Black Beacon: The Rising Star in Gacha Gaming

Black Beacon has made its debut on mobile devices, but we've had the privilege of exploring this Mythic Sci-Fi Action RPG before its widespread release. We're excited to share our impressions with you.

Black Beacon is an action RPG that prides itself on its fast-paced, smooth combat system, which cleverly incorporates character-swapping mechanics.

Shh! This Is A Library!

The game begins in the Library of Babel, a vast and enigmatic edifice inspired by the biblical Tower of Babel and Jorge Luis Borges' short story of the same name. In Borges' tale, the library contains every conceivable combination of letters, effectively housing every book that has ever been or could be written.

You awaken within this mysterious structure, puzzled about your arrival, surrounded by a cast of intriguing characters who share your confusion. It seems you're destined for something extraordinary.

Oh, and there's a giant spinning orb that's set to obliterate everyone in twenty-four hours. Welcome to your first day as a Seer! Hope you're fond of bookshelves.

Joking aside, the setting and narrative have a charmingly wild allure. A library filled with nonsensical books, time travel, and numerous mythological references (we won't spoil them, but keep an eye on that bird) plunge you into a deep narrative. If you're feeling a bit bewildered, that's the intended experience.

Now, let's delve into the gameplay.

Send Me In, Coach

Black Beacon's core gameplay resembles an ARPG dungeon crawler with a customizable camera perspective. You can opt for a top-down view or a free camera mode where you use your other hand to adjust the angle. We found the latter more engaging, though it's largely a matter of personal taste.

As you navigate the Library's corridors towards your objectives, the story unfolds in short, episodic segments, each comprising several maps. Accessing these segments requires using an energy mechanic, which the game generously allocates, allowing for ample playtime.

Your journey involves exploring areas, solving puzzles, hunting for hidden treasure chests, and battling enemies—distorted entities that are supposedly remnants of individuals the Library hasn't fully "digested."

The combat is both enjoyable and fast-paced, leaning a bit towards button-mashing but maintaining enough challenge to keep you engaged. Timing plays a crucial role; executing a perfect dodge grants you invincibility frames, while a well-timed heavy attack can interrupt an enemy's move, sparing you the need to dodge.

The game introduces a character-swap mechanic that enhances and encourages mid-battle character switching. This transforms battles into tag-team encounters, allowing you to bench tired fighters mid-attack and bring in fresh ones. Once you master the rhythm, it's quite satisfying—until a mistimed dodge sends you flying down the hallway.

Characters And Weapon Rolls

As a gacha game, fans of the genre will be curious about its mechanics. Black Beacon features a character and weapon gacha system, where weapons are tailored to specific characters. Both characters and weapons can be leveled up, involving a variety of resources, though much of the process can be automated.

You may encounter characters through the gacha before meeting them in the story, reflecting the game's convoluted timeline and adding variety to your experience.

In summary, Black Beacon offers a unique gacha game experience with a focus on an esoteric narrative, supported by robust gameplay. We're eager to see how it evolves post-launch.

Does this sound like your kind of game? Or perhaps a row of shelves in your new library home? If so, you can dive into Black Beacon right now via the official website, App Store, or Google Play.