In April 2019, the action RPG Kritika Online was discontinued. However, it returned in November under the name Kritika: REBOOT. But how does the reboot fare, and who is it worth it for?
What kind of game is this? Kritika Online is a free online RPG with fast and straightforward battles. While other RPGs often start with boring starter areas and trash mobs, this one offers action right from the beginning.
The game relies on hubs where you meet players and from where you travel to various dungeons. Some you can complete alone, while others require a group.
You can choose from 10 different heroes, each of whom can be leveled up to level 70 and equipped with various weapons and armors. Accordingly, you have 10 character slots available for free.
In addition to PvE dungeons, there are also PvP arenas where you can compete against other players.
Kritika Online closed in 2019 and reopened
What was Kritika Online’s problem? In March 2019, the western publisher En Masse announced that the MMORPG would be closed in the West. They cited low player numbers as the reason.
In February 2019, Kritika averaged just 130 players per day and peaked at 196 concurrent players. Too few to keep the game running.
However, in the same year, the Korean developer announced the return. Kritika: REBOOT is now the global version of the game, published by the developer and available on Steam. But was the return of the online RPG worth it?
Reboot brought new classes and player boom
What changed with the reboot? The reboot of Kritika Online was very well received at launch. The changes on paper were manageable:
- There were some adjustments to the UI
- Two new classes that were previously only available in Korea were globally released
- The “Stamina” system was removed. This represented endurance that was consumed through playing. When it was depleted, the rewards were reduced. Only through breaks did endurance regenerate.
However, these changes seemingly strengthened the RPG permanently. Player numbers have significantly increased compared to the previous version.
What do the player numbers say? In November 2019, around 2,400 players were active on average, with 3,786 players at peak times. In the last 30 days, there were still 824 players and 1,400 at peak.
Before the reboot, the record was 682 players on average and 1,460 players at peak, set in October 2017, shortly after the MMO’s release.
Overall, the numbers since the reboot are significantly stronger.
Is Kritika worth it in 2020?
How has the reboot progressed since re-release? In addition to regular events and even a fun April Fools’ joke, Kritika continues to receive free updates since its reboot.
In February, a completely new dungeon was released, while new difficulty modes for existing dungeons were introduced in March.
On April 29, the new class Blader was introduced, for which there is currently an event where you should reach level 70 with the class as quickly as possible.
What do players say on Steam? At the launch of Kritika: REBOOT, there were many positive reactions. In November, the MMORPG received 935 positive and only 165 negative reviews.
Overall, Kritika has 76% positive reviews, but there has been an increase in negative feedback in the last 30 days, primarily due to technical issues.
Otherwise, the action MMO mainly receives praise for:
- The fast and varied combat system
- The good learning curve, although some classes are hard to master in the endgame
- The excellent dungeons with various difficulty levels
- The ability to complete many of the quests alone
Criticism is directed at:
- Technical issues that occasionally kick some players out of the game
- The large number of character names that are already taken
- A lot of grind for endgame gear
- Obvious Pay2Win, as one can buy gold and thus the best equipment directly for real money
Who is it suitable for? The MMO is perfect for playing alone or with friends to slice through dungeons and eliminate anything that stands in your way. With the action-packed combat system and massive damage numbers, fun is guaranteed.
Although the game has obvious Pay2Win elements, this hardly affects you if you are only playing PvE. However, the hardest dungeons can only be completed with really good equipment. For that, you’ll need either to grind a lot or buy gold.
However, if you’re just looking for a game to pass the time with short but ultimately grind-heavy gameplay, you might find enjoyment in Kritika.
If you prefer an MMORPG with more story and an open world that is also action-packed, TERA might be interesting for you, as it has already received 3 major updates in 2020.
