HeroWarz, an upcoming action RPG developed by A.Storm and published by KOG Games, is accepting registrations for closed beta testing according to a press release.
HeroWarz is an anime-themed action RPG with gameplay similar to Diablo or Torchlight but at a somewhat faster pace. The game includes all of the trappings of the Action RPG genre: stats, levels, an inventory system, etc. The game's official YouTube channel has a slew of videos that show off more gameplay.
Publisher KOG Games is probably best known for the free-to-play game Elsword, and HeroWarz will likely go with a similar free-to-play model. Gameplay videos show "Cards" being revealed at the conclusion of a level. An objective that "resets at 6AM" in the corner of gameplay videos suggests daily questing. There are also social systems integrated into the game such as in-game chat and a friend list.
Seven characters with different gameplay styles have been revealed so far via the gameplay trailers. Three of the characters are men. Derrick is a brawler who can equip a shield and uses devastating close-range melee attacks. B - yes, his name is just "B"- is a high-speed melee character that dual wields swords. Nagne uses a single blade and has the ability to close distances quickly with an air dash that leads into a ground pound.
The female characters lean more towards ranged combat. Ara is a cutesy ranged character that uses a stream of water as her primary attack and other water-themed specials such as a crashing AoE wave. Hades is a ranged character who utilizes a ball & chain to whip at her enemies from afar, and she has the ability to use the ball & chain like a grappling hook to latch onto enemies. Mary appears to be a short-ranged brawler similar to Derrick, and Audrey is a ranged character themed around firearms and other heavy armaments.
PvP in HeroWarz is done in the style of MOBA games. MOBA games have come and gone when trying to stand up against the juggernauts of DOTA II, League of Legends, and others, but HeroWarz appears to have a decent single-player experience at first glance. PvP Gameplay is showcased in this trailer and is largely what you would expect from MOBA games: two teams of diverse heros destroy towers and try to accomplish an ultimate goal while wading their way through hordes of enemy mobs.
The game's official website is still lacking content in some areas. For example, you can take a glance at the world map but there are not yet any character profiles available to look at.
Closed beta testing for HeroWarz begins on May 18th according to the FAQ on the game's official site. To be eligible for the test, you must create a KOG Games account and be located in either the United States, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. The exact start time of the closed beta test had not yet been announced.
Does HeroWarz look like an interesting game to you? Will a single-player action RPG experience help this game succeed where other games with MOBA elements have failed? Let us know in the comments below!
