Naraka: Bladepoint

Features Review

In Naraka: Bladepoint, you are one of the sixty participants fighting it out on a war-torn island. You control one of the seven unique heroes in teams of three or alone. Your mission is not to scour for firearms or body armor but swords, katanas, and other forged weaponry. Protective gear like breastplates and trinkets, which afford you passive buffs, are also up for grabs. The scrambling for resources is one attribute shared with games like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone. However, the combat system deviates from the rest of the genre and rather leans on techniques seen in fighting games. Skilful parrying, calculated strikes, and strategic combos are key to survival. Reading your opponents' movements and finding the right moment to strike is equally crucial.

There are also distance combat options with bows, muskets, and impressively massive flamethrowers. It's important to note that this isn't a first-person shooter and getting results with ranged weapons requires skill. In my experience, ranged weapons served better as finishers to opponents trying to escape after a melee engagement, rather than an alternative battle style.

The idea of a 3v3 battle originally made me think of a chaotic melee. However, in action, it mirrors the strategic skirmishes of League Of Legends than a chaotic moshpit. There's more to it than randomly throwing punches and kicks. Each hero character's abilities, when combined effectively with teammates', result in brilliantly coordinated plays and delightful outcomes.

The featured heroes are incredibly captivating in battle. However, from a narrative perspective, they leave much to be desired. Despite using Matari the stealthy assassin for countless hours, there's not much to know about her character. The majority of the heroes suffer the same fate with storylines offering almost zero depth or enthusiasm.

Naraka: Bladepoint makes a bold and successful attempt at revitalizing the Battle Royale genre. Its sleek gameplay mechanics, strategic combat, and gravity-defying action create an enthralling experience. However, there's room for improvement - enhanced server stability and more fleshed-out hero backstories would take the experience to even greater heights.

Pros: 

• Strategic and skill-based melee combat;
• Diverse and unique hero characters;
• Excellent gameplay mechanics and visuals.

Cons:

• Network connection issues;
• Lack of depth and enthusiasm in heroes' stories.