Superheroic MOBA Infinite Crisis is in better shape than it was when I played the closed beta a few months ago. It certainly wasn’t bad then, but moving, attacking, and casting spells all feel fittingly faster now. Also, since going hands-on with the newest characters on the latest map, I’ve identified five aspects of Infinite Crisis that, together, give it a more distinct feel in the ever-crowded MOBA genre. Here are the biggest takeaways you need to know:
Imagine Green Lantern is your favorite superhero. Now imagine Green Lantern is a support class, but you prefer characters who dish out damage on the frontline. Disappointing, right?
Infinite Crisis sidesteps this problem by including multiple versions of some of its heroes, with plenty more on the way. To run with the Green Lantern example, one (Arcane Green Lantern) is indeed more support focused, while the original can provide respectable ranged damage. The different versions are not simple costume swaps, but different heroes entirely with their own styles of play.
New, playable characters will be released every three weeks, and new outfits will be available weekly. Though the developers don’t have a completely free license to make whatever they want, it seems they’re already having plenty of fun with their freedom. One of the outfits I saw was “First Date Doomsday,” complete with shades, a suit coat, and a bouquet of roses.
Tuning the balance between all playable characters is hugely important in a competitive MOBA. With such a fast-paced plan, I asked Turbine’s executive producer, Jeffrey Steefel, how they’d make sure the new characters aren’t imbalanced:
“We have an in-house team that plays all day long,” Steefel said. “They see all kinds of games, and they understand the current state of the balance of the game.” He added that the development team is considering player feedback as well, and will continue to do so once the open beta launches.
“Last hitting,” which refers to killing a unit by doing the last tick of damage on an enemy’s health bar, is a huge part of how most MOBAs work – especially in the early game. Skilled players who nab the last hits on their enemy’s drones are rewarded with gold. But in Infinite Crisis, if a drone dies and you didn’t get the last hit, a coin drops on the ground and you have a chance to grab it before it disappears. The dropped coins are worth less than a true last hit, though, so practicing is still in your best interest.
If you’re new to the genre and you don’t have the timing down yet, this change improves your chances of getting your hands on some gold so the match isn’t a disappointing blowout. Also, if you’re in your lane with a partner, who’s perhaps a support class, that character could run up and nab the gold instead.
In many MOBAs, you can purchase wards, place them around the battlefield, and gain vision on your minimap of the surveyed area. This task usually falls on support characters, as the core fighters often need to beef up their offensive capabilities in a more direct way. If the supports are having a bad game, however, they might only be able to purchase wards and little else in the way of equipment. It’s still useful, but it’s not the most exciting role to fill.
Wards in Infinite Crisis are handled differently. When you travel back to your base to heal, you can grab a ward from a dispenser and head right back into the fray. Even as a damage-dealer, I was able to provide vision to my team with little inconvenience. This allowed the supports to focus more on locking down enemies or keeping the team alive in combat. It’s a smart way to spread out some of the housekeeping responsibilities across the whole team.
After getting last hits and killing your enemies, you’ll have gold to spend on new and better items. In some MOBAs, getting those items can be a chore. Some require you to go back to your base. Others let you deliver items on an animal courier, which can be killed by the enemy. Infinite Crisis chose a route that, while less tactical and demanding, keeps the action fast paced: You can buy items from any one of your towers on the map.
A system like this lets you keep the pressure on your foes, or conversely, it lets you defend a tower without having to leave and come back. The result, overall, is more and bigger clashes on the frontline.
What do you think of Infinite Crisis? If you've been playing the closed beta, let us know what you think in the comments below. And remember, the open beta kicks off on March 14. Check out our Infinite Crisis Wiki for strategies, character guides, and more.
Brian is an associate editor at IGN. He's crazy about MOBAs, and you should be too! Follow him @albinoalbert on Twitter.
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