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Black Desert Online’s developers recently invited some members of the press out to preview the Land of the Morning Light expansion. This is a huge update for the game, and frankly, a pretty large deviation from what players have already seen in the title so far. This is a positive for sure, but there are some things worth noting, especially if you’re a long-time BDO player. The land is gorgeous though, and the bosses suitably challenging.
The Land of the Morning Light brings medieval Korea to Black Desert Online, offering an aesthetic and world design that fans of the action MMO haven’t seen in the game yet. I spent quite a few hours playing through this expansion, and here’s what I think so far.
What is Black Desert Online’s Land of the Morning Light?
Black Desert Online’s Land of the Morning Light expansion is set in a land similar to Korea’s Joseon Dynasty. It’s a vast, gorgeous island that is filled with adorable villages, interesting people, and of course, powerful bosses to kill.
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There are a few things that make this a unique experience for Black Desert Online players, that’s for sure. Perhaps the biggest part is that it features a rich narrative, told in a non-linear fashion. Upon arriving on the island and completing the set-up/prologue of this expansion’s story, you’ll be able to go wherever you want on the island.
This expansion has 15 chapters, and eight unique stories, each based on a different Korean folktale or legend. That was one of the big things about Black Desert Online’s expansion. The Land of the Morning Light takes the familiar myths of the Korean people and fits them into their story without just telling the same story verbatim.
Pearl Abyss put in some amazing research and collaborated with Korean institutions and authorities on the era to ensure everything was as authentic as possible. From the landscapes, villages, and the people themselves, it all felt like an immersive trip into the Joseon era.
New features in Black Desert Online’s upcoming expansion
One of the biggest new features in Black Desert Online’s Land of the Morning Light is the Boss Blitz. Players can battle with the eight new bosses, each with its own storyline and quests to complete. The missions will culminate in a battle with the mythical foe. You can also tackle these stories in any order you want.
Players will also be able to compete on a leaderboard, to see who gets the fastest times for each boss. There are also difficulty levels for the bosses as well, after you’ve completed the story. The default level is something any Black Desert Online player can complete. With each added difficulty level (up to 5), things really start to ramp up.
There are new mechanics, more damage, more things to be aware of. The first two levels are pretty manageable, but when you go beyond that, things get crazy. You really have to be a master of your class and understand the fight to succeed.
There’s also a new customizable boat, the Panokseon, but unfortunately, I did not have a chance to really explore this. On a personal level, it doesn’t interest me as much since I have terrible motion sickness in water areas. However, you get special gear and crew members, making it a very cool idea for Black Desert Online’s naval content.
The Land of the Morning Light features new min-games for Lifeskill Activities, which can reduce the required time for some of these activities, and provide a chance at rare items. These grant a special, useful buff, so it’s worth it to spend time on your Lifestyle Activities in Black Desert Online.
I also adored the new housing and furniture options. You can own a small apartment, or a massive manor, and decorate with Joseon-period furniture. This stuff was seriously gorgeous. Even though you have to pay upkeep on them, it sounds like it’s worth investing time into.
Players can also seek out a new piece of gear: Dahn’s Gloves. It can be specialized for either damage reduction or evasion, making it an ideal, top-tier piece of gear no matter what class you’re playing.
Though we only saw the eight main bosses, there are also a ninth and 10th, both far more powerful than the others. Though we don’t have a confirmation, fans could see a hint of the 10th boss at this year’s Summer Game Fest. This monster, known as Imoogi, is quite interesting.
According to the Korean-English dictionary, an Imoogi is a legendary snake, a massive one that failed to become a dragon, and lives in the water. Perhaps we’ll see more of that soon.
More on combat and bosses in Black Desert Online’s expansion
Land of the Morning Light's players won’t have to stress about having top-tier gear if they want to fight these bosses. There’s a new attribute system being introduced, which will do the brunt of your heavy lifting for damage. There are three attributes and a series of crystals you can collect.
You slot these crystals into the three attributes, depending on which boss you’re facing, to increase your damage dealt. Your gear only contributes to about 10% of your damage in these battles, so while having gear is nice, it’s not the only contributing factor to your success.
However, this leads me to one of my big worries about Black Desert Online’s expansion. I like that they are moving away from grinding and repetitive battles, but I think perhaps they went too far in the other direction.
I played Black Desert Online’s Land of the Morning Light for about four or five hours, and the only things I really fought were bosses. I think I did one or two quests that required me to fight a monster.
While this is fine, and felt more like Final Fantasy XIV in terms of storytelling, I also like killing things! I worry that a new player's experience could be a little harmful in this way. They can start on the Land of the Morning area, and begin their adventure into BDO this way.
That’s perfectly fine, and it’s a great way to sort of ease yourself into Black Desert Online - it’s a pretty complex MMO, after all. However, you’ll leave the island not really understanding the ins and outs of your class like you normally would. That sort of thing is taught by constantly fighting enemies.
That way, you learn your class, the combos, and important things you need to know about battle. So I think this was a good idea, but I think perhaps it goes too far the wrong way.
The music and visuals for Land of the Morning Light were top-notch
Frankly, Black Desert Online’s new expansion is gorgeous. Dalbeol, the new hub that players will congregate in, feels very much like a real, medieval-era Korean village. It was easy to immerse myself in it, and I loved seeing all the people just living their lives.
The landscapes were breathtaking for sure, and the music was soothing and enjoyable to listen to. I honestly just loved exploring the area on my horse, watching babbling brooks, and gazing up at starry skies. It’s easily the prettiest part of Black Desert Online.
In Conclusion
Black Desert Online really has something interesting on its hands here with Land of the Morning Light. It’s a unique approach to expansions in the game. It doesn’t appear to have a level-cap increase, and won’t require players to do tons of grinding.
One thing that might frustrate current/returning players is unlocking the area. You can create a level 1 character on the island easily enough. If you want to take your current avatar to this new land, they must complete the Magnus questline. If you haven't done that, you cannot visit. It makes sense since Yeonwha is key to this whole storyline kicking off.
Land of the Morning Light is a story-filled treasure, and I loved being able to go back and re-experience the tales via the Storybook. It has 5,000+ lines of voice acting and has a story that I could honestly read in a book, or perhaps a Manhwa. It’s a genuinely interesting take on expanding the Black Desert Online universe.
There’s plenty to see and do, and I think players just might find something they love on this new island. Land of the Morning light will be launched on PC on June 14, 2023. It will come to consoles at a later, unspecified date.
