Though many of us in the West have come to recognize Netmarble as the behemoth company behind mobile titles like Solo Leveling: Arise and the upcoming monster-catching RPG, Mongil Star Dive, the Seven Knights series is the company's bread and butter. Seven Knights Re:Birth is a remake of the original mobile game from 2014 for an all-new audience, and, from what I've seen so far, acts as a great jumping-off point for people looking to dive into the series' immense lore.
I got the chance to dive into Seven Knights Re:Birth ahead of the mobile game's global release, and I was immediately drawn in by the opening cinematic. In the prologue, you're shown a group of varied heroes, each with unique and detailed character designs that the game engine has captured beautifully. Netmarble made this entry to the series in Unreal Engine 5, so my budget gaming phone has a little trouble keeping up graphically, but I've not encountered any performance issues so far.
Much like the original game, Seven Knights Re:Birth follows Evan and Karin as they journey across the land, meeting the titular Seven Knights of the realm and learning more about Evan's mysterious talking necklace. The game features more than 120 heroes, each with their own deep backstory, lore, and gameplay mechanics. I've not played the original Seven Knights game, so I'm unsure if the pacing is the same across both titles, but this new entry does seem to rush through introducing the player to the key characters. I would like it if the story sections spent more time with each new plot character, as they've started to blend together in my head a little, despite their eye-catching designs.
Seven Knights Re:Birth is definitely a fast-paced mobile game, but I don't know whether that's a good or a bad thing. As I mentioned, some of the character introductions feel a bit rushed, especially if this game aims to introduce new people to the series, and the combat elements are akin to an idle game, so battles are over very quickly, regardless of the outcome. Usually, I'm not opposed to auto-battle systems in games, but something about Seven Knights Re:Birth's combat style - potentially the top-down view - feels detached rather than immersive.
However, outside of the main story and combat, there are ways to get to know your characters if you so choose. You can read up about their lore and backstory in the Codex, which also includes videos, or you can interact with your favorite characters in your base. Netmarble has also said that once the game launches, there'll be "regularly updated mini-episodes" spotlighting different heroes, so you can get to know them even better.
While a lot of Seven Knights Re:Birth isn't my cup of tea, it's clear that Netmarble has crafted an intricate and well-built game, with plenty of mobile-specific optimizations that show the company's growth since the original game's release. You can farm resources and engage in the story at the same time, even while the game is closed, making progression a lot easier for busy people and also reducing reliance on in-app purchases, which is a big win in my book.
You can pre-register for Seven Knights Re:Birth on Android, iOS, and PC right now on the official website. For more from the expansive fantasy world, check out our Seven Knights Idle Adventure tier list next.