Knockout City: Deluxe Edition

Knockout City's fantastic spin on dodgeball combat has surprising depth, making it one of the best team-based PvP games in years.

Knockout City's surprising depth coupled with its approachable mechanics make it an engrossing new multiplayer offering.

Velan Studios transposes the sport of dodgeball into what's a fun, friendly shooter that bears no arms, though it currently lacks legs.

Knockout City punches above its weight as a complex and uniquely fun competitive brawler.

Charging up a shot is still essential, as that makes it faster, and therefore harder to catch or dodge. A lot of successful Knockout City plays, for me, came down to knowing how long to charge up a shot. At certain close ranges, additional power is unnecessary. But there I was, in close-quarters range, laying on my right trigger out of ... instinct? blind faith that a stronger attack is better? ... while my unarmed opponent caught a lucky rebound and immediately bullseyed me. Other times, I fired way too early from a longer range, which often ended in my shot getting deflected in midair by someone else's throw.

Clever and unique dodgeball battles make this an easy pick, especially during the free trial.

At launch, Knockout City lacks in content, but it makes up for it with a strong base game and a ton of potential to grow in the future

There's sublime fun in jet-cleaning a town, and a dodgeball-themed knockout contest has one eye on the Olympics

I'm shocked with how well Knockout City turned out. It's easily the biggest surprise of 2021, something everyone should give a go while it's still free to try.

Knockout City is a brilliant multiplayer brawler. Its well-balanced, skill-based gameplay is a joy, providing players with surprising depth just beneath the surface. While the number of maps and modes on day one is fairly small, the fun factor means this doesn't really matter, and updates will bring extra content to the game post-launch anyway. With a ton of customisation options, rewarding progression, and constantly engaging matches, this is knockout by name, knockout by nature.