In 2018, the major engine update for Blade & Soul was announced. This update aims to enhance the MMORPG’s graphics and improve performance. Additionally, it has now been announced that the combat system is also being worked on.
What kind of update is this? Blade & Soul is set to be adapted to Unreal Engine 4. This is expected to improve both graphics and performance. Since 2018, trailers have been released in which Blade & Soul suddenly looked like a modern MMORPG and not like something from 2012.
However, the update has repeatedly been postponed. At the beginning of 2021, there were even rumors that it was completely canceled. But NCSoft soon promised that Blade & Soul would still be adapted to Unreal Engine 4 in 2021, even here in the West.
The release of the update is planned for Q3 2021 (i.e., July to September).
What changes with the update? In addition to adjustments to graphics and performance, a new detail about the update has now been revealed. The combat system is set to become more responsive.
This is meant to add more depth to the battles, especially in the dungeons.
New battles are supposed to be made more exciting through combos
What changes in combat? The new dungeon combat system is designed to encourage you to execute combos primarily through positive feedback and ensure that you do not simply fight against bosses mindlessly:
- Shared attacks or abilities that affect the group will be more significantly recognized
- New animations will appear when you successfully execute a combat combo
Through these animations, you will learn which combos work and which do not. Dodging, parrying, countering, and resistances should also be included in this system as “reactive combos.”
In screenshots, the developers show what these animations are supposed to look like:
What else changes in combat? The UI will be revised. Everything will be designed to be a bit clearer. Certain content in the UI will also be grouped for easier reading. There will also be clearer symbols for buffs, debuffs, and cooldowns.
A detailed overview can be found in a video (via YouTube).
What else does the engine update bring? Together with the major update, the following new features will also come to the game:
- The second part of the story from Act XI
- A way to change a character’s class
- New dungeons
- Real-time leaderboards
- Many balance adjustments to the classes
Overall, the engine update for Blade & Soul is quite extensive.
What do you think of the engine update? And what is your stance on Blade & Soul? Let us know in the comments.
A new MMORPG that strongly resembles Blade & Soul is Swords of Legends Online. We at MeinMMO have summarized the most important content of the game in a special: New MMORPG Swords of Legends coming in summer – This is what the endgame looks like.
