Word Play: The Age Of ArcheAge Is (Almost) Upon Us

Jason Winter
By Jason Winter, News Editor
Share:

The hope of the next sandbox generation, ArcheAge, is finally here! Well, mostly.

I've written and we've talked at length about the Early Access phenomenon that's sweeping the gaming industry, and ArcheAge's Early Access Alpha is as pointless as any of them. I crashed a couple of times, there were a few graphical glitches, and the localization needs to be completed, but the game I played resembles more a well-polished beta than the unfinished, bug-laden alphas we've come to expect.

That's not surprising, considering the game's been fully launched in Asia for over a year. But I see it as less of a good thing and more of a subtle way to encourage people to spend on the pricy Early Access pack to give them the notion that they're going to see the game way earlier than expected. It's practically done already, at least the parts that I could see.

And what bits I could see were nice.

Muddy sandbox

I really want to enjoy the sandbox aspects of ArcheAge, and I have no doubt that I will – when it launches. As stated in the ArcheAge FAQ, “Alpha progress may carry over to a Public Test Server, but it will not carry over to Beta and the Live launch servers.” I've never been one to dive headlong into an alpha or beta like some people and play for a hundred-plus hours when I know my progress is going to be erased once the game goes live.

ArcheAge triggers those feelings in me and then some. The first 10 levels are as typical a themepark as can be, going from point to point talking to NPCs and receiving quests revolving around a story that, quite frankly, I don't care about. Nobody's playing ArcheAge because they want to hear about the drama between the elves and the nuians.

Once you hit 10, some of the sandbox elements, such as housing, farming, crafting, and trade become available, in limited fashion, but you're still steered along from quest to quest, which is the most efficient way to level and accumulate cash. I've heard that the game really opens up around level 25 or 30, but there's no way I'm going that far just to do it all again once the game goes live. And I certainly wouldn't want to pay for that privilege.

Doing justice to the genre

As for the game itself, I can see a lot of potential. I'm not a huge sandbox fan – I've never played EVE Online, for instance – but I can see the appeal in seemingly mundane tasks like trade-running and farming, and I could definitely see myself enjoying ArcheAge. It requires a different kind of thinking to succeed than a typical combat-focused, raiding MMO. The notion of planning your travel routes, maximizing your income, and occasionally ambushing your enemies and stealing their stuff looks like a ton of fun.

Then there's the justice system, which, judging by the comments I see scrolling by in the [Trial] channel, look positively frightening, if I were to stand as one of the accused, but a lot of fun as a spectator – or even better, one of the jury. I liken it to how people used to show up for public executions. Hey, gotta entertain the masses somehow...

Character progression feels like a simplified version of Rift's soul system. You'll select three of 10 skillsets, each with its own range of active and passive powers that you progress along as you possess skill points. There probably isn't quite as much room to diversify as in Rift, not only because of the fewer skillsets and powers, and people will eventually promote what they feel are the “best” builds, but it should be enough to allow you to adopt a distinct play style.

The first thing I ever read about ArcheAge's combat, a forum post from a few years ago, lamented its rigidness and reliance on crowd-control elements. Though I didn't get to try out any PvP, I can see how that would be a thing. Many moves have combo elements that trigger when the target has another state on it. So you can snare someone and then do an attack that knocks down someone who's snared, and follow that up with a move that does +50% damage to a downed target. That post was probably accurate when it said that 1v1s were basically decided by who got in the first shot.

Satisfaction delayed

I'm not going to let that get me down, though. Combat is only a small part of the later ArcheAge experience, and I've got the inside track on a guild, that I'll join after launch, to watch my back – and to stab other people in theirs.

That would be my suggestion, to wait until launch, or at least after there's a promise of no wipes, before trying the game. There's little reason to spend $100 to try a game you can try out in a few months for free, especially if it means you'll have to repeat all the dull parts. It's the same as I feel with regards to the early gameplay – not much to see initially, but it'll be a better experience if you're patient.

Share this Article:

About the Author

Jason Winter
Jason Winter, News Editor

Jason Winter is a veteran gaming journalist, he brings a wide range of experience to MMOBomb, including two years with Beckett Media where he served as the editor of the leading gaming magazine Massive Online Gamer. He has also written professionally for several gaming websites.

More Stories by Jason Winter

Discussion (22)

Noriac 9 years ago
Actually is $149 for alpha access plus goods, and $99 for beta access with less goods.

euro 9 years ago
Is this for europe to ?

Muzyn 9 years ago
I could understand $15-$25 bucks for an early access pass but that's a steep fee! I paid $15ish for early access DayZ stand alone and love it but most gamers don't want to shell out that type of cash. Can't wait to play it though!

Bic Boi 9 years ago
"There’s little reason to spend $100 to try a game you can try out in a few months for free.."

And yet so many suckers..I mean..SAVVY SPENDERS..drop their money for founder's packs. Yes..savvy spenders. Quite.

rjc523 9 years ago
this game is pretty fun. but i think the game was overhyped. but i did only lvl up to around lvl 15 or something when i got my glider. so i most likely haven't seen alot of the mmo. but still... i think the only fun parts of the mmo will be crafting (maybe), gliders, boats, and maybe the housing. if f2p players can even do housing unlike in archage russia. but overall. it is a fun mmo. but the combat could of been better. hell i think action based combat would of fit archeage better. but otherwise the mmo is fun. but it isn't easy at all if you don't do the quests. they helps alot. and i mean alots. anyway the mmo is fun, looks good, and i think it was overhyped. that is all i have to say. but that is what i think. you should try the mmo and tell me what do you think. thats is all.

View 1 reply
ray 9 years ago
when is this ending beta/ coming out exactly?

Chuck Notice 9 years ago
*Punches all Sempais/ Grabs all oppai*

KuriSama 9 years ago
OMG........-notices the vine with a random guy that calls himself a sama, then a sempai slapped him then chuck norris punched him and whent all god like i haha'd din told the overseer that the sama noticer noticed epiden then both the senpais when all kuri on them :) if you seen what i did there +1

RandomGuy 9 years ago
-Notices everyone is noticing people-

removalmitt 9 years ago
Hope the justice system is account bound and not character bound - i.e to hinder trolling

Senpai-sama 9 years ago
-Does not notice haha but notices Sama-

haha 9 years ago
^
Stuff like this makes me laugh and love this community and then realise how dumb it is because its completely random and off topic LOL

Din 9 years ago
-Notices nothing-

The Overseer 9 years ago
-Notices all-

Chuck Norris 9 years ago
-Notices Senpai-

Sama Noticer 9 years ago
-Notices-

Epiden 9 years ago
-Notices Sama-

God 9 years ago
-Notices Sama-

Senpai 9 years ago
-notices Sama-

SAMA 9 years ago
Mounted!!

SENPAII NOTICE ME!!

View 1 reply

Read Next

You May Enjoy