Shawn Lord worked as a quest and later as lead designer on EverQuest 1. Last year, he announced a new MMORPG called Monsters & Memories, which is hosting a free stress test this weekend.
What kind of game is it? Monsters & Memories aims to bring back the old-school feeling of MMORPGs, which has been lost over the years. You enter a world in a classic medieval fantasy setting with trolls, gnomes, elves, and humans.
- There are supposed to be 18 different classes and 12 different playable races.
- The game world is divided into different zones, including heaven and hell. There is also supposed to be a dynamic weather system.
- The focus is on group content in the open world. While solo players should be able to experience a lot, a group is essential for long-term enjoyment. Instanced dungeons, like those typical in WoW, will not exist.
- Equipment is supposed to play an important role. In addition to typical armor pieces, there will also be a backpack, books, and lanterns to help you stand out visually. However, you can also hide these elements.
- The MMORPG relies on a monthly subscription; there will be no microtransactions. The developers state that “coolness must be earned in-game.” Those who still wish to support the game will be able to purchase merchandise in the form of t-shirts, jewelry, maps, and stickers.
Aside from Shawn Lord, Twitch streamers, a former developer of Mortal Kombat 11, and a college teacher for game design are involved in the development of Monsters & Memories. The team behind the MMORPG brings a wealth of expertise but is still in the early stages.
Here you can watch some initial gameplay:
Free Stress Test on April 28 and 29
What is this test about? The stress test will take place in two phases:
- Phase 1 runs on Friday, April 28, from 3:00 AM to 7:00 AM.
- Phase 2 runs on Saturday, April 29, from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM.
Both tests aim to stress the servers of the MMORPG and may be extended if necessary, the developers stated. A very early pre-alpha version of Monsters & Memories will be played. So, don’t expect too much content.
Who is this interesting for? Basically, the MMORPG targets a small niche. They want to appeal to PC players who miss the old times and want to relive them in a new game.
The developers themselves are big fans of old MUDs and pen & paper games. That’s why they are eagerly working on such a game.
When will Monsters & Memories be released? When the MMORPG will be released is still completely unclear. Everything is still in a very early stage.
What do you think of the new MMORPG? Are you interested in Monsters & Memories or does the old-fashioned graphics and gameplay ideas put you off?
More about new MMORPGs can be found here: All 60 MMORPGs currently in development for PC
