Knockout City divides players into competitive team-based shooter modes but equips them with lethal dodgeballs. It’s a lot more intense than the dodgeball games we used to play in school, but is it as deadly? The online dodgeball brawler launched on the 21st with a ten-day block party that drew over 2 million players—and the celebration isn’t done yet.
While the block party is over, new players can continue to play for free up to Street Rank 25 before having to purchase the game. There are a lot of trick shots that might be crammed into that period, as we discovered. There are so many different ways to employ these moves—far, near, slow, quick, feigned, passed—but none are more thrilling than full-sending a ball 30 meters around a corner to bonk an opponent who’s focused on what’s in front of them. Hundreds of knockouts later, the euphoria hasn’t worn off.
We thought it was one of the finest games this year, which is big praise considering we’re just halfway through. If you want to try it out, you can even urge your console buddies to play because it’s crossplay compatible and accessible on Xbox Game Pass (via EA Play). What Knockout City has clearly identified is that what we all need is some inter-platform, socially distant, dodgeballs-to-the-face action.
Knockout City is available for free (and for purchase) on Steam and the Epic Games Store.
