Inferna is an MMORPG from 2019. Gameplay, graphics, and many details strongly resemble the classic Metin2 from 2005, which is why Inferna is often referred to as “Metin3.” But what happened to the game?
The MMORPG launched in 2019 and is playable via Steam, but is still in Early Access. The development team is called Inferna Limited, a studio that was founded in 2016 and consists of only 3 employees, as the Steam page reveals.
Players affectionately refer to Inferna as “Metin3”
What kind of game is it? Inferna is a fantasy MMORPG that reminds many players of Metin2, which is why it is often compared to it. It focuses on PvE but also offers some PvP content. In its combat system, Inferna relies on a mix of tab-targeting and hack & slash.
You create a character and choose one of 4 classes: Warrior, Mage, Half-Demon, and Assassin. Later, you decide on one of two specializations.
You enter an open world where you can move freely. There are mounts – players receive a wolf as a mount for the first 3 days.
How does it resemble Metin2?
- Both games have not the best graphics and a similar user interface.
- In Metin2, you farm Metin stones, hitting them, defeating waves of monsters, and receiving a lot of loot in the end. In Inferna, they are called rifts.
- The combat system works almost identically.
- At the beginning, you run back and forth between NPCs that are virtually identical except for their names. The quests are also similar. In Metin2, the town guard tasks you with killing 9 wild dogs; in Inferna, it’s 6 foxes.
- The map is similarly divided in both games. You run to the portal on the map to get to the next area, from there to the next, and so on. There are no waypoints or teleporters in between.
- In both MMORPGs, you read skill books to improve your skills. These can fail.
On the left, you see Inferna, on the right, Metin2:
The release was rocky, developers do not give up
At the release in December 2019, Inferna recorded an all-time peak of 2,900 concurrent players (via SteamDB). From there, it went downhill – In January, there were only 300 concurrent players per day, in February 130. Since then, the MMORPG has been stumbling with numbers between 20 and 100 – Today’s peak is 61 players (as of February 1, 2023).
But the developers do not give up on the MMORPG even with low player numbers. Inferna receives regular updates. Initially weekly, now only monthly since 2023. The patch notes include many balance updates and bug fixes, as the game is still in Early Access. The user interface is also continually being improved.
There are also events – For example, there was a raffle at Christmas and the Halloween event was even divided into 4 different phases. In between, there are still events with increased experience points and drop rates.
New content is gradually being added to the MMORPG. It takes time, but it comes. A new dungeon has been added, players can now craft gemstones and improve their gear with them, gear starts to sparkle from a +7 upgrade and so on. New quest lines are also being added.
Here you see the trailer for Inferna:
Aim to be free from Pay2Win, now brings everything to the item shop
Metin2 is heavily geared towards Pay2Win, regarding Inferna, it was said this was less the case. “Metin3 without Pay2Win is good,” someone writes in the reviews on Steam.
The developers write: “[The] indie development team places particular importance on creating a free and fair game whose content is accessible without any purchase barriers. For this reason, for example, the focus of the in-game shop is on cosmetic items such as mounts, pets, and skins.”
For the update in January 2023, they seem to no longer hold this opinion, as the item shop is suddenly full of useful items that can be purchased with real money. Among them are items to read more skill books and for higher success chances. There are also items for better bonuses in equipment. Additionally, there are useful potions that make you stronger in combat.
This undermines the purely cosmetic approach that the developers had for their item shop. “This is once again completely going in the wrong direction. Metin2 did it just as wrong…Pay2Win,” is written in a comment under the patch notes on Steam.
Steam reviews are more positive than negative
The reviews on Steam have been 62% positive over time, giving Inferna the overall rating of “Mixed.” Positive voices feel the nostalgia as it reminds them of Metin2, others see great potential in the game and look forward to future updates. Others are less enthusiastic. We summarize some of the voices for you:
- Habugili: “If you enjoyed playing Metin2 in the past: Inferna is heavily based on this game and works according to the same principle.”
- Hidefff: “Really (still) not good.”
- Gmeirer: “I really like the game. It reminds me of Metin2, which I used to play a lot in my younger years. You have to keep in mind that the game is still in Early Access and is represented by a small, new team. Of course, you have to accept that not everything is 100% error-free and that the concept is still being developed.”
- MrPain: “The game has great potential, related to Metin2. […] It’s quite good for Early Access, worth testing if you like Metin2 and MMORPGs in general.”
- Kanna Kamui: “It’s still in its infancy, but it will surely improve. You can see that the developers care and want to advance the game with the community.”
What do you think about the MMORPG Inferna? Do you see it as a “Metin3” or is it a completely different game for you? Have you tried Inferna or are you currently playing it? Feel free to let us know in the comments here on MeinMMO!
