Title: Bullet League
Developer: Funday Factory
Genre: 2D Platformer/Action
Available on: iOS and Android
Tested on: iOS
Official Site: Bullet League
Release Date: March 10, 2020
Where to buy: App Store or Play Store
Re-visualizing Royale
The battle royale genre has taken over the gaming scene in such a big way that almost everyone knows what Fortnite is. But when it comes to other titles sharing the same goal in a battle royale, some tend to be left neglected. Others may strive while some may die, but in the case of Bullet League, this is in the former.
Bullet League, Funday Factory‘s newest adventure, is an online multiplayer battle royale mobile game that pits players against other online warriors in a 2D battleground where the remaining player will be the victor. Obviously, it works like any other battle royale game, but this particular entry takes the concept and twists it into a retro-looking killing area.
With similar elements to popular side-scrolling adventures like Super Mario Bros. and Broforce, Bullet League magically mixes violence and thrill as players kill for the winning placement. Pick up weapons that range from submachine guns to sniper rifles, and heal up within a hidden spot before potentially getting shot down by an unsuspecting hardcore player.
Battle On-The-Go
Free-to-play with a minimal amount of ads, you can either enter as a solo or with a group (there’s also a friend brawl placement that can be accessed as well) into a 5-10 minute match with almost crystal clear gameplay. It amazes me that I can get into a quick match and out for a little session on my mobile device with fast-pacing gunplay and addictive platforming.
As simple as Bullet League is, it’s also packed with content that’s quite sufficient for a casual mobile gaming experience. Other characters can be unlocked, along with Kill Trophies, to show off your mayhem on the battlefield whenever you eliminate an enemy. Blueprints are used to upgrade weapons that can found the more you play the game. Support Boxes via the main menu come with ads but also with some gold pieces and blueprints (which honestly motivates the player to watch more if they were to unlock more goodies the more they continue to play).
And with more goods comes more content, which is often shared on their social media accounts to announce more skins for characters and other news:
In regards to casual mobile gaming, the sound effects and music are usually ignored since mobile players seem to be more on-the-go if it’s a game they’re not too familiar with. Yet, nearly everything you would hear in Bullet League is so crisp that I enjoy having the sound on. Its outrun/synthwave musical themes and superficial sound effects make for a great experience that’s free, addicting, and enjoyable to return to. And the microtransactions aren’t deemed necessary, yet they are present for players looking to upgrade their equipment a bit quicker than actually playing the game. Nonetheless, I’m quite surprised to have heard about it just recently.
Worth The League
There will come the point where a mobile game will be left in a folder on your phone, long forgotten by all the other applications that have been installed throughout time. Bullet League might be an exception due to its polished beginnings and compelling implementations for action and player rewards. It’s sincerely a whole lot of fun to play, and it merely takes less than ten minutes to play a single match. And either way, you’ll be on your way to unlocking content without viewing an abundance of ads.
In such a small game as this, it almost feels promising to the players that they’ll get a whole experience package out of this – with almost no advertisements to be poured down with. Finding the essential apps to download on your phone to solely play and enjoy can be a scavenger hunt in itself. It’s easy to install one game, try it out a couple of times, and then just give up on it. I don’t believe this will occur for the same with Bullet League.
Simply because I find myself playing a couple of matches here and there while waiting for an errand to complete, and I always have that urge to go for another round or three. Although I do wish that I could re-configure the controls for my own comfort, they are generally easy to learn and maneuver, albeit the only controls are shooting, jumping, and moving around. There’s also a building mechanism that’s obviously inspired by Fortnite, and it appreciably implemented to heighten up the 2D explosive action that the player will always find themselves in.
In this overall experience, less is certainly better than more.
Verdict: Bullet League should be attempted by any mobile owner who is looking for a game to play on the go. Almost no initial customization is required, and its “battle pass” aspect doesn’t take away its universal aspect of player engagement and commitment. Microtransactions are present, yet they don’t die down the experience as being a necessary part of this mobile game. It’s smooth, and it’s clear-cut, though there is the occasional network breakage here and there. As more updates will come and more players will join, Bullet League will only get better down the line. As of now, it’s indubitably a stellar and unique take on the battle royale concept that is becoming more or less a mainstay in video game culture.
[review]