Blade & Soul, a free-to-play MMORPG, has received an update and is now looking better than ever due to its upgrade to Unreal Engine 4. This not only updates the game's older graphics, but optimizes other areas of the game like lighting, character models, and game performance. This upgrade does not affect player progression.
Initially released back in 2012, Blade & Soul was sporting some outdated textures and graphics before this recent update. The game was previously run on Unreal Engine 3, which left its appearance lagging behind other more recently released MMORPGs like Amazon Game's New World. While this switch to Unreal Engine 4 does revive the game's appearance, it has not received an entire graphical revamp and some older textures are still implemented.
The graphical updates are apparent immediately on loading up the refreshed game. The once dull colors are gone and replaced with a richer tone overall. Fine details have been enhanced, and distinctive foliage allows for sunlight to shine through organically. Reflections are explicit, and light and shadow are rendered more effectively, with high contrast lighting in certain settings also providing an improved atmosphere. Even volcanic rooms now emanate a sense of heat rather than relying on particle effects.
The Dual Blade class was also added in this update as the 14th player class for Blade & Soul, allowing players to dual wield weapons as they can in Biomutant. This class is playable by the Jin or Yun races and features two specializations, the Way of the Shifting Blades and the Way of the Lotus. These specializations both offer different gameplay mechanics that can result in some deadly combinations when used together effectively. The Way of the Shifting Blades will have players changing stances between attack rotations to unlock different abilities, while the Way of the Lotus will have players manage a resource called Petals, which will build up to unlock Primordia allowing for various effects.
Along with Blade & Soul's graphical improvements, the upgrade to Unreal Engine 4 has helped to refine game performance. Combat will run more smoothly, with fewer framerate drops and less lag. This optimization comes from the ability to prioritize visual data differently and lessen the load on the system, maintaining stability during even the most hectic battles with enemies rivaling Elden Ring bosses.
Players can expect many benefits from this upgrade including shorter loading screens, more detail in the world and on their characters, and more upcoming expansions. The first new dungeon redesigns are already in production for Blade & Soul. The improvements made likely make this game worth a revisit to any veteran players that were holding out for a more modern version of this MMORPG.
