Robot Arena 2: Design and Destroy
| Robot Arena 2: Design and Destroy | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Gabriel Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Infogrames |
| Series | Robot Arena |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | February 25, 2003[1] |
| Genre(s) | Action |
| Mode(s) | Single-player Multiplayer |
Robot Arena 2: Design and Destroy (commonly referred to as Robot Arena 2 or, informally, RA2) is a computer game developed by Gabriel Entertainment and published by Infogrames. It is the sequel to Robot Arena. Compared to its predecessor, it has many new features, such as the Havok physics engine, fully 3-D environments (robots are now able to leave the ground), and the player's ability to completely design their own robot. This includes chassis design, weapon placement, mechanics, and paint, etc. Weapons are nearly completely customizable, including weapons that mount on various attachments, such as poles, disks, and tri-bars. There is no credit system, parts can be taken for free as long as the weight limit has not been reached. Nearly every type of weapon in robotic combat is doable, but servo motor based weaponry (e.g., hydraulic crushers, lifting devices, etc.) typically does not work. Although not well received from a marketing standpoint, this game has a dedicated fanbase and a community that is still active today.[2]
Gameplay
Robot Arena 2: Design and Destroy is an Action game. The player controls a radio-controlled robot which battles it out with other robots in order to win. Ways to win a battle include destroying the opponent's control board, Immobilizing the opponent(such as flipping them over) or simply having the most points at the end.
Different types of arenas are available to play, either being a standard map, a tabletop map, or a "king of the hill" map.
Different game types are available in single player, where either the player can play against 1 opponent, 3 others in a battle royale, or select appropriate teams for each robot.
The main game mode is League mode where the player competes against fifteen other teams in nine events. The winner is the team with the most points at the end of the season.
Multiplayer is also available, where up to four players can pit their designs against their opponents. Online play was also supported which is facilitated by GameSpy, but the GameSpy servers no longer function due to a lack of use.
There is also a Free build mode in later editions of the game. [citation needed]
Reception
The game received very positive reviews from critics and fans alike, and is widely considered the best robot combat video game ever released, better even than the officially-licensed Robot Wars games. The graphics were decent for its time, while the physics were much more realistic than the ones seen in the Robot Wars games. As of 2016, the game retains a cult following online, most notably on Gametechmods, with online competitions still being held. Notable ones include BBEANS (Bot Battle for Eminent Autonomous Supremacy) by Clickbeetle, and RA2T#1 + RA2T#2 by JimXorb.
GameSpy gave it 77 out of 100 writing "A pleasant surprise. Whether you're going head-to-head against formidable AI bots or human opponents, it has plenty to offer both newcomers and bot-bashing aficionados alike".
Sequel
A sequel, Robot Arena 3, was released on 26 May 2016 on Steam to negative reviews[3]
References
- ^ "Release date". IGN. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
- ^ http://beetlebros.gametechmods.com/ra2techs.htm
- ^ http://store.steampowered.com/app/363530