- Publisher: NetEase Games , 24 Entertainment
- Release Date: Aug 12, 2021
- Also On: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
-
Sep 2, 2021A battle royale game that's fun to play in a loose, aggressive style, with melee combat that's trickier than it may first appear.
-
Sep 3, 2021Naraka: Bladepoint offers a refreshing alternative to both the tired sci-fi or high fantasy settings and mechanics of familiar battle royale games, with a focus on fast and skillful melee combat and movement that can feel like an awesome martial arts film come to life. But the focus almost entirely on close quarters fighting can grow repetitive and frustrating, too, especially against the much better players that seem to dominate the space. Although it pushes microtransactions past the point of annoyance, they don’t radically impact the game, which is ultimately much more skill-based than that of other games in the genre.
-
Aug 20, 2021Naraka is a breath of fresh air in the universe of battle royales, but it comes with compromises.
-
Sep 13, 2021Naraka: Bladepoint may feature all the familiar trappings of a traditional battle royale game, but its combination of melee-based brawls, beautiful setting, and customizable warriors help to differentiate it from the well-established crowd. While Naraka’s combat may be far from perfect, there is enough depth here for those that are willing to scratch below the surface. If you’re looking for a BR with a unique twist, then Naraka: Bladepoint could be the game you’re looking for.
-
Aug 31, 2021Naraka: Bladepoint does have a lot of cool and unique ideas for the battle royale genre. I love its melee-focused combat, I love the varied weapon selection, and I dig the durability system replacing the "limited ammo" functions of other games in the genre. However the game's longevity suffers due to becoming stale quickly, the lack of variance in the core gameplay loop rearing its ugly head quickly. It's the kind of game I would absolutely recommend to a friend, but only for one or two matches at a time. For long marathon sessions, there are far better options.
-
Aug 24, 2021With excellent combat and traversal mechanics and a unique atmosphere, Naraka: Bladepoint stands out from the battle royale crowd. Cluttered interface, controls that require some tweaking, the bad implementation of microtransactions, and general lack of content, however, damage the experience a bit, preventing it from becoming a must-buy for fans of the genre. The foundation is still extremely solid, so with proper support, Naraka: Bladepoint definitely has the chance to rival all of the most popular battle royale games on the market.
-
Jan 3, 2023Naraka: Bladepoint is a beautiful-looking and sounding game with some neat battle mechanics and fun martial arts action that is challenging to master. Finding opponents in your area may be tricky so being put against players from a different region with a higher ping rate feels unfair.
-
Edge MagazineSep 10, 2021Combat can be over in a flash - a Great Sword's focus attack is almost guaranteed to one-shot anyone with no armour. [Issue#363, p.106]
-
Aug 24, 2021Naraka: Bladepoint represents an interesting twist in the Battle Royal panorama, but it falls short in some of the core mechanics. The fluid combat system is great, but it becomes chaotic in more hectic situations. The visuals are stunning and music is on par. The business model is quite aggressive for a game that is not free to play.
-
Aug 20, 2021There’s a forethought and shrewdness required to be successful here that gives it a very different feel than any other battle royale title that’s out there at the moment, and the ancient Chinese aesthetic is a dazzling one. If nothing else, it’s enough to want to see what the game looks and feels like in the months to come.
-
Aug 18, 2021For an original take on battle royale and a truly special martial arts combat system, Naraka is worth checking out. But between stability issues, off-putting monetisation practices, and an unpalatable learning curve, there's plenty that gets in the way of the fun.
-
Aug 13, 2021Naraka: Bladepoint is an interesting spin on the classic battle royale formula. The combat and movement systems help keep everything feels absurdly fluid; the upgrades and hero customisation help you find a playstyle that fits you. It’s fun, but the technical issues need ironing out before it’s a whole-hearted must-play.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
-
Aug 16, 2021I’m looking forward to more surprises, which isn’t as banal a statement as it sounds: it means I’m going to keep playing once I’m done with this review, which is pretty much the best praise a game can get. I want to be WeebPeepoClown, except also maybe not exactly like WeebPeepoClown. On a hunch I just checked the leaderboard, and it turns out he’s the 47th best player in the world. Lord knows what he was doing in one of my matches, but I’m glad he was there to show me the path to greatness. The combat’s frustrations can be overcome, though it’s a learning curve not everyone will want to scale - even if they can do that as an acrobatic warrior with a grappling hook.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
-
Positive: 37 out of 75
-
Mixed: 7 out of 75
-
Negative: 31 out of 75
-
Aug 13, 2021only playable BR with sword ever. ONLY CHOICE！
Great ACT gameplay. Great eastern art style.
I will play NARAKA until SEKIRO BR comes ture -
Aug 13, 2021
-
Aug 13, 2021