BATALJ—which means 'combat' in Swedish—is a 1v1 game combines Overwatch-style characters (and event fonts) with XCOM-style turn-based combat. DICE co-founder Markus Nyström is among the members of Fall Damage, the studio behind the game. Check out the first full reveal trailer above, and try not to roll your eyes a bit at 'dominate the meta'.
The studio was formed in April last year. BATALJ lets you pick and customise a squad from 54 total units and nine heroes, then send them to battle in a way that fits your play style. Turns take place simultaneously, which is an interesting touch, and the developers are keen to underline that 'action' plays a big part here. Each turn starts with a planning phase, before the ensuing action reveals which of you or your opponent made the best tactical decisions. It's a lot of trying to predict what the other player will do next, as well as understanding how your loadout of units fits together.
A closed beta is already underway, so you probably won't have to wait that long to try it. We're planning a beta key giveaway for BATALJ next week, as a matter of fact. PC Gamer Club Legendary members will get a key automatically, and we'll give away a bunch through our regular channels too. If you can't wait that long, signing up the official newsletter will put you on a waiting list, and it's also available in Yogscast's charity-focused Jingle Jam. A full release is planned for 2019.
