Game Reviews

Titan Brawl review - Is this the next big mobile MOBA?

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iOS
| Titan Brawl
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Titan Brawl review - Is this the next big mobile MOBA?
|
iOS
| Titan Brawl

One genre that has developer's scratching their heads for mobile seems to be MOBAs – every time a new one comes out, it takes a slightly different approach to its PC counterpart.

Titan Brawl, for example, tries to make the experience more portable through 3 minute matches, limited lanes, and only a handful of heroes to use.

And while this streamline approach does make the game easy to pick up and play, it also leads to a shallow, slightly repetitive experience overall.

A nice clean fight

Titan Brawl's set-up is basically a standard MOBA but heavily stripped back. You have two lanes, and instead of having direct control over your heroes, you just leave them to run down one of your lanes.

You have to build up a party of three Champions and one Titan, and these steadily become available through the match. So while you start with just one hero, by the end you'll have the whole arsenal at your disposal.

The order of the Champions is randomised at the start of each match however, and Titans always unlock last, so you'll need to adapt your strategy to each match.

Not that there is much strategy to adapt. As previously mentioned, the game essentially boils down to putting heroes into lanes. All you can really control is who goes where and at what time.

Each character has their own special ability that can turn the tide of battle, but all you need to do is wait until the Mana bar fills up and hammer the best ability you have in a lane until you win on most occasions.

Nothing below the belt

It's not a bad system, per se. While the gameplay itself might be basic, you do need to pay attention to what's going on so you don't accidentally give your enemy an advantage from your stupidity.

But compared to a "true" MOBA, it feels incredibly basic, and you'll have worked out your own personal strategy in a matter of a few matches.

The campaign is fairly straightforward to sail through, with the AI offering little to no challenge as long as you keep your heroes levelled-up, but the online battles are where the meat of the game is.

Facing against real people can be a genuine challenge, and the game handles the battles perfectly, with no lag or interruptions as you face off.

And it has to be said that the graphically speaking the game is lovely. It's bright and cheerful, and every character has their own totally unique style, so there's no danger of repetition on that end.

Seconds out

Overall, Titan Brawl is a commendable effort. It's clear the developers took a lot of time considering how a MOBA could work on mobile, and for the most part, it works.

But with such basic gameplay and little variation, it quickly becomes repetitive, and you'll have seen most of what's on offer in a matter of matches.

If you're looking for a mobile MOBA, this is definitely worth a try. But if you want something with true depth and strategy, this isn't the game for you.

Titan Brawl review - Is this the next big mobile MOBA?

It lacks the complexity and strategy of a true MOBA, but Titan Brawl makes a valiant effort of making the genre mobile-friendly
Score
Ric Cowley
Ric Cowley
Ric was somehow the Editor of Pocket Gamer, having started out as an intern in 2015. He hopes to take over the world the same way.