SMITE Assault Challenge (ARAM) Preview

We preview the new Assault map that just hit SMITE, ARAM anybody?

Yesterday I had the opportunity to play the new SMITE Assault Challenge map before it got released to the public, Assault is basically everything you know and love about the All Random All Mid game mode popularized by the League of Legends community. The idea of everybody running to the same lane to battle to death has been around since the DotA days, but SMITE, with its locked chase camera driven by W, A, S and D, offers a unique experience that some may prefer. 

As with other SMITE maps, the objective of this map is to kill the enemy team’s Minotaur, which is hidden in the opposing team’s base. But first the teams must destroy their enemy’s two towers and Phoenix; while the towers do not respawn the Phoenix does. 

A group of us got paired up with one of the SMITE community team streamers, Chixy, then we jumped straight into the fray! Once you find opponents and join the game lobby you are given a random God to play and five seconds later are loading into the map. Loading typically takes less than ten seconds. 

What first struck me upon spawning in the fountain was how well-crafted and beautiful the map was, the starting zone is a small town center with a single exit into the sole lane on the map. Moving out into that lane I looked up through the falling snow that covers the mountainside to see the beautiful northern sky filled with streaks of light from the aurora borealis.

Still looking around I was surprised by an enemy spell, only 20 seconds into the game and the fight had already begun. The no-man's land between the first two towers – or trees in this case – is a very short stretch of land that has no notable features, not a bush to hide in (they don't exist in SMITE) nor a regenerative health or mana potion spawn. The minions, which themselves look more equipped for the cold north than their Conquest map counterparts, arrived at the middle of the map around 30 seconds in. 

When we get down to looking at how the map plays, honestly it is much like ARAM in League of Legends. Once you step away from the fountain and shop you are unable to return, recall is also disabled. Both of the games I played lasted about 20-25 minutes and flew by pretty quickly, even when I got a God I had no idea how to play and got destroyed by the enemy team. 

The map is extremely back and forth, one team will kill all of the other and take a tower, then the team that died will respawn and do the same back. This is especially true when teams get to the Minotaur which animates and attacks enemies. To compensate for that added damage you need a good advantage; teams often fail trying and the pendulum swings against them once more. 

In both of the games played during this play session I was able to buy a full set of items around the 20 minute mark, and in neither of those games did I play particularly well. The pacing definitely seems good; there is nothing worse than getting stuck in a game where neither team can win and it drags on for far too long. 

Overall my experience was a good one. The map itself offers a more fun and casual drop in and play experience than League of Legends does. SMITE is a unique take on the DotA/Moba experience if anything, and while still in beta the team has been working hard to improve the game with additional maps, Gods and other features. If the click to move experience of similar games isn't your thing I would highly recommend trying out SMITE, after-all it is free-to-play.

The Assault game mode was added in today's patch, the details of which can be read on the SMITE site. You can play SMITE for free on Smitegame.com. SMITE Commentator Lionheart created a useful Reddit thread with some tips to take into consideration when playing Assault. 

 

Chris Rainey, Columnist

Tags: News, SMITE

Comments

Post Comment
Way too swingy.
# Apr 12 2013 at 3:05 PM Rating: Decent
I played a match, it felt a bit TOO back and forth. The insane ambient gold turns it into a "whoever gets the first tower wins" because it is a 1:1 comeback with each team wipe.
Way too swingy.
# Apr 12 2013 at 4:07 PM Rating: Decent
Shoran91 wrote:
I played a match, it felt a bit TOO back and forth. The insane ambient gold turns it into a "whoever gets the first tower wins" because it is a 1:1 comeback with each team wipe.

The SMITE caster Lionheart was in the group convo with us and directed us towards this Reddit thread he created with some tips on playing Assault (ARAM). The tip that relates to your concern is the first one however:

Quote:
1. Suicide to tower is not a bad thing.

Generally, if you wipe the enemy team, it might be preferable for you or your low health allies to suicide under a tower -- without giving kill credit to an opposing player -- so that you can buy items, respawn with full health, and be back in time to defend against your opponents. But remember, be weary of those "tag" timers! If you were recently hit by an opponent, you might give kill credit accidentally.


I recommend reading his other tips too, sound advice. I will make a small edit to my preview to include this, probably should have before heh.
Way too swingy.
# Apr 13 2013 at 12:07 AM Rating: Decent
Well, I've played at least 50 or more games of ARAM from league; i certainly know the tricks (basic at least) to ARAM games. It is just my first impression. Also, you should mention you start at level 5, which is a pretty interesting design choice. Means everyone has their ult for the first engagement
Way too swingy.
# Apr 13 2013 at 10:17 AM Rating: Decent
In the games I played on Thursday during the press preview we all started at level 1, that was when I wrote this. Now that I've went and played it during release I can of course see level 5 is the starting level though.
Way too swingy.
# Apr 13 2013 at 4:01 PM Rating: Decent
Interesting, wonder why they decided to change it so quickly.
Way too swingy.
# Apr 14 2013 at 2:01 PM Rating: Decent
I think it was a bug, there were a few of those one relating to the item shop being broke.
Post Comment

Free account required to post

You must log in or create an account to post messages.