Blue Protocol" Network Test Play Report!　New online RPG by Bandai Namco and Amazon

A royal fantasy that begins with the repayment of debts

The setting of the game is a world colored by a mysterious light called "Engram. The protagonist (the player) wakes up in the ruins of an ancient civilization and rescues a girl named Feste, who is being chased by enemies, but loses consciousness in the process. He eventually wakes up in an inn, where Feste offers to help him find his missing memories, and he is forced to work as her servant to pay off his debts.

It seemed that Feste had lost her memories as well, and that the memories they had both lost were an important key to the story. Before that, when you start the game, there is a scene in which a mysterious man with a weapon fights with a glowing white humanoid being, and other scenes that seem to function as foreshadowing are rushed in one after another, making you curious about the future of the story even as you play.

The event scenes inserted at key points in the story are also worth watching. Characters run and wield weapons with great vigor, and the camera follows their movements with great intensity.

The dialogue between characters is also a highlight, with the other characters reacting in real time to what someone is saying. When Feste says something out of the ordinary, the main character or the owner of the place where he is staying frowns, and it is interesting to see such changes. The changes in their facial expressions allow the viewer to understand their feelings, and each scene has its own depth.

The direction and expression of the scenario are quite good, including the foreshadowing of one foreshadowing line after another, the dynamic movements of the characters and camera, and the detailed reactions of the characters while they are talking to each other.

Character Making: The main character's dialogue changes with voice.

This title offers character creation, which allows the player to create the character's body, such as height and body mass, hair style and color, eye shape and angle, voice type, and many other details. By changing the facial features, the appearance of the character's age can be customized, such as boy, young man, or mature man. You can also create the appearance of a young child, or even a seasoned adventurer.

Especially impressive is the voice. The main character speaks in the voice that was decided upon during the making of the game. Not only does he speak during battles, but he also communicates with his friends. The number of voices for the main character that we were able to confirm this time is six, which means that at least six different lines of dialogue for the main character in the story have been recorded. I was surprised at this level of detail, since the protagonist is usually silent when the player and the protagonist are the same.

Five Classes with Very Different Attack Methods and Characteristics

Battles in this title are action-based, with players fighting enemies while moving freely in special dungeons and on a vast field. Another feature is the ability to use unique techniques depending on the "class" chosen. In this network test, we were able to confirm five of them: "Aegis Fighter," "Twin Striker," "Blast Archer," "Spellcaster," and "Heavy Smasher. While selecting each class, the normal attack changes, and also unique skills can be used, allowing for a variety of different ways to get around depending on the class.

The Aegis Fighter is a melee-type class that uses a sword and shield. In addition to the light attacks using a one-handed sword, the Aegis Fighter can use a shield to block an opponent's attack by consuming a "Shield Gauge. The Eagefighter can also counter immediately after guarding, making it a useful class that combines offensive and defensive capabilities. In addition, the Twin Striker has skills that draw the attention of enemies, and when fighting in a party, it is likely that the Twin Striker will be required to willingly protect his allies.

The Twin Striker is a class that specializes in attacks using two axes. Compared to other classes, the Twin Striker is characterized by its overwhelming number of moves, and is able to inflict massive damage in a short time. As a class-specific ability, the attack power increases with each hit, so it is important to be able to keep attacking. On the other hand, each attack is small and easily interrupted by evasions in the middle of the attack, so despite its aggressive style, it seems to be suitable for beginners.

Blast archers are good at long-range attacks with bows. They can aim directly at the weak points of the enemy, but it takes some getting used to, so we recommend shooting while locking on to the target at first. Since the sight is fixed, you are almost guaranteed to hit the target just by attacking.

Blast Archers have a unique ability called "Buff Charge Gauge," and can shoot "Cure Arrows" to heal allies by consuming the accumulated gauge. This is excellent because it combines the roles of attacker and healer, but it is also essential to be able to adapt to the situation. In this respect, it is a bit more difficult to operate than other classes.

Spellcasters use fire, ice, and lightning to attack from a distance. It is the same as the Blast Archer in that it fights at a distance, but it consumes "EP" to perform attribute attacks. Each type of attribute attack has its own unique anomalies, so the advantage of this type of attack is that it can weaken the enemy just by attacking.

However, the remaining amount of EP used for these attribute attacks must be managed by the player, so it is necessary to always consider the amount of EP to be consumed for each skill. Of the five classes we tested this time, this was the most difficult to master. However, EP can be recovered at any time by using unique actions, so once you get into the habit of recovering EP, you can fight reasonably well.

The last class, the Heavy Smasher, excels in melee attacks. They wield hammers that are much taller than they are and smash enemies around them. By consuming "cartridges," the heavy smasher can use specific skills and forward fire. Depending on the combination of skills, various combos can be constructed. One of the basic actions, the "round shot," has the effect of attracting the attacker, which is very useful when connecting combos.

Although the Heavy Smasher is slow in movement, it not only has a high attack power, but also offers many easy-to-use moves like the Round Shot, which can actually be recommended for beginners.

A vast field with both zakos and strong enemies. Fighting together with other players is also hot.

The world of "Blue Protocol" consists of a variety of terrain, including grasslands, mountain ranges, and caves, as well as the player's base of operations, Asterlys. Players can freely explore the vast field, which could be called an open world. There are some level 1 zombie enemies and some level 20 strong enemies mixed in, so the player cannot be distracted while exploring. Furthermore, this game is designed to be played by a large number of people connected at the same time, similar to an MMORPG, so it was impressive to see so many players everywhere we went during our test drive.

In this title, experience and items are obtained from enemies who are hit by even a single blow when they are destroyed. In other words, players can level up and collect items just by joining other players' battles, and I often saw players actively intervening, perhaps aiming for this. The real-time multiplayer feature fits well with the style of this game, which is played by a large group of people, and is also suitable for those who want to fight together but are shy about forming a party.

Since this was a network test before the official launch of the game, we were not able to confirm the full specifications of the production version, but we were able to confirm the high quality of the animation and direction, as well as the comfort of using the five classes with different characteristics. The official service of this work will begin in early spring of 2023. We will be waiting for more information on the official launch in early spring 2023.

（We are now waiting for further information.)

Title information

BLUE PROTOCOL

Release date: Spring 2023 for PC version / Undecided for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S

Genre: Online action RPG

Operated and produced by: Namco Bandai Online Inc.

Developer: Bandai Namco Studio Inc.

©2019 Bandai Namco Online Inc. ©2019 Bandai Namco Studios Inc.