I purchased this game a few days ago. So far, it seems that the only thing the game has going for it is the simple fact that it is one of the only truly persistent, seamless open-world PvP MMORPGs on the market. Everything else about the game is completely subpar; the graphics, the performance, the network optimization, the combat mechanics, the animations, the character models, etc. They are all garbage.

If you ask any fan of this game why they enjoy it, they will tell you the same thing; it's all about the thrill of clan drama and open-world PvP. I'm not saying there isn't any value in that (hell, I just shelled out $40 for it, myself), but it's pretty sad how such a medicore game can garner this much attention merely due to the decade-long stagnation of the "sand-box" pvp market. 

Regarding the combat, I also found it clunky and off-putting at first. What helped me get past my initial impression was to first change the controls to suit my play-style (remap parry to shift and right-click to control direction) and then simply to start looking at Wushu’s combat in juxtaposition to EVE's point-and-click mechanics.

I've always loved EVE's player-driven economy, skill progression system, and political drama.  But, I really didn’t like how disconnected I felt to my avatar, and I couldn't stand the whole drop-down menu combat mechanics. Age of Wushu seemed to solve a lot of these problems by grounding my avatar, giving me WASD movement, and crafting a super-immersive world to explore. So, when I had to engage in combat, I stopped trying to compare it to super-fluid action games and instead tried comparing it to the combat in EVE. The aspects of EVE’s combat that I did like were the rock-paper-scissors approach in choosing the right fittings, deciding which skills were needed when, and making sure I had allies around when necessary. I think Age of Wushu actually does a really good job of this. The feint and parry system really works when mastered, and 3 low level players can take on a high-level player with the right CC tactics.

So, instead of approaching every fight like I needed to out-maneuver and out-pace my opponent, I started trying to just out-play them. Feinting when they thrown up a block, attacking when they go for a feint, etc. What I found was that my frustration with lag and general clunkyness started subsiding the more I focused on those aspects. Then, once those were mastered, I actually found that the game was more fluid than I initially gave it credit for.

Just the other day I had a fight as a patrol that played out like a cinematic in a kung-fu flick. I was chasing a spy, which I had gotten down to super low-health, when we reach what I thought was a dead-end surrounded by tall buildings. He finds a tree in the corner, leaps off its branch and manages to make it to the rooftop. I thought I’d lost him, but I scramble up the tree as well and we continue the chase on rooftop, jumping from roof to roof. Finally I get close enough that just as he’s making a leap across two roofs I throw a dagger into his back and finish him off. It was pretty awesome.

I’m not saying the combat is the greatest thing out there, and if combat is your main priority you may want to wait for a game like Blade & Soul, but, if you are looking for a good sandbox, I think the combat in Wushu is plenty good once you accept it for what it is. I know that nobody wants to hear that they need to change their perspective in order to enjoy a game. But, if sandbox is your bag, it may just be worth troubling yourself to learn how to enjoy AoW. It's not like there are a lot of alternatives. 

Originally posted by JasonJ

Originally posted by Sarariel
Avoiding due to the patheticaly disgusting adverts

 Which are very tame compared to Age of Conans...funny how people didnt rip into that game for its BOOBS and TEETS just because it wasnt anime based while calling everyone remotely interested in it a bunch of perverts...double standard much?

Hmm, interesting point, but AoC feels more like an accurate portrayal of the world described in the books, where sexuality was one aspect of a larger, gritty and violent world. Whereas this game looks like the world was literally built around T&A. 

Originally posted by baphamet

 

---

Originally posted by Shadlor
I feel  i must ,   add to the innovations   & adeptations ,conversation

 

We are talking about  innovations to the ARPG gerne

Currency , removed in place of a monotized , / valued set of  items , NEW!

Passive skill tree , in which  the 6 classes are free , to inter build amoungest eachother . NEW!

The Skill Gem / Support Gem system , NEW!

The Flask System . NEW!

The Endgame Map System , NEW!

 

That is 5 items new to the genre , That is what we call innovation , bringing something otherwise unseen to a culture or sociity.

 

The  websters diffanition of innovation

1 : the introduction of something new

 

I  await  your  response

---

 

i am not saying it brings nothing new at all, if you read my original response i say it gets a 5 at best for those "new" things they brought to their version of diablo.

this is not just a game similar to diablo, it is exactly like diablo with a few new features added in.

make no mistake, i am not trying to trash this game because its a diablo rip off, i think its a good game, especially for a completely unrestricted free game.

but overall this game is far from innovative when most of it is a direct diablo rip off.

 

The genre as a whole is very narrow. I definitely agree that PoE is a Diablo-clone, but what dungeon-crawl ARPG isn't? More importantly, is there another ARPG out there that is more innovative than PoE? I've played them all, and I don't think any have made as many "game-changing" tweaks to the core mechanics as PoE, especially changes that made me think "ah ha, so that's how it should be done." I think it's safe to call PoE an innovative game for the genre.

Anyway, the funny part about it is that I think the creators are perfectly happy to hav their game be called a Diablo-clone. They were Diablo fans who set out to make a Diablo-clone that they'd enjoy playing themselves, and I just fortunately happen to share their exact same tastes when it comes to dungeon crawling, so it worked out really well for me. =)

Originally posted by Yamota
Would have played except for the genderlocked classes and with all ranged/casters being female. Dumb move.

A Shadow (male) can be either a ranged bow user or a caster. Either are perfectly viable options. 

Game is a 9/10 for me, only thing that needs improving is some of the combat fluidness. 

How this game scored lower in innovation than D3 and TL2 is completely beyond me, but it just highlights how completely arbitray and bullsh*t these types of ratings are. 

Amazing to see the same games mentioned over and over again. Here are mine:

Torchlight II 

Diablo 3 

BF3 

*A heads-up to anyone feeling let down by the ARPG's released this year; check out Path of Exile. It's far and away the best ARPG since Diablo II. 

Originally posted by Synthetick

I went out of town for a bit and hadn't checked the forums on here. Just did, glad to see people have been trying it out.

As far as the War of the Roses comment. Completely different game, set in a medieval universe with combat. Both titles are fun, but I enjoy the camera perspectives and team objectives much more in Chivalry. But, both are quality titles, and preferences will vary from person to person.

The current back-and-forth system is relatively easy compared to other melee FPS titles, and the original Chivalry mod. The blocking system isn't the typical directional blocking and is just a right click block. However, the more people start feinting, and the recent changes to feinting, are going add a bit more variety to the back and forth.

I see people constantly going back and forth with out ever feinting. As soon as you feint, you're going to get a guaranteed hit in that scenario, so it boggles me why it's so underused. But I assume it will come with time.

If anyone wants to hop in on some FFA action, my west coast FFA server is up. I took the larger team objective maps down while waiting for the recent update that happened, but for now, if anyone wants to come have some FFA fun:

 

Chivalry: Medieval Warfare FFA | 10 Slot [West]

173.234.253.23

 

Well, as promised I spent some more time playing. I've grown to like it a lot more than when I first tried it. In fact, I'm having a blast in the Team Objective matches. I just had to stop thinking in terms of M&B and accept it for what it is; an entirely different game within the medeival combat genre, like you suggested. 

I couldn't seem to find your server, but I'll give it another go the next time I'm on. Would be nice to have some people to play with over a voip client. 

Well, the game is currently 50% off on Steam. I picked it up and have put in a few solid hours of play time. I'll give it some more time before making a final decision, but so far it doesn't look like it's going to be the game for me. It's more of a twitch-based FPS than something like Mount & Blade. 

In M&B, you have attack and perry in 4 directions. Foot-work, feinting, and perrying make a huge difference. In Chivalry, there is a slash, which always comes from the same direction (with an optional back-swing, which once again, always comes from the same direction), a thrust, and an over-head attack. All of these attacks are blocked with the same button (you just have to be aiming at the opponents weapon).

I enjoy the back-and-forth of M&B's combat more. In Chivalry, there doesn't seem to be much give-and-take, just go watch some 1-on-1 duels on youtube of both games to see what I mean. There also doesn't seem to be any momentum to the fights. In M&B, there is a difference in damage depending on how long I hold my swing, and I can also turn-in to my swings to increase the speed. I could be wrong, but so far in Chivalry, it feels like I'm just aiming and firing off a skill, much like an FPS game. Fights are almost always determined by who gets the jump on their opponent. 

Graphics and general polish are real nice though, and I love the kill animations. I'll keep playing to see if grow to appreciate it more.