Over the past week, we had the opportunity to check out Cartoon Network’s FusionFall Heroes, a new game that will be released on Monday, March 25th. Fans of Cartoon Network series will find a lot to like about FFH as they will have the ability to play as any one of a number of familiar characters including Finn, Four Arms, Dexter, Mordecai and Gumball.
What is FusionFall Heroes?
FusionFall Heroes is an online game that allows players to take on hosts of robots and other bad guys as either a single player or in groups of four. As each map opens, players are presented with four rounds of fast-paced mayhem as the battle rages to clear the map. During the fight, there are power ups and healing chests that can be found that will help players ultimately win.
){kind=logo}
If players are knocked out, they are quickly revived to get back to work and, once a round is complete, the next begins almost immediately. Each battle ends with a boss fight and then a comparison of stats if players were working cooperatively.
During my time in the game, we were able to play on five different maps, each one themed around one of Cartoon Network’s cartoon series. Bad guys ranged from robots to slug-like things and more. There were a ton of monsters to work through on each map, some lesser trash mobs and some tougher ones on the way to Round 4 and the boss battle.
Characters
As said, players can take part in the fight as one of several characters such as Dexter, Mordecai, Bubblegum, Four Arms and Finn. Each character, however, also has several different iterations with different attacks and bonuses. Finn and Four Arms are close up melee specialists, with Bubblegum, Dexter and Mordecai taking on more ranged duties. Each has a ‘normal’ attack and one super attack that builds up over time.
New character versions can be purchased in the game store. They come in the form of eggs which pretty much hatch instantly. Some versions are very rare though the chances for getting one increases depending on which ‘egg’ you purchase. The more you spend, the more likely you are to get one of the rare or ultra-rare character iterations.
)
The Story
Here’s the official word on the story behind FusionFall Heroes:
When Planet Fusion attacked the Cartoon Network universe, a legion of kids rose up to help defend the world. But what were your favorite Cartoon Network characters up to? It turns out they decided to fight the fusion monsters right at their source! When they weren't busy helping the resistance, Cartoon Network's greatest heroes formed small, co-op fireteams to assault the fusion spawning grounds. If they succeeded in their missions, they would strike a huge blow against Lord Fuse and his army of evil minions. Empowered by the rare element Dextronium, the heroes aim to destroy these monsters and take back their planet.
As you can see, the story of FusionFall Heroes is loosely connected to the original FusionFall game that came out a few years ago.
The Good
It was a lot of fun to run around with familiar characters and to smash and tumble my way across each map. There are plenty of monsters to take out, plenty of items to smash, secrets to find and more. As players familiarize themselves with the game, it becomes a challenge to try to up statistics during play to beat your teammates.
The characters look good as well though the perspective when actually fighting is an isometric over the shoulder view. Still, the models are strong and vibrant looking and kids will know exactly who’s fighting by their side.
)
The Wait & See
There were some connectivity issues with FusionFall Heroes with the browser client crashing on occasion or requiring a ‘refresh’ to bring it back. This is a relatively small issue and one that will surely be addressed over time.
Of more concern, however, is the lack of in-game text chat, even filtered. There is no way to communicate with team members which I found frustrating a few times. Again, it’s a relatively minor issue and one that is doubtless for the protection of younger players. But even the inclusion of a filtered or ‘canned’ chat would be better than nothing.
The Bottom Line
Kids familiar with Cartoon Network are naturals for the game and parents should be quite comfortable with letting them play. FusionFall Heroes is a lot of fun for the younger “MOBA initiates” of the world and they should take advantage of Monday’s launch.
)
Check the game out for yourself on Monday at FusionFall Heroes.
