With Throne and Liberty, a real MMORPG hit is coming this year after a long development time. For many, a big hope for the gaming year 2023. However, developer NCSoft has so far withheld information, and as a YouTube video now shows, there could be good reasons for that.
What is Throne and Liberty? The game was originally announced as Lineage Eternal and has already gone through a long and somewhat bumpy development. Now, the MMORPG is set to be released in the first half of 2023 and boasts stunning graphics, exciting influences from weather on combat, and even transformation into animals that can fly and swim.
However, much more is not known to date. Just a few months ago, developer NCSoft revealed that they are teaming up with Amazon for publishing in the West, which means it will be the third major MMORPG in a row for the West.
A playtest for selected players also took place, but it is under NDA, meaning it cannot be talked about. Nevertheless, some have already done so on reddit and shared information about Throne and Liberty that may not please everyone.
What information is involved? A supposed tester reported shortly after the beta primarily about a boring combat system. It is said to be too static and simply no fun. Furthermore, the story is not necessarily great, and players can only partially avoid PvP in the open world.
The Spanish YouTuber PvE Zone has recently compiled 75 facts about Throne and Liberty in a video that do not necessarily brighten the mood about the upcoming game. It is important to note that much of this consists of leaks and reddit posts, so the following information cannot be completely verified.
Autoplay and skins that enhance your character
What information particularly hurts? Among the 75 facts that the YouTuber was able to gather, the last one is likely the one that will disturb most PC gamers: Autoplay. It is said that there will be a feature in TL that plays certain parts of the MMORPG completely automatically for you.
There will also be an interface that shows you how long you have been playing automatically, how much experience and gold you have earned during that time, and more. According to PvE Zone, the autoplay feature should at least be limited to normal auto-attacks and a few skills. Countering, dodging, and healing are not expected to be managed by the built-in bot.
For the latter, however, a built-in “Auto-Pot” system is supposed to use healing potions for you when you have low health points. The YouTuber mentions that the system is supposed to be linked to your pet.
Many might also be disturbed by skins of varying rarity that enhance your character. This is because the stylish outfits are said to have tangible stats in Throne and Liberty and can even be upgraded. Whether this will be the case in the West is particularly questionable. Amazon did not bring a comparable system in Lost Ark to us.
Weather has more influence than previously thought
Are there also good pieces of information? Yes, because the weather system seems to go deeper than many thought. The fact that wind, weather, and water influence the battles was already one of the bigger selling points of Throne and Liberty, but day and night also change how your character behaves.
For example, the YouTuber mentions the dagger ability “Venom Blood.” This reportedly deals 20% more poison damage during the day, while its raw damage increases by 20% at night. However, your opponents will also change; a plant-world boss, for example, becomes larger and stronger if it has rained beforehand.
In direct combat, players can utilize the weather to their advantage. As the owner of a castle, you can influence the weather twice a day, causing heavy rain to flood the catacombs through which one could otherwise penetrate into your fortress. There has been a lot of positive feedback in the comments regarding this information.
What is being hotly debated? There seems to be disagreement as to whether to view two things as good or bad. On the one hand, there is said to be an upgrade system for equipment, where you can upgrade your gear to +12. However, it seems that only up to +6 is guaranteed to succeed; afterwards, the items might break during upgrading.
Furthermore, information concerning the transformation ability is also under criticism. PvE Zone states that as a bird, you cannot fly freely, but only glide. There are winds in the air that you can utilize at certain points, similar to gliding in Guild Wars 2. Some are disappointed by this, while others probably had expected it to be no different from the start.
What do you think of the snippets of information about Throne and Liberty? Do you trust the numerous info leaks, or are you still waiting for official statements? Would you play the game even with autoplay? Feel free to write your thoughts in the comments here at MeinMMO.
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