Black Beacon has recently made its way to mobile devices, and we've had the privilege of diving into this Mythic Sci-Fi Action RPG before most. Our first impressions? Intriguing and action-packed.
Shh! This Is A Library!
The game unfolds in the Library of Babel, a vast and enigmatic structure inspired by the biblical Tower of Babel and Jorge Luis Borges' short story of the same name. In this setting, every conceivable book exists, hidden among endless shelves. You awaken here with no memory of your arrival, joined by a colorful cast of characters pondering the same mystery. It seems you're destined for greatness, but there's a twist: a giant spinning orb threatens to obliterate everyone within 24 hours. Welcome to your first day as a Seer, surrounded by bookshelves!
Despite the grim premise, the setting and story have a charmingly wild appeal. The narrative plunges you into a world of gibberish books, time travel, and mythological references, leaving you delightfully confused—a deliberate choice by the developers, we believe.
Send Me In, Coach
Black Beacon's gameplay feels like an ARPG dungeon crawler, with a customizable camera view. You can opt for a top-down perspective or a free camera mode that allows you to adjust the view manually. The choice is yours, though we found the latter more engaging.
Navigating the Library's passageways, you progress through short, episodic sections, each with multiple maps. Accessing these sections requires energy, but the game is quite generous with this resource. As you explore, you'll solve puzzles, uncover hidden treasures, and battle eerie enemies—remnants of individuals the Library hasn't fully 'digested.'
Combat is fast-paced and satisfying, with a mix of button-mashing and strategic timing. Perfect dodges grant invincibility frames, while well-timed heavy attacks can interrupt enemy actions, sparing you the need to dodge. The character-swapping mechanic adds a tag-team element to battles, allowing you to switch fighters mid-fight to keep the pressure on. Mastering this rhythm is rewarding, though mistimed dodges can send you flying down the hallway.
Characters And Weapon Rolls
As a gacha game, Black Beacon features a system for acquiring characters and weapons, which can be leveled up using various resources. The system is manageable, with plenty of automation to streamline the process. You might encounter characters through gacha before meeting them in the story, adding variety to your journey.
Overall, Black Beacon stands out as a quirky gacha game with an esoteric narrative and solid gameplay. We're eager to see how it evolves upon full release. If this sounds like your kind of adventure, you can dive into Black Beacon now via the official website, App Store, or Google Play.
