War of Dragnorox is a new indie MMORPG for PC that focuses primarily on PvE content. The special twist lies in special “Dungeon Masters” who can independently start events and intervene in gameplay.
What kind of MMORPG is this? War of Dragnorox describes itself as an “Old School Sandbox MMORPG”, with a clear emphasis on PvE. At launch, there will be an open world with 30 areas, dangerous monsters, and 19 different raids. Good endgame content is particularly important to the developers.
They emphasize that their game world is supposed to become very dynamic:
- No day or dungeon run should feel like the previous one. The reason for this is the Dungeon Master, who is a fixed part of the development team.
- He can activate special events, quests, or monsters.
- He is supposed to influence the currently available resources.
- He can open and close hidden passages in areas.
- In addition, holiday events and spontaneous attacks on cities are already in planning.
Besides the Dungeon Master, the MMORPG relies on traditional values. There are 7 classes, and the combat system relies on tab-targeting, with the developers emphasizing in July 2022 that it has become significantly more dynamic.
When it comes to equipment, the game is inspired by EverQuest. There will be no general gear score, but different attributes and bonuses on the equipment play a major role. This should keep every drop from raids or bosses interesting.
A glimpse of the game is offered in this 11-minute trailer from December 2021, which also shows first pre-alpha gameplay:
Game releases in Unreal Engine 5, promises battles for cities
What has happened since the announcement? In December 2021, War of Dragnorox was presented to the public. Since then, the developers have discussed various adjustments through new blog posts and interviews.
A significant change was the move to Unreal Engine 5 in August 2022. This is supposed to make the MMORPG run smoother and look nicer than it did in the first trailer.
In July, the developers also overhauled the death system. There is now supposed to be a new way of resurrection. Overall, War of Dragonox is meant to be brutal but fair concerning death. More detailed information will follow later.
In addition, sieges have been introduced. This involves battling for cities, which brings a PvP component alongside the PvE content. Images of siege towers and fortress walls were shown here.
What else do we know? In War of Dragnorox, there will be magic, but it will not play a significant role. There will be no classic fireballs or explosions. The classes will use poisons or potions to inflict DoTs (damage over time) on enemies. The Shadow Renderer can also use shadows to summon elementals, while the Chloromancer draws magic from nature.
There will be a crafting system that consists of gathering resources and converting them at workbenches. The MMORPG will rely on professions that can be learned and improved.
Additionally, the game’s UI is supposed to be very minimalistic. For instance, it will forgo damage numbers and a minimap.
Game completely forgoes shop and crowdfunding
How is the game financed? War of Dragnorox relies on a subscription model that will cost $9.99 per month. This $9.99 will be the only thing you need to invest in the game.
- There will be no in-game shop, no XP boosters, and no purchasable cosmetics. All skins are supposed to be obtainable solely through gameplay.
- There will be no crowdfunding packages.
- Access to the alpha and beta will be raffled.
What about beta events and release? On the official website, you can already register for a beta. However, when it will start is not known.
The release of War of Dragnorox is planned for the 3rd quarter of 2023.
What do you think about the MMORPG? Will you check out the title at release or are you waiting for another game? Feel free to write it in the comments.
On October 15, the next new MMORPG will be released. What Embers Adrift is about, you can find out here: 2022 will see the release of a new PvE MMORPG – expected to be an absolute niche game with a very special appeal.
