Block N Load

A habit-forming FPS for its strategic possibilities and tactical depth, but the lack of matchmaking is especially worrisome.

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"Block N Load" is a free-to-play, massively multiplayer shooter game with single-player options, featuring unique and humorous characters and creative building mechanics. Every match is different, as players construct and destroy their way to victory in this tactical and strategic FPS. The game offers a variety of roles and requires both intelligent planning and shooter skills.

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Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 7,123 reviews

gameplay188 positive mentions

story6 negative mentions

gameplay
482 mentions
39 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Block N Load" is widely praised for its addictive and strategic nature, combining first-person shooter mechanics with building elements reminiscent of Minecraft. Players appreciate the dynamic and ever-changing battlefield created by the ability to construct defenses and traps, although some note a steep learning curve for newcomers and issues with balance and matchmaking. Overall, the game offers a unique and engaging experience, particularly when played with friends, despite some criticisms regarding repetitive gameplay and the need for better character balancing.
- “Block N Load is a unique and entertaining multiplayer game that seamlessly combines strategic gameplay with explosive action.”
- “The ability to build barricades, fortifications, and traps adds a layer of depth to the gameplay, creating a dynamic and ever-changing battlefield.”
- “Its innovative approach to combining building mechanics with first-person shooter elements creates an engaging and dynamic experience.”
- “Nowadays it just seems to be tryhards doing janky mechanics that make it impossible to hit them like spamming crouch and jumping or switching side to side like your character is weightless; no wonder it's dead nowadays.”
- “The gameplay itself is rather boring and tends to drag on.”
- “The finished product should be a fun game, even funnier played with friends, but less fun after reaching level 10 or so (where you begin to get overwhelmed by the pros and matches last up to an hour), with a broken matchmaking that will take 1 to 5 minutes to get into a game and even then you'll be encountering 2 vs 6 situations (at worst).”
graphics
230 mentions
43 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their vibrant, cartoonish style that complements the gameplay, reminiscent of Minecraft but with notable enhancements. Many players appreciate the polished visuals and character designs, although some criticize the graphics as simplistic or childish. Overall, the game is considered visually appealing, especially for a free-to-play title, but opinions vary on the quality and optimization of the graphics.
- “The graphics and art style of Block N Load are charming and vibrant, creating a visually appealing world that complements the fast-paced nature of the gameplay.”
- “This game has so much polish in its graphics, level design, building mechanics, destruction mechanics, and level design.”
- “The graphics are vibrant, the gameplay is very polished, and overall balanced.”
- “The game looks like a graphical enhancement of Ace of Spades, but sadly it's totally dead.”
- “Used to love this game but quit because of the graphics now.”
- “Graphics are just terrible, gameplay was bad, everything else too.”
humor
112 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players appreciating its funny characters, witty dialogue, and light-hearted tone that fosters a fun community atmosphere. Many reviews highlight the game's blend of creative mechanics and comedic elements, comparing it to other humorous titles like "Borderlands" and "Castle Crashers." While some players note that the humor can be juvenile or repetitive, the overall consensus is that the game offers a delightful and entertaining experience, especially when played with friends.
- “It's great to have an FPS game where you can also get creative and build traps, forts, etc. On top of that, I can appreciate the humorous heroes and a light-hearted approach, which results in a community devoid of elitism or toxicity and mostly comprised of people who just want to have fun.”
- “This game offers funny characters and game mechanics.”
- “The music is amazing and the amount of hilarious voice acting is Deadpool-worthy.”
story
51 mentions
6 % positive mentions
82 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the games discussed generally lack a substantial story, with many users explicitly stating that there is "no story" or that the narrative is minimal and not engaging. Some mention that the gameplay focuses more on mechanics and daily missions rather than a cohesive plot, suggesting that players looking for a rich narrative experience may be disappointed. Overall, the emphasis is on gameplay rather than storytelling.
- “Nice game, awesome announcer, has a good community, and has a really different plot than other games.”
- “This game tells the story of a group of psychopathic idiots with an addiction for cube-shaped objects.”
- “Moral of the story: you will most likely get your ass kicked when you first play, but after the first five matches, you begin to kick ass of your own, eventually becoming a very good player and learning the maps, tactics, and strategies in order to win the match(es).”
- “☑️ no story”
- “Block n load really has no story to speak of.”
- “if you were expecting a story, you're out of luck.”
grinding
45 mentions
7 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
76 % negative mentions
The reviews overwhelmingly highlight that grinding in the game is excessive, often requiring an unrealistic time investment to unlock characters and perks, with some players suggesting it could take years to fully level up. While a few users find the grind rewarding or manageable, the general consensus leans towards it being tedious and frustrating, with many expressing that the game feels pay-to-win due to the grinding mechanics. Overall, players warn that significant grinding is a major aspect of the gameplay experience.
- “It's not that grindy as well!”
- “Nice mix of characters to play as and not too grindy.”
- “Teamwork matters and there are balancing issues, but it is free-to-play and not too grindy.”
- “The gameplay might have been good, but the actual getting of characters takes way too much grinding.”
- “Maybe if it didn't require so much grinding, I would have liked it more, but as it is, it takes way too much time for way too little.”
- “What it really is, is a horrifyingly grindy system that gives you gold in occasional 20-50 gold snippets. At first, this may seem reasonable until you realize that most things in the shop range from 60,000 to 200,000 gold.”
monetization
44 mentions
7 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
39 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, primarily due to the prevalence of microtransactions and paywalls that restrict access to previously unlocked content. Many players feel that these practices contribute to a pay-to-win environment, detracting from the overall experience and community. While some acknowledge that cosmetic microtransactions are acceptable, the general sentiment is that the game's potential is undermined by its aggressive monetization strategy.
- “Although I, along with many people on the internet, hate microtransactions, this game manages to implement them in a way that doesn't really give people who pay a large advantage.”
- “The only other microtransactions consist of cosmetic skins, which you can't complain about to be fair.”
- “The microtransactions can be a bit annoying, but if you enjoy the game, you can successfully grind your way to classes and perks, and the game has a MOBA-style class rotation so that you can still play a variety of classes.”
- “I can no longer use them because after the microtransactions were released they were put behind a paywall.”
- “In short, I think the massive amount of microtransactions and putting heroes behind insurmountable paywalls has led to this game's demise, which is common for Jagex.”
- “This game is pay to win, meaning that it has in-app purchases.”
optimization
43 mentions
33 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its smooth performance and low hardware requirements, while others criticize it for being poorly optimized, particularly on lower-end PCs. Many users noted issues with frame rates and CPU demands, suggesting that the game could benefit from further optimization to enhance the experience for a broader audience. Overall, while some players enjoy the gameplay, the optimization remains a significant concern for many.
- “I personally like very much that this game has rarely bugs and good performance.”
- “The game runs smoothly and has no lag issues, very well constructed.”
- “Despite taking on many genres, Block N Load actually performs very well in terms of balanced gameplay and performance.”
- “As far as I know, Unity is supposedly not the best engine to code a game in, and BNL only runs on one processor core, making the performance horrible for many people.”
- “The devs bit off more than they could chew, ignored community feedback, and generally made poor decisions with changes/updates, as well as the game just generally having awful performance and being poorly optimized.”
- “I feel that the game is poorly optimized (in terms of smoothness and FPS rate), but of course, it is a beta.”
stability
40 mentions
10 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent freezes, lag, and connection issues, particularly when joining games or using voice chat. While some users noted that the game runs well and is mostly bug-free, others experienced significant glitches and server problems that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game is considered fun but suffers from stability issues, especially given its beta status.
- “Overall 7/10, mostly because it's not buggy and it runs well.”
- “The game looks good and seems rather bug-free, so it has that going for it.”
- “Awesome game, really fun with friends, and it runs and plays great.”
- “You can't have more than 2 players in a squad and the game freezes after 2 minutes; verifying files didn't fix anything.”
- “It took me at least 15 minutes to join 1 game, and when I finally did, it was extremely laggy and buggy.”
- “The game freezes and crashes when changing graphics settings on both my laptop with a dual-core Intel i5 3GHz processor and 6GB of RAM, and my beefy 4th gen Intel i7 quad-core desktop with GTX 970 and 8GB of RAM.”
music
39 mentions
28 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and excitement, particularly during battles, with many noting the catchy and upbeat tracks that encourage engagement. Players appreciate the variety, including the ability to unlock and customize music for different acts and boss fights, although some express frustration with repetitive or annoying menu music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's enjoyment, despite some mixed opinions on specific tracks and voice lines.
- “The game's soundtrack also adds to the overall atmosphere, enhancing the sense of excitement during intense battles.”
- “Better yet, all of the music you collect through the challenge gates and red rings can be used for the music for whatever act or boss fight before you begin.”
- “The music is upbeat and gets you pumped up to attack and/or defend.”
- “The music is annoying and voice lines feel forced.”
- “Finally, the menu has annoying 'music' that won't stop, even if you set every sound to 0.”
- “Aside from the main theme and menu music, the game features no noteworthy music.”
replayability
16 mentions
31 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is enhanced by its diverse cast of characters and unique abilities, offering varied gameplay experiences. However, some players feel that the limited building time and map design can lead to a quick sense of boredom, while others appreciate the constant map rotations and daily challenges that keep the game fresh. Overall, the game has a solid replay value, particularly when played with friends, but some players desire more content to further enhance this aspect.
- “The diverse cast of characters, each with unique abilities and playstyles, adds to the game's depth and replayability.”
- “Great fun at a cheap price, and it's got loads of replayability.”
- “Block n Load takes two ideas that have already been done (Minecraft and Team Fortress 2) but mixes them in a beautiful symphony of game design, creating its own original style that I've never seen done before, with replayability beyond my initial expectations.”
- “Now all in all this game is enjoyable for a few hours but from what my friends and I have noticed is that it gets very boring very fast, and you'd expect a lot of replayability from a game that you build your own defenses, but with the maps being developed the way they are and the fact of only having 5 minutes to build kills the possibilities.”
- “Great game, don't get me wrong, but I just don't see that much replay value in it unless you have friends to play it with.”
- “I would like to see more block types and more playable characters.”
character development
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is marked by a diverse range of character designs and abilities that enhance strategic gameplay, allowing for experimentation with different combinations. While some players appreciate the art style and level balance, others criticize certain character designs and voice acting as cringeworthy or outdated. Overall, despite mixed opinions on aesthetics, the engaging gameplay often compensates for these shortcomings.
- “The variety in character design and abilities keeps the matches interesting, and experimenting with different combinations adds an extra layer of strategy.”
- “I enjoy the art style, the strategy with additional construction and destruction elements not common in other similar games, the character designs, and generally level balance, and a lack of pervasive micro-transactions.”
- “For a blocky game, the graphics are quite good, but what really sold this game to me was the character design.”
- “The real downside to the game, in my opinion, is the somewhat cringeworthy character design and voice acting.”
- “Though nowhere near as bad as Paladins (that game's character design was awful), some of the design choices might seem a bit archaic or mildly offensive.”
- “The character design doesn't go with the scenery at all; it looks like the characters are all toys.”
atmosphere
7 mentions
57 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as a blend of lightheartedness and strategic depth, reminiscent of both Minecraft and Team Fortress 2. While the soundtrack enhances excitement during battles, some players feel it has shifted from a friendlier vibe to a more competitive one. Overall, the atmosphere is considered enjoyable, fostering both creative play and tactical teamwork.
- “Love this game, incorporates a surprisingly detailed and strategic foundation for such a simple looking game; the atmosphere is light and not too serious yet it caters towards thinking, not mindless point and clicking.”
- “Creating a fun atmosphere where you can choose to run and gun, or work tactically with your team for a better chance of winning.”
- “All of that said, I came into this game under the impression that other reviewers generalized it to be a mix between Minecraft and Team Fortress 2, where ostensibly the fort-building part and main aesthetic comes from Minecraft, whereas the classes and overall atmosphere felt like Team Fortress 2.”
- “The game's soundtrack also adds to the overall atmosphere, enhancing the sense of excitement during intense battles.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the frustration of players facing arbitrary mechanics that hinder progress, leading to a sense of heartbreak over the game's potential being wasted due to a dwindling player base. The intricate gameplay elements evoke a mix of creativity and disappointment, as players navigate challenges that can feel both rewarding and disheartening.
- “It's heartbreaking to see a great game with so much potential die off because there's not enough people playing it.”
- “Maybe you'll build a bridge in the sky above their defenses, put a bomb down, and then destroy the block under it so it falls, maybe they'll dig out whatever's supporting your skybridge before that happens (blocks can't just float like in Minecraft, they'll basically ragdoll if they're not attached to the ground at least through some other blocks touching it).”