In the ever-expanding landscape of online gaming, two titles come to mind based on similarities, each vying for a chunk of gamers looking to indulge in the hero-based shooter genre.Marvel RivalsandGigantic Rampage Editionshare striking similarities, but their divergent paths could spell a decisive outcome. Let’s delve into their features, player base, and potential impact.
Team-Based Gameplay: Both games thrive on team dynamics. Whether you’re coordinating with fellow Marvel heroes or battling alongside Gigantic’s diverse cast, teamwork is essential.
Battlefields: Marvel Rivals features dynamic "ever-changing" environments, and Gigantic Rampage Edition has more whimsical environments. From iconic Marvel worlds to fantastical stages in Gigantic, players must adapt for victory.
Unique Abilities: Heroes in both games possess distinct abilities.
The Crucial Differences
Brand Recognition
Marvel Rivals wields the mighty Mjolnir of brand recognition. The Marvel universe is a cultural juggernaut, drawing fans from comics, movies, and TV shows. Gigantic, while enjoyed by its community, lacks the same global recognition. Marvel will have higher expectations.
Price Model
Marvel’s decision to go free-to-play mirrors Gigantic’s original approach. By removing the paywall, Marvel Rivals opens its doors wider, potentially attracting a larger player base. Gigantic, despite its revival, must contend with this competitive pricing strategy. On the bright side, Gigantic Rampage Edition has no microtransactions.
The Verdict
While Gigantic has a player base, complaints are still there when it comes to wait times. This brings up concerns about how long the player base will last. Marvel Rivals could be the proverbial Thanos snap that tips the scales, but will it have what it takes to survive? It appears to have accessibility, synergy-rich gameplay, and Marvel rep makes it a formidable contender. Will Gigantic Rampage Edition, withstand this superhero onslaught? To be determined.
So, I had quite the adventure getting Gigantic installed and not... running. First, I had to deal with missing DLL warnings, that I resolved by uninstalling and reinstall the game.
Then, I had to jump onto the Arc platform and create a new account because you can't justt play the game from Steam. But finally, I can say with certainty... if you owned the original version, you have to buy Gigantic Rampage Edition if you want back in.
I kinda get why they did it - they want to bring in new sales and stuff. and I respect that. However, I think it's a missed opportunity to grow the player base. They could have given Rampage Edition owners access to exclusive stages that the original owners can't play. This would have increased the incentive to buy, while giving Rampage Edition owners access to other players.
I mean, let's be real here: we don't know who's willing to return. So, opening up the opportunity to play with Rampage Edition owners would have been a really cool way to reignite interest in the game. But, hindsight is 20/20, and... it is what it is.
I thoroughly enjoyed Gigantic for the most part back in it's free-to-play days, and could totally understand why it was an award winning MOBA. It sealed the deal for "Best MOBA" back at GAMESCOM 2016! What made it even better is that it didn't require a lot of oomph from your PC to enjoy, and I even found myself playing it on a laptop with decent specs after a certain shipping company lost my gaming laptop and it had to be replaced (long story). Anyway, it doesn't hurt for it to be back in paid form... but I do have my reservations.
A number of you can pull up Gigantic right now (if you owned the game) and see that there's a notice tucked in there that reads: At the request of the publisher, Gigantic is unlisted on the Steam store and will not appear in search.
What's stopping that from happening with the paid version? I get that there was a developer and publisher swap from Motiga Inc. & Perfect World Entertainment... to Abstraction Games & Gearbox Publishing, but will the old door be accessible to previous players who dropped coin to support it initially or will we be expected to enter the game through a new paygate with fingers crossed that it will remain up and running this time around? I get it, new ownership... but the paranoia's real folks.
To potentially answer my own question (to a certan degree) with an answer from Gearbox:
Gigantic: Rampage Edition is developed by Abstraction Games, keeping the core of what made Gigantic special, while adding exciting new features. - Gigantic FAQ
This likely means that the build recycled a number of assets we're familiar with and possibly polished them up through a new engine of sorts... without the need to fully program everything (since the source code was already there). So it may look the same, but it may be a better looking clone. Plus the system requirements have been bumped up... which certainly indicates a change. I remain optimistic until launch because of what's listed in the original's system requirements.
Previous System Requirements
MINIMUM:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS *: Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10 (64-bit)
Processor: 2.6Ghz processor
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Graphics: GeForce GTX 580, DirectX 11.1-compatible video card (Nvidia or AMD only)
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 10 GB available space
Additional Notes: 6 GB RAM requirement refers to usable memory only
RECOMMENDED:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions. Why would this be listed if previous owners no longer have access? Are we back on?! Stay tuned!
Current System Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 10 x64
Processor: Intel Core i3-4160 (2 * 3600) or equivalent/AMD Athlon X4 860K (4 * 3700) or equivalent
I'm happy to see that it's back, and the least they can do with the hero shooter is allow gamers to take it under our wing if Gearbox ever gets the urge to walk away. Anyway, this crossplatform 5v5 MOBA... drops April 9th (2024) for $19.99, snag it for 20% Off while the get'ns good! You might find me representing out there with Grandma Griselma.
GO GIGANTIC! THE UNIQUE MOBA HERO SHOOTER RETURNS!
GIGANTIC: RAMPAGE EDITIONis a premium and definitive release of the original 5v5 MOBA Hero Shooter, GIGANTIC , that provides a dynamic and exciting team-based multiplayer experience for fans of both genres. Choose from a diverse roster of unique heroes, each with a set of upgradeable abilities, and team up with four other players to control objectives and take down the opposing team’s mighty Guardian, all while protecting your own. GIGANTIC: RAMPAGE EDITIONincludes a new game mode, cross platform play, new heroes, new maps, and gameplay improvements that give fans a bigger and more complete GIGANTIC experience than ever before, while welcoming new players to the action and fun-filled world of a Hero Shooter.
FEATURES: EVERYTHING FROM THE ORIGINAL GIGANTIC AND MORE!
EXCITING ROSTER OF HEROES - 23 returning heroes and new heroes to select from, all with a unique set of offensive and defensive capabilities, including their own ultimate abilities. Choose a hero, join a team and go against another team in 5v5 battles to see who will win it all!
NEW HEROES:
ROLAND - A world-hardened man, who lost his arm, but gained unparalleled reach.
KAJIR - A fast reflexed feline who has a taste for fighting in the alley and streets.
EXPANSIVE AND INTRICATE MAPS – Set in a vibrant fun-filled world, prepare to jump into and blast your way across expansive battlefields with creatures, such as massive Guardians, to aid you in battle!
NEW MAPS:
PICARO BAY - A breezy seaside map with verticality, narrow alleyways, and a pirate ship for waging fast paced clashes.
HEAVEN’S WARD – A heavily industrialized district that showcases an old power plant, warehouses, and factories with many nooks and crannies for players to have a blast in.
CUSTOMIZATION AND HERO PROGRESSION – Make your favorite GIGANTIC hero your own! Build and customize individual hero loadouts that match your playstyle, unlock and choose from a variety of hero and weapon skins, including new skins not from the original game, and unlock additional content for your hero as you progress!
GAME MODES:
RUSH – A new game mode that is more accessible, fast-paced and action-packed for all players bringing a streamlined GIGANTIC experience that lets players jump in and get into the action with ease.
CLASH – The original game mode players from the classic version of GIGANTIC is back, bringing a deeply strategic and thrilling team-based experience for more epic matches.
CUSTOM – Create your own exciting matches where you can pick a map, compete against friends to refine your skills on the battlefield, and also spectate.
CROSS PLATFORM PLAY BETWEEN CONSOLES AND PC Team up and jump into epic matches with friends across multiple platforms.
FREE POST LAUNCH CONTENT: Following the launch of RAMPAGE EDITION, a Ranked Mode and new hero skins will be released for free via updates.
Support us via the links below!
By the way, someone asked why we promote the Purple seat cushion so much. The reason being is that there are a number of adult gamers and some underage gamers dealing with back issues. There are gamers who would love to game on PC, but... it's literally a pain for them to sit in a PC chair compared to their couch. It could be pain from a car accident, a workplace injury, or something else that occurred off the clock. While we do recommend getting up to stretch and even partiking in exercise... this helps. The Cushion Designed for Gaming!
Before playing this game, I made an unfair assumption. I didn't really see the value in it because all I saw was head to head matches using zombies to our advantage and that's it. Even if it was an assumption, it turned out to be a pretty safe one... unfortunately.
Dead Alliance puts you smack dab into FPS action crawling with zombies, and you're able to hit your enemies with zombie-attracting goo... to send the zombies their way in your fight for victory. That's not horrible... but... (facepalm) that's pretty much it and it's not done in dramatic fashion... they're just there. If Dead Alliance were a mode in a full-fledged game... then that might be a different story.
Picture this: At the end of the main game they found out how to use the extracted goo they found to control the zombies. Then that would link and justify a Dead Alliance mode. (SDGT Concepts at your service, we can help you round out your games for maximum appreciation. Anyway... back to the review.)
You have different modes of the usual... for this zombified multiplayer FPS:
King of the Hill, Capture and Hold, Team Death Match, Free for All, Capture the Flag and Attrition with 6 maps (Port of Los Angeles, Presidio, Pier 70, Waste Water Plant, Seascape, and Attrition).
They're okay maps, but I am still underwhelmed by the overall package. It's nothing that feels exactly... fresh (and movement feels a bit stiff compared to other shooters) which could've at least lent to the value of this title. You can't even lay on the ground if desired. The biggest problem with this game is the price and the DLC.
This multiplayer experience is $24.99 without the DLC (the same DLC I'm about to go out of orbit on in a few seconds). There are games with more depth than this for $19.99. Unless someone is just crazy about the development team and want to support (because they know something I don't know), or they buy anything zombie related, or a team of kittens made this... or someone made it using only their brain connected to some sort of robot... it's not really going to wow the crowd. To be fair... every single game won't wow, some are even sleeper hits even... but I think the team went wrong in thinking it's all about the multiplayer with zombies. It can be fun, and I didn't mind running around for a few matches in this game... but it just doesn't have enough there for me to rack up some serious playtime.
It totally could have been done in a way to deliver the goods, especially to capture that Zombie-MOBA feel they advertise... but the tools need to be there for players to utilize in an assortment of different ways on the battlefield. Upgraded maps wouldn't have been a bad thing either, but lets just into this DLC.
The so-called Full Game Upgrade makes me think of the full version of the game, and since the multiplayer is what we experience in the base game (which is more like a mode... at this time) I thought it was a single player experience. You'd also be wrong if you simply purchased this DLC by reading the title... because you're not facing in-game single-player missions that allow you to experience some sort of story with a team/military unit... in this world of zombies. For the absurd price of $19.99, you're getting an offline mode of the online multiplayer. An... OFFLINE MODE (say that slow 3 times, then rinse and repeat)! WTF?!
HELL to the NO, no, no... and (yep you guessed it) no! Enough of this, seriously. I don't like doing reviews where I really have to lay into developers, but I have to in this case because it's insulting. Modes (just like we warned about other games) should not be presented as full games, especially with a bad price tag. That doesn't work and... it wastes the resources put into the development.
Step back and think about what a full game is, then update this DLC. It's better than leaving it in a position of facing less sells and scrutiny regarding future releases. At least a cooperative experience to enjoy a survival horror story would increase the justification of the purchase. What could help, is to simply add the DLC to the main game instead of trying to get an extra $19.99 for an offline experience and just charge $20 for the entire package. Any DLC in the future should be worth the purchase and could/should be story content for the most part.
Currently getting the game and the DLC will cost you $39.99... which isn't that far off from games priced a little higher and... most likely containing more content.
A plus I will give the game (yes... I'm giving it a plus):
Regarding the score, one thing I give this game an extra "Fun factor" and "Replay value" point for is the fact that it has LAN capabilities. The ability to get together with friends via laptops... that may be in a location without internet to play online, is something I give the team props for. It may not seem like a big deal, but you have to put yourself in the shoes of someone without internet connection... or really crappy internet connection. I want every gamer to have access to some sort of gaming experience.
Overall, it's not the worse gaming experience in the world, but its nothing I'd recommend.
Fun factor: 3 Visually: 4 Replay value: 3 Price: 1
