With games like League of Legends and DotA dominating the MOBA genre, there's little room for newcomers. Rather than taking the genre the genre giants head on, Sneaky Games' upcoming MOBA-style, turn-based multiplayer title Arena of Heroes is approaching the traditional gameplay with a twist. Arena of Heroes takes the MOBA's hero elements and arena gameplay, and drops you in two-player, head-to-head, asynchronous, turn-based strategy matches.
Before you jump into a game, you'll have to choose four heroes (from the 10 in the current lineup) and attempt to destroy the other player's base in the arena. The arena consists of the typical three lanes--containing multiple player towers to defend--that lead to the enemy base. As players take turns moving their heroes, and attack enemy units, NPC minions will spawn from their respective bases and will attempt to destroy everything on their way to the enemy towers. It is your job to fend of the attackers, defend your towers, and eliminate the competition with your heroes' unique powers and abilities.
Choosing a strong team of hero characters is essential. Each one has their own strengths, weaknesses, and upgradable skills. Some heroes are tuned for a variety of playstyles, including ranged, tanking, area-of-effect, and more. The heroes also have unique looks, with many more skins that will be available to purchase if you want to stand out from the crowd. These characters can range from dark and imposing black knights and heavenly angels to cybernetic ninjas and Terminator rabbits.
With the turn-based, asynchronous multiplayer, you can play matches against others online at any time, since the game works cross-platform with the PC and iOS. The developers are hoping that the game will be less of a direct competitor with the genre leaders, and be more of a companion game MOBA players pick up in-between League of Legends matches. Be sure to check back for more information as we get closer to the game's release on iOS, and PC this year.
Check out the following slides for additional images and more information.
Choose your heroes
Take down the enemy's power core and win the match
The Rathbone hero unleashes his Crack of Doom ability
A bird's-eye-view of one of the arenas