Some people might say this game has a ‘retro’ look to it. I just think its ugly. I also think you should go and play it, because its one of the most unique multiplayer arena shooters you’ll find.
I wasn’t expecting a lot from Laser Battler Online (LBO). The art screams “prototype” at you. You play as a circle, against different colored circles, on a pixelly background. There’s a few walls in the arena, and your goal is to kill the other players.
But wait! Your primary weapon is a laser. Not a lasergun like you might see in a scifi movie, but a more scientifically accurate laser. Its a beam that shoots in a straight line and reflects off certain angled surfaces. It has a long recharge time, but its deadly.
This brings a huge amount of strategy to the game. You can’t rush into the fray all guns blazing, partly because you don’t have any guns, but mostly because a more cunning opponent will wait for you to wander into his line of sight, then burn you to a crisp.
Of course, this isn’t the first game where hiding behind cover benefits your attack. The difference is in those angled walls the laser will reflect from. Simply putting a wall between you and the enemy isn’t enough if they can still angle their beam to reach you. And of course, you can’t shoot past your cover either, so being able to line up your own shots is essential.
If that didn’t make things tactical enough already, you can pick two ‘subweapons’ to take to battle with you. The default is a short range bomb, along with the jump ability, which allows you to hop over walls. Use of these is very limited, but timed well they can make all the difference.
With up to 6 players per game (either team deathmatch or free for all) the action is a strange mix between fast paced and careful strategising. The tension is constantly high, in a way that most shooters can’t manage, and in team based matches you’ll find it essential to work together.
With better graphics and perhaps slightly faster movement speed this might have been a standout multiplayer game. Instead, its a game that’s difficult to recommend, despite how solid the core gameplay is. Try it anyway, just because its so different from most shooters.
Please note: although the screenshot is from single player practice mode, this review is based on games against human opponents.
| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Gameplay |   |
| There isn't much else like this. The gameplay has tons of depth once you understand the differences from a regular multiplayer shooter. | |
| Sound |  |
| There's no music, and minimal sound effects. | |
| Graphics | |
| See that screenshot? That's the best quality the game has to offer. | |
| Replayability | |
| If you enojy the game, there's plenty of reasons to keep playing, including the ability to customise your loadout. | |
| Game Length | |
| Rounds tend to be drawn out, yet oddly intense. | |
| Multiplayer Weighting | |
| The game is best in team deathmatch mode. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| As far as shooters go, its hard to convince people to try something different. With more engaging graphics, this game might have managed it. | |
