From now on, Carbines game is Free2Play: We are reviewing WildStar: Reloaded in an extensive test.
One Year Later – Ripe or Decayed?
It has been a little over a year since we subjected the SciFi MMORPG WildStar to a comprehensive test. The switch to a Free2Play model has prompted us to take another look at the game. Since the basic statements of the first test still apply, I can only urge you to read it, as I refer to many of the points mentioned there.
We focus on the following questions: What has fundamentally changed? Is the game worth it for newcomers and returnees alike? What works better than before – and what perhaps worse?
The First Login After a Long, Long Time
Many months have passed since my last login in WildStar. But can even a veteran of the first hour still find their way in the game? The clear answer: No. While the basic gameplay has changed little, there are many elements in the game that could easily overwhelm returnees at first. The new zones and NPCs for various activities are so numerous that one might need a good hour just to figure out what’s happening where in the capital.
I needed another two hours to understand the new rune system and to get my gear back to a somewhat decent level. Returnees should also avoid checking the mailbox, as it is ruthlessly overloaded with exchanged items, runes, and pretty much every crafting material that one might have accidentally looked at in the past.
The Interface – Even More Menus
The interface in WildStar was already a point of criticism back then: The numerous menus were too confusing and too many error messages meant that the interface had to be reloaded regularly. Has this changed? Unfortunately not.
There is still a button to access the seemingly endless menu items, but nothing has been streamlined here. On the contrary: New items like the holo-wardrobe, the Protostar contracts, or the content finder provide even more elements that either need to be assigned to keyboard shortcuts or manually selected from the list every time. And the interface errors have also not been fixed or replaced by new ones.
No game day has passed without several interface errors causing my virtual demise. Not all errors are severe; for example, a suddenly disappearing minimap is not dramatic. However, when a tooltip of an item unexpectedly appears on the screen during PvP, moves with the mouse, and prevents me from clicking on other things in the environment, it is simply annoying.
Fill the Bars! Which Ones? Doesn’t Matter!
If you can’t get enough of the slowly filling bars that indicate the progress of some action, you can rejoice: WildStar is overflowing with various experience and point bars that need to be filled. This starts with the level and path and does not end there: At level 50, specific contracts can be accepted that reward players with points upon completion.
Once a certain number of points is reached, a special reward awaits, such as equipment, rune parts, or rare housing items. If the bar is completely filled, a handsome sum of platinum and some of the best rewards in the game await – before the whole thing starts over. These contracts come in various forms and fall into two categories, each with different rewards: PvP and PvE.
And then there are also the challenges, or better known as the Challenges, which I will talk about on the next page…