There's a satisfying complexity to the way your abilities branch out over the course of a fight depending on what state you and your opponent are both in. Instead of mashing complicated hotkey rotations while relying on auto-attacks to fill in the blanks, combat in Blade and Soul lets you take direct control of your character. Though I initially fell in love with the kung fu master's reliance on combos and counters, I quickly came to prefer the sheer brutality of the destroyer, who wields a massive axe and can chokehold opponents while smashing their face repeatedly.ĭodging boss attacks requires careful timing. Early on I was frequently matched against players 20 levels higher than me, resulting in a huge disadvantage when I hadn't even unlocked my most powerful skills.Įach of the seven classes has their own unique approach to combat that feels highly distinctive.
Even worse, from what I could tell, little attempt is made to pair you with opponents of similar levels. While arena matches equalize gear, you won't have access to all of your abilities until you've unlocked them through leveling. In these duels the stats of your gear are equalized, making victory entirely about raw skill rather than who has the better equipment.īut there's a big problem with the PvP: It can't truly be appreciated until you've already pushed through the dreadfully dull PvE and leveled your character up to the cap. It's already a popular esport in the East, and I suspect it'll only continue to grow as western competitors join the ranks.Īt any time, you can hop into an arena lobby and get matched against another player. I realize that skimpy costumes and absurdly bouncy chests are par for the course in anime, but the adolescent fantasy detracts from the whole thing-I want to play as a badass fighter, not a hypersexualized doll.Īll of this would paint Blade and Soul as another 'been there done that' Korean MMORPG if it weren't for one thing: the excellent player-versus-player combat that feels more like playing a fighting game than an MMO. What ultimately turned me off about the characters was the embarrassing breast physics that caused every woman's chest, big or small, to bounce around like two helium balloons on a windy day. At least the race you choose makes a difference-the Yun and the cat-like Lyn both seem to have more sensible portrayals compared to the Gon and Jin. I had a great time hunting down new costumes, for instance, and all have elements of true artistry that I adored, but it's disappointing that many feel like they were fully designed before someone sneaked in with scissors one night and snipped breast holes into them. The character creator has a good degree of flexibility, but it's obvious what it’s going for. The art design will be contentious, however, as it insists nearly every woman be scantily clad, busty, and tiny-waisted. Sadly, performance was somewhat uneven as frame dips and hitches were common and unaffected by tweaking the graphics settings. They don't necessarily feel cohesive, and there's very little convincing you that you're exploring a living world, but the backdrop and flavors of each zone are wonderful to look at. If there’s one aspect of the PVE experience worth recognizing, it's that Blade and Soul's environments are gorgeous. Fortunately, those who choose to ignore the cash shop won't be at any real disadvantage as the items are either cosmetic or for convenience, like keys that guarantee the weapons found in a chest can be used by your class.
Like most free-to-play games, Blade and Soul has an in-game cash shop for you to spend real money or a special in-game currency on. There's a huge variety of costumes to find and collect.
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