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Story Should Be at the Forefront for Blue Protocol
Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds presented an interesting concept for its story, a Sword Art Online-esque affair that has players enter the world as a video game beta tester. The idea is neat, but it was a shame that Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds didn’t lean too heavily into the narrative given its home series is known for charming tales and compelling characters.
Final Fantasy 14 has showed that story can be woven into a popular MMORPG with care. Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds didn’t learn from Square Enix’s success, which rendered its story largely forgotten whereas Final Fantasy 14 is hailed for its expansions and wonderful interactions between complex personalities. Blue Protocol has an art style and character models that are good enough to carry a dense story, so it shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to conjure a memorable tale.
Free-to-Play is a Polarizing Philosophy
Free-to-play is often a term that discourages people rather than entices them, as it can be the justification for sneaky corporate tactics or unfinished launches. There are exceptions like Genshin Impact and Apex Legends that have gone through a fine journey with natural progression and paid in-game items to make a product that stands the test of time. In the case of Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds, the lack of an upfront cost resulted in a format that felt too grind-y to play without succumbing to microtransactions. It’s a shame, as bringing games to a larger swathe of audiences is important, and no mandatory cost has been proven to draw attention on numerous occasions.
Blue Protocol is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.
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