The MMORPG expert TheLazyPeon has looked at the third alpha testing phase of Corepunk and drawn a preliminary conclusion. MeinMMO summarizes the strengths and weaknesses identified by the well-known YouTuber during gameplay.
What is the current status of Corepunk? The MMORPG by Artificial Core has gone through three alpha testing phases so far and various delays and has two important milestones ahead:
- Early access starts on November 26, 2024
- Alpha Test 4 runs from August 6, 2024, to September 6, 2024
Anyone who wants to can support the developers by purchasing a pre-order package and thus secure access to Alpha 4, early access, as well as the release version and the content of the first season. However, before you reach for your credit card, you should continue reading!
Here you can see gameplay of the “Top-Down MMORPG” Corepunk:
Tough conclusion from the lazy Peon
A few days ago, one of the most internationally recognized YouTubers for the MMORPG genre, TheLazyPeon, released a video about Corepunk (via YouTube), to draw a conclusion about the Alpha 3 testing phase. The content creator living in Thailand has 750,000 subscribers and more than 660 videos, and there seems to be no current online role-playing game that the “lazy Peon” hasn’t played.
What does TheLazyPeon say about Corepunk? Right from the start, the onboarding and player guidance seem to be two major issues in the last alpha version of the MMORPG. Testers are thrown straight into the world without any introduction. Quest givers are not recognizable as such.
The drop rates for items needed for early quests seem to be abysmally low across the board. Additionally, the sources for these resources are widely dispersed and not visible on any map. The MMORPG professional stated that it took him “hours” to collect the desired items for one of the starting quests.
Another system further hinders the gaming experience of Corepunk: Injured characters do not regenerate health points. Instead, you have to place the injured fighter at a campfire, for example, and painstakingly refresh their health. Moreover, even fighting against two enemies can quickly lead to death.
Here you can find the video from TheLazyPeon about Corepunk:
What are TheLazyPeon’s “pros”? At the end of his videos, the YouTuber likes to reveal which strengths and weaknesses he identified during gameplay. In his opinion, these areas deserve praise:
- TheLazyPeon likes the visual art style of the “Top-Down MMORPG”.
- The “User Interface” looks tidy and intuitive.
- The MOBA-esque combat system has a tactical component and rewards skill.
- From the beginning, players are unleashed, which brings a feeling of freedom to a certain extent.
Furthermore, he praises throughout the video that the character – for a “Top-Down MMORPG” – is unusually agile. For example, he can jump and swim.
What are TheLazyPeon’s “cons”? The list of identified issues is significantly longer:
- TheLazyPeon criticizes: “Corepunk has one of the least intuitive, most frustrating experiences for new players that I have ever experienced in an MMORPG.”
- The basic gameplay loop is not fun enough and does not motivate continued play.
- Collecting resources is not enjoyable, and is said to be worse than in most other MMORPGs – due to the limited number of resource sources combined with player competition and random drops.
- The drop rate of quest items is so low that the YouTuber was repeatedly unsure whether the current quest was simply bugged. Additionally, the vague descriptions add to the confusion. Questing feels unintuitive and frustrating.
- Health regeneration outside of combat is far too low. After each fight, one must take a longer break.
- The voiced quest dialogues have cringe-worthy quality.
- The world feels generic and uninteresting in the first hours. There are hardly any interaction opportunities, and many areas of the game world feel copied.
What conclusion does TheLazyPeon draw? The YouTuber is certain: Corepunk actually needs a complete overhaul of the onboarding experience and the core gameplay loop. The greatest strengths of the MMORPG – the visual design and the tactical combat system – are not enough to compensate for the many weaknesses. The game feels outdated and simply isn’t fun.
Keep in mind that the YouTuber played an alpha version of the MMORPG. While only minor tweaks may be made before the early access launch in November, there could still be significant improvements by the final launch – for which there is currently no date.
By the way, TheLazyPeon also has a specific improvement suggestion: The developers of Corepunk should play RuneScape for two weeks. Because there, one can find all the solutions to the current issues of the new “Top-Down MMORPG.” And it still captivates a fine community: Expert plays MMORPG for a special item, breaks record, and only needs 1,758 hours
