Kingdom Under Fire 2 will be the last new MMORPG to be released in 2019. The publisher invited various media representatives to a preview event. Our editor Alexander Leitsch was on site and took a closer look at the new MMORPG.
What is Kingdom Under Fire 2? The new game from Korean developer Blueside combines aspects of MMORPG and real-time strategy. You lead troops in massive battles, where you also fight alongside your character.
Your character has a class, can be leveled up, learn new skills, and collect equipment. There are quests and tasks in the open world, like in a classic MMORPG.
What was the event like? On Tuesday, November 5, 2019, the publisher Gameforge, which publishes Kingdom Under Fire 2 in the West, held an event. Here, the RTS-MMORPG could be played before its release.
We were on site and spoke with the developers about the long development time. We will now reveal what our first impression of the game is.
It starts like an MMORPG
How were the first steps in the game? The beginning of Kingdom Under Fire 2 resembles a classic MMORPG. I can choose from one of five classes and then design my character as I please.
The editor is detailed. While it doesn’t match Black Desert in terms of hairstyle or face selection, I have complete freedom with hair and eye colors.
However, I am limited in gender, as in many other Asian games with gender-lock. My archer, which the developers say should be the hardest class, must be female.
After a small intro sequence, I start the tutorial with my first steps. I am immediately thrown into a battle for a fortress. I familiarize myself with the controls (WASD), learn my first attacks (left and right mouse buttons), and defeat the first enemies.
The first battles: The tutorial is solely focused on my character. I slash through hordes of enemies with two daggers and a bow and dutifully complete the first tasks. You’ll see the RTS content later.
A small boss fight awaits me, where I learn the dodge roll and the first combos. At the same time, a story is presented to me, which is quite simply structured:
- On one side are the good guys, us.
- On the other side the bad guys, the others.
- However, the game series has a large and long background story.
What happens after the tutorial? Once in the open world, the game resembles an MMORPG even more, but in my opinion, a very simple one.
I level up with standard quests, which usually involve running to new quest givers and defeating enemies. There is no auto-run, but an arrow above my head always points in the direction I need to go.
RTS and MMORPG mix works flawlessly
When can you command the first troops? After some easy quests, I then reach the first story instance, the “Tower of Moonlight,” after about 30 minutes and at level 4. This serves as a tutorial for commanding troops. From here on, Kingdom Under Fire 2 differs significantly from other MMORPGs.
The units add a new tactical feature to the game, which I really like from the get-go. The control of my troops is simple, also because there is a mode where they simply follow me.
However, I can also switch back and forth between the RTS view and my character using a hotkey. This provides a good overview of the battle and more strategic options.
The mix of the two modes works surprisingly well in the first battles and makes you want more. You can command the units while also standing by their side in battle. A good feeling.
In Kingdom Under Fire 2, I should have access to 75 different types of troops. However, I can only deploy and command 3 at a time. Troops can be leveled up just like the player character and can also be improved with upgrade stones. New units will therefore need to be trained after acquisition.
However, from my first impressions, troops can only be used in the instanced content of the game and not in the open world. There are over 50 story missions for single players, as well as several raids for groups. These could become particularly interesting.
What do we know about raids? While I didn’t get a chance to test raids with multiple players during the test, we already know something about the size of the raids:
- There are several raids for 4 players
- There are 3 raids for 8 players, which are said to be very challenging.
- A future raid for 16 players is planned, with a huge dragon waiting as the boss at the end.
In all raids, characters and 3 units per person can be used, and special loot awaits the players at the end.
These are the PvP contents
What else is there in KUF2? If you are not interested in large PvE battles, you can also resort to the PvP in Kingdom Under Fire 2. There are two arena modes:
- 1v1 only with your character
- 3v3 with your character and troops
I could not try either in the test. However, the 3v3 could be very interesting, especially regarding the various troops used.
This is how Kingdom Under Fire 2 is funded
The payment system: Kingdom Under Fire 2 will be Buy2Play in the West and will have a real money shop. Access to the MMORPG costs 30 euros in the cheapest package.
What does the real money shop consist of? It is supposed to offer only cosmetic content, similar to Guild Wars 2 or Astellia. Upon a first look through the shop, I can confirm that there were no pay-to-win contents involved.
Additionally, there is a Cubic Shop where you can purchase with in-game currency. This shop contains XP buffs, enhancements for guilds, and comparable content. However, these cannot be traded with other players.
The mix convinces me, but not the pure MMORPG
What is my conclusion after an hour? After an hour of play, I have, of course, not seen all the content of the new MMORPG. But what I have seen leaves me with mixed feelings.
On the one hand, the larger battles were exciting, and commanding the troops was fun. I enjoyed playing RTS games in the past and am curious which units will be the most useful at which point.
The graphics and the landscapes look nice, even if you can tell that it has been in development for 12 years.
On the other hand, the MMORPG elements of the game did not convince me in the first playtest. The character development is decent, but the battles and tasks in the open world were standard fare and not very varied – at least in the first hour.
In addition, the equipment is tied to RNG. You receive random attributes when upgrading, so you may have to reroll them multiple times to get the perfect values.
My hope: However, real highlights could be the later raids for multiple players. There, everyone can send three units into battle and you have to collaboratively develop a strategy to defeat the bosses.
This is where the mix of MMORPG and RTS could truly be utilized, as well as in the 3v3 in PvP. The shop and payment system seem fair, which also leaves me with a positive impression.
These are the reasons that lead me to give the game a chance after release. It will take place on Thursday, November 14.
Until then, we have gathered all important information about the game on our overview page.
