What would be the next Rocket League? is a question that many people have asked. I am not sure that Broomstick League is going to be what dethrones Rocket League. However, there is certainly something here that makes this a game I feel is going to be a big deal. Currently, it is in early access on Steam, but it is also coming to other platforms later in the year.
How to Download Broomstick League
To download the game for Windows, click on the Download button below this review. At the time of writing, the PS4 Broomstick League console version has been announced. You can also check Laser League, or alternatively another Harry Potter title: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
The Game Review
I would bet that every single review/preview or video will make a comparison to Harry Potter and Quidditch. EA actually tried many years ago to make a video game based on Quidditch, but that was a convoluted mess. Broomstick League tries to keep the “magic” of Quidditch, but it takes away much of the nonsense and stuff that does not make sense in terms of bringing the sport to a video game.
In Broomstick League you will be playing 3 on 3 matches. You can also play 2 on 2 and 1 on 1 in the full release in addition to the standard 3 on 3. The game is all about playing online, although you can play with bots. The team that wins is the one that can put the ball in the hoop the most time in the allotted time limit.
It all sounds like simple stuff and the premise is, but this is a very challenging game. Learning to control your broomstick is tough and I mean really tough. It is not as easy to jump into this and be good as it is Rocket League. This is a game where you will have to put some serious time into it in order to not just get good, but also have fun.
Zooming around the different arenas feels fantastic once you get the hang of it. You need to grab the ball and score a goal, but this is easier said than done. You can tackle, but you also have two magic spells that you can use. One allows you to teleport to an area in the arena. The best teams I have come across have mastered this tactic!
The other spell allows you to blast the ball out of your opponent’s hands. In all honesty, I would say getting to grips with the actual flying of your broomstick is key. Do this before you even start trying to implement the magic into your arsenal of offensive moves! The flying has real physics in play. For example, you can dive bomb in order to get a bit of extra speed.
I feel that once you get the controls down and you play with people that you can actually communicate with; Broomstick League is going to be a very fun game. I found myself being quite frustrated with the controls, but I will admit that I kept at it as the premise is fun and I did feel I was getting better and better with each match I played.
You can unlock stuff to customize your wizard, much like how you can customize your car in Rocket League. You can “level” up as you play as well which will let people know how good you are as you move up the leaderboards. Right now, in early access, the game is still a bit barebones, but I do feel there is some promise here.
I am not sure that I would say Broomstick League is a must buy in its early access state. I do feel that there is something here though. It is a game that requires a lot of dedication to get good at it and that may be the stumbling block for some. You can suck at Rocket League and still have fun; I am not so sure that is the case here. Still, I find myself wanting to get good at this game as the premise is awesome!
