After making some of the most complex, elaborate strategy games in recent memory, publisher Paradox Interactive is quickly shifting its gears, putting out simplified, colorful takes on familiar genres. With games like Zeal’s upcoming Starvoid, it’s hard to argue against this change.
Starvoid, in a nutshell, is trying to take StarCraft and infuse the speed of a MOBA without making it into another DOTA clone. Like DOTA, you control a hero character and capture resource points. However, in Starvoid you use allotted points on purchasing units that you control.
There is no base building but there also aren’t AI soldier units. Because the game’s small maps and fast combat, 12-player matches typically last 15 minutes in Starvoid. This is somewhat of a rarity in the RTS genre and will likely be what draws new players to the game.
Starvoid doesn’t look like the most innovative game, but Zeal might just bridge the gap between RTS and MOBA that no one else has yet. Its colorful graphics, simplified HUD, and blazing fast combat will be a welcome change of pace when the game launches later this year.
