Lethal League Blaze

Lethal League Blaze is a fast-paced ball fighting game from Team Reptile. Up to four players fight in arenas to hit each other with a ball. Instead of ordinary brawling attacks, the focus is on precise ball exchanges, bounces, special moves and the projectile's ever-increasing speed.

The game combines single-player modes with local and online duels. Sport is banned in Shine City, yet members of the Lethal League still compete against each other.

Lethal League Blaze was released for PC on Oct 24, 2018. The console versions for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One followed in July 2019.

The German PlayStation Store lists July 11, 2019. Team Reptile gives July 12, 2019 as the joint console launch date.

Lethal League Blaze is available for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One. The PC version came out first on Steam, followed by the three console versions.

On PS5, the PS4 version can be played through backward compatibility. This does not mean a separate PS5 release. The same applies to the Xbox One version on newer Xbox hardware.

At the heart of every duel is a ball, which you hit towards your opponents. Each successful hit increases its speed. This shortens the reaction windows, while risky flight paths and controlled counterattacks become ever more important.

Players who deflect the ball precisely and read their opponents' positions can score a hit even from seemingly safe rallies. The combat system relies on timing and court control.

For the Windows version, Team Reptile lists minimum requirements of an Intel Core i3 at 2.5 GHz or a comparable AMD processor, 4 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 460 or Radeon HD 5850. DirectX 11 and 4 GB of free storage space are required.

A stronger Core i5 or AMD processor, 8 GB RAM and a GeForce GTX 760 or Radeon R9 270X are recommended. The PC version was also offered for macOS and Linux.

The moveset includes smashes, short bunts, blocks, throws and individual special attacks. With a bunt you can change the speed and flight angle of a rally. Blocks and counter-moves require more precise timing than simple hits.

Each character has special moves and abilities. So the characters differ not only in their appearance but also in how they control a rally.

In Arcade mode, you fight your way through a series of matches up to the final boss. The story mode tells events from different characters' perspectives in Shine City.

Multiplayer matches include Free-for-All, Teams and Strikers, among others. Lethal Volley is another variant of the ball game. Depending on the setting, a single hit, a life bar or a points system decides the round.

Up to four people can play against each other locally or online. Online matches offer quick matchmaking and private matches. Locally, the game can be played on the same device with multiple controllers.

As the ball speed increases, matches become increasingly frantic. Rules such as hit points or instant knockouts change the pace and length of rounds.

The story takes place in Shine City, where an anti-gravity ball sport has been banned. The remaining players organize their matches underground. This setting gives rise to rivalries and clashes between individual fighters.

The story mode focuses on various members of the league. It adds a narrative framework to the direct combat system.

The characters include inline skater Jet, electronics fighter Grid, former police officer Nitro and Doombox, known from the predecessor. Their abilities and animations shape different attack and defense strategies.

More characters, outfits and additional content can be unlocked in the game. This widens the choice beyond pure competition.

Lethal League Blaze uses three-dimensional character models with a strongly stylized look. The deliberately reduced number of individual animation frames makes the movements look like hand-drawn action sequences.

During especially heavy hits, the game showcases the characters and impacts with dynamic camera angles. Despite the 3D graphics, the arena stays clear and is designed for quick reactions.

The soundtrack blends breakbeat, hip-hop and house. The music features contributions from Hideki Naganuma, Frank Klepacki, Pixelord, Bignic and Klaus Veen, among others.

Music is a defining part of the presentation: the fast tracks accompany the fights as well as the colorful menus and the striking street art aesthetic.

Playing the game unlocks additional outfits, characters, arenas and other extras. Alongside these built-in items, individual cosmetic outfit packs are available as downloads.

The additional costumes change the look of the characters. The base game already includes several different characters and game modes.

Lethal League Blaze has German on-screen text. Other supported languages include English, French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese.

The game can be played with controllers. On PC, keyboard controls and various display options are also available.