'Switchblade' from Lucid Games is a new PlayStation 4 MOBA that features vehicles instead of humanoid heroes

Screenshot from the official trailer of "Switchblade," an upcoming MOBA from Lucid Games.YouTube/PlayStation

Video game developer Lucid Games recently announced a new game called "Switchblade" to be launched sometime later this year. They describe the game as a vehicle combat game that plays similar to a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA).

The game's Project Director Jeff Lewis and Creative Director Craig Howard recently took time to answer a few questions about "Switchblade." The interview was posted on the official PlayStation blog. Both Howard and Lewis say that the game is literally a MOBA, but with vehicles.

"You play in a team of five and you just have to take out the rival teams bases to clear a path to their core before the time is over," Howard said when asked to describe the game. Another notable similarity to a MOBA is that players have to escort "exploding mobs" (similar to "creeps" in MOBA terminology) to disable "towers" (another staple of MOBA gameplay).

However, one difference is that players need to disable the towers first before leading the exploding mobs to them. Most MOBAs tend to encourage players to bring creeps to the towers with them to act as fodder for the otherwise massive tower damage.

Much like heroes in popular MOBA games, "Switchblade" has an assortment of vehicles that players can use in the strategic game. "The vehicles all have a unique range of skills that are better for different roles such as support and attack," says Howard.

Still, "Switchblade" offers a potentially unique game with the dual-hero system. A layer of strategy not found in most MOBAs is added to the title because players have to decide on what two vehicles to bring to the battle. In the course of a game session, players can switch between those two vehicles.

Howard further reflects on this element by saying that variations in the game are immense, if not virtually limitless. "We have been playing the game internally for over a year, and even now no two games are ever the same," he said.

"Switchblade" is expected to be released sometime in the first quarter of 2018 for the PlayStation 4.