NetEase Games’ Sword of Justice is currently in its global Closed Beta Test, offering players a first look at how the studio aims to be the next-gen open world MMORPG combining traditional MMORPG design with modern cinematic presentation. Set in a detailed wuxia-inspired world, the game focuses on immersion through flexible camera controls, realistic visuals, and dynamic storytelling techniques that attempt to bridge the gap between classic and contemporary gameplay styles.
Cinematic Storytelling Meets Open World Design
Sword of Justice features a seamless flow between dialogue, exploration, and action sequences. Camera angles shift naturally during interactions and combat, creating scenes that resemble in-game cutscenes rather than static exchanges.
This approach makes the game feel more animated, though it may also draw attention to its cinematic ambitions more than its traditional MMO structure. Players can experience story moments that focus on emotion and atmosphere, rather than relying purely on quest text.
Dual Perspectives and Player Choice
The game’s most noticeable feature is the ability to switch up to 3 camera perspectives. The top-down view provides a familiar MMORPG feel, giving players a tactical look at their surroundings, while the third-person view offers a closer and more cinematic experience.
This system gives players freedom to choose how they prefer to explore or fight, depending on their comfort or device setup. It’s a small but notable change that helps Sword of Justice appeal to both old-school MMO fans and newer action-RPG players.
Detailed 3D Models and Environments
Sword of Justice’s visuals demonstrate NetEase’s technical focus on detail and environmental design.
Character models are expressive and highly customizable, allowing for fine adjustments to facial structure and attire.
The world features busy streets, weather effects, and layered scenery that reflect a stylized version of the Song Dynasty.
While the attention to detail is impressive, the game’s performance on lower-end devices and how it handles large-scale multiplayer environments will likely be a point of interest once the full release arrives.
Six Distinct Classes with Varied Playstyles
The CBT build introduces six playable classes, each designed with unique weapon types, combat styles, and difficulty levels.
Nightwalker (Blade): A fast, high-damage class focused on mobility and precision. It rewards skillful play but can be challenging to master.
Ironclad (Gauntlets): A male-only brawler type that excels in defense with moderate damage and support potential, ideal for players who prefer frontline roles.
Bloodstorm (Spear): Offers balanced offense and defense with solid reach and mobility, making it versatile for both solo and group encounters.
Celesture (Zither and Sword): A hybrid damage dealer with strong range and fluid movement. It mixes elegance and control, offering a lighter challenge with partial defensive and supportive abilities.
Sylph (Ribbon): A female-only support-focused class that emphasizes defense and ranged utility. It can heal, protect allies, and control the battlefield from a distance.
Numina (Toxling): A ranged attacker centered on pure damage and support effects. It offers strong offensive potential with manageable difficulty and balanced mobility.
Each class brings a different pace to combat, allowing players to experiment with styles that range from fast and technical to defensive and strategic.
Combat and Interaction
Combat combines fluid animation with class-based mechanics. Each class in the CBT offers distinct abilities, and the pacing feels closer to an action RPG than a traditional auto-target MMO.
Players can chain attacks and skills with responsive timing, though some early testers have noted that visual clarity during crowded fights may still need refinement.
Outside of combat, the game introduces interactive NPCs that react to player actions or dialogue choices. This gives the world more personality and may support future systems for relationship building or branching stories, depending on how it’s expanded in later versions.
Early Impressions
Sword of Justice’s CBT highlights NetEase’s attempt to modernize the wuxia MMORPG genre through cinematic direction, flexible gameplay views, and high-quality visuals. The current build shows promise in presentation and interactivity, though questions remain on long-term gameplay depth and performance optimization.
For now, Sword of Justice presents an interesting mix of old and new ideas, combining cinematic storytelling with traditional MMO systems in a way that invites both experimentation and reflection on how the genre continues to evolve.
Players can now pre-register for Sword of Justice on the App Store and Google Play through the official page here: https://soj.onelink.me/BzLX/welqm7n0