Atlas Reactor

by Aethyna Oct 13, 2016 | 1 Votes | 1 Played | 0 Reviews

10 rate

Genres:

Strategy , MMO

Graphics:

Labels:

Turn Based , Team-based , Team Deathmatch , Futuristic Setting , Player vs Player (PvP) , Arena

Platforms:

Publishers:

Trion Worlds Set in the futuristic world of Atlas Reactor where energy has become an incredibly valuable commodity, the powerful and immensely wealthy Trusts will do whatever it takes to gain control over the last Reactor on the planet, including splurging a ton of cash in hiring the best Freelancers to do their dirty job for them. Play Now Similar Games

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Summary Plotline Gameplay Community Graphics/ Sound Conclusion

Summary

Set in the futuristic world of Atlas Reactor where energy has become an incredibly valuable commodity, the powerful and immensely wealthy Trusts will do whatever it takes to gain control over the last Reactor on the planet, including splurging a ton of cash in hiring the best Freelancers to do their dirty job for them. Battle it out with other Freelancers via various game modes in an attempt to secure Atlas for your employers in this game’s one-of-a-kind strategy/ arena combat gameplay with simultaneous turns. Couple that with Borderlands-like graphics, customizable heroes and unique maps, it is obvious we have a game that may just revolutionize the increasingly saturated arena combat genre. So, don’t wait - Experience the uniqueness by playing Atlas Reactor now!

Plotline

Energy in the futuristic world of Atlas Reactor is a very valuable commodity; a commodity that’s rapidly becoming “extinct”. The powerful and immensely wealthy Trusts want to get their hands on the last Reactor on the planet, which is located in a cloud-piercing megacity called Atlas. Play as one of the 21 unique Freelancer who is hired to fight for or against these monolithic Trusts in this one-of-a-kind turn-based arena combat game, Atlas Reactor.

Gameplay

Within seconds of playing the game’s tutorial, the uniqueness of Atlas Reactor has already peeked its head from behind the veil. Unlike most turn-based games which use the speed of a character to determine the order in which he/she will move, this game utilizes a one-of-a-kind simultaneous turn. This means that at any turn in the game, all movements will be carried out at the same time.

“Won’t it be chaotic?” you may wonder. Well, not if this special form of combat is very well-designed and thought-out, which in the case of Atlas Reactor, its core system its combat is based on is intricately designed. To accommodate the “simultaneous turns” feature, the game separates its combat into 2 modes – the Decision and the Resolution mode. In the Decision mode, players are given 20 seconds to lock in the action they want to take while their decisions will automatically play out in the Resolution mode.

The Resolution mode, on the other hand, is split into 4 different phases, namely the Prep, Dash, Blast and Movement Phases, and these phases will be played out in order. Different abilities are used in different phases. For instance, the Prep phase allows trapping and support abilities, like buffs and shields, while the Dash phase – a.k.a. the rapid movement phase - mostly contains dodges and charges, which is best used to escape from perceived dangerous situations. The Blast phase is where all the shooting and hammering occur.

The last phase, the Movement Phase, is used mainly to move your character behind some cover after he/she has performed an action. However, if you have not taken any action in any of the previous phases, you’ll be able to move a further distance. Do take note that despite having over 4 different forms of actions, each player can only perform 1 action per turn (movement is not included) under normal circumstances. Interestingly, you can also see where your allies plan on doing on the map once they have locked it in during the Decision phase so you can strategize your own actions accordingly.

Considering that everybody moves at the same time in a turn, you’ll actually need to predict what action your opponent will take prior to deciding on your own course of action as well, making the whole strategic thinking process a bit more complicated. However, if your prediction is true, you’ll have the immense satisfaction when the enemy suffered some damage due to your Freelancer’s ability. In other words, the ability to accurately predict and outwit your opponents is crucial in Atlas Reactor.

Of course, you’ll also need to take into account the skills your opponent’s Freelancer has, and with over 20 uniquely different Freelancers to offer, you’ll definitely need to spend some time to do your “homework”. These Freelancers are generally classified into 3 groups – Frontline (armored, has high health and very tanky), Firepower (damage-dealers) and Support (healers, buffers, etc), and they play different roles depending on their class. For example, the Frontline characters will leap straight into the fray and shield fellow allies from damage while the Support Freelancers will provide aid to characters in the field with heals and buffs.

The abilities that each of these Freelancers have are pretty diverse and different from each other. Not to mention, you can even customize your character’s loadout with Ability Mods and Catalysts, allowing you to fine-tune your Freelancer so as to effectively counter whatever the enemy team can dish out. If you’ve bought the game, you’ll have access to the full list of Freelancers, including the ones that will be released in the future. Though, the Free-to-play (F2P) players in this game will only get to choose 1 out of the 6 free Freelancers for the week. Thankfully, after the week has ended, F2P players will then get a fresh set of Freelancers to choose from.

In addition to Freelancers, the 4 maps (and counting) in Atlas Reactor are also very tactically designed, allowing players to strategically position their characters depending on need and opportunity. Each map is covered in obstacles which you’ll need to go around; low walls or barriers which can be leaped over by a Freelancer; narrow paths or entrances which are perfect for traps; as well as power-ups, such as speed and damage boosts, that will automatically respawn after a 4-turn-long cooldown timer.

There is also a cover system in play where certain obstacles can provide your character with complete cover from an enemy’s attack while others may only provide partial cover, substantially reducing the damage you receive. Although you will be able to respawn after you are killed in the game, it’s important to try to stay alive for as long as you can. This is mainly because the objective in Atlas Reactor is to be the team with the most kills.

Similar to most arena combat games, you’ll be able to enjoy various 4-vs-4 game modes, including a solo mode, a Player vs Bots mode as well as PvP and custom games. However, only players who have purchased the game will be able to participate in ranked matches. Interestingly, the game has also introduced a new game mode with story-based chapters called Seasons. By playing Seasons, you’ll earn Loot Matrices that contain a variety of amazing rewards, such as custom VFX, new chat emojis and special season-specific items. This game mode can only be unlocked once you reach level 5 though.

Community

As the game has recently introduced its Free-to-play option, you can definitely expect to see a huge spike in new players flocking to try the game. However, if you really enjoy the game, be sure to show your support by recommending it to your friends (and you can earn the Recruit-a-Friend rewards too) and buying the full game.

Graphics/ Sound

One of the first things you’ll notice in Atlas Reactor is its distinctive, Borderlands-like graphics. Oddly enough, similar to the Borderlands game itself, the special graphical style fits perfectly with the whimsical nature of the game. Let’s not forget that the music and sound effects in this game definitely showcase the futuristic theme of Atlas Reactor, contributing to the overall good feel of the game.

Conclusion

To sum up, Atlas Reactor not only dared to break the mold of arena-based competitive gaming that are saturated with MOBAs and MMOFPS games, it has also revolutionized the turn-based strategy genre with its sui generis game mechanics. There is a nice selection of uniquely different Freelancers that can be further customized through Ability Mods and Catalysts as well. The well-designed maps and various game modes adds substantial points to the fun factor of the game as well. Of course, as if that’s not enough to put Atlas Reactor on the map, its distinctive and bold graphics, reminiscence of the popular game, Borderlands, definitely sealed the deal. So, if you’re looking for a turn-based strategy game that’s refreshingly unique and is as competitive as any eSport games out there, Atlas Reactor is the one game you wouldn’t want to miss. Give it a try for free today!