In general, action RPGs, especially third-person role-playing games that feature hack-and-slash combat, tend to be single-player experiences. Typically, the concept of teaming up with many friends to explore fantasy worlds and fight powerful enemies is reserved for MMORPGs, but in the near future, Bandai Namco will be looking to flip that script. I say this because as part of Summer Game Fest I had the opportunity to check out and play a portion of Blue Protocol, an anime action RPG adventure game with a ton of massively multiplayer social features, and now, about six weeks after seeing the game in Los Angeles, I can tell you a little more about it.
First, let’s talk about the presentation of Blue Protocol. The game uses the anime, almost cartoon-colored look we’ve seen in games like Genshin Impact, Tower of Fantasy, Scarlet Nexus, and more. It has a clear anime art style, but only the characters and monsters are scream anime, as the world design is more traditional and looks more realistic than something ripped from the manga.
As for the gameplay, this is where things start to get more unique, as there are actually two main elements that make up what Blue Protocol has to offer. On one side is the action-RPG side of things, with players using an array of swords, axes, hammers, and other melee weapons to smash and combine the many different kinds of beasts and monsters scattered around the world. There are also ranged attacks at your disposal, as well as a bevy of unique abilities that provide compelling heavy-hitting attacks. The way the entire combat suite is presented feels fast-paced and fluid, and it’s a thrill to play, especially since there’s a ton of customization that lets you fiddle with the intricacies of character gameplay.
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Then, beyond that, there’s the more MMO-like quality, which includes multiplayer and social features. Blue Protocol is no Elden Ring, and for the most part, you go through this adventure alone. No, this is a game that encourages players to team up and form small groups to deal with demanding raids filled with gigantic monsters that will wipe out a single player, or to just keep exploring the world and completing quests.
The world itself also seems like a pretty compelling place to explore. You can walk around on a mount and come across a horde of strange and unusual creatures, most of which are hostile and will try to kill you if you get too close to them. There are also plenty of resources and items to collect along the way, and this is on top of the world with quite a bit of verticality, which means it’s not always the easiest place to traverse, requiring some map skills to get around. From what I’ve seen of the Blue Protocol world, it won’t blow people’s minds like Lands Between, but at the same time it has enough compelling locations and creatures that it remains engaging throughout the preview.
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I will say that I found it challenging to really get a handle on the game’s story during the preview period, since it’s more about getting a refined understanding of combat and gameplay. But, having said that, there does seem to be a lot of mystery in the narrative, and that mystery does make players curious to learn more about the world and the people who live in it.
Fortunately, Blue Protocol’s class system is much clearer. The game features a bunch of different career types, each of which drastically alters the gameplay in a way similar to other RPGs like Diablo IV. For example, you can opt for the rounder Blade Warden, who brings sword and shield style combat, or you can opt for the far-end Keen Strider for mid-range combat and support options. With five classes available (at least as in the preview release), each class brings different abilities, weapon sets, playstyles, and multiplayer advantages, a system that greatly enhances build-making.
To make the Blue Protocol experience even more unique, Bandai Namco even included a fairly complex character customization suite at the beginning of the game, allowing players to design their own character. By fiddling with expressions to adjust facial features, hairstyles, clothing, accessories, and even expressive features, there are plenty of ways to make the adventure your own.
Since the preview wasn’t very long, I can’t comment too much on the complexity of the progression or mission design, but what I will say is that the multiplayer elements seem to be handled pretty well. The game works really well when teaming up with other players, and it’s easy to figure out how you should play your character in conjunction with the other class types in your party. The Foe Breaker, Twin Striker, and Blade Warden classes can get up close and personal, attract the attention of enemies, and deal a lot of damage in return. Beyond that, Keen Striders and Spell Weavers stand at a distance, looking to launch long-range attacks on enemies, while replenishing and supporting frontline allies to ensure they don’t get too low on health. In practice, this is a very simple and effective system.
While Blue Protocol has already debuted in Japan, fans in other parts of the world will have to wait until 2024 to play the free-to-play online RPG. But whenever Blue Protocol does hope to launch on PC, PS5, and the Xbox family of consoles, it’s one game fans of games like Genshin Impact and other anime-style RPGs watch.
