Swords of Legends Online will be released in summer 2021 in the West. But what is the new MMORPG about and what content can you look forward to? MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch reveals all the important details.
Why is SOLO so interesting? With Swords of Legends Online comes a beautiful Buy2Play MMORPG from China that differs from the classic Asian grinders. It is a theme park game with a linear story, has no random effects when upgrading equipment, and does not include open-world PvP.
In this special, I want to explain what exactly lies within Swords of Legends and tell you whether the MMORPG is worth your time. So far, I have spent more than 30 hours playing the alpha and have tried out several content in the original version in Taiwan.
SOLO is a Themepark MMORPG with a linear story and action-packed fights
How is SOLO structured? At the start of SOLO, you need to create a character and play a short tutorial. After the tutorial, you enter the city of Cloud’s Ascent, the central hub of the game.
From here, you can access the 9 different areas of SOLO. There is no completely open world. Instead, you need to reload each area, where you will encounter other players in the respective zones. The system is similar to that of Guild Wars 2 or Final Fantasy XIV.
However, you experience the exact same story and quests with each character created, except for the class-specific areas where you go through about 10 quests in total. There is only one area for each level, unlike in WoW or GW2, where you can visit the starting areas of other races.
What is the story about? The MMORPG tells a classic tale of good versus evil. At the center is a particularly powerful sword – the Ancestral Sword – and several other equally powerful swords. They give the game its name.
With these weapons, 900 years ago, the five sword masters of humanity fought against a dark and malicious army. Although the good side was able to win, it was with heavy losses. The remaining evil was then sealed and is guarded by the Qin Alliance. As a player, you are one of the chosen ones of the Sword Hearts and join the fight against evil.
We’ve summarized more about the story here: We explain the story of Swords of Legends Online.
What is the combat system of SOLO like? Swords of Legends offers an action-packed combat system. While casting almost all abilities, you can move freely. Additionally, there is a dodge roll and various abilities that allow you to evade attacks.
The MMORPG also relies on a Holy Trinity of tanks, healers, and damage dealers, which are especially needed in raids and dungeons.
How do you move around in the game? In addition to the classic walking option, you can also sprint, jump, ride, and fly. Particularly cool in SOLO are the triple jumps that you learn over time. This allows you to overcome obstacles and jump up mountains.
There are 6 classes to choose from
What classes are available? At the start of SOLO in the West, there will be 6 classes, each with access to two different playstyles:
- Reaper – An assassin with scythes, who can also be a healer in the second path
- Berserker – A classic melee fighter who can deal damage or tank
- Sword Mage – A DPS class that attacks with swords in close or ranged combat
- Bard – A class with a string instrument that can deal damage or heal
- Summoner – A damage dealer in ranged combat who can also heal in the second path
- Spear Master – A melee fighter who can act as a damage dealer or tank
All classes can be played as either male or female. There is no gender lock.
In China, there are also already 3 additional classes: an archer, a swordsman, and a mage. This mage is the only class with a gender lock, which is explained by Chinese mythology (this fox spirit is always depicted as female).
Switching between specializations: Once you are not in combat, you can freely switch between your two specializations. The switch takes only 8 seconds of casting time during which you cannot be interrupted.
Additionally, each specialization has 5 save slots for your own builds. With these save slots, you can also switch with a click. This also automatically adjusts your skill bars.
Leveling has ups and downs
How does leveling work? Basically, you follow a story quest that guides you through the various areas. In the areas, there are also additional side quests. In higher areas, there are also daily quests that can be repeated.
The quests often consist of classic tasks such as killing mobs or collecting items. However, they are always broken up by special elements, such as vehicle battles or stealth missions.
However, the tasks are not really varied but rather typical MMO fare. On a positive note, there are many tutorials that explain not only combat but also housing, the Holy Trinity, or dungeons in general.
Where does leveling have problems? Between level 23 and 25, again between 32 and 34, and also between level 36 and 37, you will run out of quests. The respective story continues only at the higher level. Here, you must necessarily complete daily quests, run dungeons in practice mode, or fall back on the bosses from the life skills.
This feels somewhat grindy at times. The most efficient measure is to run the dungeon “Cool Wind” multiple times in a row. One run takes about 8 minutes and grants between 5 and 15% of the required experience points.
What is the max level, and how long does it take? The maximum level in the game is 36+1. You first need to reach level 36 and then fill the entire XP bar again. After that, you will receive a quest to ascend from Student level 36 to Student level 1.
This takes, in my experience, about 12 to 30 play hours, depending on how efficiently you play and how carefully you read the quests and story.
In China, there are now already the next 36+1 levels. There, you level from Student 1 to Student 1 significantly faster than in our version.
How important is the max level? In SOLO, the path to Student 1 is essentially just a large tutorial. Only with the max level do you unlock the many contents of the game, including:
- Dungeons with groups
- Raids
- PvP
- Housing
- Some of the life skills
Many contents cannot be experienced if you do not reach the max level.
7 Life Skills that bring fresh air into the game
What does SOLO offer in life skills? Life skills can roughly be compared to professions from other games. Here, Swords of Legends offers 7 things, some of which differ significantly from contents of other MMORPGs:
- Bounty Hunting – A system through which you unlock bosses on the world map. These are available in solo, team (1-5 players), and group (a classic world boss for a larger number of players) versions.
- Bearer of the Emerald Lantern – This life skill allows you to access an alternative version of the map. Here are special ghost bosses that you can defeat. As a reward, you receive a currency through which you can obtain certain cosmetics.
- Nature Explorer – A life skill with which you can find special chests in the world containing crafting materials.
- Gathering – Through this life skill, you harvest plants and other things you need for cooking.
- Fishing – You catch fish that you can use for cooking buff food.
- Cooking – As a cook, you can create buff food that can be used for dungeons, raids, and also in PvP. The right buff food plays a crucial role as it improves various stats.
- Guest of Infinity – A life skill revolving around a card game in the game. You need to collect cards of the same color to trigger special effects. It can be played against NPCs or other players.
In the endgame, there are dungeons, raids, PvP, and guild activities
How is the endgame structured? In addition to various life skills and daily quests, the endgame of SOLO primarily offers the following:
- Dungeons and raids
- Instanced PvP battles, including small arenas like 3v3, but also larger battles
- Achievements
- Fashion endgame in the form of special skins, mounts, and housing
- Leaderboards
How do the dungeons work? Dungeons come in several difficulty levels: Practice, Normal, Hard, and Extreme. Practice can be played solo, while the other difficulties require teammates.
Dungeons can be played flexibly with 5 to 10 players. The more players are involved, the more health points and other bonuses the dungeon enemies receive.
In most dungeons, there are intermediate bosses waiting for you. At the final boss, there is a chest that provides crafting materials and at least one equipment item. Some bosses gain new abilities or random mechanics in extreme mode.
However, there are limits to the dungeons:
- A normal dungeon gives loot once per day
- Hard and Extreme each give loot only once a week
How do raids work? Raids are based on the same principle as dungeons. They can be entered flexibly with 10 to 20 players and also only drop loot once a week.
More on the topic of endgame in SOLO can be found in this article: New MMORPG Swords of Legends comes in summer – This is what the endgame looks like.
What does SOLO offer in PvP? In PvP, Swords of Legends starts with two arenas: 3v3 and 5v5. These can be entered via a queue. If a player is defeated in the arena, they cannot be revived. The team that has the last living player wins.
Additionally, there is a mode where teams play in 15v15, a kind of battle royale for 30 players, and a 10v10 capture point match. We have gathered a first trailer and more information about PvP for you.
In China, several other PvP contents have also been integrated, including:
- 100 vs 100 battles that take place every Saturday.
- New maps that offer PvEvP.
What is known so far about alliances? Alliances can be easily founded as soon as you reach level 20 and pay 10 gold. Initially, they have a maximum member limit of 50. However, this can be increased later.
Through alliances, you can earn bonuses, such as more XP from mobs, and there are also special alliance missions that can be completed in groups.
What are the leaderboards about? SOLO offers leaderboards for various areas, including players with the most gold, those with the most achievement points, or the best PvP players. At one point, I even reached third place in gold.
Equipment cannot break when upgrading
How does the equipment system work?
- Good equipment can be obtained through dungeons, raids, and crafting. Here, luck plays a role since you need to get the equipment and materials dropped.
- You can upgrade your equipment in several stages, without failures like in Black Desert.
- Some equipment has a socket in which you can place various gems.
- The PvE equipment does not work in PvP. Here, there are special armors of which you receive a full set for completing the PvP tutorial quests.
Although I haven’t yet acquired the best equipment by far, my experiences and collected information suggest that the system is relatively straightforward and not too reliant on luck and stress.
You can get lost in housing
What does SOLO offer in housing? Upon reaching Student level 1, you receive a quest for your own house. This is a flying island that you can buy for 200 gold. Other players can visit this island.
On the island, there is a large construction area where you can unleash your creativity. There are dozens of houses, furniture, walls, trees, and decorations that you can place freely.
However, these items require many materials. You obtain these materials by growing them yourself on your island. There is a kind of quarry, fields, and wood that you can plant and harvest daily. Depending on what you grow, you specialize in certain materials.
On your island, you can also choose which music plays and what the weather is like. If you like it icy, you can ensure constant snowfall. But there is also the option to regularly change the weather, allowing sunshine and snowfall to alternate.
There is no Pay2Win in the shop
How is the game funded? Swords of Legends is a Buy2Play MMORPG. You only have to pay a one-time fee of 40 euros (up to 100 euros depending on the package) and then you can play it for free forever. Future updates and DLCs are also said to be free.
However, there is a shop where items are sold for real money, including:
- Outfits
- Hairstyles
- Weapon skins
- Accessories
- Character re-skinning
- Mounts
- Housing contents
However, there are no Pay2Win elements that make you stronger. The shop also completely refrains from XP buffs, level boosts, and additional inventory or character slots. The only comfort items available are name and gender changes.
The Battle Pass: A Battle Pass is planned for the future, which is supposed to include in-game items in the free version and only cosmetic changes in the paid version.
We explained how the shop is structured, how the unlocking of skins works, and what the Battle Pass entails here: Is the new MMORPG Swords of Legends Pay2Win? This is really in the shop.
The beta starts in May
When can you play Swords of Legends? The MMORPG is currently in alpha, to which members of the gaming press, including us, and some content creators have been invited. Additionally, the first keys have already been distributed to players, for example, in the official Discord for the game (via Discord).
On May 21, however, the first closed beta for SOLO starts. All pre-order players and players with a key can participate. Beta keys are expected to be raffled off in the coming days.
What do you think about the current information about Swords of Legends Online? Will you check out the MMORPG or skip it? Feel free to let us know in the comments.
In the coming days and weeks, you will find various articles and guides about the game on MeinMMO. Just keep an eye on our game page for Swords of Legends Online.
