In 2018 and 2019, many new MMORPGs for PC were released. Many of them can be found on Steam, and we reported on most of them at MeinMMO. Now, our author Alexander Leitsch looks back at the recent online role-playing games and assigns grades from 1 to 6.
What is the article about? While several new MMORPGs were released in the last two years, not all of them could convince. Therefore, I thought it would be a good idea to look back at the players and give them grades.
The grading scale is as follows:
- Grade 1 – Top MMORPG, convinces me and masses of players
- Grade 2 – A good MMORPG, recommendation to buy
- Grade 3 – Average, can be played, not a must
- Grade 4 – Did not convince me, but has a player base
- Grade 5 – Definitely should not be played
- Grade 6 – Was so bad that it was shut down
In between, I will provide slight tendencies in the form of pluses and minuses to give you a rough idea of the direction in which I see the MMORPG. On the first page of the article, you will find the MMORPGs from 2018, and on page 2, all the games from 2019.
What do you think about the ratings? Was I too harsh or too lenient in some places?
Life is Feudal MMO – Grade 4
Developer: Bitbox | Platform: PC | Release Date: January 11, 2018 (EA) | Model: Free2Play
What is Life is Feudal? Life is Feudal is a sandbox MMORPG with many survival elements. The goal is to survive in a medieval world, build cities together in a guild, and engage in warfare with other guilds.
The game relies heavily on realism. It takes a lot of time and dedication to develop your character. Life is Feudal places a strong emphasis on PvP.
How is the grade determined? Life is Feudal advertises as Free2Play, although only one character can enter the mainland for free. All others must be paid for, which I find a bit misleading.
Additionally, the game involves a lot of grinding, which quickly becomes boring in my opinion. Whether you want to advance professions or engage in wars, everything takes a lot of time. You also lose skill points you have painstakingly earned upon death unless you pay monthly for the game.
In my opinion, the MMORPG is only for real medieval and survival lovers who can handle grinding and frustration; it’s not for the average player. Furthermore, there are still technical flaws and localization issues.
SoulWorker – Grade 3-
Developer: Lion Games | Platform: PC | Release Date: February 26, 2018 | Model: Free2Play
What is SoulWorker? In this MMORPG, you take on the role of a SoulWorker, but you must first discover and unleash your powers. Depending on the character you choose, there are different abilities.
The focus of SoulWorker is clearly on the PvE area with over 100 dungeons. However, there are also PvP contents where you can compete against other players.
How is the grade determined? SoulWorker is an anime MMORPG, and you need to like anime to fully enjoy SoulWorker. Fast-paced battles and a visual spectacle are included. If you enjoy that, you will find SoulWorker to be one of the best games on the market.
The grade could have been even better if it weren’t for a difficult payment model. VIP subscriptions cost nearly $40 a month, and skill trees can only be reset with real money.
Project: Gorgon – Grade 4+
Developer: Elder Game LLC | Platform: PC | Release Date: March 13, 2018 (EA) | Model: Buy2Play
What is Project: Gorgon? Project: Gorgon is an indie MMORPG styled after classic games like Asheron’s Call, but without focusing on PvP.
In the game, you will hardly be guided; instead, you have to discover and figure everything out yourself. The game also dispenses with fixed classes and allows you to build relationships with NPCs.
How is the grade determined? Project: Gorgon is not a bad MMORPG; it is just very specific and not suited for me or most other players. It occupies a niche and may bind players to it in the long term.
However, the game is not developed enough to leave early access, even nearly 2 years after its release. Therefore, it only receives a 4+.
Bless Online – Grade 6
Developer: Neowiz | Platform: PC | Release Date: May 30, 2018 | Model: Initially Buy2Play, then Free2Play, then closed
What is Bless? Bless Online was an AAA MMORPG from Asia that wanted to convince in the West with some adjustments. It was a theme park game with many PvP contents and a very interesting “Taming” system with over 600 pets and mounts.
How is the grade determined? Bless Online failed brutally in the West. There are several reasons for this:
- There were technical issues
- The MMORPG generally had poor performance
- Promised content was missing
- The localization was faulty
This already led to the shutdown of Bless Online. However, in March a revival of the game called “Bless Unleashed” will be released on Xbox One.
MapleStory 2 – Grade 2-
Developer: Nexon | Platform: PC | Release Date: October 4, 2018 | Model: Free2Play
What is MapleStory 2? MapleStory 2 is a quasi-prequel to the successful Asian MMO MapleStory. In the colorful MMORPG, you explore a 3D world, experience quests, fight against monsters, and complete mini-games. Additionally, housing plays an important role.
The anime MMORPG was a hit on Steam at the end of 2018 when up to 40,000 people played it on Steam.
How is the grade determined? MapleStory 2 has lost many players since its grand launch, but still has good reviews on Steam. It can also convince in terms of gameplay if you enjoy anime MMORPGs.
It can’t be compared to WoW or similar games in terms of scope and structure, but it is very good in its niche.
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