Bless Unleashed – PAX East Preview

In the PAX East demo of Bless Unleashed I played as the Mage, a femme fatale spellslinger with whom I used the combo system to launch spells of arcane power, fire, and ice. This is generic fantasy, but if there has ever been a game that has come even remotely close to what Kingdoms of Amalur perfected, this might be it.

The character designs are interesting and the skills are fun to use. For magic users who may be running out of mana, instead of using a potion or something similar, you hold a charge button. This recharging mechanic feels great, feeling more like a reload than an SMG in a FPS.

There’s just one big issue with game: I played by myself.

Bless Unleashed was originally titled Bless and released on the PC as a standard MMORPG. Now, after being ported to consoles, it’s made a massive debut on the PAX East show floor. But after talking with staff at the event and playing through the demo, it never felt like I was in any sort of multiplayer experience. I was shocked to learn the game’s history as an MMO after I played it and, looking at it in that scope, it is a curious question why it was presented in such a way.

The mage isn’t the only class, as the generic fantasy roles are filled. Crusader with the sword and board, Berserker with his big boy axe, and Ranger with their bow to pew arrows at their foes. Along with orcs, ogres, and a cyclops, the question for Bless Unleashed is better put to the identity of this game, and why a demo for an MMO was kept to a single player experience.

Bless Unleashed is coming to you by way of Round 8 Studios and NEOWIZ, and publisher Namco Bandai later this year, 2019.