The many shades of future range from dystopian to post-apocalyptic, but one thing we know for sure is that there won’t be a shortage of futuristic sports for the demanding masses. Omega Strikers is Odyssey Interactive’s take, not skimping on the brutality but making it friendlier than in other games such as Speedball 2, thanks to the anime characters and moves – it’s the Oliver and Benji of foot brawlers, a feast of special abilities and clashes where the core is often ignored in favor of a good old scuffle. It’s also free-to-play, so there’s nothing preventing you from giving it a shot.

Anime to the Core

Developer Odyssey Interactive is comprised of former staff from Riot Games, something that is telling of their ability to create a varied and appealing roster. The athletes in this game are called Strikers and the selection is infinitely catchy, with an art style that would fit perfectly in League of Legends, if we ignore the universe differences. It’s very colorful, most Strikers ooze personality and come with some extensive personal lore to sink your teeth into, but ultimately your choice will be based on their abilities and who you deem more suited to your playstyle.

With 15 Strikers in total, this eclectic bunch includes a shy witch, a virtual assistant gone rogue, a cute green alien, a gigantic bear-like creature, and more, offering a diverse range of weaponry, from swords to rifles, rockets, chains, or magical spells. The base kits can be quite unique and getting to learn each one to the core is a challenge that may take a while, but it surely is a rewarding one.

Only a few Strikers are available at the beginning, but you can purchase more from the store with in-game currency that you earn as you play. Thankfully, Omega Strikers is as fair as free-to-play games can possibly be, allowing you to get them without reaching out to your wallet, and avoiding any sort of potential paywall that could make players outraged. On the other hand, cosmetics such as skins, emotes, and effects ask for two other types of currency, being entirely optional but the expected way to support development, along with the traditional battle pass.

A 3v3 foot brawler at heart, Omega Strikers is a game about knocking the core – a futuristic and larger than life hockey puck – into the opponent’s goal through any means possible. The normal strike will knock it around the arena, but each Striker has several unique abilities that may be used to move the core, attack the rivals, or provide some welcomed buffs to teammates. There is no referee in sight, so any strategies are welcome, even pushing your opponents out of the arena to keep them away from the match for a few valuable seconds.

Despite the apparent simplicity, Omega Strikers does have quite a few mechanics at work. The very character kits can make for some interesting showdowns, but other things such as goal barriers, staggered enemies, knockback resistance, and goal arc buffs are just some examples of factors that come into play.

A typical match runs for a few minutes, guaranteeing brief fixtures that don’t overstay their welcome. There’s overtime if no one scores for a while, something that is possible as everyone gets a little bit too excited about trying their abilities on each other’s anime faces. Or you may want to pay close attention to a Striker you have been looking forward to unlocking, hoping to execute the same moves as you see your teammate or opponent doing.

Brawl Hockey

The first impression may not be a flawless one, as your character movement seems to be on the slow side. It does take a bit of practice to get into the gist of it, but in a matter of minutes you will be accustomed to the pace of the game and start exploring everything it has to offer. Aiming shots isn’t as intuitive as expected, so you should expect plenty of rebounds and accidental goals to happen.

A cliché it may be, but the “easy to learn, hard to master” motto fits nicely here. You may play the game just for fun every now and then, but it’s easy to see it becoming a go-to sports for die-hard players who will dig deep into every variable of it, especially considering that Omega Strikers is extremely open to teamwork and is only as chaotic as the players want it to be. The various arena hazards spice up the matches, and you will have to go in with friends or hope you are matched with players of a similar level.

Omega Strikers is a fun mix of air hockey and brawler that doesn’t reinvent the wheel, as anyone familiar with classics such as Speedball 2 or Brutal Sports Football would tell you. But it is an accomplished and engaging take on futuristic sports that will provide you with many hours of entertainment, for as long as the player base stays healthy. Being free-to-play and without the burden of strict paywalls, nothing is preventing you from heading into the arena and show that lovable goofball Dubu who’s the new kid on the arena.

Score: 8/10

Pros

• Casual fun but also competitive
• Easy to learn, hard to master
• Colorful and diverse roster

Cons

• Seems somewhat slow-paced at first
• Matches can be often chaotic

Omega Strikers review code was provided by the publisher. You can read MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.