Bless Unleashed
{{short description|Massively multiplayer online role-playing game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Bless Unleashed
| image = Bless Unleashed.jpeg
| caption = Promotional banner featuring a female Berserker
| developer = Round 8 Studios
| publisher = Bandai Namco Entertainment, Neowiz, VALOFE
| director =
| producer =
| designer =
| programmer =
| artist =
| writer =
| composer =
| series = Bless
| engine = Unreal Engine 4
| platforms = Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Microsoft Windows
| released = Xbox One{{vgrelease|WW|March 12, 2020}}PlayStation 4{{vgrelease|WW|October 22, 2020}}Windows
{{vgrelease|WW|August 6, 2021}}
| genre = MMORPG
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
}}
Bless Unleashed is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Round 8 Studios and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One in 2020. It is a reboot of Bless Online.{{cite web |url=http://operationrainfall.com/2019/03/28/gdc-2019-hands-on-impressions-bless-unleashed/ |title=GDC 2019 Hands-On IMPRESSIONS: Bless Unleashed - oprainfall |publisher=Operationrainfall.com |date=March 28, 2019 |accessdate=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228025634/http://operationrainfall.com/2019/03/28/gdc-2019-hands-on-impressions-bless-unleashed/ |url-status=live }} Similarly, Unleashed uses a free-to-play business model. It was also released for the PC by Neowiz, then later published by VALOFE, in 2021. This game features multiple classes and races.(No longer available on all platforms)
Gameplay
{{Empty section|date=November 2023}}
Plot
After a dream sequence fighting the Archon of Fire, the Hero of Lumios wakes up inside their house on the neutral island of Telarion. Temperate and cultured, it teems with festivities and trade, and serves as a safe haven for refugees fleeing the cruelties of war. Guiding them is a lighthouse that stands unguarded and always lit. Each year, travellers gather from all over the world to attend a grand festival that commemorates the day that the first inhabitants built the lighthouse and watched a holy fire burst to life inside it. During this year's festivities, the island is attacked by a powerful mage named Gideon who summons hell spawn to aid in the invasion. After defeating a handful of these creatures, the Hero of Lumios narrowly escapes when their new ally, Don Diego, swoops in and grabs them with his griffin. This starts the long and treacherous journey to defeat Gideon and his minions, and prevent the Breaking from happening again.
Development
{{expand section|date=February 2020}}
=Beta testing=
Closed beta releases for the game were held during April{{cite web|author= |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2019/04/24/xbox-bless-unleashed-closed-beta/ |title=BANDAI NAMCO invites you to participate in the Bless Unleashed Closed Beta! - Xbox Wire |publisher=News.xbox.com |date= April 24, 2019|accessdate=February 28, 2020}} and July 2019.{{cite web |author= |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2019/07/11/bless-unleashed-closed-beta-starts-july-11th/ |title=Bless Unleashed's Closed Beta Starts Today July 11th - Xbox Wire |publisher=News.xbox.com |date=July 11, 2019 |accessdate=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228025633/https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2019/07/11/bless-unleashed-closed-beta-starts-july-11th/ |url-status=live }} The first open beta for the game was held in November 2019.{{cite web |author= |url=https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2019/11/07/bless-unleashed-open-beta-xbox-one/ |title=Bless Unleashed Enters Open Beta Today on Xbox One - Xbox Wire |publisher=News.xbox.com |date=November 7, 2019 |accessdate=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=March 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314210147/https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2019/11/07/bless-unleashed-open-beta-xbox-one/ |url-status=live }} In January 2020, the same beta reopened for the purposes of stress testing the game's servers.{{cite web |last=Skelton |first=Jaime |url=https://mmohuts.com/news/bless-unleashed-stress-test-now-live/ |title=Bless Unleashed: Stress Test Now Live |publisher=MMOHuts |date=January 30, 2020 |accessdate=February 28, 2020 |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228025632/https://mmohuts.com/news/bless-unleashed-stress-test-now-live/ |url-status=live }}
=Xbox One=
On March 12, 2020, the game was finally released for the Xbox One for the Windows Store, with early access to the game available via paid Founders Packs on the Xbox One.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2020/02/15/bless-unleashed-release-date-best-mmorpgs/|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200228025632/https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2020/02/15/bless-unleashed-release-date-best-mmorpgs/|archive-date = February 28, 2020|title = Bless Unleashed, the new MMORPG from BANDAI Namco, releases next month|date = February 15, 2020}} On July 2, 2020, it had its first major expansion update, "Saurin's Deception".{{cite web|author= |url=https://blessunleashed.com/news/the-saurin-deception-is-live/ |title=Bless Unleashed Launches Saurin's Deception Content Update |publisher=blessunleashed.com |date= |accessdate=July 2, 2020}}{{dead link|date=December 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
=PlayStation 4=
The PlayStation 4 version was released on October 22, 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/08/mmorpg_bless_unleashed_confirmed_for_ps4_release_following_xbox_console_exclusivity|title=MMORPG Bless Unleashed Confirmed for PS4 Release Following Xbox Console Exclusivity|website=Push Square|date=August 13, 2020|accessdate=August 15, 2020|archive-date=August 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200816173529/https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2020/08/mmorpg_bless_unleashed_confirmed_for_ps4_release_following_xbox_console_exclusivity|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Bless Unleashed for PS4 launches October 22|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2020/09/bless-unleashed-for-ps4-launches-october-22|website=Gematsu|date=September 23, 2020|language=en-US|access-date=September 24, 2020|archive-date=September 23, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923222144/https://www.gematsu.com/2020/09/bless-unleashed-for-ps4-launches-october-22|url-status=live}}
=PC=
The PC version was released on Steam on August 6, 2021.{{cite web |author= |url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1254120/Bless_Unleashed/ |title=Bless Unleashed Coming to Steam in early 2021 |publisher=blessunleashed.com |date= |accessdate=July 1, 2020 |archive-date=July 5, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200705213918/https://store.steampowered.com/app/1254120/Bless_Unleashed/ |url-status=live }}
Closing
Bandai Namco closed their Bless Unleashed servers on November 30, 2022 at 11 PM PT.{{Cite web |title=Bless Unleashed Sunset {{!}} Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. |url=https://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/bless-unleashed-sunset |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=www.bandainamcoent.com |language=en |archive-date=December 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231220174438/http://www.bandainamcoent.com/news/bless-unleashed-sunset |url-status=live }}
Reception
{{Expand section|date=December 2020}}
{{Video game reviews
| MC = XONE: 57/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/bless-unleashed/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-one |title=Bless Unleashed for Xbox One Reviews |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=January 26, 2021}}
}}
{{Clear}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://blessunleashed.com}}
Category:Fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing games
Category:Free-to-play video games
Category:Massively multiplayer online role-playing games
Category:Unreal Engine 4 games
Category:Video games developed in South Korea
Category:Video games set on fictional islands
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