When comparing Natural Selection 2 vs Rocket League, the Slant community recommends Rocket League for most people. In the question“What are the best games on Linux?” Rocket League is ranked 45th while Natural Selection 2 is ranked 79th. The most important reason people chose Rocket League is:
Rocket League is perfect for when you want to play with friends for some couch co-op or online play. Matches are fast-paced and quick, with a bunch of back-and-forth between which team has the ball and which team has chances to intercept and get the ball on their side of the field. Coordinating with your team can open up some awesome plays where you manage to outscore the other players or get some exciting last-minute intercepts. Plus, playing with a pre-set team helps you avoid the randomness of getting matched up with strangers who may or may not want to be team players.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Linux support
Natural Selection 2 has full Linux support.
Pro Integrates RTS elements on top of a shooter
The game has two completely different factions - the humans and an alien race called Kharaa. One player in each team can become a Commander, who then issues orders, RTS-style.
Pro The 2 sides have vastly different strategy and playstyles
Pro In-depth choice of equipment
There is a wide range of weapons for each side that allows for plenty of choice for the player.
Pro Teamwork is essential
To really advance and do well in the game teamwork is essential.
Pro Kharaa can evolve into 5, highly distinct classes
There are 5 different classes that the Kharaa can evolve into.
Pro Developed to be heavily modifiable
By utilizing LUA files the game is highly moddable.
Pro Community driven development
From the very beginning NS2 has had a very passionate community - they've contributed maps, designs and even core features (such as the Spectator Mode). And since build 265, the game's development has been handed off completely to a 14-man community development team (with oversight from UWE).
Pro Dynamic environments
During play levels will change and react, making for dynamic levels and environments.
Pro Tons of fun for players looking to team up with friends
Rocket League is perfect for when you want to play with friends for some couch co-op or online play. Matches are fast-paced and quick, with a bunch of back-and-forth between which team has the ball and which team has chances to intercept and get the ball on their side of the field. Coordinating with your team can open up some awesome plays where you manage to outscore the other players or get some exciting last-minute intercepts. Plus, playing with a pre-set team helps you avoid the randomness of getting matched up with strangers who may or may not want to be team players.
Pro Clear objectives keeps the focus on the gameplay
Get the ball in the net, soccer at it's simplest. This game is physics driven, using different cars as players, making it a fast-paced and exciting game with a basic underlying objective. Being easy to understand, just about anyone can get the hang of the game after a single play session.
Pro Simple controls
Whether you use a controller or keyboard and mouse, the controls are fairly simple. You are driving a car pushing a ball around, with forward, reverse, boost, power-slide and jump as your only real abilities to learn. The difficulty comes in learning to use them at the right times. Doing this will allow you to perform in-air and off the wall maneuvers, making for breath-taking and unexpected plays.
Pro Great for quick play sessions
Each game has a time limit of 5 minutes, paused only when a team scores to reset the ball to mid-field. By keeping each session short, the game works well for people wanting to play a quick game without getting drawn into a long play session.
Pro Customization of cars is creative and fun
There are quite a few cars to choose from, including DLC cars such as the Delorean from Back to the Future. After picking a car, you can customized it with countless possibilities. You can change the paint scheme, color, paint type (gloss/flat, etc.), wheels, boost color, hat, and antenna toppers. This allows you to create a car that truly matches your style.
Pro Moon-like physics give a delightful sense of exaggerated abilities
The physics in this game are slightly warped, making it seem like you're on the moon. This means that cars fly around if they collide or go up ramps, giving it a feel of superpowers.
Cons
Con Learning curve
The learning curve for Natural Selection 2 feels unapproachable at times.
Con Really long loading
10 minute loading times to join matches is way too long to wait.
Con Match making can be slow at times
It can take a while to find an opponent, especially if you're a higher tier player, causing the queues to be even longer.
Con Minimal in features
While there may be more modes added with DLC in the future, currently there are only three unique game modes. This might be off-putting for players looking for more variety.