Black Beacon: The Rising Star in Gacha Gaming

Black Beacon has just landed on mobile devices, and we've been lucky enough to dive into this Mythic Sci-Fi Action RPG ahead of most. We're thrilled to share our impressions with you.

Black Beacon is an action RPG that stands out with its emphasis on fast, fluid combat and a unique character-swapping mechanic.

Shh! This Is A Library!

The game starts in the Library of Babel, a vast and enigmatic structure inspired by the biblical Tower of Babel and Jorge Luis Borges' short story. In this setting, every conceivable book exists within its walls. You awaken here with no memory of your arrival, surrounded by a colorful cast of characters who share your confusion. It seems a grand destiny awaits you.

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

Joking aside, the setting and story have a charmingly wild appeal. A library filled with nonsensical books, time travel, and numerous mythological references (we won't spoil too much, but keep an eye on that bird) immerse you in a narrative that thrives on confusion. If you're feeling lost, that's the point. The creators seem to be aiming for that exact experience.

So, what about the gameplay?

Send Me In, Coach

Black Beacon offers an engaging ARPG dungeon crawler experience, with a customizable camera viewpoint. You can opt for a top-down view or a free camera setup, adjusting the perspective with your other hand. We found the latter more enjoyable, though it's largely a matter of personal preference.

You navigate through the Library's corridors, advancing through short, episodic story sections, each containing several maps. Accessing these sections requires energy, but the game was quite generous with our playtime.

Your journey involves exploring areas, solving puzzles, hunting for hidden treasures, and battling enemies—distorted entities that the Library hasn't fully 'digested.' Yikes.

Combat is enjoyable, fast-paced, and slightly button-mashy, yet challenging enough to keep you engaged. Timing is crucial; a perfect dodge grants invincibility frames, while a well-timed heavy attack can interrupt an enemy's move, sparing you the need to dodge.

A standout feature is the character-swap mechanic, allowing you to switch characters mid-battle. This turns fights into tag-team matches, letting you swap out exhausted fighters for fresh ones, even during attacks. Once you master the rhythm, it feels satisfying—until a mistimed dodge sends you flying down the hallway.

Characters And Weapon Rolls

As a gacha game, Black Beacon features a system for obtaining characters and weapons, which are specific to each character. Both can be leveled up, and while there are many resources involved, much of the management can be automated.

You may encounter characters through the gacha before meeting them in the story, adding variety and a sense of the convoluted flow of time.

Overall, Black Beacon is a quirky gacha game with an ambition to tell a more esoteric story, supported by solid gameplay. We're eager to see how it evolves post-release.

Does this sound like your kind of game? Or perhaps a row of shelves in the vast library you call home? Check out Black Beacon now on the official website, App Store, or Google Play.