Evercore Heroes: Ex-Riot devs deliver a mix of League and Destiny 2

Evercore Heroes is the first title from Vela Games, a team made up of industry veterans. It mixes PvP and PvE, and could be a sleeper hit based on our recent demo.

Vela Games, a new studio based in Ireland, is formed of alumni from the likes of Riot Games, Epic, EA, and more, and the team’s first game, Evercore Heroes, certainly carries some MOBA DNA from League of Legends right down to the UI and character designs.

While we’re yet to go hands-on, the game’s playtesting period will run from October 13 – 16. Players can sign up at the game’s official website and join a Discord server.

“Our goal has always been to make the game players really want, even if it means breaking the mold,” Vela Games CEO and Co-Founder Travis George explained in our press briefing.

“With EVERCORE Heroes, we are building a unique multiplayer experience that brings together skill-based co-op and competitive play in a fresh new way. And after over two years of great feedback from early testing, we’re ecstatic to finally share the game with the world.”

Vela Games

Evercore Heroes takes place in a world that offers distinct regions, from cyberpunk-style cities to frosted mountains and rich jungles. It’s definitely got shades of League of Legends’ Runeterra setting, but rather than a strictly PvP title, Evercore Heroes is a PvPvE title that encourages cooperation and competitive play in equal measure.

Four teams play in each match and work to gain power to defeat a huge, region-specific boss. In our gameplay demo, we saw a giant frost monster of sorts, and each boss will offer a specific mechanic.

Vela Games

Players work to slay mobs and charge their Evercore in a way that feels like League of Legends’ combat within Destiny 2’s Gambit mode as the closest analogy, building synergies between the cast of eight playable heroes to slay enemies more quickly than your opponents.

Once you do tackle the boss, it plays out like an MMO dungeon, with attack indicators that promote staying mobile. Dodging attacks, while leaning on support, tank, and DPS character archetypes in a frantic battle to the finish is sure to have players min/maxing builds and team compositions for months.

And in the end, much Evercore Heroes’ success will come down to how well it’s supported by its devs as much as its community. Still, I’m excited to see how it grows over time.