Blade & Soul: Free Martial Arts MMORPG launches! All information about the game

For Blade & Soul, things are getting serious, the Western release is imminent. We are preparing you for a successful launch.

Final Check before the release – When does it start?

While privileged owners of founder packs have been swimming around in Blade & Soul for nearly three days, tomorrow morning, on January 19th, at 6 AM, the starting signal will finally sound for the rest of the Western player base. We have gathered all the important information for you so that you can start without any issues!

How much does Blade and Soul cost? Where and how big is the download?

The most important answer right at the beginning: Blade & Soul is theoretically free. It is a free-to-play game, so everyone can download the 22 GB client from the official Blade and Soul website, create an account, and dive into the game world. However, since games are notoriously difficult to finance, there is an in-game shop where you can purchase some conveniences. These mainly include cosmetics, like fancy outfits, but also really useful things, like an extension of the inventory.

System Requirements

One essential question is, of course, whether your computer can handle the game and doesn’t create a choppy slideshow with 5 frames per second. This is also one of the biggest strengths of Blade & Soul. The game has been around for several years and has been optimized significantly during that time, so most current computers should handle the game without major issues. If you still have doubts, you should check whether the following minimum requirements are met:

• Intel Dual Core or AMD Athlon 64X2
• 2 GB RAM (Windows XP) or 3 GB RAM (Windows 7)
• nVidia GeForce 8600GT or AMD Radeon HD 4600

First Impression of the Game

How Blade & Soul plays should be discovered by everyone for themselves. However, if you want a little impression from us, you should read Schuhmann’s first attempts in the free-to-play MMORPG. He goes into detail about the combat system, the story, and the overall “flow” of the game world. I won’t spoil his conclusion here.

Criticism of Censorship

However, there were not only positive reports about the game, as there was a lot of criticism regarding the Western localization, as some entire quest sections were removed or parts of the story rewritten. The accusations go as far as suggesting that complex characters have been reduced to one-dimensional villains and superheroes. Whether it really has become as bad as it seems will have to be judged by each player themselves.

Unusual Loot Distribution

What may also seem strange to some players is the loot system used to distribute loot in dungeons. While this can be adjusted at will, the default setting is a bidding system. That’s right, you have to bid on items with gold, and the highest bidder receives the item. The twist: The winner’s gold is distributed among the other group members. So everyone leaves as a winner in some way.

The Group Content

When playing with other characters, Blade & Soul strikes a balance between tradition and new ideas. There is a “normal” mode for dungeons during the leveling phase, designed for 6 players and offering numerous assists. It gets tougher at the maximum level, as the group size shrinks to 4 players, the bosses show significantly less mercy and provide no tips on where they will strike next. You can find out how this works in the dungeon “Supply Base of the Black Ram” in this post.

How does the game rank in comparison?

If you want to look beyond the horizon and wonder how Blade & Soul compares to Black Desert, you might find it here as well.

If there are still unanswered questions, we recommend taking a look at our Blade & Soul theme page, where we have covered a wide range of topics in recent weeks and months. Have fun!