Helldivers 2 meets League of Legends in flashy new Steam MOBA

Although 2024 is a slightly quieter year in our virtual world – there are no Diablo 4s or Starfields – I have already played (and completed) more games in five months than last year. While League of Legends will forever remain at the top of my most-played list, Helldivers 2 remains a high second, despite my natural preference for fantasy over science fiction. It is therefore no surprise Guards stand up seems right up my alley. Combining the frantic co-op battles of Helldivers, the basic defense mechanics of League of Legends and a dash of Warcraft, we spoke to Big Moxi Games founder Damon Alberts to find out more.

Wardens Rising is described as a “mix of ARPG shooter and base defense strategy” and is characterized by colorful visuals and lots of chaos. You are tasked with defending your customizable base against waves of bloodthirsty enemies. You can dive in with up to four other teammates, or go it alone and try to take down the hordes alone.

The action is viewed from a top-down perspective like League, but it’s all PvE reminiscent of Diablo. However, Alberts tells me that Wardens is more than just a mash-up: it’s a fresh new take on multiplayer games.

“The new blend of ARPG shooting action with fast and fluid combat mechanics and basic defense strategy, delivered through an exciting build-and-fight game loop, is unlike anything on the market today,” he tells me in our exclusive interview.

“We’ve worked tirelessly to make the combat and movement in Wardens feel intuitive, fast and exciting. (We) push ourselves to deliver some of the best isometric combat action ever, while making the overall experience memorable by adding satisfying basic defense strategy elements.

Speaking of bases, these aren’t like the Nexus in League of Legends. Instead, they’re completely customizable, meaning you can create all kinds of traps to ensnare your enemies. “Before each invasion, players use resources to build defensive structures, including walls, towers, traps, teleporters and more,” Alberts explains.

“Since each Synthesis Core (the item to be defended) is added multiple times, you can upgrade and optimize it between each attack to adapt to the challenge you encounter. This can lead to some pretty impressive and elaborate setups for each map towards the end of the final invasion.

“Multiple paths on each map and escalating invasions require some strategic defense planning,” he continues. “It was important to us to ensure that the building phase is fast and intuitive, with an emphasis on the fun, action-packed combat – our vision for Wardens Rising is that it is a uniquely exciting ARPG shooter versus a more traditional base building, construction and defense game. -oriented play.”

But while the basic premise sets Wardens Rising apart from games like League of Legends, there are clear homages to a few other series. The one I saw was in the teaser trailer above – hordes of orcs pouring out of a large portal and ringing a bell?

“Absolutely, Blizzard’s Warcraft universe is one of many different sci-fi and fantasy IPs in media that inspired us in creating the Wardens Rising backstory and world,” he tells me. “We were very interested in exploring how humanity rises and fights for survival when faced with an existential threat that so often arises from rifts in reality, alternate dimensions of parallel universes.

“Looking beyond Warcraft, we’ve drawn inspiration from a wider range of influences. The epic hero team aesthetic of Guardians of the Galaxy and even the space opera elements of Star Wars certainly resonate with the Wardens story.”

We’ll be able to learn more about the overarching story during the game’s campaign missions – while not entirely linear, they drop a whole host of lore for enthusiasts to devour.

What I find more interesting is Alberts’ closing commentary, which hints that this may be the first outing of many for our merry band of misfits. “This is just the beginning for the Wardens universe. Future games will delve deeper into the lore and explore the different factions, characters and dimensions within this vast world. You heard it here first, folks. This is just the beginning of an exciting new journey.

Wardens Rising’s release date is set for Q4 2024, so yes, we’ll have to wait a little longer. However, you can add it to your wish list if this all sounds like your kind of party.

In the meantime, we have a list of the best MOBAs if you’re looking for something different. Alternatively, if you don’t want to break the bank but fancy a new adventure, we also have a round-up of the best free Steam games.

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