Brawlhalla But it is Actually Really Good

Brawlhalla is a free 2D platform fighter game that has kept me attached to it for 3 years straight and can probably do the same to you. Not many people play this game, but it has many features of an extremely good game. tWhen first loading into the game you are greeted with a big play button as well as buttons for other game modes or the in-game shop. Once you press play you are given the choice of the game mode chosen to be Free-For-All, 1 vs 1, or 2 vs 2. These modes are all online, so you are able to enjoy testing your skills against real players. When you choose a game mode, you can play 1 of 54 different playable characters. Each character has their own unique combination of 2 weapons as well as design, lore, and attributes consisting of Strength, Speed, Dexterity, and Defense. There are a total of 12 weapons in Brawlhalla which are Scythe, Rocket Lance, Spear, Axe, Hammer, Katars, Orb, Blasters, Sword, Gauntlets, Bow, and Cannon. These weapons have their own distinctive characteristics like the amount of space it covers or the amount of knockback it does in the game. You can level up your legends just by playing through the matches. Whether you win or you lose, you still get the same amount of experience. When you level each up, you unlock new colors for your characters like Gray, Sunset, or Cyan. You can also unlock legend boosts for your legend’s attributes where you gain a bar of one stat, but you lose a bar of another. During a game, you attack your opponent until they are knocked offstage with no more jumps resulting in a knockout. When first spawning in, you start with 3 lives. When knocked offstage you have 4 jumps and a recovery. Now that you know the basis of Brawlhalla, here are the reasons why you should play it.

 First of all, the game is completely free to play which means that spending money on it isn’t mandatory and doesn’t lead to overall progression being obtained sooner than others. This alone already makes the game stand out against others as you can get extremely good without spending a penny. There are features you can buy with money though which include skins for legends, weapons, and you can even buy a battlepass. Items that can be bought don’t lead to any actual gameplay advantages, however.

Do you love the rush of winning? Being ranked higher than others? Flexing that you’re just better? Looks like you’re built for playing the Ranked game mode. Here, you play by yourself in 1 vs 1s or with a friend in 2 vs 2s. You’re ranked by ELO which is a number that changes constantly to keep track of your skill level. ELO starts off at a low of 1200. Every game you win from here rewards you with ELO, but losing deducts it. Now for the ranks. Tin starts from 200 - 909, Bronze goes from 910 - 1129, Silver is 1130 - 1389, 1390 - 1679 is Gold, Platinum is 1680 - 1999, and finally, 2000+ is Diamond. There is really only one main difference here when compared to normal games. People here actually try. So don’t be surprised if you’re losing a lot more matches than you’re used to. Though, when you win it can get you ecstatic and energetic. You could become so joyous that you might even flex on your opponent. But whatever argument you get into isn’t my problem. Now when you lose, you’ll probably taste a lot of salt. If you actually play you’ll understand what I mean. By the end of every season, which is roughly every 2-3 months, you are rewarded with glory based on how high your rank/ELO is. This glory reward can be used to buy the good stuff in the ranked shop. You can buy SkyForged or GoldForged (TryHard colors), weapon skins, loading frame borders, or banners. Ranked, in my opinion, is a lot more fun with a friend. 

The action mechanics in this game can’t get any more straightforward. When actually playing you can Dash, Dodge, use a Heavy Attack, use a Light Attack, and Jump. That’s literally it. Sounds easy right? Wrong. Fine, doing these things individually is easy, but how about combining them? Combinations are known as combos or strings which are usually done with light attacks. Successfully landing these can surprise the opponent even yourself when finished. These can lead to a crazy build-up in damage or even a knock out which could be a massive game-changer. Winning games helps you improve in doing these types of things, but losing does even more. When you lose, you gain knowledge of what not to do in the next round or what you have to change, or what you have to keep doing. Getting good takes time, so just be willing to put in the time, and you can destroy anyone with ease. 

Have you ever found yourself interested in a character’s background when it comes to a game or a movie? Well, this game has a backstory for every one of the 54 playable characters. I recommend Nix’s lore or Cross’s lore because those are two of the most entertaining ones to read. Nix is a demonic bounty hunter who has hunted the most terrifying creatures that have walked their worlds. Cross summoned and struck a deal with a demon in his sleep after discovering an ancient double-headed coin. After Cross’s “final fight” his demon will get eternal payment. 

Overall, this game is criminally underrated due to its simplistic gameplay mechanics, awesome graphics, and character lore. This game doesn’t get the love and appreciation that it deserves and you should help fix that. Give Brawlhalla a chance. It could be a super addictive game or you can become one of the greatest to ever play the game. If you’re still reluctant to attempt to play, just remember that you’ll never know until you try.