Bless Unleashed is a free-to-play 3D fantasy MMORPG reboot of the now-defunct Bless Online. The game features fast-paced action combat and a massive open world with a variety of regions and treacherous dungeons to explore.
Publisher: Valofe Playerbase: Low Type: F2P MMORPG Release Date: August 6, 2021 Pros: +Great graphics and beautifully-rendered environments. +Good storyline, if a bit cliché. +Good combo-based combat. Cons: -Pay to win. -Class-locked races. -Clunky UI and controls designed for consoles. -Lack of endgame content. -Forced PvP.
Bless Online Developer Neowiz Bless Studio Merging With Parent Company Neowiz 6l5a5j
Neowiz Bless Studio, an independent subsidiary of South Korean online game company Neowiz and the developers behind the controversial PC MMORPG Bless Online, will be merging with its parent company on June 19th to “enhance management efficiency” and “enhance corporate value”.
MMOCulture broke the news today, adding that there should be minimal effect on the company’s shares since Neowiz Bless Studio is already part of Neowiz. As for Bless Online itself, there’s no word on what the future holds for the MMORPG after its less-than-stellar performance and reception last year.
The merger should also have no effect on the Xbox One game Bless Unleashed which is being developed by Round 8 Studio, an internal development team at Neowiz Bless and published by Bandai Namco. You can check out the game’s official trailer below.
Aeria Games is expected to make their own announcement soon.
Bless has been cursed by setbacks since its beta back in 2014. Despite a budget of $60 million and counting, the game has suffered from constant technical issues and operational failure. The Russian version was shut down last month due to unresolved issues surrounding translation and lack of technical by the Korean developers.
Neowiz states they are focusing their attention on the Japanese version which had a closed beta test in April. The Japanese version is published by Game On which is owned by Neowiz themselves. The Korean developer could still chose to self publish in the West, or turn to another third party publisher.
Bless Online Gameplay First Look - mmos.horseracingexpert.net
While we here in the West were busy with the 9Dragons Steam launch on Valentine's Day, Neowiz used the auspicious holiday to try and boost sagging player numbers for Bless, the Korean studio's high fantasy MMORPG. The 'Up Project' event kicked off on February 16th and is offering both new and veteran players many reasons to check the game out.
New players will be given free level 45 equipment (presumably usable right away) along with other benefits such as increased experience and gold drop rates. Those who are already at the previous level cap of 45 will get potions that immediately boost their character to the new level cap of 50. The Up Project event includes a whole host of other features and in-game events including a new referral system in which players are rewarded for bringing new players to the game.
Released just a year ago (Korean OBT started Jan 27 2016), Bless has already had several rounds of server mergers leaving it with just 2 live servers. Its not uncommon for MMORPGs to do server mergers, offer level boosts, and increased experience rates -- some of the most popular titles like World of Warcraft and MapleStory do it. The only brow-raiser here is how quickly Bless has had to resort to these sorts of tactics. With only 5 new levels and only one year in service, its not like any of the content is outdated.
Its not clear whether Bless Online's troubles in its home market are effecting the Western release schedule. Aeria Games first announced a publishing agreement with Neowiz back in April 2016 and had to reiterate its plans in December when rumors that the project was abandoned spread across the internet. Officially, Aeria and Neowiz are working to improve the game's combat system and performance issues. Personally, I had no qualms with the tab-targetting combat in Bless during my time with the Russian version of the game. Performance, on the other hand, is a serious issue. Despite being one of the most expensive to develop MMORPGs in history ($61 million), Bless caused constant technical issues on my top tier gaming PC. Frame drops to the low teens, black screening, and other issues required me to terminate the process and restart once every few hours. If Aeria can force Neowiz to fix these issues, the wait may be worth it. But its a race against the clock.
S4 League is a fast-paced 3D third person MMO shooter with a unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy elements. The game features gorgeous anime-inspired art and fast-paced techno music that fits the game remarkably well.
Publisher: Aeria Games Type: MMO Shooter Release Date: April 4, 2011 Shut Down: April 29, 2021 Pros: +Unique art style. +Great music. +Fast-paced gameplay. +Varied game modes. Cons: -No permanent weapons. -Cash shop imbalances. -Latency issues.
Neowiz Bless Studio, an independent subsidiary of South Korean online game company Neowiz and the developers behind the controversial PC MMORPG Bless Online, will be merging with its parent company on June 19th to “enhance management efficiency” and “enhance corporate value”.
