The MMORPG Atlantica Online was released in 2008 in Korea and came to the West a year later. Now it is finally set to be released on the Steam platform. But what makes the game special and is it still worth it?
What is Atlantica Online? Atlantica Online is a free-to-play game by the Korean company Nexon, which also created the MMORPG MapleStory 2. It differs significantly from other games in the genre, as it relies on turn-based combat.
While you explore the world alone with your created character, you always fight alongside mercenaries against your enemies. Whenever a battle occurs, you will be ported to a separate battlefield, similar to what you know from games like Heroes of Might and Magic.
Although Atlantica Online never really made it into the mainstream, it was among the leading titles in the second tier of free-to-play MMORPGs.
What is happening now with the MMORPG? On Steam, there is now a page for the game Atlantica Online. It is supposed to be released on March 26, 2020.
But is it worth installing the game in March? We took a closer look at the past and the current situation of Atlantica Online.
Good ratings at launch, but little attention
How did Atlantica start for us? Upon release in 2009, the MMORPG received many good ratings, which the game still partially advertises on Steam today:
- A unique experience in a turn-based MMORPG – 8.5/10 IGN
- Finally. A new style of MMO that actually works. Sorry Dofus – 8.6/10 Game Spot
- Good mix for strategy and role-playing fans – 77/100 GameStar
The game was praised for its approach to turn-based combat and for the positive exchange within the community. High-level players were rewarded for sending items to beginners.
The economy, which already relied on crafting jobs and trade routes similar to Black Desert today, was also positively highlighted. Furthermore, there was no pay-to-win in the shop, just some items that simplified the gaming experience.
Criticism was only directed at uninspired quests and the boring soundtrack, which supposedly became repetitive after a short while.
What happened then? In March 2012, Nexon held an event in Atlantica Online to celebrate that the MMORPG had surpassed 1 million players. It was named “One in a Million” and brought players a lot of currency and a unique title.
This milestone was reached by Atlantica, but it could not compete with major MMORPGs like WoW at the time. After the event, the game went relatively quiet in the press.
Publisher change and problems
What happened in 2016? In 2016, Nexon announced that they no longer wanted to publish some of their games themselves in the West. This fate befell Atlantica, but later also the MMORPG Riders of Icarus. Both are now distributed by VOLOFE.
What is VOLOFE? VOLOFE is a publisher that does not develop many games themselves but only distributes them for other companies in specific regions, similar to Gameforge with us.
However, the company does not have the best reputation here. Although communication improved a bit with Riders of Icarus, in Atlantica Online, mercenaries moved into the item shop. There are also reports from our reader “Leyaa” that more problems occurred due to the publisher change regarding bug fixes:
I played Atlantica Online under Nexon and tried it again under VALOFE, and it was terrible. Mercenaries that you used to earn in events became available in the item shop. New mercenaries had bugged abilities that weren’t fixed even after many months.
Instead, new cosmetics were added to the shop for them. With new content (Content + Events), 2 bugs were removed and 5 new ones were patched in.
How is the MMORPG developing? Atlantica Online currently receives an update every 14 days. The accompanying patch notes are even shared in German, albeit sometimes a bit clumsy.
However, most updates consist of bug fixes, balance changes, or new features in the shop.
Nevertheless, there have been many new features since release. The max level is now 200, and many new contents have come into the game, including quests, dungeons, a new launcher, and a mentor system.
A highlight in the recent past was the World Championship 2019, which took place in Indonesia. According to VOLOFE, more than 2,000 players from around the world participated, and up to 13,000 people watched the event live, while 500 attendees were present on-site.
Is Atlantica Online worth it in 2020?
This is what our author Alexander Leitsch says: On March 26, the free-to-play MMORPG will come to Steam. However, it is difficult to say whether it is really worth a look. You can clearly see the age of 12 years in Atlantica Online, both visually and technically. Still, the game receives regular updates, which is a significant plus.
Anyone interested in an old MMORPG with a new approach to the combat system can theoretically install it for free right now. There is no need to wait for the Steam release. In the game, you can certainly have some fun for a while, but it does contain elements of pay-to-win.
Nonetheless, I would be glad if it was well-received on Steam. After all, many players are currently waiting for a new experience in MMORPGs, and perhaps it can attract some players.
Another MMORPG that has a noticeably different approach is Kingdom Under Fire 2. Here, tactical aspects are also to the forefront:
