Every class also has its own unique ultimate moves which can be used only after the SP meter has been charged up by fighting things. As one might expect of an Anime influenced game the ultimate moves are all flashy and pretty exaggerated. One aspect I really enjoyed as well is they also change depending on what kind of mob you use them on which just adds even more variability and fun to it.
Another system used in Twin Saga is the Senshi which function similarly to companions in other games. Their main use is they can be summoned to help out during combat and they all have different abilities which are quite useful, plus they can be swapped around midbattle which can be really helpful on harder fights. The most common way to gain new Senshi is through completing the main storyline but they can also be obtained from the mystery boxes in the cash shop. The really wonderful thing about Senshi is they are account bound so all of your characters will have access to them.
Player housing is done in an interesting way where your home is also a convent way to travel across the world map. Terracottages unlock at level 20 and are a really fun implementation of player housing. There is some amount of personalization players can choose to do but there are also a lot of limitations. Terracottages also serve as the main hub where players can work on their professions and do things like gardening, cooking, crafting of gear or furniture, or alchemy. I really like the melding of player housing with the place to do professions, especially since they can move around.
With every free to play game discussing the cash shop is a must. Overall the one in Twin Saga is pretty good and unobtrusive (I actually didn’t even notice the icon for it on the bottom right of my screen). The price for AP (the in game currency) is pretty good and ranges from $2 for 200 AP all the way up to 5750 AP for $50, though buying in bulk is only of limited benefit because you only get 15 extra AP per dollar than buying at the lowest amount. What is really interesting is they accept many forms of payment and depending on form of payment you choose you’ll also get a discount on the price of AP. For example, using a credit card gets a discount of 35% and using paypal reoccurring yields a discount of 55%.
For the most part things which are on sale on the cash shop are run of the mill and nothing to really be concerned about. There’s even a first time purchase bonus pack which is received for the first time you buy AP and then buy something in the cash shop, and the items in the pack sort of make buying something (anything) worth it. What does concern me a bit at the Character XP books, Class XP Books, and the Ascending Star Set.
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In the case of the XP books it is important to note they give actual XP and are not boosts. For the most part leveling faster than someone else isn’t a huge deal but the incredible amount of XP needed for the last 15 levels makes these books particularly attractive and can substantially help make the experience for someone who pays money much better than someone who doesn’t. There’s nothing inherently wrong here, but buying XP off the cash shop is just something which rubs me the wrong way a bit.
My issue with the Ascending Star Set is it’s a full set of gear for a character and the stats scale with the character from level 1-40 and gives a +20% exp boost. I don’t really like the idea of being able to buy stated gear from the cash shop, just as a concept. That said the impact is pretty mild because really levels 1-40 flyby in the blink of an eye and I mean there’s no real advantage to it. It is again something which just rides the line of ok and not ok very closely.
Like I mentioned before I’ve had a blast playing this game, I could probably go one for another thousand words with thoughts about it. If you are looking for something new it is definitely worth playing and has a lot of content already in to keep players entertained.
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Gameplay 7 – Twin Saga is very easy too pick-up and start playing. The systems are for the most part intuitive and there wasn't really any point where things seemed to be working differently than they were supposed to. Figuring out how bounties and side quests worked was a bit confusing because I didn’t realize they weren't added to the quest tracker. There are also built in systems which help people who want to speed through things but nothing holds players back from sitting back and just enjoying their time in the game. The main drawback is the gameplay is interrupted by lots of text to read quite often.
Visuals & Sound 9 – If you are a fan of anime you’ll probably really enjoy both the visuals and sounds as they really leverage these to great effect. For anyone who doesn't generally watch anime the main thing to be aware of is the animation is cartoony and very exaggerative. There doesn't seem to be much which would turn off anyone who doesn't love anime but for those of us who do there is a real feeling of familiarity.
Polish 8 – For being in open beta Twin Saga is pretty polished and seems pretty close to launch quality. The English translations not only feel native but feel like they were done by people who were really having a good time and adds another level of enjoyment for anyone who appreciates fun writing. Additionally, all the core game systems are in place, working properly, and don’t feel like they have any rough edges to them.
Longevity 7 – There’s a lot of content to play through and experience currently. One character can level every class without having to backtrack which helps a lot. Some systems, like Senshi, are account bound which helps with leveling alts. Players can also open shops in game to sell things to other players and can be an interesting area to focus on. Not to mention professions, dungeons, and Astral Adventures; though admittedly max level currently can be a bit boring. If they can keep up with the plan of doing fairly sizable content patches ever few months it should help to keep players engaged over the long term.
Value 8 – As a free to play game players get a ton of content with none of it locked behind a paywall. The cash shop is setup very well and isn’t obnoxious about trying to get players to spend their money. The normal cash shop items of mystery boxes, XP boosters, inventory expansion, convenience items, and costumes can be found there and everything seems to be pretty fairly priced. I am mildly concerned by some stated items and the selling of XP books, but nothing just out as being objectively bad.
