One such MOBA that is hoping to stake its claim on the Xbox One is SMITE, from Hi-Rez Studios. Originally released as a PC MOBA, SMITE will be making its way to Xbox One later this year, but developer Hi-Rez Studios is currently running a closed beta for the game.
Game Rant was lucky enough to gain early access to the beta and we were given the game’s Founder’s Pack, which unlocked all the playable characters in the game. Since MOBAs live and die with their heroes, this Founder’s Pack gave us a chance to try all the game has to offer.
Our first impression of SMITE is that Hi-Rez Studios has done a good job transitioning SMITE from PC to Xbox One. Doing so was likely a challenge, considering the limited options available to a console gamer versus a PC gamer. However, Hi-Rez implemented a simple and intuitive controller scheme that feels natural and features a shallow learning curve when starting out in SMITE.
In SMITE, players take on the role of mythical gods, who are fighting enemy gods in large battle arenas. Players will recognize many of the gods due to their historical significance and popularity in movies and books. These gods come from many origins, including Norse, Greek, Roman, Hindu, Chinese, Mayan, and Egyptian mythology. With dozens of gods to choose from, players have a plethora of options when selecting the character they wish to experience in battle. In fact, those players who enjoy playing as each character will need to dedicate many hours to SMITE just to experience each character once.
That being said, SMITE will only offer players a few gods at launch, however, curious SMITE players can obtain more gods by purchasing crystals, a real money currency used to unlock the different gods. Gamers can also unlock all gods by purchasing the game’s Founder’s Pack, which gives them access to all 63 of the game’s current gods, as well as all future gods. This may prove a tempting offer for those players who wish to experience many characters and plan to play SMITE on a daily basis.
For those unfamiliar with SMITE, the game offers five different game types. The first is Arena, a 5v5 all-out deathmatch where players work alongside fellow gods to decimate the opposing team. In Arena, there are no lanes or Titans (more on that in a moment), just players and minions fighting to survive and drain the other team of points.
SMITE’s next game type is Siege, which follows the traditional MOBA layout. Siege is a 4v4 arena with two lanes, where players fight to destroy enemy structures and their Titan. Once all the opposing team’s structures, or towers, are destroyed, players work together to take down the enemy’s Titan, a massive creature in the enemy base that’s much stronger and more difficult than minions or gods.
SMITE’s third beta game type is called Joust, and pits two teams of three against each other with a single lane for fighting. Teams battle to destroy the opposing towers, then their phoenix (a special creature that defends a team’s base and Titan), and finally the enemy Titan.
Next up is Assault, which offers a single lane for players to fight in, taking down enemy structures and eventually the Titan in a 5v5 format. Where Assault differs from other game modes is the game picks a random god for each player, rather than players selecting the gods themselves. This helps keep the game balanced and gives players a challenge as they work to use their given god to dispatch enemies.
The final game mode available in the SMITE beta is Conquest, a 5v5, three-lane arena where players fight against enemy towers, phoenixes, and a Titan. Conquest offers players the most ground to fight on and requires a great deal of team work for success.
Each game mode offers players a slightly different take on the MOBA structure and helps shake things up when players tire of one particular mode. It’s also very friendly to new MOBA players, while still offering a challenge to veterans of the genre.
Aside from the game modes, SMITE offers various playing options that fit perfectly with any gamer’s level of experience and playstyle. For instance, SMITE offers a training mode that helps players understand how to play and win in the game. There’s also a Co-op mode where players can take on bots with friends or alone. Finally, there’s the online multiplayer options, where players take on other players in the various battle arenas.
SMITE’s visuals are lacking, but they don’t hamper the experience for players. Granted, the game is still in beta, so the final build will likely look and feel better than it does now. However, while the graphics aren’t the most impressive, the game runs smoothly with no hiccups or framerate drops. Overall, SMITE represents a potentially strong MOBA entry for Xbox One and consoles in general.
SMITE is expected to release in 2015 for Xbox One and is currently available on PC.
