There are a lot of armor sets available to collect or craft and then equip in Throne and Liberty, all of which offer perks if you equip a certain number of a sing?le set’s pieces. Each set has five pieces in total. 

If you’re wondering what the buffs are for each set or whether you’ll even like the appearance of a set at all, we’ve got you covered. Here are all the armor sets you can obtain in Throne and Liberty, along with their details.

All armor sets in Throne and Liberty

All of the following armor sets can be obtained in a variet??y of ways:

• Defeating enemies in the overworld
• Completing duties
• Opening Containers
• Crafting

Abyss Slayer Set

The Abyss Slayer Set is an Epic Lv??. 2 armor?? set made up of the following items:

• Abyss Slayer’s Void Mask
• Abyss Slayer’s Insanity Armor
• Abyss Slayer’s Claw Gloves
• Abyss Slayer’s Selflessness Pants
• Abyss Slayer’s Frenzy Boots

Set bonuses:

Dawn Mist Set

The Dawn Mist Set is an Epic Lv. 2 armor set that c??ontains the following individual pieces:

• Dawn Mist’s Killing Hood
• Dawn Mist’s Frost Heart
• Dawn Mist’s Death Hand
• Dawn Mist’s Mourning Pants
• Dawn Mist’s Thousand-Mile Feet

Set bonuses:

Death Set

The Death Set is an Epic armor set containing the foll?owing individual pieces:

• Shadow Harvester Mask 
• Shadow Harvester Tunic
• Shadow Harvester Grips
• Shadow Harvester Trousers
• Shadow Harvester Boots

Set bonuses:

Elder Set

The Elder Set is ?an Epic Lv. 2 armor set that’s made up of the following individual armor pieces:

• Elder’s Serene Circlet
• Elder’s Blessing Magic Garb
• Elder’s Punishment Cloth Gloves
• Elder’s Blessing Cloth Pants
• Elder’s Thousand Miles Prayer Shoes

Set bonuses:

Fallen Angel Set

The Fal??len Angel Set is an Epic Lv. 2 set and is perfect for magic builds. It’s made up of the following pieces:

• Oracle Priest’s Crown
• Oracle Priest’s Meditation Clothes
• Oracle Priest’s Concentration Gloves
• Oracle Priest’s Soul Pants
• Oracle Priest’s Tranquility Shoes

Set bonuses:

Forgotten Assassin Set

The Fo?rgotten Assassin Set is an Epic Lv. 2 set that includes the following individual pieces of armor:

• Forgotten Assassin’s Shadowless Mask
• Forgotten Assassin’s Shadowless Light Armor
• Forgotten Assassin’s Shadowless Gloves
• Forgotten Assassin’s Shadowless Gaiters
• Forgotten Assassin’s Shadowless Boots

Set bonuses:

Ghost Wolf Set

The Ghost Wolf? Set i??s an Epic armor set and contains the following pieces:

• Phantom Wolf Mask
• Phantom Wolf Tunic
• Phantom Wolf Gloves 
• Phantom Wolf Breeches
• Phantom Wolf Boots

There are two bonu?ses available for equipping this set, one for equipping two pieces and another for equipping four:

Holy Ghost Fighter Set

The Holy Ghost Fighter Set is an Epic Lv. 2 armor set, and you’ll ??need the five following i??ndividual pieces to complete it:

• Holy Ghost Fighter’s Equanimity Armor
• Holy Ghost Figher’s Devotion Armor
• Holy Ghost Fighter’s Mortal Hands
• Holy Ghost Fighter’s Conviction Gaiters
• Holy Ghost Fighter’s Blessed Boots

Set bonuses:

Imperator Set

The Imperator Set is an Ep??ic armor set made up of the following individual pieces:

• Helm of the Field General
• Plate of the Field General
• Gauntlets of the Field General
• Greaves of the Field General
• Sabatons of the Field General

After you’ve obtained a couple of pieces from this set,?? you can start unlocking i?ts bonuses. These come with two or four pieces equipped:

Imperial Tracker Set

The Imperial Tracker set is an E?pic Lv. 2 armor set that requires the following individual pieces to complete:

• Imperial Tracker’s Wind Ring
• Imperial Tracker’s Crafted Armor
• Imperial Tracker’s Leather Gloves
• Imperial Tracker’s Leather Pants
• Imperial Tracker’s Leather Shoes

Set bonuses:

Indomitable Knight Set

The Indomitable Knight Set is a Rare armor set and is made up?? of the following pieces:

• Resolute Crusader Helmet
• Resolute Crusader Armor
• Resolute Crusader Gauntlets
• Resolute Crusader Greaves
• Resolute Crusader Sabatons

Set bonuses:

As a Rare set, rather than an Epic one, this one? only has one bonus that comes when you equip three pieces from it, increasing your damage reduction by 15. 

Mother Nature Set

The Mother Nature Set is an Epic armor? set and is particularly good for ranged builds. It’s made up of the following pieces:

• Swirling Essence Hat
• Swirling Essence Robe
• Swirling Essence Gloves
• Swirling Essence Pants
• Swirling Essence Shoes

Set bonuses:

Mysterious Sage Set

The Mysterious Sage Set is a ??Rare set and is made up ?of the following pieces:

• Alacritous Invoker Hood
• Alacritous Invoker Overcoat
• Alacritous Invoker Gloves
• Alacritous Invoker Pants
• Alacritous Invoker Shoes

Set bonuses:

As another Rare set, there is only one bonus that comes from the Mysterious Sage Set when you wear three pieces t??ogether. When applied, it will decrease yo?ur cooldown speed by 5%.

Nether Overwatcher Set

The Nether Overwatcher Set is an Epic Lv. 2 s??et that’s perfect for ranged builds thanks to one of its buffs. It contains the following pieces:

• Nether Overwatcher’s Mask
• Nether Overwatcher’s Leather Armor
• Nether Overwatcher’s Leather Gloves
• Nether Overwatcher’s Leather Pants
• Nether Overwatcher’s Leather Shoes

Set bonuses:

Palace Guard Set

Like most of the armor sets sho?wn here, the Palace Guard Set is an Epic Lv. 2 set. It includes the following piec?es:

• Palace Guard’s Visor
• Palace Guard’s Plate Armor
• Palace Guard’s Plate Gauntlets
• Palace Guard’s Plate Gaiters
• Palace Guard’s Plate Boots

Set bonuses:

Reflection Mind Set

The Reflection Mi?nd Set is another Rare armor set and includ??es the following:

• Soul Mirror Turban
• Soul Mirror Carapace
• Soul Mirror Hand Guards
• Soul Mirror Trousers
• Soul Mirror Boots

Set bonuses:

As a Rare set, the Reflection Mind Set has only one bonus that kicks in when you equip three pieces of the set. When activ??e, it increases yo??ur attack speed by 6.6%. 

Sacred Vanquisher Set

Another Epic Lv. 2 set, the Sacred Vanquisher Set is ?made up of the followi?ng pieces:

• Sacred Vanquisher’s Reaper Eye
• Sacred Vanquisher’s Atonement Clothes
• Sacred Vanquisher’s Conquest Gloves
• Sacred Vanquisher’s Judgement Pants
• Sacred Vanquisher’s Shadow Boots

Set bonuses:

Shock Commander Set

The Shock Commander set is an Epic armor set containing the follo?wing pieces:

• Shock Commander Visor
• Shock Commander Plate Armor
• Shock Commander Gauntlets
• Shock Commander Greaves
• Shock Commander Sabatons

Set bonuses:

Skilled Veteran Set

The Skilled Veteran Set is another Epic Lv. 2 set an?d has the five following pieces:

• Skilled Veteran’s Fated Mask
• Skilled Veteran’s Fated Armor
• Skilled Veteran’s Fated Gloves
• Skilled Veteran’s Fated Gaiters
• Skilled Veteran’s Fated Boots

Set bonuses:

Southern Admiral Set

Like most of the armor shown here, t??he Southern Admiral Set is another Epic Lv. 2 set containing the followi??ng individual pieces:

• Admiral’s Combat Hat
• Admiral’s Commanding Uniform
• Admiral’s Directive Gloves
• Admiral’s Victorious Pants
• Admiral’s Infiltration Boots

Set bonuses:

Transcended One Set

A simp?le Epic set, the Transcended One Set is perfect for healing?? builds and includes the following pieces:

• Ascended Guardian Hood
• Ascended Guardian Raiment
• Ascended Guardian Gloves
• Ascended Guardian Pants
• Ascended Guardian Shoes

Set bonuses:

Wing Gale Set

The Wing Gale Set is an Epic Lv. 2 set containing the following pie??ces:

• Winged Wind Storm Hood
• Winged Wind Storm Armor
• Winged Wind Typhoon Gloves
• Winged Wind Tsunami Pants
• Winged Wind Gale Boots

Set bonuses:

World Tree Set

The World Tree Set is another Epic Lv. 2 set and ??among the prettiest available. It includes the followin??g:

• World Tree’s Mysterious Wreath
• World Tree’s Vibrant Attire
• World Tree’s Origin Gloves
• World Tree’s Providence Pants
• World Tree’s Winged Boots

Set bonuses:

Wraith Knight Set

The final set on this list is another Epic Lv. 2 set, and it is definitely one that’s worth obtaining i??f you want a badass tank build. It’s made up of the following:

• Wraith Knight’s Netherworld Headgear
• Wraith Knight’s Execution Armor
• Wraith Knight’s Judgement Gloves
• Wraith Knight’s Invincibility Gaiters
• Wraith Knight’s Punishment Boots

Set bonuses:

The post Throne and Liberty: All armor sets showcase appeared first on Destructoid.

MMORPGs are no strangers to seasonal events, and it seems that the recently released Throne and Liberty from NCSoft and Amazon Games is no exception. From October 24, Halloween will very much come to ?Solisium. 

The Haunted Harvest event is?? set to run? from October 24 until November 13, so you’ll have plenty of time to dive in and experience absolutely everything on offer. Here’s the official trailer for the event:

The sheer amount of Halloween-themed things on display in the trailer can be a little overwhelming, but do?n’t worry, let’s take a look at everything that will be available to try during the Haunted Harvest event. 

Get scared by event duties and tasks

It is an event-only Dungeon, home to a giant Jack-o�lantern with murderous intentions. In the trailer, you can see a player shapeshifting into a pumpkin to roll around obstacles and AOEs. According to the official post from Throne and Liberty, we’ll be defeating fiendish pumpkins and devouring Candy Corn for a chance to win rewards such as?? cosmetics, buffs, and Ornate Coins. 

You’ll also get ??Dimension Pumpkins, a special item that can be exchanged for spoils at event merchants, including:

• Ghastly Gourd cosmetic
• Jack-oâ€?lantern Izzy Amitoi
• Hallow-Knight shapeshift

Speaking of event merchants, they’ll be located i?n special event villages, specifically added to the map in celebration of the spooky season. Candy Corn will be the main currency during the event, and you’ll not only earn it through participating in themed tasks such as greeting costumed villagers but they will also be rewarded for daily login. 

If you're lucky, ??you'll be able to get the Phantom’s Prank b??uff, which increases both Sollant and experience gain. 

Go fishing for gummies

During the event, you’ll be able to fish in various spots around Solisium in the hopes of reeling in a range of gummy f??ish. Each fish comes w?ith buffs that last 15 minutes:

• Red, Yellow, or Blue Gummy Fish

  • Increased movement and attack speeds

• Pumpkin Taffy

  • Increased boss hit rate
  • Damage boost against undead and demon enemies
  • Damage resistance against undead and demon enemies

Cooking up a fright

There will also be new recipes available to cook, both of which come with their own useful 1??5-mi??nute perks when consumed:

• Spooky Pumpkin Pie

  • Increased mastery gain
  • Increased abyss consumption efficiency

• Choco-Spider Cookie

  • Increased critical hit chance and damage

Special Shop gets haunting additions

One of the standout items from the trailer is the Grin Reaper outfit, complete with a backlit pumpkin-face mask. This item will be available in the Special Shop as part of the Wicked Enchanter bundle, the cost of which has n?ot yet been revealed. 

There will also be other cosme??tics available for purchase, including the skeleton outfit and witches hat on display in the trailer. Further cosmetics will become availabl?e when the new Battle Pass begins, carrying the theme of “Phantom Assassin’s Starâ€? 

Overall, this looks like an incredible first seasonal event for Throne and Liberty. As a long-time MMO player, this has left me slightly overwhelmed with the amount of things ??to do, and I can’t wait to dive in and experience the first-ever Solisium Halloween. See you there, if you dare!

The post Thro?ne and Liberty: Spooktacular Halloween event, ?Haunted Harvest, begins October 24 appeared first on Destructoid.

Up to 40% of a game's total sales occur in the first month, according to the SSRN Electronic Journal. Consequently, the best strategy for studios is to ensure their titles launch with a bang. Some strategic marketing is necessary to achieve this. Piling up good reviews from critics and gamers is also vital, meaning it's essential for games to launch in? a polished state.

Over the years, a few titles have missed the mark terribly, resulting in catastrophic launches. The following l??ist contai?ns some of the worst offenders in gaming history.

2024 addendum

To borrow a common internet adage, it's like Concord read this list and said, "Hold my beer." As such, we felt it w?ould be a?? good time to add to this list. It felt as though it would remain incomplete without what is currently the most talked about crash.

But rather than slotting in Concord and calling it a day, I'm going to also add a couple of my favorite launch failures. Smangeliso already did a bang-up job on compiling some of the wor??st, so those are left untouched.

13. Trespasser - Jurassic Park

The move to 3D graphics was a painful one. Over-ambition was common, and nowhere was this more obvious than with Trespasser, a game based on the Jurassic Park franchise. The lead-up to the launch promised a game that used a real-time physics en?gine and artificial intelligenc?e that would make dinosaurs flock together and act based on their specific needs.

Trespasser was technically impressive when it launched. However, the game was rushed so urgently that every promised feature was only technically implemented. Dinosaur AI, for example, wasn't ready for prime time?, so the dinosaur's anger was cranked up to maximum, and that was it. The real-time physics and inverse kinematic animations resulted in the thunder lizards staggering around drunkenly. It's hilarious, it's easily ??one of my favorite terrible games.

12. SimCity (2013)

The first SimCity was released in 1989 and became one of the most influential games in the history of the industry. It practically created the city-builder genre and laid the groundwork for all kinds of management games. Makes sense that EA would be the ones to screw that up. The publisher decided that the once single-player city builder should have a multiplayer element, and that was enough to warrant an always-online requirement for SimCity (2013??). Previous botched attempts at always-online had soured the already mixed feelings on the requirement, and it proved to be warranted when many players had difficulty downloading, connecting, and staying connected to play the game.

It didn't stop at the online issues, however. Many changes to the SimCity formul?a were not well received, such as an almost microscopic map size to build on and mindless traffic that players would put through veritable mazes of streets to demonstrate their insistence on taking the most direct path, rather than an easily acceptable and better alternative. Three years later, EA would remove the always-online requi?rement, but at that point, it was far too late.

11. WWE 2K20

The WWE franchise has had a long presence in the gaming scene, and titles like Smackdown! vs Raw 2006 and SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain are memorable games that successfully replicate the testosterone-flooded action of sports e?ntertainment.

When WWE 2K20 launched in October 2019, day-one buyers ended up with a game sporting atrocious graphics that looked like they belonged on a PS3. The gameplay wasn't any better, and the numerous glitches made WWE 2K20 a pain to play. The game's terrible reception was one of the reasons WWE 2K21 was canceled. It was for the best, as when the franchise returned with WWE 2K22, it?? achieved? double its predecessor's launch sales.

10. New World

Amazon's New World hit stores in September 2021, and?? the launch was nothing but chaos. Servers were flooded, resulting in players waiting for hours before they could start playing. When people were eventually able to play, they discovered that while the core game was good, it was also plagued with game-breaking glitches. Since release, plenty of updates have been pushed out, and the game is in a better state, but it failed to be the enduring classic that Amazon was likely aiming for.

9. Anthem

When Anthem was announced, the flashy marketing successfully caught the attention of the gaming world. Unfortunately, when Anthem launched in 2019, it was immediately critically panned. Critics and gamers alike complained about many elements, including boring missions, technical glitches, poor performance, an??d excessive grinding. The game failed to meet EA's expectations, and future developments for it were cut in 2021.

8. The Last of Us Part 1 (PC)

Though the PS5 version launched without any major issues, the PC port of The Last of Us Part 1 has been nothing short of a disaster. Players were greeted with technical issues and absurdly long load??ing times, making the game unplayable for some. Since launch, many have pointed the finger at Iron Galaxy, the studio Naughty Dog entrusted with the port. It won't be the last time the studio ??appears on the list, so there may be some truth to the accusations.

7. Fallout 76

In 2018, Bethesda took Fallout online with Fallout 76. The game promised to allow players to explore dystopian settings with friends, which is an idea that has great potential. When Fallout 76 launched in November 2018, it was far from what gamers expected, resulting in the PC version scoring a measly 52 on Metacritic. Due to the bad press, many gamers stayed away, and as a result, Fallout 76 had lower launch sales numbers than Fallout 4 and Fallout New Vegas.

6. Batman: Arkham Knight (PC)

Arkham Knight's PS4 and Xbox One versions were developed by Rocksteady Studios, and the PC port was handed off to Iron Galaxy. This proved to be a mistake. When Arkham Knights launc?hed on PC, it crashed constantly and featu??red technical issues that rendered it unplayable for many.

The situation got so bad that Warner Bros. Interac??tive Entertainment suspended sales of the Windows version of the game in June 2015 while developers worked on patches to fix the game. Though the game? has improved plenty, the historically disastrous launch won't be forgotten any time soon.

5. eFootball

The free-to-play sports game eFootball was released in September 2021. The c??oncept wasn't a bad one, though the execution left a lot to be d??esired. Gamers were met with atrocious graphics, endless technical issues, and visual bugs that have made for some hilarious screenshots. With a score of 25 on Metacritic, it is one of the lowest-rated games of all time.

4. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition

When it was revealed that the GTA trilogy would receive a remake, excitement was high. Launch day arrived in November 2021, and gamers were less than satisfied. The trilogy was rife with technical issues, ugly character models, and visual errors, which should have been spotted during the QA phase of develo?pment. To placate fans, Rockstar offered the original trilogy to all customers who had purchased the remake ??via the Rockstar Store.

3. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 is a title that has been a ubiquitous fixture in gaming for years, and not always for good reasons. When Cyberpunk 2077 launched in 2020, the experience was so bad droves of gamers demanded refunds, and Sony eventually pulled the game from the PS Store. Fortunately, the story doesn't end on a sour note, as developers ha??ve worked hard to improve the game, and after several patches and updates, the game is one of the most enjoyable open-world titles on current-gen consoles.

2. No Man's Sky

Like many other titles on the list, the developers made plenty of big promises before the game's release. When No Man's Sky launched, gamers realized that many of the promised features were missing, and the performance was poor. There was plenty of outrage, though Hello Games didn't abandon No Man's Sky. Instead, developers got to work releasing patches and updates that slowly but surely improved the game. Today, No Man's Sky is a bestseller available ??on almost all? platforms.

1. Concord

Concord's failed launch was so severe that it will probably be studied for years to come. It was enough to warrant an update on this list. It was reportedly the result of years of work and millions upon millions of dollars, and lasted two weeks before it was pulled from marketplaces with a refund being issued to those who had bought it. At least one report suggests that Sony dumped $400 million into the project and was betting on it being the future of the brand. Take that with a grain of salt; it hasn't yet been substantiated. However, the live service sector of the industry is packed to the gills with people hoping to be the next Fortnite, and simply dropping an expensive game in there is not enough to capture the crowd. Whether or not Concord reappears in some form in the future rem??ains ??to be seen.

There's no shortage of games with failed launches, and the? future will feature plenty more. From these cases, we learn that although delays may be frustrating, terrible launches are far worse. We also see that even the worst launches don't have to spell the end for a game so long as developers persevere.

The post Top 13 worst ??game launches in gaming history,? ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

Amazon Games announced today that the NCSOFT-developed MMORPG Throne and Liberty finally has a global release date and it is September 17, 2024. Originally titled Project TL, Throne and Liberty is seen by many as somewhat of a spiritual successor to NCSOFT's popular Lineage MMORPG series. The MMO has already been released in South Korea, but has been receiving some updates and changes before Amazon Games brought ?it to the global audience.

Throne of Liberty features a dy??namic PvP system that focuses on conquest battles and castle sieges. Winning these battles?? allows guilds to get valuable buffs and guild resources that increase the guilds ability to compete in PvE as well, creating a system where all facets of gameplay benefit each other.

The Castle Siege system is said to support thousands of players as they fight over a castle, using unique strategic resources such ??as Golems to join them in the fight.

In Throne and Liberty, there are numerous goals that can be achieved through guilds, including guild rankings, Conquest Battles, and Castle Sieges. Guilds are at the core of strategic competitive ?battles. Guild members not only work together to achieve common goals, but also benefit from a guild reward system that includes distributing raid items and sharing rewards from events among members. However, the greatest appeal of a guild is t??he sense of belonging it provides, ensuring that you always have companions by your side.

- Moonseop Lee, Game Design Director at NCSOFT

Amazon Games also announced an upcoming open beta taking place from July 18 ?to July 23 on all platforms with cross-play enabled.

Throne and Liberty will release on September 17 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S and will feature cross-platform p?lay across all three platforms.

The post NCSOFT MMORPG Throne and Liberty set to relea??se Septemb??er 17, open beta next month appeared first on Destructoid.

Following the release of the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion for New World, the Amazon Games MMORPG has revealed its plans for Season 4. Ti??tled New World Eternal Frost, the new season is launching with new features and events for both those who have bought the expansio??n and those still on the base game.

All new story, Expedition, and Artifacts

For those that have purchased the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion, an all new storyline will be front and center in Season 4. A Knight of the Round Table has discovered f?orbidden knowledge of the Ancients, and looks to subjugate humanity with it. Players will try to track down and vanquish the Knight before he is successful.

A Level 65 Expedition set in the Great Cleave will also be introduced in Eternal Frost. The Glacial Tam is a frozen cavern hidden beyond the Empyrean Forge. In this high-level expedition, players are tasked with locating and harne?ssing the primordial magic of the Empyrean ??Flame.

Finally, eight new Artifacts will be available to expansion-owners in New World Eternal Frost. Each?? of the eight powe??rful weapons and armors also have their own quests. Examples include a lightning-focused Boltcaster Bow, speed-enhancing Winged Shoes, and the ability to freeze enemies with The Frozen Gauntlet.

Seasonal Events for all players

Regardless of whether you have the Rise of the Angry Earth expansion, s?ome new Events and features are coming in Season 4 as well. The Winter Convergence Festival allows players to visit Winter Villages and ?take on holiday-themed quests. Players can collect Winter Tokens to earn exclusive rewards including skins, emotes, housing items, and more.

A new ?open-world boss called the Winter Warrior is threatening to spread a Forever Winter. Players can pull together a party of 20+ others to take down the new open-world boss for seasonal rewards.

Later in Season 4, cross-world Expeditions and an improved Group Finder are also being added to New WOrld. The new Group Finder will b??e a one-click system, allowing playe??rs to automatically assmelbe a role-balanced and cross-world group without the need of a lobby.

New World Eternal Frost, Season 4, launches on PC on December 12.

The post Amazon Games de??tail?s New World Eternal Frost and Season 4 appeared first on Destructoid.

A closed beta test is in the works

Amazon Games and Bandai Namco Online's online action RPG Blue Protocol is? setting up for its official June launch? in Japan. But while one region will see the service go live, others will have to wait a bit longer for the big day.

During a Blue Protocol stream this morning, Bandai Namco announced that the western launch of Blue Protocol has been pushed back. Originally set for the second half of 2023, Blue Protocol will now launch in the west in 2024. Its site has also been adjusted to reflect this, now displaying a "coming 2024" line.

"Our planned release window is moving to 2024 as we work toward launching Blue Protocol in the West across PC, Xbox X|S, and PlayStation 5," reads a statement on the official site. "With continued efforts to localize the deeply immersive stories and build the infrastructure needed to engage in ??multiplayer adventures and massive online raids against towering monsters, we’re w?orking hard to ensure the best possible experience for our players at launch."

[caption id="attachment_381204" align="alignnone" width="640"] Image via Bandai Namco Online[/caption]

For players in Japan, Blue Protocol will go live on June 14. There will, however, be a PC Closed Beta Test held sometime later in 2023. Sign-ups for the closed beta are currently live over on the Blue Protocol site here.

More of the game was also shown off today, featuring cutscenes, story characters, and some gameplay of the?? upcoming multip??layer action RPG.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYUa6X_Ow-M

A new world to explore

Interest seems fairly high in Blue Protocol, for a variety of reasons. It was originally revealed in 2019, so those who latched on early have been waiting for a little while, and?? its an online action RPG. That, in and of itself, is pretty intriguing.

The visuals and style are an?? obvious draw?, too. Plus, it's a new virtual world to explore with friends. The early days of any online game can be an enticing draw in and of themselves.

While the delay is a bummer, at least the closed beta test might at least offer interested players some hands-on time. Blue Protocol will head to PC, Xbox Seri??es X|S, and PlaySt?ation 5 when it arrives in the west in 2024.

The post Blue Protocol delayed to 2024 in the west appeared first on Destructoid.

Lara heads to a new home

Amazon Games and Crystal Dynamics have entered a new partnership to publish the latter's upcoming Tomb Raider project. The new multiplatform entry in the story of Lara Croft will receive support and publi?shing help from Amazon.

The announcement today confirms Crystal Dynamics' newest partner on the project, following the studio getting acquired by the Embracer Group. The press release also confirms this will be a single-player, narrative-driven Lara Croft adventure. Crystal Dynamics will continue to develop, while Amazon provides support and globally publishes the still-unnamed Tomb Raider.

"Crystal Dynamics has an extraordinary opportunity following our acquisition by Embracer to redefine what a publishing relationship is for Tomb Raider," said Crystal Dynamics head Scot Amos in a press release. "Transformative is what we’re looking for, and with Amazon Games, we found a team that ??shares our creative vision, ambitions, and values for a Lara Croft universe across the spectrum of possibilities."

The new Tomb Raider is also being built in Unreal Engine 5. Lara's new adventure is still in early development, but today's news promises there will still be enemies to take down and puzzles to solve in the new Tomb Raider.

A new benefactor

For Amazon, the online shopping giant picks up another publishing deal with this project. Bandai Namco's Blue Protocol is also joining up with Amazon?? for publishing, helping the online RPG launch sometime next year.

Meanwhile, for Crystal Dynamics, the deal e?nsures some support for the next big Croft game. The studio is saying it will be the "biggest" and "most expansive" to date. It's also set to carry on Lara Croft's story, t?hough in what manner that happens remains to be seen.

The post Amazon Games will publish Crystal Dynamics’ new Tomb Raider game appeared first on Destructoid.

Head out into the wild anime world together

Bandai Namco is getting to finally release Blue Protocol, and i??t's got a trailer spotlighting the upcoming online action RPG. It's got questing, adventuring, teaming up with pals, and a whole lot of fantasy style.

Blue Protocol was confirmed for 2023 at last week's Game Awards 2022, as Bandai Namco is collaborating with Amazon to get the game out there. It's one that I've seen and heard about a few times, as something anime RPG fans in particular have been waiting for. It was originally revealed a few years ago, and the questions have circled since over when it would arrive, and whether it would make its way to North America. Well, The Game Awards reveal hel?d the answers: 2023, and yes.

A new trailer spotlights what awaits in Blue Protocol's world of Regnas, from solo journeys to raids.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTKOTBxjAr0

As you work to uncover your origins, solve the lands' problems, and take down some quests, you'll also be able to party up with friends. Being able to swap between classes seems like a plus, so players can adapt to what the party needs. And the action looks to be on the quicker side for a multiplayer online RPG. It gives me some vibes of popular online party-up games like Destiny, or maybe something a bit more like Phantasy Star Online.

Closed beta sign-ups open up

A closed beta is also going live, ahead of Blue Protocol's launch, for an?yone who wants to try out an early version of the game. The sign-up page is here, and you'll need to sign in with Amazon. That will put you in the pool for the closed beta, when it rolls around.

Considering this can be played solo or with a party, and with a?? decent amount of customization, it seems l??ike this could hit a good spot for folks who want a co-op RPG experience that's a bit more on the anime side. It certainly looks gorgeous, and while next year is looking pretty stacked with single-player games, this might be a nice multiplayer refuge for questing and adventuring with pals.

Blue Protocol is set to launch in North America sometime in the latter ha?lf of 2023.

The post Blue Protoc?ol overview trailer spotlights some questing with pals appeared first on Destructoid.

Founder's Pack owners can play the Lost Ark closed beta starting November 4

Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG have made the call to push back Lost Ark, an MMO action-RPG, into "early 2022."?? Prior to this delay, which comes on the heels of a technical alpha test, the game was aiming for a fall 2021 launch in North ?America and Europe.

In light of this revised timeline, Lost Ark will be running a closed beta from November 4�, 2021, with Founder's Pack owners gaining access. As a reminder, the least expensive paid option is the $15 Bronze tier, but this? will be a fre??e-to-play title, so maybe wait.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhc30WRb0n0

With another long-time-coming Amazon-published MMO, New World, currently planning a September 28 release, fans of Lost Ark are understandably riled up over the delay.

While I get players' frustrations, suspicions, and frankly well-deserved reservations about Amazon Games in general, any way you slice it, it's about to be a very busy time for new game releases. And Lost Ark's post-Endwalker "early 2021" window will be stacked, too.

Here's how Smilegate's explained the delay:

"While delving into all of the great feedback and data generated by our Alpha and reviewing recent changes to the Korean version that we want to include in our release, we discovered a lot more work that will be needed to launch Lost Ark at the high quality bar our players deserve. As players have been waiting for so long, we want to take the ??time to do it right while also ensuring we look after the wellness of our hardworking Amazon Games and Smilegate RPG teams."

And a note on transparency:

"While we have been relatively quiet so far, we do want to improve the quality and frequency of our communications. We are committed to staying more open with our players about what our team is working on. Moving ??forward we will provide monthly updates to discuss the work our team is doing behind the scenes."

In response to a Steam user question about potentially getting "new sub-classes like Lancemaster or Reaper" from the Korean version of the game, a Lost Ark developer, Roxx, opened up a bit, noting, "The game's continued development includes things like squashing outstanding bugs, st???rengthening server infrastructure, and making sure translations and VO are in good shape. [...] At this time it is not necessarily new game content, but things like balance tweaks, reworks, updates, etc."

"As the developers of Lost Ark, Smilegate delivers us builds, and our QA team tests for bugs and blockers," said Roxx. "We work together to find and ad??dress these issues."

"Our build is not a 1:1 copy and paste of the game that is alrea?dy out, as it includes different classes, changes, localization to different languages (English, German, French, and S??panish instead of one additional language), and with all of this comes different bugs to solve for," the developer continued. "Unfortunately we do need more time to work with Smilegate to ensure that the game launches at quality."

CJ asked if any of us remembered this game, and in my imaginary conversation with him, I responded "Oh yeah, definitely" while picturing Vin Diesel's stoic CGI mug in a land of dinos. Lost Ark is not to be confused with Ark II, although six years ago, Dtoid did run the headline "Holy summoned tr??iceratops, Lost Ark looks fantastic." I haven't totally lost it.

Brushing up, I do think there's something compelling here, and I could see myself rolling a Gunslinger or a Bard �especially in a time when Diablo has honestly just lost its luster.

I get the sense that fans are upset by the delay, at least in part, because the alpha build was already in a good-feeling state, and they thin?k it's more ??than ready to go.

The post Lost Ark was just delayed out of the busy fall release block and into ‘early 2022’ appeared first on Destructoid.

The MMO is taking a little extra time

Amazon Games' MMO New World is taking another month to gets things just right. The studio announced today that after hearing some feedback from its recent Closed Beta, New World will be pushed back to Sept. 28, 2021.

In today's statement, the team says it is humbled by the support New World has received so far. Players h??ave also provided a "ton of feedback" based on the Closed Beta content, and so Amazon Games is taking a few extra weeks to "smash bugs, improve stability, and polish the game."

//twitter.com/??playnewworld/status/1422969580394319877

[Update: Amazon later clarified that players accumulated ov??er 25 mil?lion hours played in the beta, not 16 million.]

The team acknowledge that this isn't the first time that New World's launch date has moved, but it wants to be sure it can deliv??er the "highest quality game possible at launch."

New World was announced as one of three games that Amazon would be developing back in 2016, alongside Crucible and Breakaway. The road's been rough for Amazon Games since then, as both Breakaway and Crucible have been shuttered over the last few years.

Though New World has been pushed back a few times, the fantasy-colonial-era MMO did recently hold a Closed Beta. And in terms of hands-on impressions, it seems like the MMO has a little more push behind it, and hopes are a bit higher for this game.

If an extra month is what's needed to make a good impression on the MMO player base at large, then that's probably for the best. We'll what the New World has?? in sto??re for its global launch day players when it comes ashore on Sept. 28, 2021.

The post Amazon’s New World pushed back to September 28 appeared first on Destructoid.