Amazon’s first AAA video game, Crucible, is actually a blast to play

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Last week, Amazon released its first major video game to the world in the form of Crucible. In it, you play one of ten hero characters through various competitive modes that task you with killing monsters, capturing points, and eliminating other real players.

It’s a combination of team-based games like League of Legends and hero-based shooters. The characters you can choose will also seem familiar to players of Overwatch and Apex Legends, in that each one is unique in their weapons, abilities, and mobility options. After a somewhat rocky launch, I’ve had the chance to spend almost 20 hours with the title and have been thoroughly impressed with the game.

It’s a strong initial showing from Amazon and definitely has me excited to see what the do in the future with the company’s other confirmed game, New World, a massively multiplayer title from the studio.

That said, there are some issues with the game. The main offender is the lack of any type of communication with teammates. There is no voice or text chat, which makes no sense for a team-based title, with your only form of communication being through in-game pings. It works, but it could definitely be better.

Let’s look at some of the highlights of Amazon’s new game, Crucible

There’s a lot to like about Amazon’s new team-based shooter, so let’s dive in.

Crucible is available on Steam and can be played with one-four players. There are three different game modes, with one mode (Alpha Hunters) meant for teams of two

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There are ten different heroes to choose from, each with their own unique style, weaponry, mobility, and abilities. All characters feel unique, with some feeling especially suited for certain game modes.

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Matches typically last around 15 minutes, which can be a nice change of pace after playing games like Valorant, which typically demand at least 40 minutes of your time. Depending on how dominant a team is, this time can vary a bit, as well.

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The main mode looks to be Heart of the Hives, which tasks teams of four with capturing points and defeating monsters to build levels. As the round progresses, you will also find powerups around the map which will help on your journey. Did we mention how good the map looks?

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Killing monsters, opponents, and capturing points will give you Essence, which is used to automatically level-up your team. The higher your level, the more perks you have. Leveling is a key feature in this game and can be a bigger factor than straight kills on the other team (the two usually go hand-in-hand)

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Seen above, you can see a fight with one of the main objectives in Crucible’s Heart of the Hives mode – the Hive. These Hive, when defeated, drop Hearts (seen below), which must be obtained by a team in order to score a point. First to three wins!

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There you have it! A quick look at Amazon’s new Crucible game. Overall, it’s a fun game that definitely has potential. That said, it will be interesting to see how Amazon supports it in the months (and years ahead) as we really have nothing to go on, as this is the company’s first real dip into the world of gaming.

What do you think? Have you checked out Crucible yet? What did you think? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.