Close Menu
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Sunderfolk Phone Players

    10 ‘Sunderfolk’ Tips To Help You And Your Party Thrive

    05/02/2025
    Bob in Thunderbolts But Why Tho

    ‘Thunderbolts*’ Visualizes Depression As Only A Superhero Movie Can

    05/02/2025
    Games to Play After Expedition 33

    5 Games to Play After Beating ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’

    05/01/2025
    Lily James in Cinderella (2015)

    ‘Cinderella’ (2015) 10 Years Later: Disney’s Live-Action Jubilant Peak

    04/28/2025
    One of the spirits seen in Grave Encounters

    ‘Grave Encounters’ Is Still One Of The Best Found Footage Horror Films

    04/26/2025
  • Star Wars
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Switch 2
  • MCU
But Why Tho?
Home » Previews » HANDS-ON PREVIEW: ‘Blue Protocol’ Aims To Bring Something New to MMOs

HANDS-ON PREVIEW: ‘Blue Protocol’ Aims To Bring Something New to MMOs

Matt DonahueBy Matt Donahue07/25/20235 Mins ReadUpdated:08/07/2023
Blue Protocol
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Blue Protocol

The Massive Multiplayer Online Action RPG (MMORPG) space is filled with stiff competition, with World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy XIV taking up the lion’s share of the player base, it can be difficult for new games to break into the genre. But there is a push, and with Blue Protocol, there just might be a new MMO that has legs. Blue Protocol is developed by BANDAI NAMCO Online and BANDAI NAMCO Studios and published by Amazon Games.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

A free-to-play MMORPG, Blue Protocol, allows players to create their own hero and explore the beautiful world of Regnas. The game aims to give players an immersive multiplayer experience through deep character customization and a more action-based combat system not found in your traditional MMORPGs as they travel the Regnas, a world inspired by anime art and aesthetics.

Blue Protocol doesn’t come to America until some time in 2024; however, But Why Tho? got a complete hands-on preview earlier this year at Summer Game Fest before its release in Japan in June of this year.  We were able to check out the character customization, try out the varying classes, explore the world, and even do a group Dungeon.

Players start out creating their characters before choosing a starting class. The character creator itself is a pretty standard character creator giving players options of choosing hair color, body type, and such that are found in most character creators. The real character customization comes from the class system where players can choose from five different classes. The five classes are Blade Warden, Twin Striker, Keen Strider, Spell Weaver, and Foe Breaker. Blue Protocols allows great flexibility in that players can switch classes at any time without having to switch characters.

The classes are dependent on the weapon of choice. Blade Wardens carry a sword and shield; Twin Striker has duel axes; Keen Strider uses bows, Spell Weaver for staves; and Foe Breaker a heavyweight hammer. All of these options allow for varying playstyles, and with the class-switching systems, players can swap on the fly to help defeat varying challenges are they occur. The other unique thing about Blue Protocol class system is each class has its own unique set of abilities that add damage, healing, and elemental effects that can be modified and leveled up as players progress.

As players progress, they can shape and customization their playstyles for each class. This is one of the first things I noticed and marveled at was being able to play as a Keen Strider, where I was a healer with a bow. That type of weapon being used by a healer is usually not heard of in most MMORPGs.

Blue Protocol Preview - But Why Tho

The action combat system plays differently than your traditional MMOs. Players can still target enemies, but they must aim when using skills and base attacks. The combat system, while different, does feel similar to Amazon’s other Multiplayer Online RPG of New World. The combat does have its action as it is a relatively fast pace as players are constantly moving, so you must not only be within range for each attack but be able to aim at the target. Having this type of combat system mixed with the flexible class system really makes doing combat quite enjoyable.

The world itself is quite beautiful and has a very distinct anime art style. The environments are full of vibrant colors, which makes the game feel very much like you are sometimes playing an anime. This may be a turn-off to some people, especially if you are into a more realistic art style, but overall, it works great with the aesthetic and surrounding that Blue Protocol seems to be going for.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Multiplayer Online RPG game without Dungeons, Raids, Boss Battles, and other various team activities. Blue Protocol has all of those and gives players three options to take on these challenges of Solo, Matchmaking, and Recruiting Parties. The amount of players scales each activity both on difficulty, but also for rewards so it should be worth it to venture out with people from time to time. Players should also expect your basic MMO features such as Teams, which are like guilds, for players to work together, Adventure Board Challenges, and of course questing.

Overall, I walked away from the hands-on preview pleasantly surprised with Blue Protocol. There is definitely a way to go before this game launches for the rest of the world outside of Japan, particularly in localization. That said, there seem to be plenty of things to be excited about. It can be rough out there in today’s MMO market, but Blue Protocol seems to be building a solid foundation that should be given a shot at launch. Their Japan launch has gone really well, as it has reached player milestones faster than any other game in Bandai Namco Online’s history.

Blue Protocol is available for download in Japan and is expected to be released in the US in 2024 on PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation via Amazon Games.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleREVIEW: ‘Invincible: Atom Eve’ Delivers A Traumatic Origin Story
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Knight Terrors: Harley Quinn,’ Issue #1
Matt Donahue
  • Website
  • X (Twitter)

Host of our flagship podcast and convention contributor. Responsible for creating the site’s content strategy plan and keeping the lights on. Sports trivia encyclopedia, Spider-Man and Dr. Strange fan, with a love of video games.

Related Posts

Marathon Alpha Impressions

‘Marathon’ Shows Promise With Its Alpha But Still Needs Improvements

05/05/2025
OMUT

‘OMUT’ Is A Brutal And Bleak Game You Can’t Put Down

05/01/2025
Dune Awakening

Planetologist And Survival Depth Shine In Dune: Awakening’s Final Preview

04/25/2025
Palia Elderwood DLC Expansion demo still.

Palia’s Elderwood DLC Is The Perfect Time To Jump Back In

04/15/2025
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond gameplay still from the Nintendo Switch 2

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Makes The Most Of The Joy-Con 2

04/08/2025
Donkey Kong Bananza

‘Donkey Kong Bananza’ Is A Glow-Up For The Series

04/04/2025
TRENDING POSTS
The Eternaut promotional image from Netflix
8.5
TV

REVIEW: ‘The Eternaut’ Is Another International Sci-Fi Hit

By Kate Sánchez05/03/2025

The Eternaut tackles genre staples through an Argentine lens and winds up being one of the best sci-fi series on Netflix.

Together (2025) still from Sundance
8.0
Film

REVIEW: Have a Grossly Good Time ‘Together’

By Kate Sánchez01/27/2025Updated:05/05/2025

Dave Franco and Alison Brie’s Together (2025) is disgustingly funny, genuinely ugly, and just a good time at the movies.

Captain Blood video game still
3.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Captain Blood’ Is Not The Buried Treasure You Seek

By Arron Kluz05/06/2025

I wanted to like Captain Blood. Still, Captain Blood’s lacking design and poor tuning make it an absolute chore to play through.

Josh Hartnett in Fight or Flight movie promotional still
9.5
Film

REVIEW: ‘Fight or Flight’ Is The Single-Location Actioner You Need

By Kate Sánchez05/06/2025

Fight or Flight is absurdist action violence, and that makes it a top contender for the best action movie of the year.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here