LawBreakers Review: Put ‘Em In The Sky

Fans of Gears of War or even Bulletstorm can tell you in a heartbeat exactly who is Ciff Bleszinski. The mastermind behind Gears of War, wanting to part ways from the Horde in order to build something new, creative and innovative has done just that with Boss Key Productions.

Lawbreakers is a first-person, team-based shooter with a lot to offer. Right out of the gate players may see LawBreakers as a semi-clone of OverWatch; and to a point it’s true, but it only leans on concept. In a way like Fortnite, LawBreakers was originally set out to release as a Free-To-Play game until a year ago, deciding to take the game to the next level and bring it to console, to the players.

There are 5 gaming modes to choose from that offers new ways to play conventional play. Overchage is a mode similar to capture the flag with a twist; not only do you need to bring a battery to your base, it must stay there long enough to score. There’s Turf War (Domination) where your team attempts to hold down three separate zones. Occupy has to gain control of various points on the map. Uplink requires you to download data by grabbing a satellite and returning it to home base (with the team scoring the most wins).

BlitzBall is another interested mode (think of Halo’s Griffball) where your team is required to take the “EURO” ball inside the enemy base to score. OCCUPY

Gravity can be to your advantage, but most times didn’t feel like it. That’s not all bad though; the way maps are structured allows you to at times create your own, unique vantage points. However there are also areas in the arena that will result in a crash and burn, leaving you out to die. Luckily, there are a few

Gameplay is solid and the graphics are visually stunning. I loved the details in each character as well as the available skins you can unlock. When I say Lawbreakers delivers great detail, it’s truly not an understatement.

Truthfully, LawBreakers will take a bit getting used to and adjusting. Personally, I almost gave up on the gravity-based simply because it didn’t initially do enough to keep me intrigued. After a few hours and game modes later, plus seeking the best class and strategy around each map, it became a better.

After each session you are ranked it multiple forms: Account Level and Average Score. Account level is your XP progression which also allows unique upgrades. Average score is a breakdown of how good of a player you are, ranking from D to S+; something highly viewed when considering eSports.

There are 18 characters to choose from listed as the Law and the Breakers, you see where the title comes from now. Of the 18 characters, there are 9 individual classes to choose from making a well-balanced team a necessity.  Expect plenty of unique faces in-session as there is so many upgradable and unlockable skins and costumes, some of which are included in the Deadzo Edition.

Unlocking items as aforementioned is done by leveling up in XP. Similar to Overwatch, every time you level up you’d earn a loot crate. In LawBreakers they are labeled as Stash Drops. Also, If you’re looking for a faster way to unlock new weapons and skins you can do like by purchasing them. This is one thing I truly dislike in OverWatch, I’m not a fan of making transactions only to not receive the skin or items I’m wanting.

Only complaint I could make is the amount of time it took to get into some game sessions and how long some sessions took to complete. After a few times waiting for sessions to end or wanting to quite for simply taking too long made me ready to rage quit, aside from the gravity system.