Legends of Idleon MMO is one of the largest and most popular MMORPGs on Steam. As the name suggests, it is not a classic MMORPG, but mixes in elements of idle games. Annoying grind is taken off your hands, while also being absurdly emphasized. MeinMMO editor Alexander Leitsch tried the game and was positively surprised.
What kind of game is this? Legends of Idleon MMO is a free-to-play game that combines classic MMORPG elements like quests, dungeons, equipment progression, and crafting with idle games.
The English word “Idle” means inactive and refers to the way you play. Without much effort and attention to the game, you are supposed to feel a sense of achievement and reward. One of the most well-known idle games is Cookie Clicker, which also released on Steam this year.
Specifically, this means at Legends of Idleon:
- You complete quests and fight in dungeons
- But annoying grind like chopping wood and farming XP or materials is done by the game itself.
You can even create additional characters that farm for you in the background while you follow the story with your main character.
How popular is the game on Steam? With 2,173 average players in the past 30 days, Legends of Idleon just missed the Top 10 of the biggest MMORPGs on Steam in November 2021. In October, it was still in 10th place, but then Elyon was released.
Legends of Idleon also receives very positive reviews. Of 5,105 ratings, 90% are positive. A reason to take a closer look at the game.
There have already been previews this year for New World, Bless Unleashed, or Swords of Legends Online. In this article, he reports on Legends of Idleon MMO, which he has played for about 20 hours.
A 2D world full of humor
What is the entry like? The entry into Legends of Idleon is already great. I start as a high-level character and learn the basics of the game, such as: walking, hitting, and using portals. I am greeted by a 2D world, allowing me to move left and right and climb up and down thanks to various ropes.
Right from the start, I encounter some entertaining dialogues. I meet a giant troll who tells me that the boss room is “down in the hole.” However, behind the troll is a huge portal. When I address the troll about this, he simply pushes the portal out of sight. Clever!
After I’ve learned the basics, the troll throws me off the platform, and I fall and fall and fall deeper and deeper. Once I reach the bottom, I suddenly find myself as a level 1 character and have to work my way up again.
The character editor offers only a few options:
- Name
- Player type – a selection from various attributes like strength, flexibility, or wisdom
- Gender (Male, Female, Neither, Other, Stick Figure)
- The starter hat
Especially with the hat, you can tell that the game does not take itself too seriously. My first equipment consists of a colorful children’s hat, boxing gloves, and a shirt with oranges on it. So, I’m not expecting an immersive, coherent world, but rather a lot of nonsense and humor.
Even the quests go in the same direction, such as when a talking picnic basket assigns me the task of farming 200 frog legs because they are so delicious.
A combat system without real skill, even in group dungeons
How is it played? In Legends of Idleon, I move by clicking on the desired location with the mouse. Dialogues with NPCs also occur even if I am quite far away from them. What matters is that I can reach them with the mouse, just like with the loot.
At the beginning, I fight with my bare fists. Since I only have an auto-attack, the combat system is rather weak in the first hours. But that’s fine, after all, there’s auto-fight. I just click a button, and the slaughter begins.
Well… the first mobs barely fight back. They do some damage at first, but after the first new chest armor, they hardly deal any damage at all.
Over time, I learn to craft new weapons and improve my talents. This way, I also acquire new skills, which, however, only make the combat system somewhat more interesting. Basically, I am only fighting in auto mode.
Collecting resources: When collecting resources, I have two options:
- Eitherr I use the automatic idle animation and collect very slowly
- Or I play a mini-game. That is faster but requires my attention
For collecting, there are, at least based on my current status, three things: ores, trees, and fishing for fish.
My first dungeon: At around level 6, I encounter my first dungeon. With a total of 8 players, we set off and fight against green frogs, purple frogs, and blue frogs. There is a timer of 10 minutes, and afterward, there are rewards.
While I kill frogs, they drop food and orbs that give me various bonuses just for this run. I receive specific bonuses for this run, such as more life, more damage, or higher critical chance. In each new dungeon run, I can follow a somewhat different path. Additionally, I must constantly eat cake to stay alive.
An overall funny mechanic that forces me to be active in the dungeon, even though my character is basically fighting on its own.
Grind that you wouldn’t carry in normal MMORPGs
The second character: At around level 7, I learn a special mechanic of the game. I can create a second character who then takes over the wood chopping or resource gathering for me. Practical!
Characters that perform idle tasks do not need to be logged in. This includes:
- Automatic woodcutting
- Automatic resource gathering
- Automatic fighting
The game uses an account-wide chest where I can swap items between characters. And that is also badly needed, as absurd amounts of resources are required, and I would have to grind forever with one character just to gain the experience points needed to harvest gold or the purple crystals.
At level 30, 60, 130, and 225, I also unlock more character slots that can grind as well.
What makes the game special? Essentially, Legends of Idleon is one big grind. Reaching level 100 is supposed to take weeks, during which the game runs continuously. I have no idea how long it will take to reach level 225.
Also, very high amounts of resources are quickly needed for new equipment.
The fact that I should collect 200 frog legs after not even 2 hours of gameplay, which also don’t even have a 100% drop chance, is actually an outrage.
But only actually.
Constant rewards and character development ensure fun
Why is the game worth it? Legends of Idleon is addicting without having to play much. It has a similar effect as I know from Cookie Clicker.
There are constantly new tasks, new rewards, and one wants to progress. At the same time, you hardly have to play yourself, but just check in every 30 minutes or perhaps even every few days, and still feel good about it.
Moreover, the game offers a certain depth, especially in character development:
- There are various weapons
- Over 300 different talents you can skill
- You will later choose from various subclasses
- There are additional upgrades for equipment
- There is an achievement system
Also, some funny Easter eggs and hidden achievements are included in Legends of Idleon. This has kept me engaged, and I now have my 20 “hours of gameplay” completed.
Is it really an MMORPG? Yes, there are classic RPG elements, and you constantly encounter other players. Already in the starting area, six of us stood by a tree and were chopping it together, only that it never disappears.
Because Legends of Idleon can also be played quasi AFK in dungeons, there is more time for chatting. I have already had more contact with other players here than in many other MMORPGs.
However, you need to be aware that there are different worlds in the game. These are populated to varying degrees, but you can switch between them at any time. Especially in the dungeons, it is advisable to play on a full server.
What about the shop? As is common for a free-to-play MMORPG, there is a shop through which the game is financed. There you can buy 200 gems for 1.99 euros. However, there are also gems that you sometimes find in the game itself.
In the shop, there are not only cosmetic items but also additional inventory slots for 200 gems, an additional 7 teleports to the city for 200 gems, and candy ranging from 40 to 240 gems. This candy can be used to receive XP and loot rewards for a certain AFK time. This can be described as pay-to-win, although you are just buying more time that you would otherwise be AFK anyway.
Additionally, there are items that allow you to perform two crafting actions simultaneously.
Conclusion: A game for MMORPG fans who like idle games
Legends of Idleon is not a classic MMORPG. You do not follow a strong story, you do not have a super deep combat system; in most cases, you do not play it actively at all, but let it run in the background. It is clear that the focus is on idle gameplay. You receive constant progress without having to sit concentrated in front of the computer or smartphone.
But exactly with this, and with the very own humor, Legends of Idleon has convinced me so far. It has some interesting mechanics, such as additional characters that farm materials for you while you are AFK. It’s almost a homage to the bots that are usually found in MMORPGs.
However, sometimes you still need to play, such as when it comes to dungeons and you need to eat cake and collect orbs that strengthen you. You will also still need to perform crafting to get new equipment. It doesn’t play entirely by itself.
If you like idle games like Cookie Clicker and also have a fondness for MMORPGs, you should definitely check out Legends of Idleon. It is a funny game for casual play. However, if you are looking for the next big MMORPG, you won’t find it here.
Alexander Leitsch
MMORPG expert at MeinMMO
