Battle royale games are likely here to stay for the foreseeable future. The genre that saw its popularity surge with the success of titles like Epic Games’ Fortnite, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and Apex Legends has seen a few unique presentations, but developer 24 Entertainment hopes the setting and gameplay of its upcoming online multiplayer brawler Naraka: Bladepoint will make it really stand out from the crowd.
First revealed at The Game Awards 2019, the world premiere trailer of Naraka: Bladepoint caught the attention of viewers with an aesthetic influenced by Eastern culture and reminiscent of Ghost of Tsushima and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. But not much has been heard about the game from either the developer or publisher NetEase since.
On March 25, the Future Games Show streamed live online with a spring showcase that featured 40 upcoming titles from more than 30 different developers and publishers. Among them was the latest trailer for Naraka: Bladepoint, which highlighted the game’s graphics, combat, and some of the AI-controlled enemies that players will encounter in the game.
A closed beta for Naraka: Bladepoint was held in November, and the game trailer presented at the Future Games Show announced the next phase of play testing for the title, the Forerunner Beta, which will begin on April 23. Players interested in being considered for the play test can sign up through the game’s Steam page or on the official Naraka: Bladepoint website.
Naraka: Bladepoint is a battle royale game that tosses 60 players onto an interactive map that can be traversed horizontally or vertically using a grappling hook and parkour moves, which can be used to ambush opponents or make a quick getaway. Unlike many of today’s popular battle royale games, combat in Naraka: Bladepoint centers on the skilled use of a selection of bows and melee weapons.
On Morus Island in the land of Naraka, a vast and ancient battlefield is scattered with the remains of behemoths, abandoned towns, decrepit shipwrecks, and crumbling temples. Players will have a roster of six characters to choose from, including the warrior, assassin, and monk, each with different powerful abilities. For example, Tenkai can transform himself into a raging and titanic Vajra warrior, while the Blademaster Viper Ning has poison in her blood.
Naraka: Bladepoint currently features two game modes, and 24 Entertainment is also designing a duel system, 3-versus-3 combat, and a PvE mode. Additional characters and weapons are also in development, although these are not guaranteed to be completed in time for the game’s release.
Naraka: Bladepoint is planned for a Summer 2021 release on PC.
Source: Official Site