Blade and Soul Game Review
Blade and Soul is an online role-playing game from Korean developers. On the background of similar products it stands out for its unique combat system and the entourage in the style of kung fu movies with a touch of fantasy. There is an opinion among the gamers that here are the most attractive female characters in the genre, the people even invented a saying "Blade and Soul - hands on the table". Let's find out if it is really so, and if there are a lot of strange discoveries you can make on the way of virtual warrior.
What is this game about?
The game is set in the Middle World, home to four fabulous peoples and invaded from time to time by the demons that dwell beneath the earth. To prevent the spread of evil, the gods have appointed martial artists as guardians of the world. The role of one of these heroes and takes the player. After that 250 chapters long adventures, battles with monsters in 13 vast locations and 3 hours of cut-scenes with voice acting await you - you can make a whole movie out of these reels alone. Such attention is given to the script for a reason, because as you pass it is necessary to fully develop the selected character, turning the green novice into a harsh warrior, able to fight not only with demons, but also with other fighters under the control of the players - in PvP mode.
The plot has found room for unexpected turns, and love stories, and petty intrigue, although the principle of the assignment is simple. You have to kill some monster, get a valuable item, or run a courier errand. In general, a classic of the genre. If you are bored with performing feats alone, you can gather a friendly company to go on a raid with 12 participants, six to defeat a dangerous monster in a dungeon, to clash with other players in a "6 on 6" or go to the Arena, where the duels are held. However for such battles it is necessary to have a good equipment, developed at least to the level 45 of the hero and clear understanding of the combat system. As in any business, skill comes with practice.
Blade and Soul looks like martial arts movies, where warriors in colorful clothes fly over the roofs of pagodas, punch walls with their fists and do dizzying cartwheels. The character under your control is also not chained to the ground. You can use acrobatics with elements of gliding to move around the location: you just have to press twice W as the character soars up the tree, then jumps a good hundred meters to the rock, runs up the steep ledge - and flies the same way further. Unlike the movies, the world of the game is not only inhabited by people: here you can find similar to you and me races Sheng and Wang, and short people with animal ears Lin, and also there is a nation Feng, consisting exclusively of women.
Blade and Soul looks like martial arts movies, where warriors in colorful clothes fly over the roofs of pagodas, punch walls with their fists and do dizzying cartwheels. The character under your control is also not chained to the ground. You can use acrobatics with elements of gliding to move around the location: you just have to press twice W as the character soars up the tree, then jumps a good hundred meters to the rock, runs up the steep ledge - and flies the same way further. Unlike the movies, the world of the game is not only inhabited by people: here you can find similar to you and me races Sheng and Wang, and short people with animal ears Lin, and also there is a nation Feng, consisting exclusively of women.
As the story progresses, you are asked to choose one side of the conflict - conventionally called the "blue" and "red" factions. The former stands for order, while the latter is made up of chaos-loving individuals. Yes, you can join the ranks of the bad guys who are eager to whip the good guys, and no one will point the finger at you because of this. Even the opposite: victories over the representatives of the opposite camp brings reputation points to yours. Who is more active in chasing your opponents, makes your comrades stronger. Just like the rivalry between different schools of kung fu in the old Jackie Chan action movies. Of course, no one forces you to pick a side once and for all. If you don't want to bump into enemy bullies at every turn, all you have to do is take off the factional suit by which the "blue" and "red" distinguish between their own and the outsiders.
Combat system features
The highlight of Blade and Soul is the fights, which are so well balanced that this game has long been the subject of competitions with substantial prizes. Each of the 12 hero classes has its own style: the Axe Master, for example, operates slowly but surely, the Shooting Master prefers to deal damage from a distance, and the Qi Master is equally adept at using ranged and melee skills. There are options for area attacks like the Wrath Master, and characters that are made stronger by the support of other creatures - this is how the summoning wizard, who walks everywhere with an assistant cat, behaves. You are free to experiment: first try one character, then another, and finally choose the one that suits you best. Because the battles require some wit and agility on the part of the user.
Usually in massively role-playing games you press one button for light strikes, another for enhanced strikes, a third activates some magic or ultimatum ability of the character. Sometimes you're even allowed to connect bots, which do the chores for the living people. Blade and Soul is a bit more complicated and interesting. You have eight basic moves during combat, but the situation is constantly changing - depending on where you and your opponent are at. Did you manage to kick your enemy in the air? Great, here's a special punch for that. Enemy collapsed to the ground? Here's your opportunity to give him a painful punch. At any second a new option can arise - the main thing is to react in time and in the right way, do not miss the moment.
It all looks very dynamic and bright: sparks are falling down, fireballs are flaring up, instead of blood of the rivals motley figures are shooting out, that shows the amount of the received damage. But the trick is that a full set of skills for such a show is needed only in PvP - battles with other players, when both participants of the duel are trying to show their skills. Against monsters controlled by artificial intelligence, one or two moves are enough. Thus, the game brings fun to those who want to fight at a relaxed pace, and those who want a challenge, complexity and combinations on the dexterity of the fingers. A rare approach for the genre.
It all looks very dynamic and bright: sparks are falling down, fireballs are flaring up, instead of blood of the rivals motley figures are shooting out, that shows the amount of the received damage. But the trick is that a full set of skills for such a show is needed only in PvP - battles with other players, when both participants of the duel are trying to show their skills. Against monsters controlled by artificial intelligence, one or two moves are enough. Thus, the game brings fun to those who want to fight at a relaxed pace, and those who want a challenge, complexity and combinations on the dexterity of the fingers. A rare approach for the genre.
Even in online games it is customary to pass complex sections of locations several times. Make a mistake, get killed, start over - and so on until you get it right. And the most annoying thing is that when the hero is killed, he is revived somewhere far away from the combat zone, and you have to waste time to try again. Blade and Soul is designed a little differently: if your character falls to the ground from injury, the monsters stop paying attention to him - the indulgence can be used to crawl away and heal, and then finish what you started. Of course, this only works in PvE - fights against enemies controlled by artificial intelligence. Although live gamers also have the opportunity to spare a fallen opponent, many prefer to finish off the defeated rather than give it a chance.
How does pumping work?
For the hero to grow in levels, improve health and acquire new skills, he needs experience points and equipment. Both can be obtained in abundance by completing tasks. On the expanses of Blade and Soul there are as story missions, marked on the map with yellow tags, and minor - the "blue" (with the usual rewards) and "purple" (with valuable prizes). For a fair pumping, without any purchased enhancements, you must fully perform the first and partially perform the second and third. Except that to start "purple" you need special items, such as a ritual urn or carved horn. To get them is not difficult - it is enough to participate in the auction, where players trade artifacts and resources.
In addition to the hero you can improve his weapons and magical jewelry like rings. We are, however, not all items in a row, but only on special - given as a reward for completing missions at high levels. Most things have the same fixed parameters, so they change with the new, and the old plucked at the same auction or dismantled. What is interesting, in Blade and Soul clothes do not give bonuses - it is purely a decorative element. That's why there is such a variety of outfits on everyone. There are crowded locations full of anime-ladylike girls in bra-sleeves, latex, evening dresses and feathers, and even the gents dress in whatever way they feel like it. And the only costumes that matter are faction costumes, as we've already mentioned.
In addition to the hero you can improve his weapons and magical jewelry like rings. We are, however, not all items in a row, but only on special - given as a reward for completing missions at high levels. Most things have the same fixed parameters, so they change with the new, and the old plucked at the same auction or dismantled. What is interesting, in Blade and Soul clothes do not give bonuses - it is purely a decorative element. That's why there is such a variety of outfits on everyone. There are crowded locations full of anime-ladylike girls in bra-sleeves, latex, evening dresses and feathers, and even the gents dress in whatever way they feel like it. And the only costumes that matter are faction costumes, as we've already mentioned.
Special attention is paid to the collection of trigrams - artifacts that look like slices of pizza. Each such slice gives a bonus, but if you put a whole "pizza" of them together, you can greatly advance the character's characteristics. These items come in different forms, but to get the full set of enhancements, you need to find the same type. After all, the sets are strictly thematic - some are good for PvE, others for PvP, there are options to increase health and protection, to increase critical damage, as well as armor penetration and accuracy of attacks. In other words, it is necessary to collect such artifact by parts, depending on the class of the hero and the circumstances in which we have to act.
Advantageous difference between Blade and Soul - the ability to pump all your avatars on the account at once. That is, you went into the game for one of your characters and run them, and four or five fighters of other classes are just lying in the "warehouse" and do nothing. But they still drop some of the experience earned by the active character, if you do special daily tasks. For example, to kill so many monsters of a certain type or collect so many specified items. For extra help no one bothers to buy the reinforcements for real money - as in any other game of the genre. But in PvE you can easily do without it, and in PvP it is more important skill, but not the amount of currency thrown into the character. Otherwise, the game simply would not have become a cybersports discipline.
Advantageous difference between Blade and Soul - the ability to pump all your avatars on the account at once. That is, you went into the game for one of your characters and run them, and four or five fighters of other classes are just lying in the "warehouse" and do nothing. But they still drop some of the experience earned by the active character, if you do special daily tasks. For example, to kill so many monsters of a certain type or collect so many specified items. For extra help no one bothers to buy the reinforcements for real money - as in any other game of the genre. But in PvE you can easily do without it, and in PvP it is more important skill, but not the amount of currency thrown into the character. Otherwise, the game simply would not have become a cybersports discipline.
Conclusion
Blade and Soul has a unique combat system, pleasing to the eye graphics and gives pleasure to fans of good stories in online role-playing games. On the other hand, battles at high levels require skill, and getting the best equipment in raids - patience and cooperation with teammates. Therefore, this game is not a constant entertainment for everyone. But a dozen or two hours of exciting process it will give anyone, regardless of preferences.
Zarium, October 2020
Zarium, October 2020