Exclusive Dark Blood Interview: Outspark CEO Breaks News on Beta Signup, Combat Training Videos, Fight Nights & More

PAX EAST 2012:  Exclusive Dark Blood Interview:  Outspark CEO Breaks News on Beta Signup, Combat Training Videos, Fight Nights & More

At PAX East last week, Outspark announced plans to bring the hit Korean free-to-play action RPG, Dark Blood, to North America and Europe this summer, and cheers for this badass arcade fighting game could be heard from fans across the West. GameOgre talked with Philip Yun, CEO of Outspark, about this exciting addition to Outspark’s portfolio of popular MMORPG and RTS games that currently serve 10 million registered users and over a half million Facebook fans:

Tell us about Dark Blood and what factored into your decision to publish it?

Dark Blood is a hardcore, action RPG for mature audiences.  It’s a huge hit in Korea and has a dedicated following as a fierce fighting game with thrilling arcade hack n slash combat and a gripping backstory. Players slice through demons at lightning speed, conjure magic with brilliant animation, and blaze through mobs with head-spinning combo moves.  The game is chock full of rich content that spans epic PvE quests with interesting NPCs, devastating bosses, and fun co-op play, while also featuring unbelievable kill-or-be-killed PvP arenas where only the strong survive.  Tight game mechanics, lush art design, and a pounding score – we know North American and European core gamers are going to be blown away by what Dark Blood offers.  I’d really like to thank our licensor, GameHi, and developer JCR Soft, for helping us bring this highly-charged, super-entertaining RPG to the West.

A lot of players would like to know more about Dark Blood‘s PvP System, please provide details.

The Dark Blood PvP system has two modes – a free mode for 1:1 PvP and 1:1 Tag Matches, and a fight mode with EXP rewards for 3:3 PvP and 3:3 Tag Matches.  PK starts at Level 10, PvP starts at Level 30, and there is an outstanding tutorial that drops the player right in the midst of combat with their highest level skills – an exhilarating experience that will motivate newcomers to train hard and progress through the game.  What’s so amazing about Dark Blood is that it offers some of the most incredibly challenging combat out there and yet is easily accessible to those just getting started.

There are four leading heroes in the game. Can you tell us more about these characters and what skills they offer?

Dark Blood lore tells the tale of four brave heroes: Cavala The Warrior, Hertia The Knight, Peira The Mage, and Telluos The Hunter, who master mysterious powers and go on to save humanity.  In the process, they build an unbreakable bond with each other and in the final moments of the Great War, knowing they’d have to make the ultimate sacrifice to seal the Demon in his Lair, they decide to cast their descendants into the future.  Five hundred years the player has been traveling when the game begins.  To finish what the heroes started, the player must train to be strong.  The game has four classes with two subs:  Warrior/Berserker, Warrior/Breaker, Knight/Crusader, Knight/Paladin, Hunter/Shooter, Hunter/Trickster, Mage/Magician and Mage/Sorcerer.  Details on the backstory and classes can be found on the Dark Blood website at http://darkblood.outspark.com and community will be treated to sneak peeks of the combat training videos on Facebook soon, http://www.facebook.com/outsparkdarkblood.

Among the classes, is there one you like the most?  Why?

My personal favorite in Dark Blood is the Hunter/Trickster class which is great for short to mid-range combat.

Although the game has fast-paced PvP, are there monsters that players could encounter in Dark Blood? 

Oh yes, the monsters are totally wicked and players will discover a wide-range of intelligence among them.  The JCR Soft artwork is so spectacular, we’re actually dedicating weeks of the pre-launch to showcase the Dark Blood bestiary.

What kinds of characters and environments can we expect to see in Dark Blood?

We just posted a Meet The NPCs page on the Dark Blood website athttp://darkblood.outspark.com and will be adding details on quests and dungeons in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.

 What do you see as the advantage of an RPG being fast-paced?

Action RPGs enable players to enjoy intense gameplay in short bursts while still providing depth of story and an emotional connection to the characters.  If you don’t have a lot of time, you can quickly pop into Dark Blood for an adrenaline-packed fight and leave feeling accomplished.  When you have more time to explore, a vast world awaits.

There are lots of exciting things players could do in Dark Blood. What would you recommend players try at least once in the game?

Players are really going to enjoy their introduction to the game – the character generator has clever body customizations that’s a trip to play around with.  Once players reach Level 20, they can choose two skills to create awesome things such as weapons, armors, potions or even a cool avatar.  The game has also a fantastic enchanting system where special equipment can be crafted from raw materials found in the hunting fields.

Guild systems are common among online games, especially RPGs. Is there a guild system in Dark Blood?

Yes, and the guild system in Dark Blood has a very unique feature. Players in Dark Blood guilds can gather and redeem guild points to acquire passive skills which enables all the players in the guild to possess the benefits.  This makes playing Dark Blood with your friends and family extra rewarding.

The game is said to be adult oriented.  How will this impact Outspark’s young subscribers?  What can you say about Dark Blood’s maturity level?

Dark Blood is for mature players because there’s a certain level of blood and violence shown in combat that is relevant to the story and is a part of the game style.  It’s intended for Teens and Adults.  One must be 13 and older to play.

  Players who may be interested in joining the Dark Blood beta, how would they go about getting signed up?

DARK BLOOD BETA SIGN UP IS LIVE!!!  We’re really excited about the tremendous response from fans anxiously awaiting the beta and I’m happy to announce that those looking to get in on the beta can sign up right now on the Dark Blood website at  http://darkblood.outspark.com.

Is there anything else you want to tell us about Dark Blood?

Yes!  Fans can look forward to thrilling in-game fight nights during the summer season of game shows:  E3, EVO, Comic-Con, PAX, Gamescom, Devastation and DreamHack.  To learn more, fans should join our community.  Beta signup and forums are live at http://darkblood.outspark.com. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/darkbloodgame and help us get to 1000 Dark Blood Facebook fans by month end at http://www.facebook.com/outsparkdarkblood so we can start giving away killer Dark Blood swag.