Depths of Erendorn is a new MMORPG for PC that has been in development since 2016. It recently transitioned to Unreal Engine 5 and has some interesting approaches. There are turn-based battles and a Free2Play model that does not resort to Pay2Win or even “Pay to Convenience”.
What kind of game is this? Depths of Erendorn is inspired by classic role-playing games and is set to take place in a huge, open fantasy world. You will face dangers and, above all, randomly generated dungeons.
One notable feature is the various races you can choose from. They include:
- Humans
- Wood Folk
- Elves
- Dwarves
- Water Creatures
- Two-Legged Eagles
- Spider Folk
Overall, 15 character classes are planned. Each class is automatically bound to a race. The Wood Folk are Druids, the Eagles are Astromancers, and the Spider Folk are Illusionists. There are said to be “thousands of skills” in total.
Also noteworthy is the combat system. The MMORPG features turn-based battles, similar to Atlantica Online. Players in a group can plan and execute their turn simultaneously. The developers promise fast rounds and a lot of strategy.
What is known about the release? Depths of Erendorn has been developed by a European indie studio since August 2016 and was initially developed in Unity. The game has since moved to Unreal Engine 5.
A Kickstarter campaign and a first playable alpha are planned for 2022. A beta is scheduled for 2023 and the release is planned for 2024.
You can watch a first pre-alpha trailer here. The developers say it contains only real gameplay:
Focus on Groups and Dungeons in Endgame, Free2Play without Pay2Win
What are the developers planning for the endgame? Depths of Erendorn is set to focus on competition and group play. The emphasis is clearly on PvE.
The developers talk about thousands of events and countless randomly generated dungeons where you should face the “greatest challenges”.
There is talk of seasons and leaderboards where players and groups can place themselves. However, it has not been revealed what exactly this will look like.
How is the MMORPG financed? The developers emphasize repeatedly in the FAQ and on the website that they are focusing on “Free2Play without the Trash”. For them this means:
- No Pay2Win
- No boosters
- No convenience items – this includes additional bank or inventory slots
Instead, the shop is supposed to offer cosmetic skins and “options”. However, these “options” are not meant to influence gameplay.
Praise for “fresh wind” in the genre
How is the game being received? Under the trailer and under the video by YouTuber KiraTV, especially the diverse races and combat system are praised. The turn-based battles are described as “a fresh wind for the genre” and some are looking forward to it because they are simply overwhelmed by action battles.
However, some argue that a co-op mode would have sufficed for a turn-based RPG and that they do not need a full MMORPG for that. The graphics also receive criticism and are referred to as “generic Unreal Engine game”.
In response to the criticism about the graphics, however, some users point out that there are still 3 years until the release and much can change by then.
What do you think of the current concepts of Depths of Erendorn? Do the various races and combat systems appeal to you? Or are you waiting for a classic MMORPG with active combat?
One of these MMORPGs in development is Ashes of Creation. However, that is also still a few years away from release:
Players can finally show gameplay of Ashes of Creation – this is what they say about the MMORPG hope
