Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

100 or More Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Underappreciated"

People forget that a genre of game is not solely owned by the games that originated it.

Playstation All-Stars is weighed by ill-judgement and claims that it's a copy of Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. series (Which I would like to point out real quick, I LOVE) but All-Stars is VERY different from Smash Bros.; not just because of gaining AP after using your basic attacks/throws to reach your LEVEL 1 LEVEL 2 and LEVEL 3 Special Attack which is the manner of disposing of your opponents; but of how All-Stars has 3 SETS OF BASIC ATTACKS.

Opposed to Smash Bros.attack layout being:

(Neutral)A/B
(down)A/B
(forward)A/B
(up)A/B
(Down, Forward, Up, Back. THROW) Z
All-Stars layout is the following:
(Neutral)SQUARE/TRIANGLE/CIRCLE
(and down, forward, and up with each button)
(Down, Forward, Up. THROW) RIGHT ANALOG STICK (doing it backwards; it grabs someone behind your character if they're there, and does a Forward Throw in that direction)

Each character in All-Stars gains 4 additional moves than the characters of Smash Bros. adding MORE depth AND strategy to the game; given those additional moves. This game; like Smash Bros. however, is easy to play, but difficult to truly MASTER, but has in no means a "steep learning curve" as the GAMESPOT'S PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A REVIEW stated.

If you can't grasp the addition of one extra button layout to a Free-For-All Brawler Game, then you just shouldn't play a game that you are TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND!

The Stages are also well designed, and all of them change, or have some background interaction with them, giving every stage life and the variety of change; So much so, that I haven't gotten bored or sick with ANY of the stages so far with my 100+ hour play (even the Training Stages that don't change are well designed and fun!)

I leave you with this... Don't just judge Playstation All-Stars Battle Royale without knowing it, and saying it's a copy of Smash Bros. because it is NOTHING like Smash Bros' game mechanics, and is truly it's own game. I've been a huge fan of Super Smash Brothers since the beginning on the Nintendo 64, but now All-Stars gives that global connectivity and challenge that I always wanted in Smash Bros. (Thank for not working Brawl!) and minus a few small hiccups if the connections are less than okay, There is NO LAG in matches where all players have decent or perfect connections. Withing Rankings for Free-For-All and 2v2 Matches, with Rating Numbers and a BELT Color, along with Data sheets for all the characters keeping track of how much you play certain characters, and etc, etc. Along with the ability to make Player Cards and unlocking Titles for yourself, There's a lot to keep your playing All-Stars for a LONG TIME.

With more characters to arrive to All-Stars via DLC (which will be FREE) along with other great content; I don't see any reason for me to get my "head out of the stars" any time soon.