Black Beacon Global Beta: A Hands-On Review of This Action RPG Gacha
Black Beacon, the action-RPG gacha game, recently launched its global beta test. Intrigued? We played the beta to see if it lives up to the hype.
Setting and Story
The game unfolds within the Library of Babel, a setting inspired by Jorge Luis Borges' short story and the biblical Tower of Babel. This unique blend of literary and religious allusions creates a compelling backdrop, a departure from typical gacha game settings. Think Evangelion-esque in its approach to mythology.
Players assume the role of The Seer, awakening in the Library with a mysterious destiny: custodianship of this vast, enigmatic place. The Seer's arrival triggers significant changes, including the emergence of a monstrous threat, time-travel elements, and a looming celestial danger. The narrative is engaging, even if a bit dense.
Gameplay
Black Beacon offers 3D free-roaming exploration with adjustable camera perspectives (top-down or free camera). Real-time combat is hack-and-slash focused, encouraging combo chaining and strategic character switching mid-battle.
The tag-team system allows benched characters to regenerate stamina, making swapping seamless and rewarding. Combat demands timing and awareness of enemy patterns, preventing it from becoming repetitive button-mashing. While straightforward encounters are easy, tougher opponents require skillful play.
The gacha element introduces diverse characters, each with unique combat styles and movesets, adding depth and replayability. Several characters are well-developed enough to foster player engagement.
Beta Experience
The global beta, accessible via Google Play (Android) and TestFlight (iOS – limited slots), allows players to experience the first five chapters. Pre-registration through the official website rewards players with 10 Development Material Boxes, while Google Play pre-registrants receive an exclusive Zero costume.
While it's premature to definitively label Black Beacon a future gacha giant, our beta experience suggests a promising title worth exploring.