spend your time.”
  • story
    159 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game is generally perceived as weak, with many reviewers noting the lack of a substantial narrative or campaign mode. While the characters have unique backstories and personalities that add some charm, the overall storyline is often described as simplistic and lacking depth, primarily serving as a backdrop for the multiplayer gameplay. Players express a desire for a more developed story mode to enhance the experience, as the current setup feels more like a series of battles than a cohesive narrative.

    • “Each character is amazing with a funny backstory.”
    • “The storyline is both gripping and enthralling.”
    • “Two lane MOBA, the characters are all unique and given such big personalities and storylines that you can't help getting attached to each one personally unlike in bigger MOBAs such as League of Legends, Dota, or Smite.”
    • “The story's kind of bland.”
    • “There is no story so this part doesn't count.”
    • “However, the game has no single-player (aside from offline sparring and a tutorial) and the lack of any kind of story mode is a turn off.”
  • replayability
    81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its diverse cast of characters, various maps, and engaging gameplay modes, making it enjoyable for both casual and competitive players. While some users noted matchmaking issues and the need for character purchases as drawbacks, many praised the game's ability to provide endless fun, especially when played with friends. Despite some criticisms, the consensus is that the game offers significant replay value, with many players willing to invest substantial time into it.

    • “The game also features a variety of maps, each with its own unique layout and obstacles, which adds to the variety and replayability of the game.”
    • “Its colorful cast of characters and retro-inspired art style makes it stand out from other games in the genre, and its various maps and gameplay modes offer plenty of replayability.”
    • “This game has great replayability because it is multiplayer and there are so many characters to choose from!”
    • “The gameplay itself requires some work as the combat becomes stale and the replay value is rather low.”
    • “But after playing several matches, it kinda lacks that feeling of replayability in the game.”
    • “This game has many problems ranging from lack of maps that are playable on online multiplayer, lack of options to kick people from your game, long waits for the matches to start, and a tendency of ignoring beta testing and lack of consistent or even acceptable QA testing.”
  • grinding
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that grinding in the game is a mixed experience, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming, especially when unlocking characters and upgrades. While some appreciate the fast-paced combat and reduced emphasis on farming compared to traditional MOBAs, others criticize the grind for in-game currency and character unlocks as excessive and frustrating. Overall, the grinding aspect can detract from the enjoyment, particularly for those who prefer a more balanced and less repetitive progression system.

    • “Easy to level up, not too grindy.”
    • “The focus in this game is fighting, not farming.”
    • “It's very easy to get into; all the characters are unlocked within an hour or two of playing, and games are won based on skill, not grinding.”
    • “I was expecting more from the revived version of this game, but sticking to the new ruleset/meta was a huge mistake and makes the game frustrating to play and actively unfun and tedious to experience unless you play a specific handful of characters who have no real downsides.”
    • “A truly ruined game with terrible design decisions (poison is genuinely mind baffling, as are AoE abilities that stay in one place with nothing you can do to get through them) and awful, incredibly long, grindy unlocks.”
    • “It takes insane amounts of grinding to unlock anything; they advertise it as a MOBA but you have better alternatives for free, like Dota 2, League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm, etc.”
  • character development
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in the game is widely praised for its compelling and quirky designs, showcasing a diverse cast with distinct personalities and backstories. Players appreciate the charming artwork, catchy theme songs, and engaging voice acting that enhance the overall experience, although some criticize certain DLC designs as lacking. Overall, the character design is seen as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's appeal and enjoyment.

    • “The charming character designs and witty voice acting make the Awesomenauts memorable and enjoyable to play.”
    • “The character designs have so much personality and charm, the music is spectacular, and I've never had a dull moment playing it.”
    • “The artwork is fantastic, consistent and truly unique, along with the respective individual character design and theme song.”
    • “A decade ago this was all I ever played as a kid, but they added some really terrible character designs in some of the DLC and yes, the community is mostly just a bunch of 12-year-olds yelling at each other.”
    • “The character designs and gameplay are too bad; can't see how you can connect to this game.”
    • “The voice acting clashes with the character designs and everything feels like it's moving through molasses.”
  • monetization
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization model of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with many players criticizing it as a cash grab due to the presence of microtransactions in a paid game. While some appreciate that all in-game purchases are cosmetic and do not affect gameplay, others feel that the shift to a free-to-play model has led to an increase in grind and unbalanced content. Overall, players express a desire for better advertising and community engagement to enhance the game's visibility and longevity.

    • “I would not play if I had to pay, so I'm glad they went with optional microtransactions for skins instead.”
    • “All microtransactions are purely cosmetic; you can unlock every single character by just playing the game.”
    • “What I also enjoy is that this game is perfectly not pay-to-win since all of the in-game purchases are skins for the Awesomenauts and buying the Awesomenauts, announcers, and drop pods.”
    • “Seems like a big cash grab.”
    • “Sadly, Awesomenauts is just another so-called 'free to play' (or 'free to pay') cash grab rife with in-game transactions.”
    • “Microtransactions are implemented on top of paying for the game, and not just for cosmetic items.”
  • optimization
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, lag, and unbalanced gameplay. While some users appreciate its ability to run on low-end hardware, others express frustration over server performance and the lack of updates to address these problems. The game's visuals and animations are often criticized for being poorly executed, contributing to a less enjoyable experience, especially in competitive play.

    • “Overall, it is very well optimized and it runs well even on my definitely-not-gaming-laptop.”
    • “Optimization is great; it can run on very low-end rigs.”
    • “The game runs smoothly.”
    • “Overall game performance with animations and individual skill hit-boxes is almost comically inaccurate, and it's baffling that the programmers kept on putting out broken content despite future nauts being increasingly unbalanced.”
    • “The game has a lot of flashing visuals and animation stuttering/rubber-banding from certain types of character attacks, especially blinding attacks and pushing/grabbing attacks (of which there are many of both), and it's a serious accessibility issue.”
    • “I don't know what Atari did, but my game won't stop stuttering and is running at half the framerate of the last version.”
  • stability
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game is highly inconsistent, with many users reporting a plethora of game-breaking bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some players have experienced minimal problems and find the game runs well on various systems, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration due to frequent crashes, lag, and poor netcode. The lack of updates from developers has left many feeling that the game is abandoned and poorly optimized.

    • “Really fun, runs great on anything.”
    • “On the bright side, it is just about bug free, really.”
    • “The graphics are great, the gameplay is fast and fun, and the game runs great.”
    • “Devs have abandoned the game with tons of game-breaking bugs and glitches.”
    • “The engine is so horribly buggy it makes Rocket League look well-polished.”
    • “The game itself also freezes during this time, loses connection, and has to be killed in task manager, upon which I have to wait a minute or so before my computer recovers and I can relaunch Discord and anything else I may have been running.”
  • atmosphere
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of Awesomenauts is characterized by its vibrant, cartoonish art style and an upbeat soundtrack that creates a cheerful and engaging environment reminiscent of 80s cartoons. While many players appreciate the fun and humorous elements, some express concerns about the toxic community atmosphere that detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully combines lively graphics and music to foster a lighthearted and enjoyable multiplayer experience.

    • “Awesomenauts features a charming, cartoonish art style and a catchy, upbeat soundtrack that complements the game's lighthearted atmosphere.”
    • “The music is fantastic, the atmospheric element of it is gripping and full of life, the personality it shows even in the tutorial hooks you in.”
    • “The best thing about Awesomenauts is probably the atmosphere; it has a very arcade feel to it, like you are in an arcade.”
    • “I love this game to death, but I could really do without the toxic atmosphere in the community.”
    • “There is a deeply engaging multiplayer game somewhere here, but the lack of dedicated servers, and a non-competitive friendly atmosphere bogs down the experience.”
    • “The graphics are cartoon-like, with a cheerful (yet dark at the same time) atmosphere.”
  • emotional
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from deep sadness and frustration to moments of joy and nostalgia. Many highlight the game's ability to evoke strong feelings, whether through its wholesome gameplay or the heartbreak of technical issues and unfulfilled potential. Overall, the emotional experience is marked by a blend of fun, anger, and bittersweet memories, making it both addictive and occasionally overwhelming.

    • “Never has a game made me feel such pain before, and I have played BBQ Simulator.”
    • “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
    • “It's the only game that has made me want to cry from happiness and throw my monitor out of the window at the same time.”
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102h Median play time
427h Average play time
20-567h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 76 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba is a strategy game.

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba is available on PC, Mac OS, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 427 hours playing Awesomenauts - the 2D moba.

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba was released on August 1, 2012.

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba was developed by Ronimo Games.

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Awesomenauts - the 2D moba is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Awesomenauts, Battlerite, Block N Load, ArcheBlade, Battleborn and others.