With Astaria, we have a new MMORPG that is developed by a single person. Currently, a first test is taking place before the start of the Early Access phase.
What is Astaria? Astaria focuses on group play and PvE content, similar to Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen, but aims to offer something special. It utilizes a novel PvD system. PvD stands for Players versus Developers.
The developer of Astaria essentially plays the role of the game master, as known from pen-and-paper role-playing games. He intervenes in the events, alters situations, and creates new challenges to keep the MMORPG continuously interesting.
Otherwise, you can expect battles against monsters – including gigantic boss enemies, character creation with six classes, conquering areas occupied by monsters in Liberation mode, and crafting.
An MMORPG in a very early state
How can you participate? Although the Early Access version on Steam has been slightly delayed, a test is still taking place where selected individuals can take a first look at the MMORPG.
- To participate, you must register on the game’s Discord channel.
- There you ask for a key.
- You then redeem it on Steam.
- Download the client and start playing.
However, you should be aware that you will be playing an MMORPG in an extremely early state.
When does the Early Access version start? There is no date yet. The developer wants to gather feedback from testers first and get Astaria into good shape. The price of the EA version is expected to be 19.99 euros.
There is still much to do
How is the game currently received? As can be seen from the reactions of the first testers on Discord, Astaria is still in a very early state. However, the test is also limited to about a quarter of the current content, and therefore does not show everything. The following is still criticized:
- Bugs
- Performance and lags
- Login issues
- Crashes, such as after character creation
- There is still a lack of content and many details
- Astaria uses many assets from the Unity Store and therefore does not look like an MMORPG with unique graphics
What do the first testers say: There are already some voices regarding the recently started first test of Astaria.
- Elddath says on Discord: “I would only release it on Steam once all abilities work well, the Liberation is working, and the people have tested Liberation at least a little. Early Access on Steam is not meant for the release of a game, but for improvement.”
- Syncus agrees: “It is better to wait, as the Early Access must be really good. Otherwise, players will condemn the MMORPG with negative ratings and it will fade into oblivion.”
- Vares writes: “I am impressed by how large the game world is and that without loading times.”
Astaria has it tough
What are the biggest criticisms? Astaria is thus not even in the Early Access phase yet. Therefore, it is actually logical that there are technical problems.
However, the EA phase was supposed to start in June 2019, but has been postponed repeatedly since then. This has led to allegations that Astaria could be a scam – a situation already known from the MMO Day of Dragons. However, the developer claims that this is not the case, and anyone who has supported the development with money so far can get it back if they want to.
Developing an MMORPG simply takes a very long time – especially when you are alone. The Early Access phase of Astaria is supposed to provide a good insight into the online game, which is why it should not start hastily. Nevertheless, players remain skeptical.
Should you play along? Astaria could become an exciting MMORPG. Especially for those who enjoy group play and PvE. However, it cannot be assessed in its currently very early state whether the sole developer of the game might be taking on too much. If you want, you can participate in the ongoing test or wait for the Early Access phase.
