The Steam hit MultiVersus is the best fighting game in a long time because it’s made for old folks like me

MultiVersus is going through the roof on Steam right now, and it’s not even fully released yet. Tens of thousands are already playing the beta, including MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus. But what actually makes the game so good? The secret is: gameplay.

I’m 29 and yes that makes me old. Because whether you like it or not: our apex has been crossed, in e-sports we can only play with the old men and the reaction time is hardly enough for a competition in Call of Duty and Co. The younger ones rule here.

But I also notice from my preferences that I’m just a different generation of gamers. While I play and work with a lot of survival games and action RPGs, I love strategy games, point-and-click adventures, story-driven role-playing games, and beat-’em-ups.

Unfortunately, hardly anything of all this appears in the same quantity and quality as, for example, shooters and mobile games. Aside from Street Fighter, Tekken and Mortal Kombat, you have to dig deep into the indie box for a good brawler.

Until now. Until MultiVersus.

MultiVersus really does everything right that a beat-em-up has to bring. It has just the right mix of nostalgia, humor and gameplay that tells me I’m a game for your generation. i am a game for you

Here is the gameplay trailer for the new brawl game:

Back to childhood without having to feel old

I belong to what is probably a fairly large number of gamers who grew up with Super Smash Bros. Above all, I’ve certainly played the Gamecube part Melee for thousands of hours.

MultiVersus plays almost exactly the same. Each playable character has normal and special attacks and a special move set. Enemies take damage and need to be knocked off the stage instead of just tipping over at some point.

The choice of heroes is a sweeping swipe of cartoons from my childhood. Bugs Bunny, Taz, Tom & Jerry, Batman… all the Warner Bros. heroes I’ve watched on Saturday mornings are represented.

The younger characters also come from series that would be classified as “adult”: Arya Stark from Game of Thrones, Finn and Jake from Adventure Time or Rick & Morty, which are yet to appear.

However, the setting is not the only thing that appeals to me as an “old” gamer. MultiVersus’ gameplay is actually what keeps me coming back for more than Tekken or Soul Calibur – my favorites in the genre so far.

But not too old? I finally have another chance!

Of course, I still enjoy playing Street Fighter, Tekken, and Mortal Kombat, and I don’t shy away from really big challenges like BlazBlue.

However, I don’t do much more than play the arcade from time to time or bicker with buddies. I don’t see any country competitively at all, younger players or those with many years of practice just wipe the floor with me.

MultiVersus is different. It hardly ever happens that you have absolutely no chance, for example because the opponent has won the game with an endless combo after the first 7 frames.

Attacks need to be planned a little better and cannot be chained endlessly. Specifically, this means: after an attack sequence, the character usually needs a few frames to recover. Time for the enemy to react, collect briefly, or launch a counterattack.

Of course, there is still a certain requirement. For example, with the various heroes you have to know when exactly they have such a break and when you can react, in which direction you should dodge or from where you should never approach them.

Of course, there are also one or two heroes who are just too strong:

MOBA elements make MultiVersus better than any other brawling game out there today

The great thing about MultiVersus is that each character not only plays differently, but also has a class and special traits. Supporters or tanks, for example, are particularly strong in a team. Assassins hit hard, but also fly out quickly.

These classes are reminiscent of MOBAs like LoL or role-playing games and also offer a place for more defensive players. There are also status effects such as burning or freezing, which tanks or supporters can use to KO their attackers.

This makes the special 2-on-2 mode a dynamic experience that you don’t see in modern brawlers like Street Fighter.

There are combinations of heroes that are unexpectedly strong and can surprise opponents. 2 Pros won $10,000 playing totally off-meta characters – almost unimaginable in other beat ’em ups.

But you can also benefit from something like this solo. Since each match is actually a “best-of-3”, you can react dynamically to your opponent and try to counter him. Even in the casual game, a certain spirit of competition is retained.

Steam players agree with me: beating up childhood heroes is great!

By the way, I’m not alone in my opinion. On Steam, MultiVersus has a “very positive” rating of 89% from a whopping 55,686 reviews (as of August 8th, via Steam). Many are like me, who simply celebrate brawling with heroes from their childhood.

For example, you’ll read things like, “I beat the shit out of Superman as Tom & Jerry. 10/10,” and similar praise. If you’ve played Smash Bros., you’ll get into the game quickly, and since it’s a Free2Play game, anyone can just check it out.

MultiVersus not only plays with the cartoons and heroes, but also with the childhood gameplay of many “old” gamers like me. At the same time, it’s not so demanding that you’re just hopelessly pulled off by the younger clientele.

As a veteran of the Smash Bros. era, who also liked to play really demanding brawl games in his heyday, I can only recommend MultiVersus to anyone who doesn’t want to feel old playing modern games.

And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get out Harley’s baseball bat and go beat up Batman.