Blue Protocol Hands-on: Previewing Bandai Namco's upcoming RPG in Los Angeles

Generally speaking, action-RPGs, especially third-person ones that feature hack and slash combat, tend to be single-player experiences. Usually, the concept of teaming up with lots of friends to explore a fantasy world and to take on powerful foes is reserved for MMORPGs, but in the near future, Bandai Namco will be looking to flip this script on its head. I say this because as part of Summer Game Fest, I had the chance to check out and play a portion of Blue Protocol, an anime-action-RPG adventure that features a healthy dose of massive multiplayer social features, and now, around six weeks after seeing the game in Los Angeles, I can tell you more about it.

First things first, let's talk about the presentation of Blue Protocol. This game uses that anime, almost cel-shaded look that we see in games like Genshin Impact, Tower of Fantasy, Scarlet Nexus, and more. It's got a clear animated art style, yet it's only really the characters and monsters that scream anime, as the world design comes off as more traditional and looks more realistic than something that has been peeled from a manga.

As for the gameplay, this is where things start becoming a little more unique as there are really two main elements that make up what Blue Protocol offers. On one hand is the action-RPG side of things, which sees players using an array of swords, axes, hammers, and other melee weapons to smash and combo the many different kinds of beasts and monsters that litter the world. There are also ranged attacks to use to your advantage, as well as a batch of unique abilities that offer eye-catching and heavy hitting attacks. The entire combat suite is offered up in such a way that it feels fast-paced and fluid, and is thrilling to play around with, especially since there is a massive amount of customisation that allows you to fiddle with the intricacies of how your character plays.

Then to add to this are the more MMO-like qualities, which includes the multiplayer and social features. Blue Protocol isn't an Elden Ring where for the most part you are completing this adventure alone. No, this is a game that encourages players to team up and to form groups to tackle demanding raids packed with massive monsters that would annihilate a singular player, or to simply go about your business exploring the world and completing quests.

The world itself is also seemingly a rather compelling place to explore. You can ride around on mounts and encounter groups of weird and unusual creatures, most of which are hostile and will attempt to kill you when you get too close to them. There's also a ton of resources and items to gather along the way, and this is on top of the world featuring quite a bit of verticality meaning it's not always the easiest place to traverse and will require some map skills to get around. From what I saw of Blue Protocol's world, it won't blow people away like the Lands Between did, but at the same time it has enough compelling locations and creatures that it remained engaging throughout the preview session.

I will say that I found it challenging to really grasp the story of the game during the preview session, as it was more about getting a refined look at the combat and gameplay. But, with that being said, there does seem to be plenty of mystery baked into the narrative, mystery that does leave the player curious to know more about the world and the people who live in it.

Fortunately, the class system for Blue Protocol is much clearer. The game features an array of different class types that each drastically alter the way that the game plays, in a similar way to other RPGs like Diablo IV. For example, you could pick the more rounded Blade Warden, who brings a sword and shield-style of combat to the fray, or instead you could pick the ranged Keen Strider for mid-to-long range combat and supportive options. With five classes available (at least as was the case with the preview build), and each bringing different abilities, weapon combinations, play styles, and multiplayer benefits, the buildcrafting is massively bolstered by this system.

To make the Blue Protocol experience that little bit more unique, Bandai Namco has even incorporated a fairly complex character customisation suite at the beginning of the game that allows players to design the character that suits them. With options to tweak facial features, hairstyles, outfits, accessories, and even expressive traits by fiddling with emotes, there are plenty of ways to make the adventure your own.

As the preview session wasn't a long one, I can't comment too much more on the complexities of the progression or the quest design, but what I will say is that the multiplayer elements seem to be handled very well. When teaming up with other players, the game works very effectively and it's easy to determine how you should be playing your character in collaboration with the other class types in a party. Foe Breaker, Twin Striker, and Blade Warden classes get up close and personal, draw the attention of enemies, and deal massive damage back in return. Then to add to this, Keen Striders and Spell Weavers stand at a distance and look to rain long-range assaults on foes while topping up and supporting the frontline allies to ensure they don't become too low on health. It's a very simple yet effective system in practice.

While Blue Protocol has already made its debut in Japan, fans around the rest of the world will need to wait until 2024 to play this free online RPG. But whenever Blue Protocol does look to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles, it's shaping up to be one to watch for fans of games like Genshin Impact and other anime-inspired RPGs.