Sign-ups to test Amazon’s upcoming MMO, Throne and Liberty, are now live. Throne and Liberty is an MMO coming to PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, but no date has been announced yet. Selected players will get the first look at what seems to be a truly massive and beautiful new world. The test will be running from September 19 to October 3rd, and those selected will be notified on the 14th. The test will be for all platforms, but please be aware that you will need an Amazon account to sign up.
I’ve already signed up and have my fingers crossed that I get in. There will be an NDA, so there won’t be a follow-up post, but I am still excited to have a first look. The combat system looks fun, there looks to be massive open-world events, solid PVP, and I am a fan of the art style. I am a bit hesitant because it is an Amazon game, but I’ll reserve my judgment until I try the finished product. Amazon games tend to be a bit too grindy for what I have time for, but Throne and Liberty could be different.
If you are interested in trying Thrones of Liberty, make sure you sign up for the test on the official page. And if you’ve been enjoying these updates, make sure you like, comment, subscribe, and share this with your friends. Good luck!
I have been watching the Gamescom coverage a bit passively, but one title that has stood out and has gotten me excited is Tarisland. Tarislandis an MMORPG coming to PC and Mobile devices soon. No date has been announced yet, but there is a beta coming in November. I’ll be making an announcement as soon as I know more, but you can either sign up for updates on the official website or join the official Discord.
The art style looks heavily inspired by World of Warcraft, which I kind of like. The gameplay I’ve seen seems fine, but it is too early to tell if it will be any good. The game will feature seven classes: Ranger, Paladin, Warrior, Mage, Priest, Bard, and Barbarian Fighter. Each class offers two distinct styles styles of gameplay.
Barbarian Fighter
Mage
Priest
Paladin
There is some character customization, but it is limited to things like hair style and color. I would have preferred to play set characters like in Genshin Impact instead if the characters were cooler, but I think the goal is to allow customization through cosmetics. I can only hope the price tag for cosmetics isn’t too high because these characters will need cosmetics.
The game will have dungeons, raids, and pvp like in a traditional MMO, but it isn’t going to be pay to win according to the publishers. I will have to take them to task, but I appreciate the sentiment. The game will balance players through seasons where players will start at the same power level and will have the same opportunities as they level up. I assume there will be a battle pass, but they have said no power level will be tied to the cash shop so it might just be cosmetics.
I hope this game isn’t a terrible grind because what I’ve seen so far has me interested. I am always looking for an MMO to get into, and a game I can play anywhere is always a plus. I’ll probably roll a Bard or Priest because I love to support, but I’ve been enjoying the DPS life lately. I’ll be trying to get into this beta, and will be posting updates as I receive them. I just hope Tarisland can be the one that fills the void!
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Bandai’s MMO, Blue Protocol, has officially launched in Japan. While there will be a Western release in the future, I can’t wait that long. So I turned on my VPN, made a Japanese account, and have been playing essentially since launch. If you’d like to play in the Japanese servers, I made a quick guide to get you started. Make sure you are using a good VPN or your account will get banned. I use Mozilla VPN to play Blue Protocol. This isn’t an endorsement. It is the VPN I use for everything, and it works great for me.
Before you get started, it might be helpful to install the MORT: English Translation tool if you don’t know how to read Japanese. It comes in handy for some of the less intuitive quests but isn’t essential for your enjoyment of the game. MORT is a third-party app that translates Japanese text to English almost instantly. It is easy to set up and simple to use. Keep in mind that running MORT does put a strain on your computer. While I did not experience any performance issues, it did make my computer run hot. It’s a great tool you can download it on the official site if needed.
The first challenge of any MMO is the character creation. I am not big on character creation and can’t speak on how in-depth it gets. The character designs are heavily anime-inspired, which was fine, and there were enough choices to create a character I was happy with. I was excited to see that Blue Protocol offers darker skin tones in their character creation. It may not seem like a huge deal, but younger me would have loved going on adventures as a brown guy.
Once I made my character and decided on a class, I loaded into one of the most beautiful MMO worlds I have ever played in. I am blown away by how good this game looks. The spells look cool without being too busy, the attack animations are cool, and I love the monster design. Even the early-level boars look good in this game. The attention to detail in this game is astounding. There is a day and night cycle that will allow you to sit through some beautiful sunsets. I loved watching the blow through the grass as I ran through the large open fields. Based on the early levels, Blue Protocol brings a beautiful and immersive world that you should check out at least once. I can go on, but you need to see for yourself.
The early level is similar to any other MMO. I won’t spend too much time talking about the early levels. The early-level quests do a great job of teaching players the fundamental mechanics at a solid pace. There is a healthy population of players to help you if you get stuck. Most of the early-level quests are intuitive and don’t need translating. I did get stuck trying to get to adventure rank 2 to progress through the story, but this video does a great job explaining what to do if you get stuck:
Combat is where this game wins me over. I played the Spellcaster and loved it. There are five playable classes in Blue Protocol: Aegis Fighter, Twin Striker, Blast Archer, Spellcaster, and Heavy Smasher. Don’t stress about your choice too hard because you can change between classes freely later in the game. Choose whatever appeals to you most. I have only played Spellcaster and can’t speak on gameplay for the rest of the classes.
I love the magic mechanics of Blue Protocol. Spellcasters get a basic attack, a recharge action, 4 regular spell slots, and an ultimate. You have to stand still to cast a spell, but the kiting in this game feels so good. I never found myself standing still for too long, even when I was fighting low-level boars. What sets this game apart is how the mana regen mechanic. Mana either replenishes automatically after battles, with a spell you get early on, or with the recharge action. Combat becomes this fun game of managing your resources, kiting, and casting which I am all about now. Coming from the NGS magic system, combat took a bit of getting used to, but it is slowly becoming my favorite. I know for sure now that I will be a Spellcaster main.
I haven’t gotten too deep into the game, but I am enjoying the journey so far. The game looks great, runs perfectly, and it is a lot of fun. I don’t know how grindy it will be towards the end game. The early levels at least don’t haven’t felt grindy, although there are a bit too many fetch quests for my liking.
I have been searching for an MMO to replace the void Phantasy Star Online has left, and I think Blue Protocol might be the one. I have been enjoying it so much that I even stopped following the story because I want to enjoy it properly when it comes to the West. I do watch the cut scenes because the voice acting is fantastic. I will be playing Blue Protocol on the Japanese servers until the official Western release, or until I get banned for being American. Whichever comes first.
If you’ve been away from Destiny 2 for a while, it might be a good time to make your return, especially if you enjoyed its PVP. If you’ve never played Destiny 2, the base game is free-to-play, and the event is free to everyone. The Guardian Games pits its different classes against each other in a fun and limited event that runs for three weeks. The event will end on May 23rd, which should be plenty of time to grind out its unique cosmetics made available through the exclusive event card. The event card is available to all players, but there is a paid track for those who want to earn a bit more bling.
Players who participate in the games will have the opportunity to exchange their medallions for two exclusive weapons.
This year’s weapon is the Taraxippos, the game’s first legendary strand scout rifle.
Who wouldn’t want this colorful rifle?
Players can also earn last year’s The Title, a void machine gun with the unique perk, Repulsor Brace.
If you didn’t get a chance to win it last year, it’s a great time to start working towards it now.
You can also earn some other cool cosmetics like:
Armor
Ships and Sparrows
Ghost Shells
Emotes and Finishers
And Stuff from the Event Card
There is a lot to earn, so make sure you hop in today! The breakdown for earning medallions are as follows:
Activities that award you low-tier (Bronze or Silver) Medallions include Gambit and Quickplay Crucible matches, anything from the Vanguard playlists, as well as most Neptune activities and Defiant Battlegrounds. For high-tier (Gold and Platinum) Medallions, play Nightfalls, raids, dungeons, Competitive Crucible, Trials of Osiris, or Legend Defiant Battlegrounds.
You do not need the latest DLCs to participate in the event. While you might be at a disadvantage gear-wise, I never found it an issue as a free-to-play player. If it’s been a while or you’ve never played before, now is a great time to log in and start blinging out your guardian. Who knows? You might like the experience enough to stay.
To get started, talk to Eva Levante for access to the Guardian Games quest and your class item. I hope to see you there!
This year for the games, Bunjie has partnered with Direct Relief and the International Rescue Committee to host the Guardian Games Cup. All money raised will go to some great causes, so make sure you go to the official site to find out how to participate.
The Guardian Games are returning to Destiny 2, and now might be a great time to come back if you’ve been away. The event will pit guardians against each other as they compete to earn bragging rights and some pretty cool cosmetics. You won’t need the latest expansion to participate, so if you’ve been away for a while or are new to the title, it is completely free to play. Who knows, you might like the game enough to stay.
The Guardian Games begin on May 2nd and will run until the end of the Season of Defiance on May 23rd. To get started, speak with Eva Levante to unlock the Guardian Games quest and get your class item.
Participants will earn medals across the game or through PvP which they can exchange for exclusive cosmetics. More specifically:
Activities that award you low-tier (Bronze or Silver) Medallions include Gambit and Quickplay Crucible matches, anything from the Vanguard playlists, as well as most Neptune activities and Defiant Battlegrounds. For high-tier (Gold and Platinum) Medallions, play Nightfalls, raids, dungeons, Competitive Crucible, Trials of Osiris, or Legend Defiant Battlegrounds.
Use these medallions to unlock these year’s Guardian Games weapons:
The Traxippos – The first Legendary Strand Scout Rifle in the game
The Title – The Void Submachine Gun is back with updates, including the fan-favorite perk, Repulsor Brace
Players will also have access to the Guardian Games event card for additional cosmetics. There is a paid tier available for 1000 silver that might be worth it if you want the additional cosmetics.
This event also marks the return of the Guardian Games Cup. Anyone can join so make sure you grab your fire team and help raise money for some great causes. This year, Bungie is teaming up with International Rescue and Direct Relief. Participants of the cup will be fighting for the chance to win:
Top team in the Technical category: custom art of your fireteam by PherianArt
Top team in the Charitable category: custom art of your fireteam by Gammatrap
Top two teams in the Technical and Charitable categories: Guardian Games Pendant ($200 MSRP)
Top three teams in the Technical and Charitable categories: Apricot Dawn emblem
Top four teams in the Technical and Charitable categories: Bungie Store discount codes
The technical category is for the number of medallions earned throughout the event. The charitable category is for the amount of money raised. Make sure you go to the official website to register and start earning.
Participants who donate more than $25 will earn an exclusive Quantum Relay emblem.
I am terrible at PvP, but it might be a great time to dust off my old guardian to start earning some cosmetics.
I’ve written about Portal Fantasy in a previous post where I discuss my impressions of the game and Web3 gaming. Since then, I was given beta access and have had a deeper exposure to the game.
Portal Fantasyis a pixel art monster capture MMO coming to your favorite browser. While Portal Fantasy will have some Web3 features that will require a digital wallet, the game will be free to play. The beta is only available if you have a digital wallet, but setting up a wallet is very easy if you follow these instructions. Access to the beta isn’t guaranteed, so make sure you follow the game on Twitter or join the official Discord for news on when keys will drop. They hold regular contests and competitions for beta keys, so make sure you check in regularly.
The beta has you play as an adventurer who must travel the land catching porbles and completing quests. There is a story, but I recommend you go read the official webcomic instead. The story quests follow the same story as the comics, but the webcomic has a bit more flavor. I love the art for the comic, and the story is a lot darker than I expected. Reading the comic isn’t necessary, you will get the same story if you play through the game, but I appreciate the attempt at making the IP more than just the video game.
The game plays more like an RPG than a traditional Pokemon game. Catching, trading, and healing porbles play similarly to Pokemon, but the combat feels more like a traditional RPG. Each porble comes with unique abilities, but in battle, you only have access to the basic attack until you can generate enough mana to cast stronger abilities. Type advantages do matter, so make sure you learn them as soon as possible. I will say that the initial grind is a bit steep. In the early part of the game, I kept having to pop potions or run back to the fountain in the main town to heal my Porbles. If you’ve played any grindy JRPG or even the original Pokemon games, the grind isn’t bad.
GM! Been working on an EXP and levelling UI during battle. This is what we came up with! 💪
— Portal Fantasy 🔺 – Wishlist on Steam (@PortalFantasyio) April 17, 2023
Outside battles, you will be traveling to unique lands and solving puzzles. The puzzles are manageable, and the different ecosystems are unique. every location has its flavor, and exploring them was relaxing. When the architect class releases, players will get a chance to design their own maps, quests, and bases. I am very excited to see what the community will come up with.
— Portal Fantasy 🔺 – Wishlist on Steam (@PortalFantasyio) April 22, 2023
As far as the performance goes, it ran pretty well for a beta. It is unfair to talk about the bugs and other issues because the game isn’t finished yet. I will, however, commend the dev team for its diligence in fixing bugs. Bugs I would encounter one day would be gone the next. I tried repeating to break this game and found that it wouldn’t always break the same. It is clear that the game still needs work, but I have faith that there is enough passion, love, and diligence to get it done.
The art style gives me Scott Pilgrim vibes, and the porbles are cute and cool enough to make me want to collect them all. I like that the game plays on a browser because players won’t need an expensive machine to run the game. I am always in favor of games that don’t limit access to those who can’t afford it. It reminds me of the time when the only source of gaming I could afford was on the library’s computers. I know that this design choice was made to accommodate the Web3 side of things, but the resulting accessibility is a huge pro for me.
Portal Fantasy will have NFTs, but they are entirely optional. Porbles will be mintable and the game’s license will be an NFT you can purchase for $19.99. With a license, you will get a unique avatar to play and some to-be-announced quality-of-life bonuses, but nothing pay-to-win. If you ever choose to exit the game, you can sell your NFTS and make back some of the money you spent on it. I wouldn’t go into any game with NFTs thinking you’ll turn a profit, but it is nice to have the option to transfer assets when you’re done.
Gamers might dismiss this game because of the negative connotations surrounding Web3. While I understand the position, it is becoming invalid. We have entered the Web3 era of gaming, and there is no going back. Big companies have been slowly implementing these changes and will continue to do so. If you think about your gaming history, you have already purchased digital assets in the form of skins or digital licenses. The only difference between the skin you buy for your League of Legends character and an NFT is that you can’t sell your skins when you no longer want to play League. I am not here to sell you NFTs or even on Web3, but I do want to dismantle some of the apprehensions. It’s time to accept Web3 as the future of gaming. But before you dive into any game, make sure you do your own research.
So what do I think? I enjoyed my time with this game. I enjoy the lore and world, the art is cute, the music is fantastic, and the gameplay is relaxing. This might change for the PVP side and end game, but I wasn’t able to try either to be able to speak on it. I’d say that if you’ve enjoyed classic Pokemon or RPGs, you should look into this game. It certainly has potential. Make sure you follow them on Twitter and Discord to keep up on all the news, but in the meantime, go read the comic and get hyped.
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I got to play Kakeleat GDC and liked it enough to try to get a deeper experience. Make sure you check out my original post for additional information. Kakele is a free-to-play pixel art MMORPG that you can play on IOS, Android, or PC. There is cross-play between devices, and your saves carry over. If you are looking for and cute MMO to try, you should consider Kakale.
I played on both the PC and mobile versions and enjoyed them the same. Each version has its advantage. On PC, I felt like I had better control of my character, and made fewer mistakes in combat. Mobile was much more convenient, and I liked being able to play on the go. I loved that I could grind out some levels while I waited for my oil change. I didn’t feel an unfair advantage between devices, but most players I talked to preferred PC for endgame content and PVP.
Kakele has a voice-acted story, but there are some syntax errors due to the translation. It isn’t so bad you won’t understand what’s going on, but it is noticeable. The voice acting is computer generated, but I appreciate that I don’t always have to read the text. I found the story delightfully quirky, and it did enough to set up its lore. I am curious to see where they take the story, but the English translation needs some love. According to players I chatted with, the story is the quickest way to level up your character.
Kakele has an undeniably adorable aesthetic, but some of the maps can feel a bit cluttered. The character creation is limited to a few sprites and color changes, but they want to sell you skins. The early leveling experience is great. The game does enough to ease new players into their new roles, and there is enough to do to keep players busy. Outside the starter zone, the difficulty felt well-scaled. I felt I was given enough of a foundation to grind efficiently while still feeling challenged. It is easy to get overwhelmed by mobs of enemies if you are playing too passively, or aren’t properly geared or leveled. The combat felt active. I liked that I didn’t have to wait for global cooldowns, and had a blast kiting with the mage.
There is a grind, but it doesn’t feel any different from modern MMOs. You can pay for premium or buy boosts to level up faster, but I leveled quickly without having to spend money. There are global boosts that can be applied to the whole server in the cash shop. I was lucky and always got to play with a global boost and it made the grind more pleasant. At least this early in the game’s life, some charitable players love the game enough to help grow the community.
One issue that might be a barrier to entry is the social element. If you speak Spanish or Portuguese, you will find a healthy supply of friendly players ready to help you. I am fluent in Spanish and understand enough Portuguese to get by. All the interactions I had were pleasant and made me want to play the game more. I was never able to find English-speaking players, at least not on the North American server. I don’t think this is much of an issue because there are plenty of players walking around who will help without the need to communicate. I doubt you will have issues finding groups for PVP or PVE content. At least that was the experience on the PVE server, I can’t speak for the PVP side. If you want to level up with English-speaking players, I recommend you convince friends to join you.
I liked Kakale and played it more than I should have. I love the combat system, love the tone, and enjoy its simplicity. The combat is complex enough to keep the game from growing stale, but the simple graphics means this game can run on anything. I am a huge proponent of games made for all gamers, not just the ones that can afford high-end computers. The game is a lot of fun, and the community is very welcoming. If you are looking for a new MMO while you take a break from your main one, consider playing Kakele. It’s free to play, so you have nothing to lose.
You can download load Kakele for IOS, Android, and PC. Make sure you also check out my previous post for additional information.
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GDC showed me that the era of Web3 gaming is here. At the very least, we are in the early stages of its development, and it is time for gamers to accept it is the future of gaming. There has been resistance to this shift, but from what I saw at GDC, there is no stopping it. Gaming on the Blockchain will be the standard like loot crates and battle passes are now. The big publishers have already taken steps to slowly implement the shift to Web3 so that when it does become mainstream, we won’t notice the change.
I know there is a lot of stigma surrounding Web3 because of all the negative press, but the early era of the internet wasn’t without its faults either. Now the internet is essential and useful if you are smart about it, and Web3 will be the same. I am not here to convince you to buy NFTs or get into crypto, but I am here to tell you that you shouldn’t be as afraid to look into the projects coming out for this new era of gaming. You might even find your new favorite game.
There were a lot of Web3 games featured at GDC, and a couple piqued my interest. One game I am particularly excited about is the cute monster-catching game, Portal Fantasy. Portal Fantasy is a browser-based pixel art monster catcher game that has some clear inspiration from Pokémon. The art is great, and the gameplay reminds me of the best era of Pokémon. But Portal Fantasy isn’t another Pokémon clone gunning for your money. The story is a lot darker, and the game has a few promising features that will set it apart from Pokemon.
The Pyli kingdom is under threat by an unknown evil force. The Porbles that fill its land have suddenly grown murderous. In retaliation to this new threat, the kingdom uses its last bit of magic to summon the heroes from another realm to ait them. With the help of the Porbles that catch along the way, the heroes must work together to rid the world of this evil. Only when this land knows peace will they be able to return home.
If you want to know more about the lore, go check out the webcomic. It comes out every two weeks, and the story is pretty solid. I love the art style, but I was not expecting the story to get so dark. This isn’t going to be another Pokémon clone, at least not lore-wise. The webcomic is free to read, and I think it’s worth checking out. Who knows? It might even get you interested in trying the game. I know it did for me.
I didn’t get enough time with the game to form an opinion about its mechanics or gameplay. The art looks great and has a unique aesthetic I can get behind. The game will have two classes at launch, Architect and Adventurer. Adventurers are players who roam the land catching, trading, and battling Porbles. Architects will have access to what seems to be a promising world-building mechanic that I am sure will excite you creative folk out there. Architects will be able to create bases, quests, and even stories that adventurers can enjoy. This feature has me the most excited for this game because of the potential for content this game will have. Nothing is worse than finishing the story content in an MMO and having nothing to do. If this game is as community-driven as I hope it will be, there will always be something to do or try. I am very interested in seeing what the community can come up with.
The game is currently entering beta for blockchain users only. I am still trying to get into the beta. I will return with my impressions as soon as I get enough data. If you don’t want to get a wallet, the game will be free-to-play at launch, so make sure you keep tabs on the official Twitter for news on that release. For those who don’t mind, setting up a wallet isn’t hard. There are easy-to-follow instructions on how to do so on the official website.
The biggest barrier I see for this game and Web3 games is overcoming the stigma that surrounds it. There are also a few too many steps to gain admission that the average player won’t want to take. As Web3 becomes the norm, many of the hurdles will eventually disappear. It is great to be cautious, but it is also good to learn new things. Now is a great time to start educating yourself on the future of gaming and maybe even start following projects that interest you.
I will be following Portal Fantasyclosely. If you are a fan of monster catcher games, I suggest you do the same. I think the art is great and the lore is cool so far. The game will be free-to-play, but there will be some monetization. The game license will be $20, and you will get a cute avatar NFT to play as. Follow them on Twitter to stay up to date on all the news. I will be back with more news as soon as I can get it.
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The Diablo IV open beta has just ended, and it has made me excited for its release. The art is great, the skill tree is massive, and the combat is so much fun. Even though we had limited content for the beta, there was so much to do that I didn’t have the time to get to it all. I can only imagine how much content there will be at the launch.
The beta had access to the story quests, side quests, and dungeons. I didn’t get a chance to finish the available story because I was having so much fun doing the dungeons and side quests. What little story I got to was enough to hook me to all the new incoming lore. The cutscenes in this game are beautiful, and they do a great job of setting up its grim dark universe.
Screenshot from the game
The best part of this game is how versatile each class can be. With access to a massive skill tree, players can create a character that truly fits their playstyle. I recommend that you play around with your build till you get something you like before you start looking into meta builds. I went for a werebear druid build that might not have been optimal but was a lot of fun.
Combat is a blast in this game. With the new mechanics, I had to think differently about how I approached each fight. Boss fights were a lot harder than I was used to, and I found myself having to manage my supply of potions while avoiding all attacks. It made for intense sessions that had me on the edge of my seat. Losing focus means death.
I wasn’t able to get to max level or fight the world boss during the beta because I had so much content to keep myself busy. Diablo IV is looking to be a casual friendly MMO, but one that has enough challenging content for when you are ready to level up your experience. If you are thinking of buying this game, the beta suggests 4 is going to be a very solid Diablo experience. If I am not overwhelmed by my backlog this summer, this is a title I will most definitely be getting into.
