Sports and mythological brawling combine in Amazon Games/Double Helix’s new fast paced 4v4 PC title, Breakaway. Unveiled at TwitchCon 2016, the focus is on quick matches, Twitch integration, and character-driven combat and abilities.
Ranged and melee options drawn from myth and legend make up the character roster, from Spartacus to Morgan Le Fay to Vlad the Impaler. The playfields (also drawn from legend, like El Dorado) are fairly tiny and intimate, so you can see everything going on at all times whether you’re in the game or a spectator. In addition to signature character abilities that offer traditional things like mobility, control, or damage, characters can also dish out buildables and breakables, everything from healing shrines, ramps, acceleration technology, walls, catapults, and ballistas, ensuring that even the same battlefield never plays the same way twice.
Twitch integration allows players and broadcasters to have a wealth of data regarding everything from kill/death ratios to how many people are watching each match and the odds on character matchups. Broadcaster tools allow them to pick and play with players right from their communities, and players can actually earn and wager special currency on matches as they watch.
Breakway is designed to be highly accessible but have a high skill cap for players that dedicate time and proficiency to the title. Breakaway is being showcased at TwitchCon 2016 today and will go into an alpha state immediately following the show.
Our Take
Breakaway looks really interesting and I think moving ahead in terms of Twitch integrated gameplay that brings casters and watchers together is incredible stuff and the future of watchable gaming, but I’m also a little concerned that Breakway may get lost in the shuffle with many other character-centric titles like Overwatch, Paladins, Battleborn, and many more. We’ll really have to see (and play!) more to find out.