The fighting game is a hallowed tradition in gaming, and 'Multiversus' looks set to carry on in the grand tradition of 'Smash Brothers'.
Warner Brothers attempt at creating a multiplayer fighting bonanza has been in beta for the last few weeks, and we were fortunate enough to test the game out for ourselves.
In a word, 'Multiversus' is primed to be one of the best multiplayer games of the year.
Even at a beta stage, the bones of the game are there, and the fundamentals of the game are diamond-cut.
There is a fluidity and chaos at the heart of 'Multiversus' that brings you back every time, and we wouldn't have it any other year.
The gist of 'Multiversus' is seeing famous figures from the Warner Brothers canon face off against each other and proceeding to take lumps out of each other ala 'Smash Brothers'.
The novelty of having Shaggy take on the Iron Giant while Ayra Stark and Batman fight on the other half of the screen is a sight to behold, and plays even better in motion.
A pretty in-depth tutorial introduces players to the mechanics of the game before you're given free reign to fight as you see fit.
You can play in local multiplayer (which comes highly recommended), against bots, or online, and in all three instances, the game is remarkably versatile.
Chaos is the name of the game in 'Multiversus' and it does this incredibly well, but the action is always legible and clean to follow.
It could have been very easy for 'Multiversus' to devolve into a free-for-all mess where you can't tell what the hell is going on, but the game does a good job of keeping you focused and on track of where your character is.
Even when big chungus characters like the Iron Giant are on screen, you can always keep track of your character which is a sign of good game design.
Even at this stage, there is a great range of accessibility options which should be commended.
From a gameplay sense, the game is already in ship shape.
The action is fast and frantic, and there's always a sense of momentum involved.
You can't just mash random buttons together and hope for the best, and there is a bit of skill involved.
The game cracks the "easy to learn, hard to master" code with aplomb, and players will be able to pull off combos with Superman in no time.
As the game is in beta stages, there are some kinks to be ironed out, with Taz's spin attack being nerfed at time of writing.
Pre-nerf, Taz was able to dominate games with his spin, but the beauty of putting the game to a public beta so close to launch means these kinds of problems can be ironed out.
'Multiversus' very closely resembles 'Smash Brothers', but in this case, this is not a bad thing.
The visual style is pretty distinct but the camera style and level staging is pretty indebted to the Nintendo outing.
In this instance, this works in its favour as players are able to get on board straight away.
It would be reductive to call 'Multiversus' a 'Smash Brothers' reskin, and is very much its own beast.
It is taking a formula we already know and applying it to a different setting with new characters.
'Multiversus' does some things differently, with a heavier emphasis on 2V2 combat.
Co-operation is the name of the game if you want to win in 'Multiversus', you have to learn the ropes of the 2v2 system.
Superman can team up with Wonder Woman to create a sucker one-two punch, or Bugs Bunny and Taz can raise hell together and inflict comedic carnage on their foes.
There is always something going on during 'Multiversus', making boredom impossible, and perhaps most crucial for a fighting game, the novelty has yet to wear off.
With the promise of more characters being added through DLC (here's hoping we can get the Roys from 'Succession' facing off against Tony and Carmela Soprano) the game looks to be a sure-fire hit.
The core gameplay loop is so brilliantly addictive and fun it can carry the game by itself, and is the sweet spot between requiring 'Street Fighter' levels of skill and 'Smash Brothers' casual fun.
'Multiversus' is tapped to be the number one party game later this year, and we can see the game resolving many pub arguments such as whether Superman can beat up Batman in a fight.
Even at the beta stage, the game looks like a prize fighter, and it could easily come for the 'Smash Brothers' crown.
