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A popular PC title comes to mobile devices with perfection

A popular PC title comes to mobile devices with perfection

Vote: (57 votes)

Program license: Free

Developer: Moonton

Version: 21.8.66.9421

Works under: Android

Also available for Windows

Vote:

Program license

(57 votes)

Free

Developer

Version

Moonton

21.8.66.9421

Works under:

Also available for

Android

Windows

Pros

  • Retains the hardcore MOBA fundamentals
  • A huge cast of characters split among six roles
  • Quick and reliable matchmaking options

Cons

  • Relatively high barrier to entry
  • Controls can sometimes be finicky

Mobile Legends Bang Bang takes the fast paced but strategic fundamentals of the multiplayer online battle arena genre and adapts them for mobile devices. As with its bigger PC-based MOBA siblings, this game pits teams of five against one another in a map filled with obstacles and computer controlled monsters in an environment that's comfortably split into three lanes. Success means working as a team, but it also means understanding how your chosen character's powers work in conjunction with one another and juggling a larger war across three different fronts.

The MOBA genre isn't one known for accessibility, so bringing it to mobile devices could mean oversimplifying things or creating a game model that's intimidating to new players. Fortunately, Mobile Legends Bang Bang threads the needle about as well as could be expected. A whole host of tutorial videos are built into the game so that you can learn the fundamentals, and while it still requires a decently high learning curve, it's a far cry better from many other genre entries that will just throw you into the deep end and expect you to swim.

There is a lot to unpack here. Mobile Legends Bang Bang has retained most of the core features of a MOBA, and that includes a lot of characters that can be split up into general battle roles. To make things easier, seven different roles are available. Whether you choose from a mage, a support, a marksman, a fighter, a tank, or a marksman, you can generally expect characters in the same role to play roughly the same. That's a good thing too, since players will need to learn the skill trees of each character and identify the sort of equipment that can help them make the most of their given specialization. It's relatively accessible to newcomers, but there's a whole lot of depth and customization to dig into once you get a grip on the basics.

Experienced MOBA players will find themselves right at home here, but some changes have been made to make this genre work more functionally on mobile devices like phones and tablets. The touch controls are very well adapted to the navigation and skill juggling of a MOBA, but auto-aiming simplifies what could otherwise be a finicky process on a phone. The virtual joypad works pretty well, but it doesn't provide the same level of precision that you'd find with a mouse and keyboard. Fortunately, the ease of use features can be toggled on and off, so players should be able to find a control method that's accommodating to their experience level.

Being a MOBA, this is a multiplayer game through and through, but it's impressive how well the developers have managed to overcome the inherent matchmaking obstacles. Matchmaking is generally very quick, and the pacing has been adjusted tot ensure that most games can be finished in less than 10 minutes. You'll spend less time playing wars of attrition and more time playing with your character at their full power level. And to suit this game's potential as an esports platform, livestreaming options are built right in. A huge variety of filters allow you to track down the games that interest you, and that's a huge asset it you're looking to improve your game by studying the tactics of other players. The commitment to competitive gameplay has transformed this into one of the top mobile games in Southeast Asia.

Pros

  • Retains the hardcore MOBA fundamentals
  • A huge cast of characters split among six roles
  • Quick and reliable matchmaking options

Cons

  • Relatively high barrier to entry
  • Controls can sometimes be finicky

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