Roster imbalances and flawed mechanics are abound in a fighter that never shows reverence toward the Playstation brand.
Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale cannot be analyzed without succumbing to comparison to Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers series. It simply can't. From its design to its controls to its source-material mixture, pointing fingers to the Smash Brothers series is the default reaction from the gaming circuit. But while it shares conceptual and design-based features with Nintendo's fighting game beast, Playstation All-Stars is not Super Smash Brothers. Superbot has managed to add some creative spins on the formula set into motion by Nintendo, separating it from being a "clone." However, it's those differences that tend to damage the quality of what could have been. Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale takes risks, but really: should it have?
Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale, without a doubt, shares a number of features with its most direct competitor, Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers series, like a 2D plane with character and franchise-specific movesets, but it's the differences that will really determine whether or not you will stick by it. From the 20 main characters in the roster, each one has three Super techniques. Super techniques level up as players scramble for energy orbs that appear from intense attacks; Level 1 moves are generally the weakest, but Level 3 moves are normally screen-clearing attacks that last a bit longer in their devastation. The very concept of either using a weaker Super move to take enemies out on the fly or banking your energy for a huge Level 3 is interesting, stemming from a similar system in the Modnation Racers series (another Sony franchise). There's a hint of strategy in the Super move system, but being that it's usually the only way to earn kills against opponents, it narrows the gameplay field down to a simple, but repetitive pattern: attack, Super, attack, Super, rinse, repeat.
The base gameplay follows an accessible combo system, featuring air combos, throws, special moves and more. Though it doesn't have as instant a familiarity as its competition, it would be a lie to say that it doesn't play well. Combos feel fit for competition; there's a respectable level of skill demanded from the gameplay. However, character imbalances mar an otherwise shining example of fighting game finesse. Long-range characters like Colonel Radec from Killzone have ample opportunities to attack from a distance repeatedly, some characters like Kratos have absurdly powerful Supers. These imbalances make the multiplayer less about crazy and fun bedlam and more about picking the "right" character. That being said, a good game of Playstation All-Stars will resonate with players. Gripes aside, the fighting system in Playstation All-Stars is not bad, and actually manages to tear off the label of "Smash Brothers clone" with gusto.
The roster has been a note of debate ever since it was first announced. Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale, in a nutshell, doesn't feel like a love letter to Playstation fans and the brand. While the inclusion of Parappa, Kratos, Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal, Fat Princess, Ratchet and Clank, among many others feel apropos, they never feel like they're representing Playstation. While the laundry list of who should've been in the game is lengthy and full of technical and legal limitations, only a handful of characters feel like they're representing the name. This is most evident in the third-party inclusions like Big Daddy from Bioshock (which was an Xbox 360 exclusive initially), "new" Dante from DMC: Devil May Cry, and Raiden from Metal Gear Rising. These characters play well, but feel like outsiders in an already stripped down and under-utilized Playstation brand. It would be untrue to say that Sony has no memorable characters that can instantly be associated with Playstation, but All-Stars misses a number of opportunities in making itself stand out from its immediate competition. Oh, and two different Cole characters is just ridiculous.
What Sony has definitely trumped Nintendo in is the online infrastructure. While Super Smash Brothers Brawl was a slideshow of shoddy connection speeds and limited options, Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale's online play (aside from some minor issues) is smooth and fits the competitive nature of the game's structure. Tournament season play, online profile customization and trackable stats are both sorely needed in this style of game, and All-Stars delivers. Still, the gameplay imbalances prompt a reusing of characters, so prepare to see a number of Kratos players while online.
Games that crossover multiple franchises are usually a prime opportunity for experimentation and creative melding of styles. While Super Smash Brothers did it with their massive Brawl Subspace Emissary, Playstation All-Stars has very few cutscenes with characters interacting, bland menus, and an overall deficiency in personality. The inclusion of voice quips from the many characters is very welcome, but it just doesn't feel natural as a crossover game. The stage designs are a very criminal example, as multiple franchises are blended together in a single stage. You want to see God of War's Hades surrounded by Patapon soldiers? It's there. Want to see the Uncharted 3 plane fly through Columbia from Bioshock Infinite? It's there. Clever as it is, this mish-mash of stage design feels more comical than respective, almost like Sony and Superbot wanted to poke fun at their own history instead of honor it. While some gamers might smirk at the mixing, others will find it to be unneeded.
Sony and Superbot have opened the door to making what is easily the strongest competitor to Smash Brothers ever seen in the gaming circuit. The combo system, the online play, the technical proficiency; they all shine. But a flimsy roster, questionable stage design and an overall sense of lost potential sour the end result. By far, though, the biggest issue is a lack of reverence and true fandom-laden soul to the Playstation brand. The overuse of third-party characters and new franchises make the game less about Playstation as a whole and more about what Sony has been doing for the last five years. This could've been a Playstation game, but All-Stars Battle Royale never takes that idea to heart. When it comes right down to it, Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale is a solid fighting game with a hearty community and fast, combo-driven combat. You just can't call it a Playstation game without wincing.