Batomon Showdown Launches as New Auto Battler on Mobile and PC

In the game, players receive money each day to buy monsters or items. Creatures have rarities such as common, uncommon and legendary, and belong to one or more types including fire, toxic, flying and rock. Teams with multiple monsters of the same faction can synergize to boost attacks or, in some cases, defenses. Buying three copies of the same creature merges them, levels them up and grants a trinket to further boost the squad. Items can reduce cooldowns, give trinkets, generate money and perform other functions, while players unhappy with their store selection can spend cash to re-roll it.

Engadget said the general setup will feel familiar to players of Teamfight Tactics, Hearthstone Battlegrounds and DOTA Autochess, but developer Berrymint adds twists. The game uses modern pixel graphics with cute monster sprites and a rotating roster of trainers. At the start of each run, players choose from one of three characters, who lends a passive trait to the squad.

Each monster type has its own playstyle, according to Engadget. Toxic creatures rely on poison to deal damage, while water types often try to outheal opposing attacks. Many individual monsters can become win conditions when supported properly. Engadget cited Pipskull, a common low-cost ghost-type creature it compared to a mix between Rattata and Cubone. Pipskull does little at first, but after being knocked out a few times, the core mechanic for ghost types, it evolves and gains multicast, allowing it to fire a barrage of attacks whenever it casts. After evolving, every subsequent knockout grants permanent additional multicast. Although each hit may deal only 25 to 50 damage, at 30x, 40x or even 50x multicast, Engadget said, the ghost rat becomes a machine gun.

Another strategy Engadget described involves an early upgrade for Bonshell, which it compared to Torterra. Once upgraded, Bonshell gains damage and shielding every time it casts for the rest of the battle. Pairing it with other rock types, including Rhizuka, can create a powerful formation. Rhizuka triggers its attack when any other monster applies a shield. Other rock types apply shields that slow or completely wall out incoming damage, while Rhizuka sits in the back and rains mortars behind ever-growing shields.

Monsters are divided into different regions, Engadget reported. This gives the developer freedom to expand the roster later, and updates will be free, according to the article. Some traits allow creatures to visit from other regions, opening more team-building strategies.

Engadget offered a few minor critiques. It said monsters from the Jinto region were initially significantly stronger than others, but Berrymint was aware of the issue and has already instituted a balance patch. It also said runs can sometimes feel over a bit too soon. Even after surviving long enough to earn a full 10 badges, one for winning each face-off against another trainer, Engadget found that its team strategy was just beginning to pay off when a run finished. It said it would love an infinite mode like the one in Balatro or other roguelikes, where players can keep playing after winning while difficulty keeps ramping up until even the most overpowered compositions struggle. Given the pace of Berrymint's recent updates, Engadget said it would not be surprised if that gets added.