Bungie receives a lot of praise for the PC beta of Destiny 2 . As a Destiny veteran on PS4 and Xbox One, one feels a bit envious.
Last night, the beta for Destiny 2 on PC started and surprise: most players love the beta. They are full of praise. Hardly any issues, technically flawless, graphics fantastic, gameplay great – a superb port from console to PC.
In the heart of the Destiny community, on Reddit, there are threads like:
Even now, not everything is sunshine and rainbows in Destiny-land. Apparently, some PS4 and Xbox One veterans are annoyed that PC players are doing so well now. Moderators frequently have to intervene and state that the subreddit is for everyone and is platform-independent. There is no place for platform-hostile remarks.
Even in the comments on our articles and in our social media, the atmosphere is similar to that in English-speaking Reddit. Many new guardians, to whom Destiny has finally been made accessible on PC, are thrilled with the gameplay and the graphics.
A larger part of the community is happy that the PC beta is being received so well and attracting new players to Destiny 2. A smaller part is somewhat annoyed with Bungie that so much fuss is being made about PC players now. They believe that PS4 and Xbox One made Destiny great and should also be recognized. Especially the comment about PC players as “first-class citizens” seems to have struck some the wrong way. What was meant as “we treat PC players equally” was interpreted as “we prefer PC players”.
PS4 and Xbox One players are attached to their console, but even more to their friends
Some players on PS4 and Xbox One seem to be struggling with the fact that the PC version is technically superior. A switch is only an option for a few Destiny veterans:
Some are hesitant to buy a new computer.
Others simply prefer playing on the console on the couch rather than at a “desktop.”.
Most, however, want to stay on their console because of their friends. They would only switch if they could persuade their buddies to come along.
The Open Beta of the Diablo-like hack and slash MU Legend for Europe and North America has been postponed at the last moment. Instead of starting in September 2017, it will now begin in November. As a reason, developer Webzen states that they want to make it as good as possible. Good things take time.
Now September is approaching, and with it the Open Beta, at a rapid pace. Publisher Webzen needs to hit the brakes.
Mu Legend – Open Beta now November 2017
A press release states: Everything is put on hold. We need more time.
The new date for the Open Beta of Mu Legend is November 2017.
This is all the more frustrating because the “Open Beta” was supposed to be a soft launch. There would not have been a wipe afterward, and the game would have basically already launched in the West.
Better to take time than to rush
As an explanation, Webzen states that they need the time to process and incorporate player feedback from the Korean version. They want to rearrange some features and also address the balance again. This leads to a change in the roadmap and thus to the delay of 3 months.
They tell fans: “Guys, you have been waiting for so long. We now ask you to wait just three months longer.” They love the game and want to do everything to make the best out of it.
They prefer to take their time rather than rush it now and jeopardize the quality of MU Legend.
ARK Survival Evolved (PC, PS4, Xbox One) is leaving Early Access today, August 29th, and transitioning to Full Release. During this time, the servers will be down for a while, and 33% of them are on a kill list – they will be removed from the game. We explain how Studio Wildcard has planned the release.
Today, August 29th, ARK Survival Evolved is entering Full Release and will thus be a “finished” game. The survival MMO was released on Steam in May 2015 and became a surprising mega hit. In December 2015, ARK entered Early Access on Xbox One, last year in December 2016, ARK Survival Evolved came to PS4.
Xbox players will have this option as soon as rentable servers are available to them as well. This is expected to happen in September, according to Wildcard’s estimates.
Have you been with ARK Survival Evolved for a long time, or are you going to start now with the Full Release?
Here we have prepared a collection of guides that will help you get started in ARK:
For those who want to fight online with other players in an extraordinary scenario, Absolver offers the opportunity starting today. Here is the launch trailer.
Absolver places you in the ruins of the destroyed Adal Empires. You awaken wearing a mysterious mask on your face and can barely remember your past. The mask frees you from hunger and thirst and even protects you from death. You wear it because you must prove yourself in battles – to show the mysterious Guides, the rulers of the land, that you have what it takes to rise in the ranks of an Absolver.
Collect better equipment and learn new combat techniques
You traverse the devastated land and encounter others who also wear this mask. In quick battles, you fight against them and learn new combat techniques while also obtaining better equipment – including weapons and armor. It is also possible to meet players who ally with you and fight side by side in the arenas.
Tactical and fast
Exciting, fast, yet tactical battles are at the center of Absolver. You must wisely use your skills and equipment to claim victory.
How this plays, you can find out starting today, August 29. Absolver will be distributed via Steam and the PlayStation Store. A launch trailer prepares you for the fast-paced combat.
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A new trailer for Destiny 2 has been released. This shows you what Destiny 2 really is.
Many players are asking the question “What is Destiny 2?” these days. Currently, the PC beta of Destiny 2 is running, which is also attracting attention from people who have never interacted with Destiny before. After all, Destiny was console-exclusive for three years. Only with Destiny 2 does the MMO shooter make its move to PC.
The question of what makes Destiny 2 is not easy to answer – especially not in one or two sentences. Therefore, Bungie has now released a trailer, in which you are shown in one and a half minutes what Destiny 2 is. We have embedded it for you above.
This is Destiny 2!
The quite entertaining trailer presents the basics of Destiny 2:
It is an action shooter
There is a comprehensive story, in which you fight against the Cabal’s Red Legion. They have attacked the last city of humanity.
You can customize your gear, weapons, and character.
And there are new worlds to explore.
However, this information from the trailer only scratches the surface of what makes Destiny 2. If you want detailed information about the game, we recommend our guides:
In PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds some players band together in identical uniforms to form larger squads. One player took advantage of this, infiltrated such a giant group, and eliminated everyone at the right moment!
In PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds you can only go hunting in squad mode with a maximum of three other players. However, this does not prevent clever players from eliminating enemies in large hordes. They just wear identical clothes for better recognition and communicate via voice chat like Discord or Teamspeak.
Such uniformed packs are a real danger for less organized players, but they also have a decisive disadvantage.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – Revenge on the Redshirts
A Korean streamer named ther01231 and his squadmates thought nothing bad when suddenly a horde of players in red shirts attacked them, slaughtering everyone except the mentioned streamer. Alone and on his own, the Korean vowed bitter revenge, but how could he come against the overpowering “Redshirts”?
With cunning and trickery! The streamer simply put on a red shirt and joined the Redshirt pack. The enemies noticed nothing, and the streamer could follow them for some time.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – 7 Kills in a Few Seconds
When the Redshirts then gathered in a suitable tight space, he struck! He threw a grenade in front of the stunned faces of the enemies, taking out 5 Redshirts. The remaining two red shirts were then lovingly cleared away with the shotgun.
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Ther01231 was able to avenge his squadmates and completely eliminate the Redshirt group. However, he was also not granted victory. He made it into the last 20 players but was then shot by a nasty sniper from behind.
Nevertheless, his action was remarkable and another proof of the crazy stories a large open-world battle royale shooter like PUBG can create.
Something exciting is happening tomorrow! Are there any updates on Update 1.8 of The Division?
Strange things happened last weekend in The Division. The official Twitter account of the game
posted various codes, which are likely to represent coordinates in the game and hint at story missions,
changed the cover image every few hours – the faction symbols were displayed on it,
and posted images of enemy factions along with quotes that apparently come from the enemies.
It seemed that the factions had taken over the Twitter channel, as if insider information from the factions was leaking to the public via the Twitter channel.
What did the Twitter channel post?
The tweets all suggest that the factions want to unite to defeat the Division agents together. The quotes indicate that it is now time to show the Division who truly rules over New York. That the enemy of my enemy is my friend and that the Division prevents the factions from achieving their success. With this speculation that the factions are about to unite against us, we already discussed last Sunday.
In the community, there is speculation that these mysterious tweets indicate a future update. Most likely Update 1.8. However, there are also opinions that this could be about The Division 2, as Massive has never organized such “community puzzles” or teased upcoming content in this way before. It is also possible that this is just a teaser for the next Global Event.
On August 30, we will likely know more
In the meantime, the Twitter channel looks “normal” again. The symbol of the Division is prominently displayed in the cover image. Moreover, Massive posted: “Backup activated. System rebooted. Signal source is being tracked.”
The last post occurred yesterday evening at 6 PM. The source of the signal is still unknown. The search is being expanded. And it is assumed that an answer will be available in 48 hours.
This means that tomorrow, on August 30 at 6 PM, we will likely finally learn what this puzzle is about. According to a rather dubious “leak” on reddit, a trailer for Update 1.8 is supposed to be released at this time, in which Agent Keener speaks to the factions to unite them against the Division. However, this “leak” is just a summary of what has been speculated on reddit in recent days.
We will see what happens tomorrow at 6 PM. We will report on it promptly.
Rockstar Games has released the new DLC Smuggler’s Run for GTA 5, so GTA Online,.
The smuggling business in Los Santos is booming, and you naturally want to take advantage of it. The Smuggler’s Run DLC opens up new air corridors over Los Santos and Blaine County, through which you can transport contraband with a variety of new aircraft. New vehicles include helicopters and ultralights. This allows you to smuggle illegal goods in especially creative ways.
A hangar as a smuggler base
New hangars serve as the headquarters for your smuggling business. In these, you not only park your aircraft, but also conduct all your business. In the hangar, you can also modify and customize your planes according to your preferences.
Charlie, your mechanic, is there to assist you, taking care of your aircraft collection with great care.
Transform your vehicle during races
New are the transformation races. These take place on land, in the air, and on water. At certain points, you transform your vehicle to quickly switch from, for example, a plane to a boat and then continue on the water. The new aircraft come in handy here. The transformation races are dynamic and represent a new challenge in GTA Online.
All fans of GTA 5 Online will find interesting new things to do with Smuggler’s Run.
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The promising MMORPG Ashes of Creation is making great progress. Now a video has been shown that presents the battles and brings a special feature.
Many MMORPGs use a passive combat system. Players target an enemy and then press the button for the attack type, which is then executed automatically. This combat system has proven effective in MMORPGs as it is tactical, does not require skill from the players, and still works even with lag.
However, over time, the battles can also become a bit boring. If you are just yawning in front of the monitor, pressing 1, 2, 3 in turn and watching your character execute the attacks, you sometimes wish for a more action-packed system.
Attention and skill are important in battles
Ashes of Creation aims to spice up this tab-targeting combat system, as shown in a recent video. Essentially, the battles run similarly to other MMORPGs. You select the target and then your attack type, which is executed based on cooldown.
However, when you activate the attack, a bar appears on the screen. This bar has a marked spot, and a pointer rushes from left to right. If you click at the right moment, so that the pointer stops exactly within the marking, you receive a type of bonus on the attack. This should keep the battles interesting.
New version at PAX West
Moreover, the developers of the MMO introduced new creatures and talked about the power of the characters. This is a value calculated from the equipped gear, the stats, and the skills. A PvP arena was also shown where you can compete against other players in the game.
At the beginning of September, Ashes of Creation will be playable at the PAX West game fair. The developers are working hard to be able to present an exciting version that already contains many elements of the finished MMORPG. Both PvE and PvP content will be shown.
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In response to a player’s complaint, Jeff Kaplan from the Overwatch team lays out the facts. In internet language, someone was professionally “roasted”.
The account suspensions and bans in Overwatch seem to be having an effect. Time and again, disruptive players are getting banned and excluded from the game. However, not everyone is satisfied with their ban, and some express their frustration on the official forum.
One such player is Ceaya, who loudly complained that he was banned for “disruptive gameplay” and that in “Quickplay”. He was particularly angry about this and is convinced that the reports from players are not even checked. The whole system is automatic and therefore susceptible to exploitation.
However, Ceaya probably did not expect that Jeff Kaplan, the Game Director of Overwatch, sometimes personally addresses such issues and began to list the actual facts in a factual manner.
Wrestle with Jeff, Prepare for Death.
More than 2000 complaints on one account
Accordingly, they checked the IP address of the account from which Ceaya had posted in the forum and found an account that had a pretty long record of offenses.
The account has 2247 complaints
The account was punished with 9216 hours of silence – meaning he could not chat. That’s a whopping 384 days and a significant portion of the time since Overwatch was released
The account was banned from playing 3 times
In total, 7 times a silence penalty was imposed due to insults and spam
The account was additionally banned directly by a GM due to “severe griefing”
Thus, Ceaya is the owner of one of the “worst accounts that Blizzard has ever seen.”
Jeff Kaplan is “not entirely sure if this is really the account he is talking about, but it is definitely not an ideal teammate in Overwatch.”
If this is not his account, then he should please tell Kaplan his BattleTag. Because the last thing you want is for “good, honest members of the community to be unfairly punished”.
Kaplan received praise for this reaction both on Reddit and in the official forum, and Ceaya has not (yet) responded further.
And once again it shows that dinoflask was right with his wisdom: Wrestle with Jeff, prepare for death.
In Destiny 2, we show you how to play the PC version in German and how to hide your real name in chat. You don’t have to show your real name.
The closed beta of Destiny 2 started yesterday, on August 28th. After many Guardians struggled for about half an hour with the Saxophone error code, they were able to dive into the fight against the Red Legion for the first time using mouse and keyboard.
Many players encountered a few “inconveniences.” The beta is set to run in English by default, and your “real name,” the clear name, is displayed in chat. How can you change this?
How to set the PC beta of Destiny 2 to German
There were no language issues with the console beta. It launched directly in German here. However, for the PC beta, you need to take action yourself if you want to experience the game in German.
Open the Blizzard app and select the “Destiny 2” tab on the left side. Now click not on Play, but first on Options. You can find the options directly under the “Destiny 2” logo next to “Redeem code.”
In the options, click on “Game Settings,” where you can choose between several languages for text and audio, including German. Now just click on “Done” and start Destiny 2. Now the beta is in German.
Hide clear names and switch to BattleTag
Your real name is displayed in the chat of the “Destiny 2” beta. If you don’t want that, you can hide it and switch to your BattleTag name.
To do this, start the beta, log in, and go to the menu (with ESC). Then click on “Open Settings,” then on Gameplay, and there you will find the option to hide your real name.
The third generation has yet to appear in Pokémon GO. Still, it is worth starting to collect candies for Generation 4 now. We explain why in this guide.
This means a few Pokémon will come into the game that are evolutions or pre-evolutions of already existing species. In Pokémon GO, you give your Pokémon candies to make them stronger, level them up, and evolve them. You receive candies by catching wild Pokémon, but they only eat candies of their own type.
However, it is recommended to start collecting candies from Generation 1 and 2 diligently now – but not for Generation 3, rather for Generation 4!
The starter Pokémon of Generation 4 – Plinfa, Panflam & Chelast
Collect candies for Generation 4 before the grind becomes too cumbersome
With Generation 3, a total of 135 new Pokémon will be added to the game. This increases the total number of Pokémon from 251 to 386. The more different Pokémon there are in the game, the rarer the Pokémon of a specific species will appear.
The spawn rate of Pokémon from the first and second generation will decrease as soon as the third generation appears. That is why you should quickly start collecting the candies of the existing generations now.
In Generation 4, there are 17 evolutions and 5 baby Pokémon that are based on Generation 1 and 2. Once Generation 4 is in the game, we will have a total of 493 Pokémon in the game. If you then only need one more candy to get your Togekiss, it will be quite frustrating to get that one candy with all the Pokémon around.
If you want a somewhat more relaxed grind, it is better to start collecting candies today than tomorrow.
Baby Pokémon from Generation 3
In Generation 3, there are a total of two babies that are based on the second generation.
Azurill – evolves into Marill and Azumarill
Isso – evolves into Woingenau
Baby Pokémon from Generation 4
In Generation 4, there are a total of five babies that are based on the second generation.
Wonneira – evolves into Chaneira and Heiteira
Pantimimi – evolves into Pantimos
Mantyke – evolves into Mantax
Mampfaxo – evolves into Relaxo
Mobai – evolves into Mogelbaum
Pokémon that evolve into Generation 4 – Based on Generation 1 and 2
In total, you will find 17 Pokémon in Generation 4 that evolve from Pokémon of the first and second generation. Save candies for the following Pokémon.
The Crew 2 promises thrilling races in an open world. Moreover, you should be able to switch vehicles seamlessly and even race across the water from a car to a boat or take off into the air from a plane. How all this works was tested by Jürgen at Gamescom 2017.
I admit: The Crew 2 wasn’t exactly at the top of my list of favorite games from Gamescom 2017. I’m not much of a fan of car racing and vehicles in general. Nevertheless, Ubisoft’s MMO racing game is an interesting title, and so I dutifully went to the playtest appointment at the Ubisoft booth at Gamescom.
The Crew 2 – Unlimited Driving Pleasure in Top Graphics!
Along with a horde of other journalists, I soon found myself in a room full of computers, with an Xbox One controller in front of me. Great, I have almost no experience with gamepads, this will be fun! There was a brief introduction by a friendly Frenchman, and then I could get started.
“Just do whatever you want!” said an employee, briefly explaining the controls to me. Despite the unfamiliar gamepad, it surprisingly went quite well. And overall, the game looked fantastic and driving around was actually fun!
“Look, there’s a river, drive into it and press the following buttons,” said the helpful Ubisoft employee, and before I knew it, I was in a speedboat zooming over the water.
With another key combination, I suddenly became a plane and flew straight through the skyscrapers of the nearby big city. By sheer coincidence, I managed to pull off some cool stunts, such as narrowly zooming between two buildings or flying under a bridge. Points and achievements are awarded for everything.
The Crew 2 – Spontaneous Races or Official Tracks?
The open world of The Crew 2 is indeed vast, and you can practically drive or fly anywhere. Spontaneous races and stunt performances are always possible. However, if you prefer to race according to clear rules, you can do so as well. Special race tracks and game modes can be found all over the map. A click of a button was all it took to send invitations to the other players in the room.
Shortly thereafter, we started a fast-paced motocross race. With my bike, I raced through a hilly track, executing daring jumps and occasionally went off the path. However, this is not a problem; I can always return to the race track with a key combination. Such actions still cost time, of course, but you don’t have to painstakingly turn around and search for your way back into the race. A cool comfort feature.
The Crew 2 – Game Modes, Formula 1, or Drift?
In the motorcycle race, I managed to come in fifth despite all sorts of clumsiness. After a few more open-world detours, I was ready for new races that the friendly Frenchman behind me recommended. The next race was actually not a race at all, as it was all about drifting. So, anyone who drifts particularly effectively and for a long time around deadly tight corners earns points and ultimately victory.
By the way, I was drifting in a city, and quite a few buildings along the way and cafés had to suffer. However, pedestrians always manage to dodge at the last moment; brutal rampages (thankfully) do not happen in The Crew 2.
After the chaotic drift, we then concluded with a Formula 1 race track, where I got to drive a massive racing car. However, at over 200 kilometers per hour, I struggled with the corners. Good thing The Crew 2 disregards realism here, and you only lose speed and thus time if you crash.
Jürgen’s Conclusion on The Crew 2
Wow, at first I really didn’t feel like the playtest appointment for The Crew 2, but in the end, I wanted to take a few more laps, as the Ubisoft staff politely but firmly ushered me out of the room. It’s simply fun to zoom around freely like the wind and switch vehicles in a flash.
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And the race modes distributed all over the map are even cooler when you want to prove your skills in drifting or race through the underbrush. Added to this are the many comfort features, such as the automatic return to the race track or the fast vehicle switching. So, if you enjoy unlimited driving fun with great graphics, you should definitely take a closer look at The Crew 2.
Here you can pre-order The Crew 2 now. The game is set to release on March 16, 2018, for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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Good luck! We hope this guide helps you learn something and improve your game. Do you have any more tips? Then feel free to share them with us in the comments.
Arena of Valor is a mobile MOBA for all players who do not want to miss out on arena action while on their smartphone or tablet. In this guide, we explain what you should pay attention to when playing.
In our beginner guide, we want to introduce you to the game mechanics of Arena of Valor. Questions such as:
How should a team be composed?
What is jungling?
How do you gain advantages as a team to easily and quickly defeat opponents?
If you want to be successful in ranked games, you should follow these tips.
In Arena of Valor, your goal is to destroy the opposing core and thereby win a match. You will be supported by a team that consists of two or four other players depending on the game mode. In this guide, we primarily focus on the 5v5 mode. However, some tips regarding item choice and team compositions can also be transferred to other game modes.
In the 5v5 game, there are three paths (lanes) where towers are located. As a team, you will spread out on the top lane, mid lane, and bottom lane. The fourth option is the jungle, where the junglers play.
Lone wolves have a hard time, and selfishness is rarely rewarded in Arena of Valor. Therefore, coordinate with your team to play advantages and push the opponents back to their base. In addition to communication, the choice of classes and purchasing the “right” items is important.
Laning Phase and Teamfights
During a match, we roughly distinguish between two phases. In the beginning, there is the “laning phase”. The duration of this phase varies from match to match. On average, it lasts about 5 minutes. During this time, players are on their lane, killing minions and dueling opponents. You use this time to gather gold and experience points and prepare for team fights.
The team phase is the second phase of the game. Here, you move across the map in a group, if possible. Combined with tanks and supporters, your team is compact and strong. When you encounter single opponents who are not grouped yet, they are easy targets for you.
If you feel that it is time to group up, there are also chat commands to alert your allies about your decision. For example, the green flag on the right side of the screen or the chat command “Group up for the team fight”.
As a team, you go bundled to objectives, try to tear down towers, or defeat the strong dragons in the jungle. Because you are harder to stop as a group, you can fight your way to the core more easily. Lone wolves can easily be overwhelmed and killed by the opposing team.
A strong team consists of different classes. There are six different classes, which we will now introduce to you.
Classes in Arena of Valor
The many heroes in Arena of Valor are divided into six different classes. There are:
Tanks
Warriors
Assassins
Mages
Marksmen
Supporters
A typical team consists of a tank, a warrior, an assassin, a marksman, and a mage. If you prefer to play a supporter, that’s also a good choice, as each class has a different impact on your team.
Tanks
Tanks are equipped with defensive items, withstand a lot of damage, and are usually melee fighters. You can initiate team fights (engage) with them or protect your marksmen. During the laning phase, tanks are usually played on the top lane or protect the marksmen on the bot lane.
Warriors
Warriors can be played with defensive items or attack items. They are melee fighters and are usually in the middle of team fights.
Assassins
Assassins are good at getting kills in close combat. You play them with high attack power and little defense. They move quickly and usually strike before the team fight begins to kill an opponent and give their own team the advantage. In team fights, they usually come from ambush and unexpectedly attack the soft targets (marksmen, mages) of the opponents.
Mages
Mages deal most damage with their spell abilities and not with automatic attacks. With them, you buy ability power and try to stand at a distance from the opposing team in team fights so that your spells are just within range. Depending on your team composition, you can also equip mages with more defensive items and then be closer in fights. During the laning phase, mages are usually played in the middle, but you can also help out on the bot lane.
Marksmen
Marksmen are ranged fighters equipped with a lot of attack power. With this class, you can deal a lot of consistent damage with your automatic attacks. However, you need to position yourself well. Normally, during team fights, you stand in the “backline”, all the way in the back. Tanks and warriors stand in front of you and hold off opponents, allowing you to kill them from a safe zone. During the laning phase, you usually play marksmen on the bot lane.
Supporters
Supporters assist the team with their abilities by either healing allies, shielding them, or increasing their defense. They often have abilities to keep opponents away from allies. In team fights, they should pay special attention to marksmen and assassins to keep them alive for a long time. During the laning phase, you usually play supporters on the same lane as marksmen.
To support your team, you don’t necessarily have to play on a lane. There are also monsters in the jungle that you can defeat, which will give you gold and EXP.
Jungle in Arena of Valor
As a jungler, your role in the team works a bit differently, as you do not have a specific lane where you fight. In the hero selection screen, you should choose the “Punish” spell for this task. With this, you deal 800 damage to monsters in one hit – the damage of this spell increases with your level. This adds more speed to your gameplay and makes jungling significantly easier.
Your task as a jungler is to kill the monsters in the forest between the lanes. Each team has six of these monsters on their jungle side. These spawn again at regular intervals after being killed.
Short-term buffs are granted when you kill the red monster (Power Golem) or blue monster (Wisdom Golem) in the jungle.
The power buff: Your normal attacks reduce enemy movement speed and deal an additional 21-50 damage (halved for ranged attacks).
The wisdom buff: Increases your cooldown reduction by 20% and restores an additional 2% mana per second.
At the end of each river, you will also find the abyss dragon and the spirit watcher.
Killing the abyss dragon grants gold and experience points to the entire team. The spirit watcher increases regeneration to 1% HP per second.
A group challenge is the Dark Slayer. With this giant monster, you will have a tough battle, and it’s better to only attack it as a strong group. Because this beast hits hard.
Once you have killed it, the Dark Slayer rewards you with a 30% damage buff and 1% regeneration of mana and HP per second. This buff applies to the entire team and is very powerful.
By killing monsters, you collect buffs, gold, and experience points. As a jungler, you also assist your team with “ganks”.
What are Ganks?
Ganks are surprise “visits” to the lanes. You use the element of surprise to attack the opponent with your ally and, ideally, kill them. For example, in the mid lane, you have the opportunity to engage from above or below.
If you suddenly rush out of the bushes, you can quickly overwhelm opponents who are too far from their tower. Timing plays a crucial role and can be quite tricky. But don’t worry: you will get better at timing as you play more frequently as a jungler.
To play the jungler role well, heroes with abilities that control opponents are suitable. For instance, by using a stun from Gildur, a slow from Toro, or other CC effects like taunt from Mina.
As a jungler, it is essential to keep an eye on the map and ask yourself, “Where are opponents too far out? Can I kill them together with my allies on the lane or force them to teleport back?”
If the opponents on the lane are too strong or your health points are too low, the gank could quickly turn to the advantage of the opponents. You should pay attention to this before the gank. Your goal is, after all, to drive the opponent from the lane and give your allies the opportunity to destroy a tower.
The more often you play the role of jungler, the easier it will be for you to decide when a gank attempt is worthwhile and when it is better to kill monsters in the jungle.
Counter-Jungle – Steal the Opponents’ Monsters
Counter-jungling is a popular way to gain an advantage over the other jungler. To do this, you traverse the river that separates both sections of the map in the middle and kill monsters on the opponent’s side of the map. This way, you steal experience points and gold from the other jungler.
But be careful! First, take a look at the map before you take down monsters on the opponent’s side of the map. If you don’t see the enemy jungler, there’s a chance he is waiting for you. The rest of the enemy team is often quicker to arrive on their side of the map than your allies are.
The Right Jungle Items
As a jungler, you have an extra category “Jungle” in the shop. The “Hunter’s Crossbow” is available as a starter item with three upgrade options. With this item, you enhance your punish summoning spell and deal more damage to monsters in the jungle. This is practical for quickly gathering experience points and leveling up.
The Shop – What Items Should I Buy?
Buying items is an important aspect of Arena of Valor. You can buy items on the go and do not have to return to base to do so. But what items should you buy?
Glass Cannon or Buy Defense?
In matches, the question often arises, “Should I buy defense, or can I get by with pure attack?” Unfortunately, there is no standard answer to this issue. It always depends on the respective match how you should equip your hero.
For a bit of defense, we like to build a defensive item on marksmen and mages and the rest aggressively. For these two classes, we buy “Glory of the Ancients”. This item grants a bonus of 1000 max health points. Additionally, you respawn after death. Three seconds after you have been defeated, this item revives you with 40% health points, and you can fight again. This effect has a cooldown of 3 minutes.
However, if you completely dominate a game and your allies take good care of you, you can often skip the defensive item and buy even more damage instead. This is fun and hits hard.
What Penetration?
In general, the game suggests items for different heroes. So, if you don’t want to think too much, let the recommended items guide you.
However, this is not always the perfect choice. If you are facing a team that has purchased a lot of resistances, you should buy items that penetrate these resistances. If the opposing team is “soft” and has hardly bought any defense, you can prefer pure damage and don’t have to rely on armor or magic penetration.
For penetration, heroes with attack power use the item “Breaker of Shields”. The passive property of the item provides the following bonus: “After a target takes damage, this reduces its physical defense by 50 points for 5 seconds. Can be stacked 5 times.” If an opponent has taken 5 hits from you, their physical defense is reduced by 250. This greatly reduces the bonus of a Frost Mantle, which normally provides 300 physical defense.
Mages use items like “Hecat’s Crown” for magic penetration. This provides a bonus of 200 ability power in addition to a magic penetration bonus of 75 points. This bonus is flat and doesn’t need to be executed on a single hero; it also counts for area attacks.
Tips for a Successful Game in Arena of Valor
You have now learned the basic rules of Arena of Valor. Now it’s about implementing these in the game.
Hero Selection: Don’t immediately pick your favorite hero and confirm the choice; instead, pay attention to what your team composition looks like and what others want to play. If your team consists only of “soft” heroes, a tank would be a good addition.
Choose the Right Lane: If a teammate is already in the middle, go to the top or bot lane. In the first few minutes, observe which allies might have problems and help them.
Ganks: You can gank not only as a jungler. You can also quickly run to the top lane from the middle and start a surprise attack. It’s best to alert your teammates via the chat.
Tearing down Towers: It’s not all about kills in Arena of Valor. After you’ve killed an opponent, you should use the opportunity to deal damage to their tower. Knocking down towers gets you closer to the opponent’s base and thus to the core – the objective of a match.
Stay Motivated, Don’t Flame: Anyone frustrated after a death shouldn’t take it out on their team. Instead, contribute ideas. Rather than writing how dumb your assassin’s last action was, use the chat command “Group up for the team fight”. Perhaps as a group, you’ll have a better chance.
Communication: Communication with allies is essential for a successful game. You have the chat to write in and quick commands for attack, defense, and grouping. You can find the icons for these commands on the right side of the screen above the chat symbol.
Those who wish can also use the built-in voice chat for communication with the team. You can activate this via the speaker and microphone symbol on the minimap.
Little Ego Actions: It’s nice if you can take down enemy heroes in a 1v2 scenario. However, it’s pointless if the other three opponents are attacking your base and your team is overwhelmed. You should always keep an eye on the map.
Proper Positioning: In team fights, it is important to stand correctly. If a soft hero is at the front, they will drop dead from the first enemy skill shots. If you stand as a tank outside the group and let enemies simply pass you by, you at least need to take care of the enemy backline.
If you get killed alone on the map because you wanted to grab a buff or push a lane, you automatically bring your team a disadvantage.
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Good luck! We hope this guide helps you learn something and improve your game. Do you have any more tips? Then feel free to share them with us in the comments.
In Destiny 2, today marks the start of the Closed Beta on PC! What time does it start? – Update: The error code Saxophone is causing issues.
Update 7 PM: You need to download an update. It’s about 100 MB in size. Bungie states that you should restart the Blizzard app if you cannot play. You might enter a queue while logging in.
Update 7:05 PM: The beta isn’t playable for me yet. Reddit also reports that it’s still not working.
Update 7:06 PM: Select “Europe” if you can click to start. However, the first error codes are appearing. “Saxophone” shows up. According to the error description, you should restart the Destiny application. Well, at least there are no animal names as error codes this time.
Update 7:15 PM: Bungie has released a statement: they are investigating the Saxophone issue.
Update 7:30 PM: More and more players are entering the beta. Have fun!
Many Guardians and all interested PC players who want to become Guardians soon are already raring to go. Because today, on August 28, 2017, the starting signal for the beta phase of Destiny 2 on PC is sounded.
But when does it actually start?
It starts at 10 AM PST – So this evening
A few hours ago, Bungie confirmed the final start time for the Closed Beta: 10 AM Pacific, which is 7 PM our time. Here are the start times you need to know:
Destiny 2 PC Beta with Early Access: August 28, 2017, at 7 PM
Destiny 2 PC Open Beta: August 29, 2017, at 7 PM
On August 31, 2017, the PC beta phase ends at 7 PM
Not only die-hard PC gamers experiencing Destiny for the first time will be eagerly awaiting this beta phase of Destiny 2. Surely, some experienced Guardians will let their PS4 or Xbox One rest during these days and see what it’s like to play Destiny 2 at 60 FPS with unlocked framerate.
So you don’t hammer away at the keys wildly and confused during the beta, we have a graphic for control with mouse and keyboard for you:
If you have problems with the PC beta of Destiny 2, here is the list of known issues from Bungie:
Players may encounter problems during the Destiny 2 beta due to outdated drivers. To ensure the best gaming experience for Destiny 2 on PC, drivers should be updated to the latest version.
The Destiny 2 beta may not work if installed in a folder that contains localized characters (e.g., umlauts, Greek characters, Cyrillic, Kanji, etc.). Players should install the beta in a path that does not contain these characters or keep the default installation location.
Players may experience issues when joining a fireteam of a player from the same local network. Players with this issue should ensure that UPnP is activated in their network settings.
MSAA is still in development. This may cause players to encounter various issues, such as visual artifacts and performance degradation when using MSAA.
Multi-GPU support is still in development. This may cause players to encounter various issues, such as visual artifacts and performance degradation when using NVIDIA SLI. AMD Crossfire support is not available in the Destiny 2 PC beta.
The Destiny 2 beta must be launched from the Blizzard Battle.net app. If players open the beta directly from the executable file, they may receive an error message or the Destiny 2 beta client may become unresponsive. Players encountering this issue should close the beta client using Alt+F4 and start the Destiny 2 beta using the “Play” button in the Destiny 2 tab of the Blizzard app.
Are you joining tonight? Are you joining tomorrow or are you not interested in the PC beta?
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We will tell you how to defeat the final boss of the current Hearthstone expansion – the Lich King Arthas.
The final wing of the Icecrown Citadel of Hearthstone has been open for a few days now, and more and more players are trying to take on the Lich King. However, he has a few really nasty tricks up his sleeve, making defeating the Master of the Frozen Throne not so easy after all.
Yet the solution to the puzzle is sometimes easier than one might think. Because the Lich King’s greatest weakness seems to be small, particularly annoying minions: Murlocs!
User redstringer has created a relatively simple deck that can defeat the Lich King before it even goes into the “hot phase” of the battle – that is, turn 7. At that point, he would actually equip Frostmourne and flood the board with trapped souls, while also becoming immune.
Lich King Guide: Murlocs are the bane of Arthas
The trick with the “The Lich King Boss Adventure – Murloc Mage” deck is old and not particularly creative – a ruthless overwhelming with a Murloc army. Because the Lich King has very few cards in his deck to prevent this early on.
The Murloc Oracle provides good service here, but all other “small” Murlocs can shine as well. If you need an effective finisher, you can rely on the Gentle Megasaur, which further mutates all Murlocs on the battlefield. A “+3 Attack” or “Windfury” can already take health points from the Lich King on turn 4.
How it all looks (with a nearly perfect starting hand) is shown in this video:
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If you just want to copy the deck’s code into the game, use the following string.
[vc_toggle title=”Code for the Murloc Mage Deck”]AAECAf0EAA+7AsUD2wP+A8sE7QSWBeMF0AenCLwIiq0CncICscICp80CAA==[/vc_toggle]
Arthas as a Playable Hero – What Needs to Be Done?
To earn Prince Arthas as a playable hero, one must defeat the Lich King in a duel with all classes. This is difficult, as Arthas has a particularly nasty start for each class. The following abilities need to be cleverly countered:
Druid: All minions costing 3 or less are destroyed in both decks and hands.
Hunter: For each minion in the deck, the Hunter takes 2 damage at the start of the game.
Mage: The hero’s health is set to 1.
Paladin: Whenever a friendly minion dies, it resurrects on the side of the Lich King.
Priest: Priests can no longer use emotes (Yes, really).
Rogue: All spells in the player’s hand and deck are destroyed.
Shaman: All of the player’s minions have the stats 1/1.
Warlock: Each duplicate card in the deck deals 2 damage to the hero.
Warrior: The Lich King gains 100 additional armor points.
Generally speaking, the Murloc strategy described above also works with almost all other classes. One can transfer the minions without worry. Only Hunters, Warriors, and Warlocks might encounter some problems.
Anyone who wants to take on the challenge and defeat the Lich King 9 times should bring plenty of time. Streamer Chakki took more than 3 hours to defeat Arthas with each class. So taking a look at his (very long) stream could be worthwhile if you want tips and tricks for the individual classes (the image appears after minute 9:00).
The Free2Play action MOBA Gigantic is now available on PC, Steam, Windows 10, and Xbox One. However, for a long time, it did not seem like the colorful game would ever be released. Read all the details and anecdotes from a truly turbulent development history here.
Gigantic is a colorful and fast-paced action MOBA game that can be played cross-platform on PC via Steam, Perfect World’s platform Arc, Windows 10, and Xbox One. Since the Steam launch at the end of July, the game has been doing fairly well and enjoys positive Steam reviews. However, it was by no means a given that it would come this far. Gigantic’s future was on the line more than once during development and the game was on the brink of failure.
Gigantic – From PvPvE dungeon brawler to hero MOBA shooter
Gigantic was originally supposed to be a completely different game in 2014. The original concept of Gigantic was that two teams would rush through a mini-dungeon and battle a big boss and each other in the middle. During the first gameplay tests, it became clear that the PvP part was much more fun than fighting the boss.
At that time, the concept of today’s Gigantic was already formed: An open arena where you must defeat the opposing giant with the help of your own beast and summon helpful creatures at certain locations. However, the redesign took time and money, and the developer studio Motiga was running out of funds. A new investor was needed.
Gigantic – Microsoft comes to the rescue and brings about the downfall
This saving investor was none other than the software giant Microsoft. Under its aegis, Gigantic was to be released in 2015. However, Microsoft imposed a high price for its support: Gigantic had to be released exclusively on Microsoft platforms. In plain language, this meant that Gigantic could only run on Xbox One and Windows 10.
That alone was a drawback. Worse, however, was that due to the Microsoft platform constraint, much of the previous development work was wasted. The Xbox did not support a separate frontend from the game, which had been the usual method in Gigantic to find a match before the game and communicate with other players.
All the savings did not help; by February 2016, all of Microsoft’s money was gone and the game was still not finished. Therefore, Motiga’s CEO Chris Chung had to heart-wrenchingly gather all 75 employees and deliver sad news: “You are all fired; there is no money left.”
With that, Gigantic was essentially dead; however, something happened that still seems bizarre to Chung and many Motiga employees today: the next day, all employees returned to their desks and continued to work on the game. It was as if they had never been fired.
For 3.5 weeks, 90% of the staff worked tirelessly on. Only a few decided to leave as the financial situation was too precarious. The remaining employees put in overtime and night shifts, doing their utmost to finish the game. They believed so much in the idea behind Gigantic that the game simply had to succeed.
Gigantic – Perseverance pays off
The fighting spirit and optimism of the Motiga employees paid off in the end. Chris Chung desperately searched for new investors and ultimately found them at Perfect World. The publisher had successfully distributed the MMOs Neverwinter and Star Trek Online and had experience with online games.
During a studio visit at Motiga, the representatives of Perfect World were deeply impressed by the employees who, despite being fired, were still working late at night and passionately held on to their game. At the end of the visit, Yufan Zhang said to Chris Chung: “Chris, we can do this!”
Uncomplicated help
Nevertheless, the financial situation of the staff was unclear. Enthusiasm and optimism do not help when one has bills and rent to pay. And since negotiations for publishing deals can drag on for weeks, the end of Motiga and Gigantic was still looming.
Of course, Perfect World did not want that to happen. Therefore, shortly after the start of negotiations, a small financial injection from the publisher to Motiga was provided so the studio could pay its salaries and operating costs.
Perfect ending thanks to Perfect World
In May 2016, the deal was finally sealed: Gigantic was published by Perfect World and could finally be properly developed to completion. In 2017, Gigantic was gradually released on all planned platforms and since Microsoft was no longer involved, the game could now also be released on Steam and via Perfect World’s platform Arc.
However, the release is by no means the end. The developers still have plenty of content in the pipeline and want to bring a new hero and further innovations every month. Just one month after the release, the new hero Oru was introduced to the game.
In Destiny 2 you no longer have to worry about your gear when decrypting engrams.
This has certainly happened to every Guardian in Destiny 1 at some point: You run packed with engrams to the Cryptarch and have them decrypted in a flash, only to shortly after flinch and bite your fist – because you forgot to equip the gear with the highest light level beforehand.
In Destiny 1, the light level of the engram loot directly depends on your Guardian’s light level. In other words, if you want the best possible stuff from the engrams, you need to raise your character’s before decrypting to the highest light level that your gear provides. Otherwise, you will receive items that do not help you level up.
In Destiny 2, it’s different. You will no longer flinch while decrypting engrams due to your forgetfulness.
It’s no longer advantageous to equip the best gear while decrypting
As the project lead Mark Noseworthy announced via Twitter, in Destiny 2 it is no longer beneficial to equip the most powerful gear before decrypting the engrams. The reason: The best possible loadout is always considered.
This means that the engram loot does not depend on the gear you currently have equipped, but rather on the best possible gear you could equip at that moment (if you are not already wearing it). You will always receive items with the highest possible light level from the engrams.
However, it is currently unclear whether this change only applies to the items that the Guardian has in their inventory or also to those in their vault. This question has already been asked to Noseworthy several times. There is currently no answer to that.Update: The entire account will be considered – what you have equipped, what your other characters have, what is in the vault.
Nevertheless: The community on reddit welcomes this change. It is a great “Quality of Life” improvement – because the less time you have to spend in menus, the better. And everyone has forgotten to equip the right gear for decrypting engrams at some point. No one will miss the frustration about it.
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A new map is planned for Motiga’s fast-paced hero shooter Gigantic. The map “Wizard Woods” features even more vertical action and an unknown new feature.
Gigantic is a colorful hero shooter from Motiga, where you not only take down opposing heroes but also summon monsters and fight a gigantic beast with the help of your own mega monster. Currently, there are three maps, but a fourth map is already in development.
Gigantic – Wizard Woods – Vertical Map with New Feature
The existing maps for Gigantic, Sanctum Falls, Siren’s Strand, and Ghost Reef, are all relatively small but designed on multiple levels. At Gamescom 2017, we learned that another map named Wizard Woods is currently in development.
Wizard Woods will have the same features as the other maps. So there will also be:
Two large Guardians
Areas to summon creatures
The CLASH gameplay mechanic, which shrinks the play area over time
In addition to these features, Wizard Woods is designed even more for vertical gameplay and offers good cover due to the forest setting. Moreover, the map is said to contain a feature that has never existed in Gigantic before at its center.
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to find out more information about this feature, the map, and the release yet. However, we have already inquired with Motiga and will provide the information as soon as we have it! We can already show some initial images of the map here.
We have completed the new expansion of Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood. Here you can read our review.
Man, saving the world is really exhausting. In Stormblood, I am the Warrior of Light, and everyone tells me how important I am and how often I have saved Eorzea in the last years, but that doesn’t stop anyone from sending me three times across the countryside to run errands.
When I do that, I get a tiny amount of experience points and a small tip. Then I’m sent on the next errand.
But that’s only half of my career in Stormblood. In my second life, I kill huge fantasy beings that represent the will of a people. I grapple with megalomaniac despots, am part of a community of heroes, and sweat it out in quarter-hour boss fights.
The final boss of Stormblood: Shinryu.
Anyone who still thinks after these epic boss fights in Stormblood that the combat system of Final Fantasy XIV is old-fashioned, is no longer thinking straight, as the heroine of Stormblood, Lyse, would put it.
The hero of Stormblood is not me; it is others. They make the decisions. I am more responsible for the rough stuff, hacking my way through hordes of monsters. Why I ended up enjoying Stormblood after all, there’s more on that in this review.
Stormblood basically consists of three games:
First, there is a miserable side quest grind with bland fetch and kill quests. You quest through a total of 6 zones. The zones themselves are lovingly designed – but the gameplay of FF14 is boring during normal “fighting”.
In the MMORPG part of the game, in instances and boss fights, the gameplay, on the other hand, is fantastic. The instances are really fun, and the boss fights are the highlight. So much happens every minute of battle that I always have plenty to do.
Additionally, there is a strong RPG component. The main story is well-crafted, nicely narrated; cut-scenes are voice acted. Stormblood is an RPG that is hard to find, with interesting characters, believable conflicts, and beautiful, loving staging.
Stormblood in Review: A Game to Overindulge
The mix leaves me with a strange feeling: I am glad to be able to say: “I made it.” While I was playing it, however, for large parts of the time, I felt like doing homework until I could finally go out and play.
New Features – What Does Stormblood Bring to Final Fantasy XIV?
Stormblood is basically a pure content expansion with only sparse innovations and fresh features.
Features include:
two new classes, the Red Mage and the Samurai – I had little to do with them; I continued playing my Bard. Both classes are damage dealers. I at least unlocked them. They are both fun to play, but that’s more for later when it comes to twinking.
the new Underwater and Swimming feature appears only sparsely in the game; it doesn’t have much influence on FF14. In one zone, you swim a lot – but it’s more annoying than it really brings anything.
the “Jumping Potions” don’t interest me much as a regular player; they are more for new or returning players
However, there are detail changes that you notice:
the inventory has been enlarged to the point where I didn’t even think about it in 60, 70 hours. Before, I had to constantly tidy up.
thanks to the “automatically equip the best gear” feature that came a while ago, I also didn’t have to think about equipment.
Changes in the skill system make the game smoother and more logical. The “please stay still” bonus that was imposed on the Bard in Heavensward is now gone, and I can move more freely again. Yay!
These are not changes that make one click their tongue, but they make an already rounded game a little better and more enjoyable. Fairly, it must also be acknowledged that FF14 brings new features and improvements also in “normal patches.” One does not have to wait for the next expansion, as other MMORPGs like to do.
Final Fantasy XIV: Progression of Skills and Equipment is Linear
However, one can also see this simplification as a criticism: I didn’t have to think about equipment or skill points for 60, 70 hours.
This shows that individualization in Final Fantasy XIV is not far. The game is linear. One actually doesn’t make decisions in character creation until the endgame, where one then thinks about how to possibly enchant the equipment.
In fact, you only have to answer one question during the progression in Final Fantasy XIV: “Which class do I want to play?”
The reward system is surprisingly unsatisfying for such a large and good MMORPG. After a quest, I have the choice between 3 items, of which often none are suitable for my class, and a piece of material with which I can enchant my equipment, but also don’t have to because the benefit is marginal and each time represents a medium hassle.
The area of “items and individualization” is grayed out during the leveling phase and only starts at level 70.
The Story: Tool of a Higher Power
The story is interconnected in countless ways. Characters were introduced years ago and now return. There is a squad of characters, good and evil, all of whom have their appearances.
The story usually unfolds like a movie. Final Fantasy XIV wants you to feel like the player is at the center of this turmoil, but in reality, you are only the spectator who is guided through the story.
I really have no influence on what happens. At some points, that really annoys me when I am part of a completely idiotic plan where I want to shout after 2 seconds: “Don’t do that, that’s totally dumb!”, but I have to stand there silently, smiling, and nodding because the acting characters lead the way. I have no say.
My role is basically that of the “deus ex machina”: The heroes get themselves into some super big mess and then shout: “Warrior of Light! The situation is impossible, but you have done the impossible before. Kill the revived god/all our enemies/this tax collector.”
And then it’s said: “Oh, how do you always manage that! You are a great role model for all of us.”
Heroes are all incredibly good and dutiful
The characters on the “good side” are a motley crew of people who are all incredibly good and only want to do the right thing. The conflict that arises here is: “A hero must overcome his doubts and accept his destiny as a leader.”
Stormblood takes the story seriously. Especially at the beginning, the underlying conflict of a country under occupation is shown: The inhabitants have no freedom and no choice but to submit to their fate. They can only submit to their fate because they are powerless. Either they die or they continue to live under oppression.
This is well done, and the horror of the “good liberators” at the lethargy of the population is intense. This is celebrated over hours in the narrative.
Villains are the stars of Stormblood
But the real stars of Stormblood are the villains. Time and again, the focus shifts to them and their sinister actions:
There is the pleasure-seeking prince who does not indulge in women or food as normal people do, but who seeks his salvation only in battle and waits for a suitably challenging prey.
The best character in the villain parade is a Mhigitin, meaning a member of the oppressed people who has joined the oppressors to have a future. She is contemptuously treated by the “master race,” the Garleans. Driven by ambition to prove herself, she has a tragic aspect to her. Like the heroes, Fordola believes she can overcome all obstacles if she just tries hard enough – but she is on the wrong side. The strongest character in Stormblood.
Story resembles Star Wars, still outstanding
FF14 fans do not like to hear it, but: Stormblood is strongly reminiscent of Star Wars. The character constellation is similar: a motley crew against a faceless empire. The liberation motif is strong, and in a subplot, there is even a princess and her double.
But the story and world of Final Fantasy XIV are clearly the strengths of the game.
The attention to detail and care in the game must also be highlighted. This, however, also contributes to the arduousness of Final Fantasy XIV.
In one situation, you must knock out guards. Any other game would have left it at that. In Final Fantasy XIV, you must actually return each one individually to their sleeping places so that the other guards do not immediately notice that something is wrong, but think that the knocked-out guards are just sleeping.
At another time, you have to carry stones, and the timer you need for the normal “I interact with an object” action is noticeably slower than you are used to.
These are details that may make you roll your eyes in the moment, but they contribute to making the game feel really serious.
Final Fantasy XIV is getting better, but not really different
Final Fantasy XIV is what it is. The expansion Stormblood will not excite anyone who has been indifferent to the game until now. But those who like the MMORPG will probably love it after Stormblood.
The story is well done, the zones are cool – the Asian atmosphere benefits Final Fantasy XIV.
It is a great, unique game that you must forgive its weaknesses if you love it:
The combat system is great for raids, where 20 things happen in a minute. It is brutal during solo questing, where nothing exciting happens in a fight.
The main quests are exciting and fully voiced; the side quests are just done. You forget them while you are completing them.
The zones are beautifully designed, and when you can fly, you can fully enjoy them. Until then, you ride your Chocobo back and forth through the landscape and enjoy the beautiful music, even if you are repeating the same route for the fifth time and cursing an NPC who has one more fetch quest left.
Many decisions are not available, but … I wouldn’t call it “bad.”
But the sum of the game is greater and better than its parts. Through the tedious world-saving in the small, the reward at the end is all the greater when you have done it again and can celebrate with your friends. Because of the hours spent fulfilling your everyday duties as a hero, the epic boss fight at the end becomes all the more significant and beautiful.
Stormblood is a game for a small group of players. It is for players who think that a good deal of work belongs to an MMORPG. Maybe that doesn’t fit as well into our times as it did a few years ago, but Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood is a masterfully crafted MMORPG with a great story, into which you can dive for many hours.
