In the 2021 DNF Hanbok Carnival the day before yesterday (December 19), Nexon officially held a press conference with the theme of "The Next Thing", at which Nexon announced the updated content including the 110-level version of the DNF terminal game, as well as the forward-looking blueprint for the entire 2022, etc., but unfortunately, the "DNF Mobile Game" that everyone was looking forward to did not release new news in this link.
Just when Korean players expressed disappointment in the forum community, the game's mastermind Yin Mingzhen suddenly killed a "back carbine" and announced that the "DNF mobile game" will open a 6-hour "assault test" on the 20th. This is also the first time that DNF Mobile Game has opened an official test for korean players during the development process.
Although the test did not limit the number of participants, but only 6 hours of experience time or players (and I) did not dare to slacken off, in time to start at 5 pm the first time to land on the game, along with the main interface familiar bgm, I and many players once again began the adventure to the continent of Arad...
1. Celia, I'm here to save you again!
Compared with the previous domestic test version, this Hanbok "assault test" spent more effort on the shaping and narrative of the game's world view. After the official game, what awaits the player is not a career choice, but to play as Luxy, go through the beginning of the entire adventure story "Sorrowful Cave Investigation Incident", and defeat the apostle Shirlock with the four sword saints.
After the half-story, half-taught beginner tutorial, players can create their own characters, and this beta version opens up a total of five optional characters, namely male ghost swordsman, female fighter, male sharpshooter, female magician and female priest, before truly starting their adventure in the continent of Arad.
The opening animation plot corresponding to different characters also fully restores the setting of the end game, taking the male gunner as an example, the sharpshooter who completed the assassination mission in the celestial realm was forced to the edge of the cliff by the pursuing soldiers, jumped into the sea, and fell to the strange continent of Arad. Opening his eyes, he is greeted by the origin of the player's encounter with the DNF, Celia, who has been captured by the goblin.
The "goddess" who has accompanied players for many years is still bright and shiny
In addition to the plot and settings, the art of the test version of "DNF Mobile Game" also highly restores the style of the end game, and the old players of the end game can basically seamlessly connect to this mobile version.
This test does not provide the option of language adjustment, but what makes me quite satisfied is that although I can't understand the specific text description, I can still recognize the functional icons such as equipment, skills, backpacks, etc., and complete basic operations such as equipment matching and skill adjustment with the experience of the terminal tour.
Of course, the stamina setting that makes the player "love and hate" has also been inherited, and it has been "cut" from 156 points to 100 points, due to the limitation of physical strength, the author's progress in the test can only be advanced to the "Dark Thunder Ruins" area.
In general, from the perspective of core settings such as plot, copy, UI, etc., the "DNF Mobile Game" opened this time has fully restored the end game, and replaced the new high-definition textures in the details of the picture, so that this work is full of new vitality while retaining the original feelings.
Second, it is still that familiar taste
In the most core fighting experience of DNF, the "DNF Mobile Game" opened this time did not adopt 3D as the "DNF: Soul" of "Violent Death" 4 years ago, but highly restored the 2.5D horizontal version of the fighting flavor of the end game, and also repainted the original 2D frame-by-frame animation of the character in high definition, so that the picture of the mobile game version was clearer and smoother, and the sense of blow was more "fist to flesh".
Of course, in view of the operation characteristics of the mobile platform, in addition to retaining the "flavor" of the original work, "DNF Mobile Game" has also made a lot of adaptations and optimizations in operation, as far as possible to restore the "multi-skill combination" fighting method.
Similar to the previous domestic test version, the version of this Hanbok beta also adds auxiliary arrows to the character's movement, which can help players stand in the same straight line as the monster and better aim. Monsters also display a corresponding ballistic trajectory when releasing a skill, alerting the player to an imminent attack. The attack judgment of the horizontal axis is more relaxed than that of the end game, which increases the fault tolerance rate of the player's release skill.
The "one-click combo" design that allows players to press the same button multiple times and release 4 skills set in turn to form combo is also implemented in this test.
In addition, in order to help new players better familiarize themselves with the character's skills, the game also added combo hints at the beginning. When a character encounters an enemy, the skill that is suitable for the first hand is highlighted. After performing the attack, the interface will mark the skills that can be connected in turn, allowing the player to quickly play a full set of combos.
For the skill configuration of different occupations, DNF Mobile Game has also made corresponding adjustments, and the order and level requirements of skills have a more friendly setting than that of the end game. For example, some powerful skills that can only be obtained after level 30 can be obtained after the mobile game is adjusted to level 10.
Screenshot of the Evangelist Skill Tree section
The level 40 skill "Thunder of Repentance" in the end game can be learned after the transfer
And according to Korean players, there is even a copy function hidden in the character's skill interface, and in the future, it may be possible to directly copy the addition scheme of other players, eliminating the hands-on link of "copying homework". The character's skill points can also be reset at any time, you can either follow the official recommended scheme for "one-click plus points", or you can add points at any time according to your own operating habits or understanding.
This "free" style is also reflected in the interface interaction. In addition to a few fixed keys, players can configure the field of skills at will according to their own operating habits. These mobile-specific adjustments have greatly improved the player's fighting experience on the mobile side. For "DNF", which has gone through 13 years, the optimization of the simplification of fighting operations and the reduction of the difficulty of cultivation is undoubtedly more conducive to the absorption of more new players by "DNF Mobile Game".
The "DNF universe" is already on its way?
Although there are still many things that have not yet been discovered, in this 6-hour experience time, "DNF Mobile Game" still handed over a good answer. What is more noteworthy outside the product is the significance behind Nexon's move at this point in time. Last month, Nexon announced in an official statement that "DNF Mobile Game" will officially land on the Korean market in Q1 next year, and the reservation of the game has also been opened. Coupled with this sudden "surprise test", all kinds of signs are showing that Nexon is really going to play this "trump card" that he has been holding in his hand.
It is worth noting that this "trump card" does not only refer to the "DNF Mobile Game", but to the entire "DNF IP" universe. Just last week, DNF DUEL (Duel) opened a free beta on the PS platform. According to the official statement, as an expansion of the DNF worldview content, this IP derivative work with fighting as the gameplay will be officially released in 2022.
And I believe everyone remembers that Nexon also set up another ARPG new work "Overkill" at the beginning of the year, plus "Project BBQ", which released real machine pictures at last year's carnival, Nexon already has 4 derivative works of "DNF" IP in his hands. If the official announcement is true, in 2022, a strong "DNF tide" will hit players.
According to Nexon's Q3 earnings report, the company's quarterly revenue from mobile games was 18.6 billion yen (about 1.05 billion yuan), down 44% compared to the same period last year. Coupled with the failure to spend $100 million on Bitcoin at the beginning of the year, Nexon desperately needs a new growth point to save itself. Apparently, Nexon chose to bet on the "DNF Universe" this time.
If nothing else, in the next 3 months, we can see this "DNF Mobile Game" that has undergone several postponements officially meet with players, can it respond to players' expectations and fire the first shot of the "DNF Universe"?