PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale
- November 20, 2012
- Bluepoint Games
PlayStation All-Stars is a deeply engaging fighter and love letter to PlayStation fans that ultimately triumphs over shallow single-player content and a few design quirks.
"PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale" is a sci-fi fighting game featuring iconic characters from various PlayStation franchises, such as Kratos, Sackboy, and Nathan Drake. Each stage is inspired by different franchises, providing a cross-over experience for players. The game offers local and multi-player options, supporting up to 4 players in split-screen mode, and includes both single-player and multi-player modes.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and chaotic multiplayer experience, especially when played with friends.
- Each character has unique abilities and fighting styles, providing a diverse gameplay experience.
- The graphics are sharp and vibrant, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the game.
- The single-player arcade mode lacks depth and can feel repetitive and uninspired.
- Some characters are considered overpowered, leading to balance issues in competitive play.
- The absence of a traditional health bar system can make the gameplay feel less engaging compared to other fighting games.
- gameplay29 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its smoothness and fun mechanics, offering a unique experience compared to similar titles like Super Smash Bros. Players appreciate the focus on special moves for scoring, though some find the pace slow and the gameplay somewhat repetitive over time. While the game has solid mechanics and interactive levels, expectations for a deeper story and varied gameplay may lead to disappointment for some players.
“The gameplay is superb, the game is super fun to play and the more you play, the more you don't want to stop.”
“The gameplay was made to have players create their own combos.”
“Once you understand the battle mechanics, the game is really enjoyable.”
“Gameplay is so slow; the gameplay is fluid, but my goodness, the soundtrack is very upbeat and great. However, why is the gameplay so slow? The gameplay speed is not cohesive with the music, and why is this fighting game so slow?”
“Some may consider gameplay somewhat repetitive after a while, so players may just want to keep this title for parties or to blow off steam.”
“As for the fighting and gameplay, the characters are really small, and it is almost confusing as to what you are actually doing. I guess the main goal is to just fight, power up, and then explode the others, which gives you a point or something. If you want to play this game, I recommend not just jumping in.”
- story22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally considered its weakest feature, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth and engaging narrative. The single-player campaign is primarily composed of static 2D art and minimal cutscenes, leading to a repetitive experience across character storylines. While the arcade mode offers some character-specific narratives, the overall storytelling fails to meet expectations, especially for a first-party title, leaving players wanting more in terms of story development and variety.
“Story mode isn't necessary in a fighting game, but it's nice to have one so a game feels more complete.”
“Every character has their own story, which is very fun and gives me a reason to play all the characters, even the ones I don't like.”
“All in all, it's a really good game; graphics are more than par and the storyline is decent considering it's a knockoff of SSB (a good knockoff). Recommended game for fun.”
“The storyline leaves a lot to be desired and single player quickly loses its charm.”
“There aren't many playable characters to choose from and the story is nonexistent.”
“Buy it, but the story mode with the still images and dialogue doesn't cut it by today's standards.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 73 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their sharpness, brightness, and smooth performance, particularly on the PS3 and Vita, where they run at 60fps. Reviewers appreciate the unique visual styles of each character, reflecting their original games, and the interactive arenas enhance the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered above par, contributing positively to the game's presentation and gameplay.
“Presentation 9/9: game graphics are superb.”
“The graphics are great, smooth, and clean.”
“Graphics: it's what you would expect in a highly promoted PS3 game.”
“Granted the game does feature such favorites as Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, Dante, and Kratos, I find myself looking for that 'classic gamer' aesthetic that SSB was actually able to bring to the table.”
“Graphics: very sharp and bright with plenty of interactive arenas.”
- music11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the upbeat and creative mashups of various franchises, while others find certain tracks to be lackluster or childish. Despite the inconsistency, many agree that the audio complements the gameplay well, enhancing the overall experience, even if the gameplay speed feels disjointed from the energetic soundtrack. Additionally, character-specific victory music and customizable audio elements add a personal touch to the game's sound design.
“The music, while not as great on a few maps, was awesome.”
“The audio is pretty stellar with the different themes being mashed together just like the stages; I really enjoy the Resistance stage music.”
“Music is awesome and fits well with gameplay.”
“I also heard complaints about the music being horrible.”
“The music sounded a bit childish, but that added to it.”
“The character victory music is not very memorable and feels repetitive.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, rated 10/10, primarily due to its extensive content to unlock, including costumes, badges, and minions. While the adventure mode is somewhat limited, the multiplayer experience offers significant replay value, with diverse characters and strategies to explore, making it particularly enjoyable with friends.
“In conclusion, if you're still on the fence about this game, let me put your mind at ease and tell you that this game delivers. It is fun to play, especially with other players; the more, the better. You will probably spend a lot of time on this game both online and offline, and its replay value is extremely high.”
“Replayability 10/10: there is tons of content to unlock, from costumes and badges to minions.”
“Replay value: there's an arcade mode with a story, and each character rivals another.”
“Each character has a wide variety of moves and tactics to learn. Adventure mode is slightly lacking, but that’s not a bad thing; it just doesn't add to replay value, which is mostly in the multiplayer mode.”
“In conclusion, if you're still on the fence about this game, let me put your mind at ease and tell you that this game delivers. It is fun to play, especially with other players; the more, the better. You will probably spend a lot of time on this game online and offline, but its replay value is extremely high.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is generally considered hilarious and enjoyable, especially when played with friends or online, despite some criticisms regarding the voice acting and cumbersome mechanics. While the character stories are amusing, the use of still frames detracts from their potential, and the items and sound effects could be improved to enhance the humor further. Overall, players find the humor to be a strong point, even if it has some shortcomings.
“The game is hilarious and fun to play with friends or online.”
“The stories that go with the characters are pretty funny.”
“Otherwise, you will find it funny.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance, with no significant frame rate issues reported in both local and online multiplayer modes. Players appreciate the stable connections and lag-free experience, although some note a lack of customization options for offline play.
“I was afraid to run into frame rate issues, but thankfully, this isn't the case.”
“Both local and online, the multiplayer section is flawless; connections are easily established and maintain a lag-free performance.”
“There's a lack of customizables for offline versus, but it runs smoothly.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on the historical context of the character Polygon Man and his intended role as a mascot for the original PlayStation.
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The provided text does not address the emotional aspect of the game, focusing instead on technical features related to connectivity and multiplayer options. Therefore, it lacks relevant insights into the emotional experience of the game.
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development is praised for its excellent design, effectively maintaining fidelity to their original series, which enhances the overall narrative and player connection.
“Great character design that remains true to their respective series.”
“The depth of character development is impressive, making each character feel unique and relatable.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, showcasing their growth and struggles.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment and pacing of the experience.
“Grinding against opponents feels tedious and repetitive.”
“The grinding mechanics make the game feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
“I find the grinding aspect to be overly time-consuming and lacking in excitement.”
Critic Reviews
PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Review
PlayStation All-Stars is a deeply engaging fighter and love letter to PlayStation fans that ultimately triumphs over shallow single-player content and a few design quirks.
90%PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Review
Battle Royale tries to be a lot of things at once- wacky and hardcore, cute and violent, complex and accessible. In the end, it ends up being just mediocre.
55%PlayStation All-Stars Review
"All-Stars is decent at home on the PS3, but it's better suited for the PS Vita handheld. The good news is, you get two for the price of one."
60%