Bleeding Edge Review

It has been a while since Bleeding Edge for Xbox One and PC was announced during E3 2019. Some striking and colorful figures made their appearance on the big screen. For what reason? Some tasty games of course. After organizing a number of betas, Ninja Theory thought it was high time for a full release.

Now the fighting x MOBA game really comes to life and together with Xbox Game Pass it gets the decent attention it deserves. After having a bit of fun and thoroughly digging through every character in the Dojo, I noticed that Bleeding Edge is a laugh, especially if you have a buddy to play with. However, this is an experience that quickly loses its sharpness. Here is my Bleeding Edge review for Xbox One.

MAVERICKS WORK TOGETHER

Let me first tell you exactly what Bleeding Edge is. This is a multiplayer brawler, in which you compete against each other with teams. Don’t be fooled online, because it has very little to do with Overwatch. Bleeding Edge plays from a different perspective, with a more intense focus on teamwork and more focused on melee combat, rather than giving each character a gun. Anyway, you fight against each other with four players on each side.

For example, the intention is that each team is balanced, because you have three different roles. You have the roles of damage, support and tanks. Damage is the attackers who have to ensure that enough damage is dealt, the Support keep the teammates alive, and the tanks take as many blows as possible. Teamwork and communication is worth gold, which is certainly important in these types of games.

You can play in two different game modes in this MOBA game, which is a bit lean for a title like this by the way, but good. In any game mode you get points if you have eliminated an opponent, but it is much more important to stick to the objective. For example, you can collect points by handing in power cells. It is very important to stay together as a team to ensure that you try to play the game as objectively as possible. The maps feel good and tight.

Every corner of the playground has been neatly and thoughtfully designed. Running, jumping and fighting feels good, because the player has a smooth movement at his disposal and is given the freedom to use it across the entire map. The better you get to know the maps, the better you end up playing. So the maps are fine, but are the characters themselves interesting? For Bleeding Edge, this is a classic hit and miss scenario.

CYBERNETIC IMPERFECTION

Ninja Theory’s characters are all sleek in design. Their over the top appearance and the common theme they share makes for an interesting visual presentation. Cyberpunk meets misfits. Each character has somehow improved cybernetically, and they look quite sick as a result. However, you have to be satisfied with the basics as there aren’t many cosmetic options for your fighters at the moment.

This is unfortunate because in these types of games it is important that you get attached to your characters. I noticed in my Bleeding Edge review for Xbox One that earning items for them makes it a lot easier. You can change their hoverboard and mods though. Mods allow for small gameplay adjustments for your characters, but they never have too much of an impact. I like this decision, because the game must remain fair.

The melee combat in this MOBA game is tight, but it is difficult to focus on the battle. The camera is not always very practical and with the auto-lock system you automatically stay focused on a character, but that gets in the way more often than it helps. Not only does it make combat a bit draggy, but when there are four characters fighting around you, it’s very annoying to choose the right character to attack.

When you’re finally in the right position and fighting someone, the melee combat is entertaining. You have your basic attacks, but also special skills, combos, parries and evades. Here is Bleeding Edge at its best. However, the ranged combat is very weak. Thanks to the auto-lock system, you don’t have to aim anymore and you just keep pressing one button to keep shooting. It is extremely boring and therefore a large part of the cast is less interesting to play with.

READY FOR RELEASE?

I noticed in my Bleeding Edge review for Xbox One that there are more minor than major problems in the game. These issues are not game-breaking, but they are annoying and you would think they can easily be solved with another month or two more development time. For example, the connection is not always great, and lag is an annoying problem. Ninja Theory has already indicated that they are working on this.

There are also no Ranked playlists and no custom game options in this MOBA game. Maybe Bleeding Edge should have been in the oven just a little longer? They can address many of the issues I talked about in patches and updates, but I am currently reviewing the game that is available. Bleeding Edge needs support from Ninja Theory, for various reasons.

Yes, there are some issues that need to be fixed in this MOBA game as soon as possible, but to maintain their player base, there must also be sufficient content. You can certainly have fun with the two-game modes that are now available, but you cannot expect a long concentration arc from your audience. Especially when the competition is already so strong in the multiplayer genre.

CONCLUSION

Bleeding Edge feels like a title that takes a big advantage of the Xbox Game Pass, but I predict it won’t hold a very large audience. While the game is entertaining on several fronts, it often feels simple. The diverse cast of heroes in this MOBA game feels good to play, and the freedom you have in moving around the maps is a nice experience. The camera and auto-lock system, however, leaves much to be desired, just like how the ranged combat works.

Have you tried Ninja Theory’s Bleeding Edge on Xbox One? What do you think of my Bleeding Edge review for Xbox One? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Are you interested in more games developed by Ninja Theory? Check out our reviews for Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, Disney Infinity 3.0, and Devil May Cry.