PC/Xbox One Overwatch-Esque Shooter Gigantic Out Now For Free

Remember a few years back when a lot of developers announced hero-based shooters? Overwatch was, of course, the most notable of the bunch, but there was also Battlecry from Bethesda and Gearbox's Battleborn. Gigantic was another one of those hero shooters announced at around the same time, and it finally launches today.

It's available now as a free-to-play title on Xbox One and PC. Following an update released today, there are now 19 playable heroes in the game. The latest, Ramsay, is a "heavy hitter" that wields a sword, according to a press release. Developer Motiga promises that a new character will be released each month from now on.

Although the Overwatch comparisons are clear--it's a colorful, cartoony hero shooter--Gigantic is distinguished by its third-person perspective and its low-poly art style that's somewhat similar to Team Fortress 2's art. It also looks similar to third-person MOBAs like Smite and Battleborn. In addition, matches in Gigantic consist of two teams of five battling on a single map. Each team has a Guardian, a massive creature that has its own skillset; the goal of the game is to kill the other team's Guardian. You can see the launch trailer above.

Although it's free-to-play, you can buy the $30 Ultimate Pack to access all 19 heroes and any additional heroes added in the future. You also receive skins, progression boosts, and in-game currency.

Gigantic has faced a troubled development cycle since its announcement back in 2014. Motiga had to switch publishers in 2016 following layoffs. Further, the game was originally scheduled to launch in 2015, but it was pushed back to 2016 then, finally, 2017.