Shining Beyond Open Beta Testing First Impressions

With Shining Beyond opening up its game for Open Beta Testing just a few days ago, we’ve tried the game out once again to see what kind of stuff has been changed since the Closed Beta Testing.

Shining Beyond Gameplay Overview

Shining Beyond’s gameplay is relatively simple where the maps are laid out in a grid-based layout where players can choose which directions they want their party to go to by selecting the directional arrows on the screen which is very reminiscent to a 2D dungeon crawler type of gameplay.

Players can also make their characters move to a specific spot during battles to dodge incoming telegraphed attacks from the enemies.

But if players might think that this game has too much game in them, there’s also an auto function for both moving and attacking which is unlocked super early into the game. With the auto-function enabled, your characters will fight and cast skills automatically as well as move using the fastest route which leads to the boss room without exploring other hidden rooms if auto-movement is enabled.

What’s Changed?

First and foremost, it seems like the Developers actually listened to the community’s feedback by making tons of Technical improvements as well as Quality of Life changes. Some of these major changes include:

• VIP System Removed 

Also known as “Nobility” or in general terms, the battle pass of the game, fans were pleased to hear that this feature has been removed from the shop.

The VIP system had some major advantages for people who were to buy it compared to F2P players such as stuff like reduced cost of upgrading gear which can be considered pretty unfair as it catered more to the players who pay large amounts of money as known as “whales” in the Gacha Community.

• Hero Summoning System Changes 

Previously in the Closed Beta Testing of the game, summoning heroes gets you shards which require a number of shards in total to be exchanged for a full unit. This shard system is usually frowned upon the Gacha Community since it rubs people off in a wrong way as it’s an elaborate plot of reeling in more money.

But after negative feedback they received after the Close Beta Testing, the developers have decided to revamp the summoning system and made it back to the conventional hero summoning.

• Visual Improvements

While the 2D character art is probably the main selling point of the game, the devs have also improved the visuals of the other aspects of the game as well in terms of 2D item icons and the 3D character models. The icons for the items have been polished to be higher quality while the 3D arts have been improved with new added shaders.

Besides these major updates, there are also other changes and improvements that have been listed over at the Shining Beyond Facebook page through their Developer Update Logs.

Closing Thoughts

Overall, the Open Beta Test has improved some of the much needed refinements. If the developers continue to listen to the community’s feedback and make changes accordingly, Shining Beyond has the potential to be a great game.

The Open Beta Testing for Shining Beyond can be tried out for Android’s Playstore only and your progress will be carried over to the full release of the game in the future. In-game purchases is also now made available.

Download

Shining Beyond

Developer: XII Braves

Release Date: 2020-11-26

Android, iOS

In a World enslaved by Darkness, a small group of heroes band together in defiant resistance. Their aim is to rise up against the New Empire, and shine beyond the darkness, becoming a beacon of hope against this Tyranny.

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