Still in the tutorial, I learn more about the story and also about the special traits of me and my sister. However, I don’t want to reveal too much about the story to you.
The Quest Wheel Has Not Been Reinvented
What are the quests like? The quest system in Astellia is not the game’s strength, in my opinion. Generally, they are quite average.
Run here and there, defeat certain enemies, and collect various items. So basic quests, but at least with clear markers on the map.
What I like about the quests: In my view, the quest system is also very fair. I leveled up to level 18 alone and did not encounter a quest that required me to invest an excessive amount of time.
The first eight levels are even quite fun because I could feel the progress well. After that, it became a bit monotonous.
However, the quest system has one significant drawback for me that is unrelated to its structure.
What I don’t like about the quests: I learned from Guild Wars 2 how wonderful playing together can be, even when not in a group. However, Astellia does not utilize this system.
So it still holds true the old rule: First come, first served. Whoever attacks the mob first gets the kill and the loot. This problem can only be avoided by forming a group.
In my opinion, a quest system like this is no longer really contemporary.
Is there Auto-Run? The tutorial already explains how to best handle quests. I simply click on the right side and activate auto-run.
This works well in Astellia, even if sometimes there are noticeable detours. However, I have not been stuck so far.
Fights Are Not Dynamic but Skill-Rich
How does Astellia’s combat system work? In the beta test, I have only tried the Archer and the Warrior so far. Astellia relies on tab-targeting, but also on dynamic fights.
There is an evasion roll that I must use to avoid especially strong attacks from bosses. The evasion roll automatically interrupts all previous actions and has a cooldown of three seconds.
Personally, I find this roll a bit slow and it indirectly takes away some dynamism. In terms of gameplay flow, it cannot be compared to the evasion roll from Guild Wars 2.
I can use most skills of my two played classes even while moving, which is a significant plus. The number of skills is large and there are many different skill bars available, which should appeal to players of World of Warcraft.
What are Astels? The Astels are small companions that I can summon up to three at the same time, taking on roles such as healing, tanking, or dealing damage.
I can keep one Astel active permanently without experiencing any restrictions. Up to three Astels are possible at the same time, but the bar with AP empties faster then. This can be very confusing at first because there is no clear explanation.
Are the Astels a cool innovation? In my opinion, the Astels provide a cool addition to my own playstyle. In the beta, I had access to only six of the 33 possible Astels, but these were enough to rotate and experiment.
Especially in the open world, healer and tank Astels are extremely useful, especially when playing as DPS. In dungeons, DDs and additional healers are highly sought after.
What Awaits You in Astellia’s Endgame
The legendary dungeons: To get a first feel for legendary dungeons, the developers of Astellia included an NPC who immediately set me to level 50 and gave me legendary equipment.
After completing a solo dungeon, the five legendary dungeons were unlocked for me. After a short group search, we ventured into the adventure with a tank, a healer, a mage, and me as an archer.
Even the first trash mobs were tiring because they lived so long. This is also a small issue in the open world as you level up.
We reached the first boss after a few wipes, but the fight was completely hopeless. Apparently, we first had to upgrade and improve our equipment and skills. However, both failed due to the needed materials.
I had no problem with dungeon tickets, which were strongly criticized in advance. I received them faster than I could spend them.
The crafting: A significant part of the endgame is supposed to be the crafting, which allows you to create legendary equipment. The system is quite simple:
- There are eight professions that you can learn with one character.
- In addition, there are five gathering professions (mining, lumberjack, etc.) of which you can learn only two.
- Through the professions, you can obtain not only equipment but also jewels and runes for upgrades, potions, and buff food.
A thorough testing on my part also fails here due to materials that must first be collected.
The PvP: My experiences with PvP are limited. I have had several duels in the open world and mostly lost. In the Duel Arena, I registered for a solo match, which, however, never started even after almost 50 minutes of waiting.
There is a leaderboard where you can see the best players and their ratings. However, I do not know how they started their matches.
Also, the area Avalon has not opened up to me in the test yet. There are three factions, and apparently, you assign yourself to a faction through the guild. After that, you can fight on the map, but I did not encounter any opponent while riding across the map for 20 minutes.
Good MMORPG Without Huge Innovations
Can Astellia Quench the Hunger for a New Theme Park MMORPG? In about 12 hours of playtime, I have experienced a lot in Astellia. I leveled up, visited dungeons, and at least briefly sniffed into all areas of the game. And I’m satisfied.
Astellia leaves a good impression, plays very smoothly and almost without hiccups for North American servers and a beta test. Highlights are definitely the character editor, the Astels, the early mount, and also the story, which gets off to a good start.
However, I was relatively indifferent to the quests and the graphics. I find both decent but not overly positive. I also have mixed feelings about the combat system.
While it is not bad and has dynamic elements, both Guild Wars 2 and Black Desert Online impress me more in this regard. However, those who do not want to be constantly on the move and jumping from A to B will certainly feel comfortable in Astellia.
It’s definitely too early for conclusions about dungeons, crafting, and PvP. Regarding the item shop and possible Pay2Win, we will learn more in the second closed beta. Astellia has already announced this.
All in all, Astellia seems solid and meets all the important features for a good, but not great MMORPG. The goal of orienting itself towards more traditional theme park MMOs is upheld by Astellia, although this also comes with very monotonous quests.
Also, when it comes to stealing quest mobs and the combat system, Astellia relies on old, though not necessarily positive, values. However, those who can make compromises in these areas and like the graphic style may well enjoy Astellia.
If you are not only interested in Astellia, here are other MMORPGs to look forward to in 2019:
However, the quest system has one significant drawback for me that is unrelated to its structure.
What I don’t like about the quests: I learned from Guild Wars 2 how wonderful playing together can be, even when not in a group. However, Astellia does not utilize this system.
So it still holds true the old rule: First come, first served. Whoever attacks the mob first gets the kill and the loot. This problem can only be avoided by forming a group.
In my opinion, a quest system like this is no longer really contemporary.
Is there Auto-Run? The tutorial already explains how to best handle quests. I simply click on the right side and activate auto-run.
This works well in Astellia, even if sometimes there are noticeable detours. However, I have not been stuck so far.
Fights Are Not Dynamic but Skill-Rich
How does Astellia’s combat system work? In the beta test, I have only tried the Archer and the Warrior so far. Astellia relies on tab-targeting, but also on dynamic fights.
There is an evasion roll that I must use to avoid especially strong attacks from bosses. The evasion roll automatically interrupts all previous actions and has a cooldown of three seconds.
Personally, I find this roll a bit slow and it indirectly takes away some dynamism. In terms of gameplay flow, it cannot be compared to the evasion roll from Guild Wars 2.
I can use most skills of my two played classes even while moving, which is a significant plus. The number of skills is large and there are many different skill bars available, which should appeal to players of World of Warcraft.
What are Astels? The Astels are small companions that I can summon up to three at the same time, taking on roles such as healing, tanking, or dealing damage.
I can keep one Astel active permanently without experiencing any restrictions. Up to three Astels are possible at the same time, but the bar with AP empties faster then. This can be very confusing at first because there is no clear explanation.
Are the Astels a cool innovation? In my opinion, the Astels provide a cool addition to my own playstyle. In the beta, I had access to only six of the 33 possible Astels, but these were enough to rotate and experiment.
Especially in the open world, healer and tank Astels are extremely useful, especially when playing as DPS. In dungeons, DDs and additional healers are highly sought after.
What Awaits You in Astellia’s Endgame
The legendary dungeons: To get a first feel for legendary dungeons, the developers of Astellia included an NPC who immediately set me to level 50 and gave me legendary equipment.
After completing a solo dungeon, the five legendary dungeons were unlocked for me. After a short group search, we ventured into the adventure with a tank, a healer, a mage, and me as an archer.
Even the first trash mobs were tiring because they lived so long. This is also a small issue in the open world as you level up.
We reached the first boss after a few wipes, but the fight was completely hopeless. Apparently, we first had to upgrade and improve our equipment and skills. However, both failed due to the needed materials.
I had no problem with dungeon tickets, which were strongly criticized in advance. I received them faster than I could spend them.
The crafting: A significant part of the endgame is supposed to be the crafting, which allows you to create legendary equipment. The system is quite simple:
- There are eight professions that you can learn with one character.
- In addition, there are five gathering professions (mining, lumberjack, etc.) of which you can learn only two.
- Through the professions, you can obtain not only equipment but also jewels and runes for upgrades, potions, and buff food.
A thorough testing on my part also fails here due to materials that must first be collected.
The PvP: My experiences with PvP are limited. I have had several duels in the open world and mostly lost. In the Duel Arena, I registered for a solo match, which, however, never started even after almost 50 minutes of waiting.
There is a leaderboard where you can see the best players and their ratings. However, I do not know how they started their matches.
Also, the area Avalon has not opened up to me in the test yet. There are three factions, and apparently, you assign yourself to a faction through the guild. After that, you can fight on the map, but I did not encounter any opponent while riding across the map for 20 minutes.
Good MMORPG Without Huge Innovations
Can Astellia Quench the Hunger for a New Theme Park MMORPG? In about 12 hours of playtime, I have experienced a lot in Astellia. I leveled up, visited dungeons, and at least briefly sniffed into all areas of the game. And I’m satisfied.
Astellia leaves a good impression, plays very smoothly and almost without hiccups for North American servers and a beta test. Highlights are definitely the character editor, the Astels, the early mount, and also the story, which gets off to a good start.
However, I was relatively indifferent to the quests and the graphics. I find both decent but not overly positive. I also have mixed feelings about the combat system.
While it is not bad and has dynamic elements, both Guild Wars 2 and Black Desert Online impress me more in this regard. However, those who do not want to be constantly on the move and jumping from A to B will certainly feel comfortable in Astellia.
It’s definitely too early for conclusions about dungeons, crafting, and PvP. Regarding the item shop and possible Pay2Win, we will learn more in the second closed beta. Astellia has already announced this.
All in all, Astellia seems solid and meets all the important features for a good, but not great MMORPG. The goal of orienting itself towards more traditional theme park MMOs is upheld by Astellia, although this also comes with very monotonous quests.
Also, when it comes to stealing quest mobs and the combat system, Astellia relies on old, though not necessarily positive, values. However, those who can make compromises in these areas and like the graphic style may well enjoy Astellia.
If you are not only interested in Astellia, here are other MMORPGs to look forward to in 2019:
Still in the tutorial, I learn more about the story and also about the special traits of me and my sister. However, I don’t want to reveal too much about the story to you.
The Quest Wheel Has Not Been Reinvented
What are the quests like? The quest system in Astellia is not the game’s strength, in my opinion. Generally, they are quite average.
Run here and there, defeat certain enemies, and collect various items. So basic quests, but at least with clear markers on the map.
What I like about the quests: In my view, the quest system is also very fair. I leveled up to level 18 alone and did not encounter a quest that required me to invest an excessive amount of time.
The first eight levels are even quite fun because I could feel the progress well. After that, it became a bit monotonous.
However, the quest system has one significant drawback for me that is unrelated to its structure.
What I don’t like about the quests: I learned from Guild Wars 2 how wonderful playing together can be, even when not in a group. However, Astellia does not utilize this system.
So it still holds true the old rule: First come, first served. Whoever attacks the mob first gets the kill and the loot. This problem can only be avoided by forming a group.
In my opinion, a quest system like this is no longer really contemporary.
Is there Auto-Run? The tutorial already explains how to best handle quests. I simply click on the right side and activate auto-run.
This works well in Astellia, even if sometimes there are noticeable detours. However, I have not been stuck so far.
Fights Are Not Dynamic but Skill-Rich
How does Astellia’s combat system work? In the beta test, I have only tried the Archer and the Warrior so far. Astellia relies on tab-targeting, but also on dynamic fights.
There is an evasion roll that I must use to avoid especially strong attacks from bosses. The evasion roll automatically interrupts all previous actions and has a cooldown of three seconds.
Personally, I find this roll a bit slow and it indirectly takes away some dynamism. In terms of gameplay flow, it cannot be compared to the evasion roll from Guild Wars 2.
I can use most skills of my two played classes even while moving, which is a significant plus. The number of skills is large and there are many different skill bars available, which should appeal to players of World of Warcraft.
What are Astels? The Astels are small companions that I can summon up to three at the same time, taking on roles such as healing, tanking, or dealing damage.
I can keep one Astel active permanently without experiencing any restrictions. Up to three Astels are possible at the same time, but the bar with AP empties faster then. This can be very confusing at first because there is no clear explanation.
Are the Astels a cool innovation? In my opinion, the Astels provide a cool addition to my own playstyle. In the beta, I had access to only six of the 33 possible Astels, but these were enough to rotate and experiment.
Especially in the open world, healer and tank Astels are extremely useful, especially when playing as DPS. In dungeons, DDs and additional healers are highly sought after.
What Awaits You in Astellia’s Endgame
The legendary dungeons: To get a first feel for legendary dungeons, the developers of Astellia included an NPC who immediately set me to level 50 and gave me legendary equipment.
After completing a solo dungeon, the five legendary dungeons were unlocked for me. After a short group search, we ventured into the adventure with a tank, a healer, a mage, and me as an archer.
Even the first trash mobs were tiring because they lived so long. This is also a small issue in the open world as you level up.
We reached the first boss after a few wipes, but the fight was completely hopeless. Apparently, we first had to upgrade and improve our equipment and skills. However, both failed due to the needed materials.
I had no problem with dungeon tickets, which were strongly criticized in advance. I received them faster than I could spend them.
The crafting: A significant part of the endgame is supposed to be the crafting, which allows you to create legendary equipment. The system is quite simple:
- There are eight professions that you can learn with one character.
- In addition, there are five gathering professions (mining, lumberjack, etc.) of which you can learn only two.
- Through the professions, you can obtain not only equipment but also jewels and runes for upgrades, potions, and buff food.
A thorough testing on my part also fails here due to materials that must first be collected.
The PvP: My experiences with PvP are limited. I have had several duels in the open world and mostly lost. In the Duel Arena, I registered for a solo match, which, however, never started even after almost 50 minutes of waiting.
There is a leaderboard where you can see the best players and their ratings. However, I do not know how they started their matches.
Also, the area Avalon has not opened up to me in the test yet. There are three factions, and apparently, you assign yourself to a faction through the guild. After that, you can fight on the map, but I did not encounter any opponent while riding across the map for 20 minutes.
Good MMORPG Without Huge Innovations
Can Astellia Quench the Hunger for a New Theme Park MMORPG? In about 12 hours of playtime, I have experienced a lot in Astellia. I leveled up, visited dungeons, and at least briefly sniffed into all areas of the game. And I’m satisfied.
Astellia leaves a good impression, plays very smoothly and almost without hiccups for North American servers and a beta test. Highlights are definitely the character editor, the Astels, the early mount, and also the story, which gets off to a good start.
However, I was relatively indifferent to the quests and the graphics. I find both decent but not overly positive. I also have mixed feelings about the combat system.
While it is not bad and has dynamic elements, both Guild Wars 2 and Black Desert Online impress me more in this regard. However, those who do not want to be constantly on the move and jumping from A to B will certainly feel comfortable in Astellia.
It’s definitely too early for conclusions about dungeons, crafting, and PvP. Regarding the item shop and possible Pay2Win, we will learn more in the second closed beta. Astellia has already announced this.
All in all, Astellia seems solid and meets all the important features for a good, but not great MMORPG. The goal of orienting itself towards more traditional theme park MMOs is upheld by Astellia, although this also comes with very monotonous quests.
Also, when it comes to stealing quest mobs and the combat system, Astellia relies on old, though not necessarily positive, values. However, those who can make compromises in these areas and like the graphic style may well enjoy Astellia.
If you are not only interested in Astellia, here are other MMORPGs to look forward to in 2019:
Nearly a week ran the first Closed Beta for the Asia MMORPG Astellia. Our author Alexander has played this extensively and wants to share his conclusion with you here.
What is Astellia? Astellia is a Buy-to-Play MMORPG from Studio 8 and Barunson E&A. It was released back in December 2018 in South Korea and was quite successful there for several months. Currently, it ranks 68th among the most played games according to Multiclick.
The Asia MMO offers you five different classes and features the Astels as a unique aspect. Otherwise, it aims to align itself more with traditional theme park MMOs and present them in a new guise.
In the endgame, it relies on legendary dungeons, PvP arenas, and the area Avalon, which is said to be comparable to the World vs. World from Guild Wars 2.
When is Astellia supposed to be released? The release is currently scheduled for the third quarter of 2019. Until then, there will be at least one more beta test.
Currently, Astellia is even the only major MMORPG we can confidently say will come out this year and even relatively soon. Can Astellia quench the thirst of MMORPG fans looking for a good new theme park MMO and also capitalize on it – or will the game meet the same fate as Bless?
Many Options for Character Creation
What can the character editor do? As is common with many Asian MMORPGs, the character editor in Astellia offers a wide range of options for character customization.
After choosing a class, where there is a gender lock in the beta, I have the option to use one of 20 pre-made presets or customize every detail myself.
No matter if eyes, nose, or mouth, I can express myself even in the smallest details. I was particularly impressed by the 20 different pupils with 25 different colors each. There are also 58 different skin tones, with differences so subtle that I hardly noticed them.
With such a large selection, one thing must not be missing: the save function. And Astellia has thought of that too. There seems to be no restrictions either. During testing, I made over 150 saves.
Good but Not Outstanding Graphics
Can Astellia’s graphics impress? The game starts with a cutscene introducing the Astel Rota. This video looks extremely beautiful but does not reflect the in-game graphics, as I would quickly find out.
The graphics of the game are certainly well done, but no real standout. It’s a positive aspect that content from areas is not reloaded and suddenly appears, but are already clearly visible from a distance.
I also find the effects in the game pleasant. They are clear and not too overloaded, as is the case in some other MMORPGs. Instances with four players therefore never felt overwhelming.
However, I noticed a negative blurring effect (Blur). Even on low settings, I could never completely get rid of it.
Early Mount and Early Action
What happens at the start of the game? After character creation, it goes into a kind of tutorial. I start by learning the controls and a brief introduction to combat.
After the first movements and the combat arena, Astellia already gives me a mount so that I do not have to walk too long during the tutorial. But before I could really pick up speed with it, demons were already attacking my little sister Fey.
I arrive too late, but luckily my first Astel Rota appears and attacks the enemy. Together we succeed in rescuing my sister Fey, who is now safe.
Especially in the open world, healer and tank Astels are extremely useful, especially when playing as DPS. In dungeons, DDs and additional healers are highly sought after.
What Awaits You in Astellia’s Endgame
The legendary dungeons: To get a first feel for legendary dungeons, the developers of Astellia included an NPC who immediately set me to level 50 and gave me legendary equipment.
After completing a solo dungeon, the five legendary dungeons were unlocked for me. After a short group search, we ventured into the adventure with a tank, a healer, a mage, and me as an archer.
Even the first trash mobs were tiring because they lived so long. This is also a small issue in the open world as you level up.
We reached the first boss after a few wipes, but the fight was completely hopeless. Apparently, we first had to upgrade and improve our equipment and skills. However, both failed due to the needed materials.
I had no problem with dungeon tickets, which were strongly criticized in advance. I received them faster than I could spend them.
The crafting: A significant part of the endgame is supposed to be the crafting, which allows you to create legendary equipment. The system is quite simple:
- There are eight professions that you can learn with one character.
- In addition, there are five gathering professions (mining, lumberjack, etc.) of which you can learn only two.
- Through the professions, you can obtain not only equipment but also jewels and runes for upgrades, potions, and buff food.
A thorough testing on my part also fails here due to materials that must first be collected.
The PvP: My experiences with PvP are limited. I have had several duels in the open world and mostly lost. In the Duel Arena, I registered for a solo match, which, however, never started even after almost 50 minutes of waiting.
There is a leaderboard where you can see the best players and their ratings. However, I do not know how they started their matches.
Also, the area Avalon has not opened up to me in the test yet. There are three factions, and apparently, you assign yourself to a faction through the guild. After that, you can fight on the map, but I did not encounter any opponent while riding across the map for 20 minutes.
Good MMORPG Without Huge Innovations
Can Astellia Quench the Hunger for a New Theme Park MMORPG? In about 12 hours of playtime, I have experienced a lot in Astellia. I leveled up, visited dungeons, and at least briefly sniffed into all areas of the game. And I’m satisfied.
Astellia leaves a good impression, plays very smoothly and almost without hiccups for North American servers and a beta test. Highlights are definitely the character editor, the Astels, the early mount, and also the story, which gets off to a good start.
However, I was relatively indifferent to the quests and the graphics. I find both decent but not overly positive. I also have mixed feelings about the combat system.
While it is not bad and has dynamic elements, both Guild Wars 2 and Black Desert Online impress me more in this regard. However, those who do not want to be constantly on the move and jumping from A to B will certainly feel comfortable in Astellia.
It’s definitely too early for conclusions about dungeons, crafting, and PvP. Regarding the item shop and possible Pay2Win, we will learn more in the second closed beta. Astellia has already announced this.
All in all, Astellia seems solid and meets all the important features for a good, but not great MMORPG. The goal of orienting itself towards more traditional theme park MMOs is upheld by Astellia, although this also comes with very monotonous quests.
Also, when it comes to stealing quest mobs and the combat system, Astellia relies on old, though not necessarily positive, values. However, those who can make compromises in these areas and like the graphic style may well enjoy Astellia.
If you are not only interested in Astellia, here are other MMORPGs to look forward to in 2019:
However, the quest system has one significant drawback for me that is unrelated to its structure.
What I don’t like about the quests: I learned from Guild Wars 2 how wonderful playing together can be, even when not in a group. However, Astellia does not utilize this system.
So it still holds true the old rule: First come, first served. Whoever attacks the mob first gets the kill and the loot. This problem can only be avoided by forming a group.
In my opinion, a quest system like this is no longer really contemporary.
Is there Auto-Run? The tutorial already explains how to best handle quests. I simply click on the right side and activate auto-run.
This works well in Astellia, even if sometimes there are noticeable detours. However, I have not been stuck so far.
Fights Are Not Dynamic but Skill-Rich
How does Astellia’s combat system work? In the beta test, I have only tried the Archer and the Warrior so far. Astellia relies on tab-targeting, but also on dynamic fights.
There is an evasion roll that I must use to avoid especially strong attacks from bosses. The evasion roll automatically interrupts all previous actions and has a cooldown of three seconds.
Personally, I find this roll a bit slow and it indirectly takes away some dynamism. In terms of gameplay flow, it cannot be compared to the evasion roll from Guild Wars 2.
I can use most skills of my two played classes even while moving, which is a significant plus. The number of skills is large and there are many different skill bars available, which should appeal to players of World of Warcraft.
What are Astels? The Astels are small companions that I can summon up to three at the same time, taking on roles such as healing, tanking, or dealing damage.
I can keep one Astel active permanently without experiencing any restrictions. Up to three Astels are possible at the same time, but the bar with AP empties faster then. This can be very confusing at first because there is no clear explanation.
Are the Astels a cool innovation? In my opinion, the Astels provide a cool addition to my own playstyle. In the beta, I had access to only six of the 33 possible Astels, but these were enough to rotate and experiment.
Especially in the open world, healer and tank Astels are extremely useful, especially when playing as DPS. In dungeons, DDs and additional healers are highly sought after.
What Awaits You in Astellia’s Endgame
The legendary dungeons: To get a first feel for legendary dungeons, the developers of Astellia included an NPC who immediately set me to level 50 and gave me legendary equipment.
After completing a solo dungeon, the five legendary dungeons were unlocked for me. After a short group search, we ventured into the adventure with a tank, a healer, a mage, and me as an archer.
Even the first trash mobs were tiring because they lived so long. This is also a small issue in the open world as you level up.
We reached the first boss after a few wipes, but the fight was completely hopeless. Apparently, we first had to upgrade and improve our equipment and skills. However, both failed due to the needed materials.
I had no problem with dungeon tickets, which were strongly criticized in advance. I received them faster than I could spend them.
The crafting: A significant part of the endgame is supposed to be the crafting, which allows you to create legendary equipment. The system is quite simple:
- There are eight professions that you can learn with one character.
- In addition, there are five gathering professions (mining, lumberjack, etc.) of which you can learn only two.
- Through the professions, you can obtain not only equipment but also jewels and runes for upgrades, potions, and buff food.
A thorough testing on my part also fails here due to materials that must first be collected.
The PvP: My experiences with PvP are limited. I have had several duels in the open world and mostly lost. In the Duel Arena, I registered for a solo match, which, however, never started even after almost 50 minutes of waiting.
There is a leaderboard where you can see the best players and their ratings. However, I do not know how they started their matches.
Also, the area Avalon has not opened up to me in the test yet. There are three factions, and apparently, you assign yourself to a faction through the guild. After that, you can fight on the map, but I did not encounter any opponent while riding across the map for 20 minutes.
Good MMORPG Without Huge Innovations
Can Astellia Quench the Hunger for a New Theme Park MMORPG? In about 12 hours of playtime, I have experienced a lot in Astellia. I leveled up, visited dungeons, and at least briefly sniffed into all areas of the game. And I’m satisfied.
Astellia leaves a good impression, plays very smoothly and almost without hiccups for North American servers and a beta test. Highlights are definitely the character editor, the Astels, the early mount, and also the story, which gets off to a good start.
However, I was relatively indifferent to the quests and the graphics. I find both decent but not overly positive. I also have mixed feelings about the combat system.
While it is not bad and has dynamic elements, both Guild Wars 2 and Black Desert Online impress me more in this regard. However, those who do not want to be constantly on the move and jumping from A to B will certainly feel comfortable in Astellia.
It’s definitely too early for conclusions about dungeons, crafting, and PvP. Regarding the item shop and possible Pay2Win, we will learn more in the second closed beta. Astellia has already announced this.
All in all, Astellia seems solid and meets all the important features for a good, but not great MMORPG. The goal of orienting itself towards more traditional theme park MMOs is upheld by Astellia, although this also comes with very monotonous quests.
Also, when it comes to stealing quest mobs and the combat system, Astellia relies on old, though not necessarily positive, values. However, those who can make compromises in these areas and like the graphic style may well enjoy Astellia.
If you are not only interested in Astellia, here are other MMORPGs to look forward to in 2019:
Still in the tutorial, I learn more about the story and also about the special traits of me and my sister. However, I don’t want to reveal too much about the story to you.
The Quest Wheel Has Not Been Reinvented
What are the quests like? The quest system in Astellia is not the game’s strength, in my opinion. Generally, they are quite average.
Run here and there, defeat certain enemies, and collect various items. So basic quests, but at least with clear markers on the map.
What I like about the quests: In my view, the quest system is also very fair. I leveled up to level 18 alone and did not encounter a quest that required me to invest an excessive amount of time.
The first eight levels are even quite fun because I could feel the progress well. After that, it became a bit monotonous.
However, the quest system has one significant drawback for me that is unrelated to its structure.
What I don’t like about the quests: I learned from Guild Wars 2 how wonderful playing together can be, even when not in a group. However, Astellia does not utilize this system.
So it still holds true the old rule: First come, first served. Whoever attacks the mob first gets the kill and the loot. This problem can only be avoided by forming a group.
In my opinion, a quest system like this is no longer really contemporary.
Is there Auto-Run? The tutorial already explains how to best handle quests. I simply click on the right side and activate auto-run.
This works well in Astellia, even if sometimes there are noticeable detours. However, I have not been stuck so far.
Fights Are Not Dynamic but Skill-Rich
How does Astellia’s combat system work? In the beta test, I have only tried the Archer and the Warrior so far. Astellia relies on tab-targeting, but also on dynamic fights.
There is an evasion roll that I must use to avoid especially strong attacks from bosses. The evasion roll automatically interrupts all previous actions and has a cooldown of three seconds.
Personally, I find this roll a bit slow and it indirectly takes away some dynamism. In terms of gameplay flow, it cannot be compared to the evasion roll from Guild Wars 2.
I can use most skills of my two played classes even while moving, which is a significant plus. The number of skills is large and there are many different skill bars available, which should appeal to players of World of Warcraft.
What are Astels? The Astels are small companions that I can summon up to three at the same time, taking on roles such as healing, tanking, or dealing damage.
I can keep one Astel active permanently without experiencing any restrictions. Up to three Astels are possible at the same time, but the bar with AP empties faster then. This can be very confusing at first because there is no clear explanation.
Are the Astels a cool innovation? In my opinion, the Astels provide a cool addition to my own playstyle. In the beta, I had access to only six of the 33 possible Astels, but these were enough to rotate and experiment.
Especially in the open world, healer and tank Astels are extremely useful, especially when playing as DPS. In dungeons, DDs and additional healers are highly sought after.
What Awaits You in Astellia’s Endgame
The legendary dungeons: To get a first feel for legendary dungeons, the developers of Astellia included an NPC who immediately set me to level 50 and gave me legendary equipment.
After completing a solo dungeon, the five legendary dungeons were unlocked for me. After a short group search, we ventured into the adventure with a tank, a healer, a mage, and me as an archer.
Even the first trash mobs were tiring because they lived so long. This is also a small issue in the open world as you level up.
We reached the first boss after a few wipes, but the fight was completely hopeless. Apparently, we first had to upgrade and improve our equipment and skills. However, both failed due to the needed materials.
I had no problem with dungeon tickets, which were strongly criticized in advance. I received them faster than I could spend them.
The crafting: A significant part of the endgame is supposed to be the crafting, which allows you to create legendary equipment. The system is quite simple:
- There are eight professions that you can learn with one character.
- In addition, there are five gathering professions (mining, lumberjack, etc.) of which you can learn only two.
- Through the professions, you can obtain not only equipment but also jewels and runes for upgrades, potions, and buff food.
A thorough testing on my part also fails here due to materials that must first be collected.
The PvP: My experiences with PvP are limited. I have had several duels in the open world and mostly lost. In the Duel Arena, I registered for a solo match, which, however, never started even after almost 50 minutes of waiting.
There is a leaderboard where you can see the best players and their ratings. However, I do not know how they started their matches.
Also, the area Avalon has not opened up to me in the test yet. There are three factions, and apparently, you assign yourself to a faction through the guild. After that, you can fight on the map, but I did not encounter any opponent while riding across the map for 20 minutes.
Good MMORPG Without Huge Innovations
Can Astellia Quench the Hunger for a New Theme Park MMORPG? In about 12 hours of playtime, I have experienced a lot in Astellia. I leveled up, visited dungeons, and at least briefly sniffed into all areas of the game. And I’m satisfied.
Astellia leaves a good impression, plays very smoothly and almost without hiccups for North American servers and a beta test. Highlights are definitely the character editor, the Astels, the early mount, and also the story, which gets off to a good start.
However, I was relatively indifferent to the quests and the graphics. I find both decent but not overly positive. I also have mixed feelings about the combat system.
While it is not bad and has dynamic elements, both Guild Wars 2 and Black Desert Online impress me more in this regard. However, those who do not want to be constantly on the move and jumping from A to B will certainly feel comfortable in Astellia.
It’s definitely too early for conclusions about dungeons, crafting, and PvP. Regarding the item shop and possible Pay2Win, we will learn more in the second closed beta. Astellia has already announced this.
All in all, Astellia seems solid and meets all the important features for a good, but not great MMORPG. The goal of orienting itself towards more traditional theme park MMOs is upheld by Astellia, although this also comes with very monotonous quests.
Also, when it comes to stealing quest mobs and the combat system, Astellia relies on old, though not necessarily positive, values. However, those who can make compromises in these areas and like the graphic style may well enjoy Astellia.
If you are not only interested in Astellia, here are other MMORPGs to look forward to in 2019:
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