Atlas Reactor MMORPG

Atlas Reactor

MMO Genre: Turn Based Strategy
Platform Availability: Windows
Developed By: Trion Worlds

Atlas Reactor is a unique style of multiplayer turn based strategy where players choose from a cast of interesting characters in this team PVP based free to play MMO and go head to head to battle across a variety of futuristic maps in this sci-fi themed setting. The game has the elements of a traditional turn based game, however players take make their actions simultaneously with everyone performing at the same time; it is a rock-paper-scissors style battle, but not knowing if the scissors are going to be there when your rock comes smashing down.

There are a variety of characters to choose from in the game, the characters themselves being the main foundations of what the game has been built around; from the charming smuggler Lockwood with his keen eye and quick draw, Zuki the engineer who loves bombs and big explosions, Pup the autonomous doggie robot that is little but has a huge personality and a bite that is worse than his bark. Each of these characters has a detailed background and their own lore where they are the most wanted Freelancers in Atlas City, in a futuristic megacity that with its stylized look of both the world and characters really gives the game a lot of personality that is instantly identifiable from other games.

With the unique simultaneous turns essentially players do not know if the action they are about to take is already being countered by the enemy, or if when you take your shot the enemy will even be there at all! Whilst the player is determining what they are doing, the target is also making their choice and trying to second guess what their opponent is doing as well; whether to counter, be evasive and dodge, or stand their ground and try to outshoot the target. This is primarily done with three types of phase: Blast, Preparation or. Players get to move their character initially using the right mouse click to choose where they wish to move to, or setting waypoints to move around obstacles, and then hit space bar to lock in their action as they enter the phases.

Blast Phase is when most of the attacks happen, but most importantly this is resolved before Movement, so when targeting an enemy in the Blast phase, they won’t simply be able to use their standard movement to dodge it. Similarly the player will only move after they have made their attack, by choosing their action in the Blast Phase and then choosing where they wish to move, once locked in and the turn is active the player will shoot then move. The Dash Phase is resolved before the Blast Phase, this allows players to use move/dodge abilities to get out of a position where the enemy will be attacking in order to avoid taking damage; due to this players sometimes have to pre-empt where a target may be moving to, if the attackers didn’t predict this, they will simply fire where they thought the character would be even after they have evaded. Prep Phase resolves before any other actions, it is ideal for putting down traps and using abilities to protect allies.

Each character has their own unique abilities that define how they can and should be used in matches, from melee to ranged attacks, traps, boosts, heals and even trick shots. When using an ability an AOE reticule appears to show what area the ability covers and, in the case of attacking enemies, highlighting enemies that will be hit. The game uses cover mechanics allowing characters to hide behind walls, or even take cover behind low walls and objects to receive only half damage from an attack; trick shots in particular allow players to actually bounce shots off the environment to hit their seemingly hidden opponents. Abilities will always trigger, no matter what happens and even if an attack will kill a target, as the turns are simultaneous they still get to perform their action and will make their own attack before dying. Finally each character also has access to their own Ultimate, when they have accrued enough energy by using their primary four abilities, they charge up their Ultimate to have a great impact on the battle.