The online action RPG League of Maidens launched on Steam last week: The focus in its advertising is clearly on the women of the game, but many Steam reviews emphasize the ugly sides of this pseudo-MMORPG.
This is how League of Maidens presents itself: The game emphasizes mainly that it is free-to-play, and it repeatedly showcases its female characters. There is hardly an official image of League of Maidens without a woman posing. The focus is often on the breasts, but the characters’ rear-ends are also prominently displayed.
In the Steam presentation, it says: “League of Maidens is a FREE online action RPG featuring beautiful women with weapons and superpowers.”
When we first introduced the game in October 2019 on MeinMMO: League of Maidens fully relies on sex and optics. It officially launched on Steam on February 25, 2021, albeit as an early-access title.
“Everything in the game is behind a paywall”
What are the reviews on Steam? We will first quote some of the negative reviews:
“The game combines all the negative things a game can have: loot boxes, premium pass, battle pass, many microtransactions, an energy system, time gates, and so on […] Everything in the game is behind a paywall. The character editor is good, but most is locked.”
A player from Germany calls League of Maidens a “glorified mobile game with exaggerated character creation” – He says: A simple hairstyle costs 1000 gems or around €4.99.
Players who have been following the game since early access criticize: The development of the game is slow. The gameplay is dull, everything takes longer than necessary, and the monetization is genuinely terrible.
One review states: League of Maidens feels like an NSFW casino – everything is flashy, and when you click on something, you’re asked if you want to buy it.
League of Maidens: A “Waifu Simulator”
Are there any positive voices? League of Maidens started with poor ratings. However, it recovered over the weekend. The game now holds 41% positive reviews on Steam, which is rated as “mixed.”
The positive voices essentially say:
League of Maidens is a “waifu simulator”.
The character creation is detailed: One says he spent 4 hours creating a “sexy vampire maiden” or a “fox lady”.
The in-game currency can also be earned through hard grinding, and you can earn the 5000 units needed for a piece of clothing in 2 dungeon runs that take 15 minutes each.
However, even the positive reviews say: The game is repetitive in its current form and urgently needs multiplayer and significant development.
Pseudo-MMORPGs rely on grind and cash shop
What’s behind it: League of Maidens is a type of game that attracts MMO gamers, even though it does not offer multiplayer: A kind of pseudo-MMORPG that focuses on grinding and quests, on items and leveling, and above all on the cosmetic customization of one’s character.
These are all aspects that MMORPG players love and yearn for, since the “real MMORPG market” has dried up. Many mobile MMORPGs are structured after this pattern: Thus, the comparison to the “glorified mobile game” actually fits.
Even the surprise hit of 2020 “Genshin Impact” relied on many mechanics that are actually known from mobile games.
In principle, players always have a choice:
- Either I pay money and get what I want immediately.
- Or I invest a lot of time and earn it.
The topic of free-to-play games and grind divides the MMO community:
- Some completely reject grind and find this pay-to-“get what you want” mechanic terrible. They want diverse games that impress with systems and innovation.
- Others, however, actually like the grind and enjoy repeating the same thing over a longer period to earn the item they want – They find the grind relaxing, even meditative. Achieving the goals is satisfying for them.
If you are looking for an alternative to pseudo-MMORPGs like League of Maidens:
