Korean MMO ‘Blade And Soul’ Coming Stateside This Winter

Blademaster — The Blade Master class from 'Blade and Soul.' The title is set to arrive in North America this winter. http://www.bladeandsoul.com/en/

After waiting for three years, U.S. gamers will finally be able to try out the hit Korean MMO “Blade and Soul,” as it's set to come to North America this winter, according to a blog post. Fans will also be able to try the game early as developer NCSoft has announced this week that there will be a “Blade and Soul” beta test this fall.

“Blade and Soul” was a big hit in Korea for a number of reasons, one of which was because of the big focus on the game’s combat system and the fact that all the character classes take part in the fighting. According to Game Informer, “Blade and Soul” differentiates itself from other games in the genre because it does not feature a “designated healer” class usually seen in an MMORPG; every character class in the game is a fighter and can fend for himself or herself.

“Blade and Soul” also ditches any form of turn-based combat and uses a fast-paced and real-time combat system instead. Instead of simply clicking attack or defend, players actively dodge, block, counter and attack the various enemy forces in the game with their friends. Furthermore, each character class has a different set of moves and techniques to master, so it’s fair to say that each character class feels different and unique.

Another reason why the Korean MMORPG is such a hit is due to the game’s story, which is inspired from a number of martial arts films like “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.” The player’s main story is to avenge the death of his or her master, and according to Polygon players everywhere can reach level 45 by simply playing the main story for a few weeks rather than partake in any side quests.

Players who finish the story and end up in level 45 have nothing to worry about as “Blade and Soul” is packed to the brim with tons of content. This is due to the Korean version of the game being released all the way back in 2012, as the Martial Arts MMO has been updated, patched and fixed for more than three years now, which should provide a satisfying experience.

MMO players curious about the game can subscribe to the “Blade and Soul” newsletter to receive plenty of information. The game will be a free-to-play MMO.