READYSET HEROES

Dungeon crawling brawler

There’s nothing particularly striking about this dungeon crawler at first glance – your aim is to battle your way through a number of rooms, collecting power-ups from enemies and breakable barrels, defeating bosses along the way. In short, it’s the usual fare – but it’s when you play with friends that it really shows its full potential. Crawl ‘n’ Brawl mode (which can be played in local, split-screen co-op or online) sees you and the opposing player or team racing to reach the end of separate dungeons as quickly as possible. Once there, you’re promptly set against one another in a fight to determine the champion.

You’re thrown down a different path each time you play, 1 and the equipment and skill rewards at the end of each completed room are mixed up, ensuring every run feels fresh. Not all rooms have enemies to contend with; in some you’re required to hit crystals in a specific order, while in others you’re forced to dodge projectiles and traps or navigate treacherous platforms. The bosses are weird and colourful and often have specific mechanics you need to learn in order to beat them. 2

If you’d rather play at a slower pace, ReadySet Heroes has that covered too. You can take on a dungeon with a friend in Tower Brawl, again either in local co-op or online, or you can play solo.

While ReadySet Heroes is at its best with friends, it’s also surprisingly sturdy as a single-player game. You can choose to play as various cartoony critters and while this choice doesn’t affect the playstyle, it would work well as a gentle introduction to the genre for younger family members. Sarah James

Unfortunately, planning ahead in order to outwit your opponent is not an option here. You’re just going to have to battle through. We’re looking at you, Iron Snout!