Do you remember Bellatores? Admittedly it’s been some time since there’s been anything new since it first crossed our notice in 2022, and that was back when the game talked up its PvP leanings and launched an English language site. Those events happened in 2023 and things have been quiet ever since.
Apparently developer Nyou has awakened from its two year-long Western comms nap and put out a showcase video that grants the wider public its first look at the game in action as well as its overall design to “[revive] the core aspects of MMORPGs.” That means a seamless open world where players can freely explore, gather and craft, and team up to face powerful threats as well as fight each other as part of one of five noble houses. “We want players to set personalized goals, leave their marks, cooperate, compete, ultimately creating the experience of being in a shared world,” says producer Lee Gi Baek.
The video also grants a look at character progression via its mastery system, which unlocks additional nodes of power based on weapons used, gathering, and crafting; combat masteries will unlock additional ability effects for weapons, while non-combat masteries offer benefits like better resource yield and higher chance at crafting rare items. That last bit is important, as gear will not come from monsters but from player crafters instead. Additionally, there will be a limit to how much can be unlocked in the mastery system, meaning players will need to cooperate, trade, and specialize.
Speaking of combat, the combat model has moved from tab-target to active aimed combat, complete with stamina for dodging and skill use that will need to be managed and the ability to swap between two weapons mid-fight. The devs say the combat system is designed for multiple types of engagements, such as AoE farming, 1v1 fights, and boss battles; the video also showcases plenty of telegraphed attack patterns to read on top.
Last but not least, Nyou confirms that there will be a closed beta test starting on Wednesday, July 30th, on Steam, although the test will be only for South Korea and is obviously only supporting the Korean language. This test will limit players to choosing two of the five noble houses to align with and will be focused on feedback gathering for its combat system, mastery system, and overall design direction.
