Black Beacon Global Beta: Droid Gamers' Hands-On Experience

In case you missed the recent announcement, the action-packed gacha RPG Black Beacon has launched its global beta test just a few days ago. If you're on the fence about downloading it, don't worry—we've got you covered. We dove into the global beta over the weekend to give you the lowdown on whether Black Beacon could be the next big hit in the mobile gacha scene.

Setting and Story

Let's dive into the premise. Black Beacon is an action RPG gacha game set within the towering halls of the Library of Babel. This setting draws inspiration from Jorge Luis Borges' short story, which envisions a world as a vast library containing every conceivable combination of letters, including every book known to humanity amidst a sea of nonsense.

The game also nods to the biblical Tower of Babel, infusing the environment with Judeo-Christian mythology and biblical references. It's a refreshing twist from the usual folklore sources, and we're here for it—think Evangelion vibes.

In Black Beacon, you step into the shoes of The Seer, a classic gacha game protagonist who awakens in an unfamiliar place with no memory of how they got there. As the new custodian of the mysterious Library of Babel, you're thrust into a heavy destiny. The other characters seem nonchalant about your arrival, yet they're stingy with information.

Your presence triggers significant changes in the Library, not all of them positive. A monster begins to emerge from the depths, and with elements of time travel reminiscent of Doctor Who's River Song and a clockwork star threatening destruction, you'll need to hit the ground running.

We could go on about the story, but let's shift gears and talk about the gameplay.

Gameplay

Black Beacon offers a 3D free-roaming experience, allowing you to explore areas using either a top-down or free camera perspective, which you can switch between using simple touchscreen controls.

The game features a real-time combat system that's all about chaining combos and unleashing special moves. A standout feature is the encouragement of character-switching mid-fight or even mid-combo. This tag team strategy allows benched characters to regenerate stamina faster, and you can swap them in and out without any penalties, akin to playing a version of Pokémon with anime characters.

Combat demands attention to timing and enemy cues, making it deep yet accessible. While you can breeze through weaker enemies, more powerful foes will challenge you to stay focused, or they'll send you flying across the arena.

As a gacha game, Black Beacon comes with a variety of characters, each offering unique combat styles and moves that keep the gameplay fresh. Some characters are intriguing enough that you'll want to delve deeper into their stories.

Playing The Beta

If this sounds like your cup of tea, you can jump into the global beta test. It's available on Google Play for Android users, while iOS users can access it through TestFlight, though spots are limited. Simply follow the link, sign up, download the game, and play through the first five chapters.

If you're impressed by the beta, consider pre-registering. By doing so via the official website, you'll receive 10 Development Material Boxes, while Google Play pre-registration nets you an exclusive costume for Zero.

It's too early to tell if Black Beacon will become the next big thing in gacha gaming, but we're eager to see how it unfolds.