Moonlight Blade

There seems to be a lot of these 'wuxia' MMORPG coming into the west these days. It's hard to be sure whether they have actually found a fan base or if they are just yet another attempt to bank on the Massively-Multiplayer cash cow. Whatever the case, Moonlight Blade is currently finding its footing outside of Asia - attempting to lure players in with its colorful visuals and expansive lands.

Most of these games played before tend to be Korean developed - and Chinese published. They follow the same formula of looking phenomenally pretty. Yet, in reality, they are an intense grind where players can lose their interest quickly. Moonlight Blade is the latest MMO that reeks similarity to other games of that formula. So what's the deal with this one?

'Wu-xia' Clan

It's probably worth explaining what 'wuxia' is first before delving into analysis for Moonlight Blade. It's a type of fiction popular in China about martial arts fantasy. Many games have presented forms of this creating a genre, but few have been as traditional martial arts-focused as this one. That notion creates an intriguing foundation to build on for gameplay and story.

All the traditional elements of a 'wuxia' game are there. The world is absolutely massive - 18 times bigger than Skyrim as measured. The character models are pretty, with an excellent customization screen that you could really come to love. The environments look great - albeit with not much incentive to explore them due to the game's auto-path system. Now we get to the real nitty-gritty of games like this. Is there anything to separate this MMO from the others? The short answer is no - there is not. Moonlight Blade has that same grind that other offerings of this caliber purvey. The combat is bland, where most quests entail neutralizing enemies with a few button clicks. Fetching quests and few mundane dialogue scenes included.

Arguably there are a few features that can bring a bit of interest into the game. That includes the class system, which varies massively from one another. The traits of classes seem to be made a bit redundant when the animations are so bland. The only incentive to leveling up is getting to the peak of your trade. Then the question begs - what now?

More like 'Meh'-light Blade

If you've never tried an eastern ;MMORPG'(/games/best-mmorpg-games/) or a dedicated 'wuxia' game. Oh, why the hell not? Honestly, though, Moonlight Blade really doesn't stand up as a game to ruffle the waters and function as anything more than trying to pull a few high-rollers in the west. The general premise - Moonlight Blade will keep you in for a few hours as it looks brilliant and the character creations are sublime. Past those few hours - don't expect much more than a grind.

The heavy story-based foundation doesn't do much to provide any variation in quest or combat. While ambitious as the class system is - all roads lead back down the same path. With no translations yet, you are also going to struggle in understanding what is happening too. Whatever it is, it can't be that exciting given the tasks these NPC's give you.

Round Up - Pros & Cons

Pros

• Environments and character models are beautiful
• Character creation is highly detailed and fun to do
• The class system is ambitious

Cons

• Feels like a grind beyond the visuals
• Not much quest variation
• Combat is bland