Our Verdict
Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King is one of the best mobile games to release this year, offering new and old fans alike a fun-filled experience in a magical world with an engaging story, enigmatic characters, and theatrical combat.
When you hear the name Garena, you likely think about Free Fire, the widely popular mobile shooter in which you get to unleash your competitive spirit. I know that’s where my mind immediately goes, at least, and the quality of Free Fire is what gave me hope for Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King, a new collection RPG based on the popular Japanese manga and anime series.
Fans of Black Clover likely know what to expect; Asta, an orphan boy born without magic, sets out to become the ultimate mage by becoming the Wizard King. However, he needs a little help from his friends and fellow magic knights to do that. As with any anime game worth its salt, you can expect to enjoy storylines from the show, which falls under the ‘Quest’ portion of the game.
As someone who’s unfamiliar with Black Clover, I found this to be really interesting. It serves as a great introduction to the franchise, introducing important characters such as Astra and Yuno, a fellow orphan who, unlike Asta, was born with incredible magical powers, though he’s most potent with wind magic, as you get to see should you use him in battle.
Speaking of which, the turn-based battles are quite theatrical. After you tap the attack button, the game transitions to a mini cutscene in which you attack your enemy, and the same is true when the enemy attacks you. I have to admit, I do enjoy the comical look on my character’s faces when they realize the big bad demon in front of them is hitting back.
To try and strategically plan for your battles, you can make use of the battle timeline which tells you the order of upcoming turns. Sometimes, you’ll find that your enemy has the upper hand as, if they have more speed, they may be able to attack you in consecutive turns. Mind you, the same is true for you if you’re faster. Throughout the battle, you accumulate battle points, which you can then use to activate your special skill.
As you might expect, your special skill is highly destructive, laying waste to those unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of it. These skills are why I enjoy the battle system so much; the ensuing scene captures the moment perfectly. My character looks angry, powers up, and launches a full-blown attack at my now-cowering foe. Each character boasts their own skills and abilities, creating unique collaborative attacks when used in tandem.
Like any good RPG, you can (and need to) strengthen your characters as the game goes on if you want to survive in this harsh world. Getting the required upgrade materials is as simple as using that character in battle; no need to go on never-ending quests for one single item. Better still, you can complete patrol stages to gather more resources while the game is idle. As someone who enjoys a lot of different games and jumps between them, I appreciate a game being quite giving in this regard. I don’t always have the time for long adventures.
Of course, you can still grab additional rewards for completing quests and challenges. Outside of the main storyline, you can take part in raids if you want a tougher challenge, revisit some memorable bosses with Memory Hall, and even test out your might in the arena against other players in PvP combat.
Each time I dive into the game, I can’t deny how great it is to explore the world. As an RPG and open-world lover, the best way for me to connect with a game, franchise, characters, and the like is to explore the open road, as it were. I’m a sucker for mini-activities in a huge world like this, so the inclusion of fishing and cooking is a huge plus for me.
So, the battles are enjoyable, the story is interesting for new and old fans alike, and the game is full of content to keep you busy, but how does it perform? The touchscreen controls are smooth, so moving Asta around isn’t an issue at all. However, my one small issue here is that you can’t move the camera around – this is something I don’t personally like. It may well not bother you and that’s great, but for me, I like being able to maneuver the angle to see all that’s in front of me or to get a peek around a corner.
Graphically speaking, Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King looks fantastic; the open world is bright and vibrant, the cutscenes are reminiscent of the TV show, and the character models are great. This is exactly the look and aesthetic I like to see from a mobile game of this caliber, especially when I intend to spend hours of my life here.
Be you a new fan or an old one, Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King is one of the best mobile games to release this year. It’s full of content, has an engaging story, and features fun theatrical battles that still encourage a tactical mind (I’m not tactical in the slightest, so it’s still good for those that just think ‘bugger it’ and hope for the best). If you want a new magical world to explore, dive in.
If you decide to try this game, check out our Black Clover M tier list to learn who the best characters are, and grab a freebie or two with our Black Clover M codes guide.