With Fractured, an interesting MMORPG is currently being created, aimed at sandbox fans and already makes the impression of a modern Ultima Online during its Alpha.
Ultima Online was released in 1997 and still has a loyal fanbase today. Although Broadsword is now developing the online role-playing game instead of Origin, patches and updates are still regularly released. The gameplay of a gigantic sandbox still attracts players today: People can do virtually anything in Ultima Online; besides warriors, players can also be fishermen or blacksmiths.
Fractured takes exactly this path from the developer Dynamight Studios. The sandbox aspect is the centerpiece.
Basically, the game starts similarly to survival games like Conan Exiles or ARK: Survival Evolved. You start with nothing and initially gather resources to craft your first items like tools, clothing, or weapons. Over time, you venture deeper into the wilderness, where dangerous monsters lurk. The game is played from an isometric perspective. Thus, you see the action similarly to how you would see it in Diablo from an overhead angle.
The monsters help improve your hero through skills by earning points through fighting, which can be used to improve your abilities. However, the monsters also serve as resource providers. In Fractured, there are no levels to progress through. Over time, you will become more powerful through your skills and you can even build your own house according to your specifications. If you team up with other players, settlements and kingdoms are possible.
The economy is entirely in the hands of the players. There is a cycle of adventurers who venture into the wilderness to gather resources and craftsmen who buy these materials to create equipment. This equipment is then resold to the adventurers.
What makes Fractured special?
- Fractured offers a very interesting feature. You decide on which of the three worlds you want to play. These differ based on PvP. Under strict rules, it is possible to travel to the worlds of the other races.
- For humans, PvP is heavily restricted and subject to a strict justice system.
- The Beastmen do not fight among themselves – there is no PvP in their world.
- The Demons are a warlike race, and in their world, everything revolves around PvP and territorial battles.
- You decide how much or how little PvP you want in the MMORPG Fractured. If you are only interested in PvE, then choose the world of the Beastmen. If you want to occasionally compete fairly with other players, the realm of humans may be for you. However, if you prefer open PvP and territorial wars, then you are with the Demons.
- Furthermore, Fractured employs the Spatial OS technology. This allows even small teams to create and simulate gigantic worlds without much effort. Thus, you explore very large areas in the MMORPG, even though it comes from a smaller indie studio.
- Another interesting aspect of the online role-playing game is the talent system. You do not learn skills from trainers, but rather randomly during gameplay by performing certain activities. For example, crafting items could grant you a new skill.
You can improve skills using Knowledge Points. You also earn these through gameplay, for example, when you craft items, find relics, or perform other activities. However, this system was not yet fully implemented in the current Alpha version.
Who is Fractured for?
The MMORPG wants to bring back the feeling that Ultima Online conveyed in the late 1990s: freedom. Fractured aims to become a second home for you; an MMORPG where it is not about blazing through content quickly and becoming the best on the server. You live in a community where every player has a role. This creates a virtual world.
Furthermore, the MMORPG Fractured does not only aim at PvE or PvP fans but wants to offer a playground for both groups. The system with the three worlds is a good way to provide players exactly what they desire.
If you are looking for an MMORPG that can become a second home like Ultima Online, offers many freedoms, and provides you with the playstyle you enjoy, you should keep an eye on Fractured. The interest in such a classic MMORPG is evidenced by the successful Kickstarter campaign from 2018, where 1,050 backers contributed 111,662 euros for financing.
Where does Fractured currently stand?
The MMORPG is currently in the Alpha phase, where not all features are present. The team has not yet announced a Beta date. The release is also not confirmed yet. The MMORPG is expected to be released no earlier than 2021.
The basic framework with survival elements, crafting, combat, and house building is already present and works well. However, many other aspects are still missing, such as the political system and trading between players.
There is still a lot to do to turn this framework into a full-fledged and comprehensive MMORPG. However, with every alpha phase, more features are added. Nevertheless, the release will likely take over a year to arrive.
How did the MMORPG Fractured play in the Alpha?
MeinMMO had the opportunity to participate in the last Alpha. Fractured is still in an early state. Whether a release can happen in 2021 is therefore not certain. Nevertheless, it plays smoothly. Your first steps in the foreign world are easy, and soon you will have your first weapons and be able to venture further into the wilderness. This motivates you to keep playing.
However, the world of Fractured is still empty, and there is not much to do except crafting items, building houses, and fighting monsters. However, this hopefully will change over time. Further alpha tests are planned that will bring new features, including talent trees, player cities, and additional areas. This shows that continuous development is taking place.
Playing Fractured has also shown that we can expect a classic MMORPG here. Fractured feels like an Ultima Online with 3D graphics. This is evident in the many menus, the somewhat more complex controls, and the fact that you are set loose quite early on. You won’t be hand-held and guided through the game by quests.
What we like so far about Fractured – and what we don’t like
Fractured is still in an early state. Therefore, quite a bit is likely to change before the release of the MMORPG. However, we can already assess the game a bit:
Andreas Bertits
Freelance author at Mein-MMO
