The open beta of the MMORPG Lost Ark started a few days ago in Korea. Although western players were formally excluded from the test, some managed to bypass the developer Smilegate’s blockades and shared their gaming experiences.
What is Lost Ark? The free-to-play MMORPG was announced almost 4 years ago. The isometric perspective and the action-rich combat system can best be compared to Diablo 3. The four classes of Lost Ark each have three sub-classes and are gender-locked.
However, Lost Ark can also boast almost all features of a modern MMORPG. These include, for example:
- Raids and Dungeons
- Mass battles with bosses in the open world
- PvP in an arena with ranking and large sieges
- Crafting and resource gathering
- Housing
While relatively few pieces of information about Lost Ark have trickled into the West over the past few years, one could still get a rough idea of the MMORPG. With the start of the open beta, the game is considered practically released in Korea, and Lost Ark beta testers are now reporting on their gaming experiences.
Micro-Transactions: A major topic in Lost Ark as well
Cash shop before the release? The excessive monetization in many Asian MMOs is drawing criticism not only from us in the West. Even in Korea, some players seem to be tired of most games being little more than colorful slot machines. When an in-game shop was discovered in Lost Ark during the open beta, some of them were understandably not pleased.
The offered Founder Packs came, as usual, in several different price categories and included various equipment, cosmetics, and consumables to ease players’ entry into the MMORPG. This fact caused dissatisfaction among players because Smilegate had previously claimed that their game would be “different” from the rest. A Korean player wrote:
“They said the game would be revolutionary, but in reality, they are only interested in how to sell more cash items.”
How significant are the advantages of the cash shop? However, there were also conciliatory voices. Upon closer inspection of the contents of the Founder Packs, it becomes apparent that the items within are all obtainable in one way or another through gameplay. The armors of the packs have the same status values as those that can be crafted in the game itself but differ in their appearance. Other contents like playing cards for mini-games or gifts for NPCs have no relevance for the endgame.
Crystals, which serve as currency in the cash shop, can be earned through various activities in the game. To illustrate with an example:
- A mount can be bought in the shop for about 750 and a complete outfit for 3000 crystals
- Completing the map of an area grants up to 50 crystals
- Normal fetch quests yield between 20 and 30 crystals
The system is therefore more akin to the “pay-to-skip” model rather than “pay-to-win”.
If Diablo 3 were an MMORPG
What is the gameplay of Lost Ark like? It is not surprising that beta players frequently drew comparisons between Lost Ark and Diablo 3. The hack-and-slash gameplay and the isometric perspective lend themselves to this comparison. One tester said:
“It strongly reminds me of Diablo 3. The story is very similar, the monsters are very similar. I don’t know if I’m playing Lost Ark or Diablo 4 right now.”
The classes possess enough unique identity and abilities to feel different. However, some players expressed concerns that the action felt more monotonous with certain classes than with others.
How do the abilities work? Each class has eight different base abilities and a “super skill” that needs to be charged first. Players receive more various options for modification and customization while leveling up and can combine them freely to create their own builds, similar to Diablo 3.
As is the case with many MMORPGs, the ability system is designed to be rotated. The normal physical attack is virtually useless. This means that players must time their ability cooldowns so that they can always be used directly in succession. Otherwise, they may find themselves waiting for a while. Some testers considered this a negative aspect of the combat system.
What is the flow of the game like? According to the beta testers, the beginning of Lost Ark is quite slow, as is often the case with MMORPGs. Up to level 10, enjoyment of the game was somewhat limited for some of them. This concerns the tutorial area that each class must play through before the actual game begins. The developer could have likely handled this better.
However, starting from level 11, things pick up significantly. Once players were out of the tutorial area, most features of the MMORPG were available to them, and they could truly explore the game world.
Particularly popular among beta testers are the quest lines of the “Wall of Glory,” which become accessible from level 20. What exactly they are about was not revealed in the comments. The players unanimously agreed that it was exceptionally good content. One player wrote:
“The game becomes really exciting as soon as you start with the quests from the ‘Wall of Glory’, and the quests from the ‘King’s Tomb’ are truly out of this world!”
Solid MMORPG, but not a pioneer of innovation
Basically, the feedback for the open beta of Lost Ark is predominantly positive. Both Korean and Western players emphasize how exceptionally polished the MMORPG is. It is already considered a solid game in the open beta that clearly knows what it wants to be.
However, Lost Ark does not attempt to reinvent the wheel. It combines the features already considered standard for MMORPGs and executes them well. However, those expecting something groundbreaking or unprecedented from Lost Ark will likely be disappointed.
Will Lost Ark also come to us? So far, developer Smilegate has only vaguely indicated that there might be a Western release. They are considering it and keeping an eye on the western market, it was stated in an interview.
However, it has been officially confirmed that the devs are currently working on an English language patch, which will likely go live during the open beta. While it still isn’t an official, watertight confirmation, it is a good sign for the fans.
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