Blue Protocol was released on June 14 in Japan, and MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch was live on site with a VPN. Shortly thereafter, he was able to try the western version for the first time at an event in Munich. He also cleared up some open questions with franchise lead Mike Zadorojny.
Blue Protocol had me captivated for several weeks – until my account in Japan was banned. Already after 12 hours, I was sure: It will be the best MMORPG of the last 9 years. And I still hold on to that.
I was all the happier to be invited to an event by Amazon to play the western version for the first time.
At this event, I was allowed to spend about 15 minutes in the starting zone and the character editor before we got a high-level character and later tackled a dungeon with six players. This is designed for players of level 12, but was slightly adjusted in scaling to make it a bit harder for us.
Already after a few seconds, I was having a lot of fun with the combat system, which offers only a few abilities but still a lot of depth. For example, I can jump on an enemy’s head to knock them down from the air, receive a buff for perfect dodges, or perform attacks from the air.
You can see how brilliant the combat system can be in this video. There, I play the mentioned dungeon together with other journalists:
The client we received for the event lagged behind the Japanese version in several aspects. This included the balance. For instance, upon the Japan release, there was a significant adjustment to the Fluxweaver, resulting in much better mana management.
However, at least the English localization was complete and left an excellent impression. Finally, I know what the first story sequences are about:
Spoiler about the story:
In the intro sequence, I awaken in an unknown place. In the cave, I am first rescued by a female character who wants to help me escape from a large monster. She thinks I’m completely helpless. But then I stand up and beat the monster.
She is impressed by my skills and returns to the city with me. There we exchange information and realize that I have forgotten everything about my past and even my name. All I know is: I must save the world.
Under false pretenses (that I should write in her guest book), I then sign a gag contract that makes me her lackey. Feste, as she is called, now wants us to first pay off all her debts. This is where the first quests begin.
However, aside from some balance adjustments and the texts, I have not noticed any differences between the Japanese and western versions. However, there are some minor details, as Mike Zadorojny later revealed to me.
Here I will link my play report of the Japanese version once again:
Delay from the release, the new class, and the beta
First, I wanted to know from Mike why there is a delay in the release at all. This was originally planned for the second half of 2023, but has now been postponed to 2024. There are no more specific details or a concrete date yet.
Mike explains that this is due to several reasons:
- There were some adjustments in Japan between the network test in March and the release in June that had to first be incorporated into the western version.
- The localization takes a large part of the time.
- There are also legal matters that need clarification so that the game can receive a T-rating (for teens aged 13 and older) in all regions. There have already been accusations of censorship because a girl is wearing pants instead of a short skirt in the West.
It is also unclear which version of the game we will get at release. This is currently being worked on behind the scenes. The goal is to provide players with as much of the current content as possible. However, whether the content of the first patches – such as the new class Blitz Lancer, which will be released in Japan in August – will be included will only be announced later.
It is certain that at release, we will only have English and Japanese voice-over. The texts are also supposed to be translated into German, but an audio version is not currently being worked on. However, it is theoretically possible that such a version will be added after the release, said Mike.
However, Mike could not provide a concrete answer to the most important question after the beta test:
Currently, we are working on an internal version that will also be released to the press. After that, we will head straight towards closed beta. Then we will also reveal more details about the server structure.
There was also no answer to the question of whether the console and PC versions will be released simultaneously or staggered.
What’s in store for the endgame?
In Japan, some players have already quickly reached the endgame of Blue Protocol. A Reddit user explained why the game became boring after less than 3 weeks.
In response, Mike stated that new endgame content is already being worked on. Bandai Namco plans to release monthly updates as well as a major patch per quarter. This will bring new dungeons, areas, or new classes into the game.
Blue Protocol is also a free-to-play game. You can leave at any time and return later when new updates are released.
Changes to the shop for the western version
The shop in Japan receives criticism from some players. Back in December 2022, during the announcement of the game, Mike had already told us that there would be adjustments to the shop in the West. Now he has become a bit more specific:
- The philosophy of Amazon is “Fun and Fair” – players should never feel like they have to buy something to enjoy the game. Everything should be strictly optional.
- The basic shop structure will be maintained, including skins that are only available through gacha mechanics. However, there is an adjustment: players who do not receive the special item after X attempts will be guaranteed to get it on the next try.
- Content such as the season pass and the shop with Blue Protocol points will also remain.
The developers will present the specific content again in the future.
Conclusion: Exciting game, but slow progress and no German localization
The event in Munich was primarily aimed at websites and journalists who are not yet deeply involved in Blue Protocol. They could take their first steps in the game, get to know the combat system, and ask Mike Zadorojny their first questions. However, those who are deeply into the game will have gained only a few new pieces of information.
I continue to be thrilled primarily by the combat system in Blue Protocol, which offers only 7 active abilities in the end, but brings other functions like an attack from the air. Additionally, the dodging roll and the animations just feel incredibly good.
I was somewhat disappointed that we won’t get German voice-over. For me, that contributes significantly to the immersion, like in Guild Wars 2 or ESO. I had hoped that Amazon would want to keep up with the big MMORPGs here.
Overall, it feels like not much has happened in the past 8 months since the announcement in December 2022. However, I hope this test was the beginning of an information campaign.
Alexander Leitsch
MMORPG expert at MeinMMO
