It's not always easy to view mobile games through the same lens as other types of video games. There's always a feeling that you should make allowances for how limited these games tend to be, ignoring the fact that the devices on which these games are played are far more powerful than some of the consoles and PCs on which legendary games were meant to be played. One game that really does attempt to do more with the mobile platform is Blade & Soul, which brings an MMORP experience to smart devices.

Features

Blade & Soul is a Massively Multiplayer Online Game (MMORPG) from NCSoft, a company that's long been one of the major players in that space. Players create their own characters and embark on a complicated tale of revenge, completing quests and playing with other players along the way. Blade & Soul is a true MMO, allowing players to raid with their counterparts and take on massive quests that are continually added to the game. Though the action is shrunk down to the smaller screen, there's always a feeling that the game's world is still mean to be as big as one in a traditional MMORPG.

Benefits

It's very hard to overstate just how much there is to do in this game. It is truly a fully-featured video game, without quite as many timers or obvious paywalls as are present in so many other games on the Play Store. This game feels engineered to suit the needs of those who are looking for a mobile game on which they can spend countless hours, with not only a system of unlocks that can help you to improve your character but also a complex combat system that rewards those who put in more time to learn its intricacies.

Pros and Cons

Blade & Soul is one of those rare games on the Play Store that feels like it was developed more to give players something to play than to find creative ways to grab their money. There is so much to do in this game that it can quickly become overwhelming, yet joining up with a group can also make it a spectacular experience once you've gotten the hang of how things work. Though it might not reach the heights of a more traditional MMO experience, this is an incredible achievement for a game on a mobile device.

The biggest downside of this game is the fact that it often feels like you have to put in a tremendous amount of time to advance. If you're not going to pay real money for the game, you're going to spend an awful lot of your time grinding to get the equipment you need to keep raiding. That's actually something of a benefit to a certain type of player, but there are many who won't have quite as much fun spending their time chasing after incremental upgrades just so they can move on to the next gear tier.

Conclusion

This game is a fantastic example of what can be done on a mobile platform when a big developer decides to put some of its strength behind the project. Though there are definite shortcomings involving grinding, monetization and even the control scheme, there is no doubting the fact that this looks and plays like a real video game. If you've ever wanted to find a game app that will reward the time that you put into, this might be the perfect game for you.