XLGAMES must have known that their crafting and economic systems would need something more exciting to go alongside the more passive tasks in AA, so they made a main storyline that takes you to about level 30 and teaches you the ropes of the world and walks you through much of the more compelling sandbox elements as well. It’s supposed to be a more guided adventure that helps set the tone for your less-handheld adventures to come. But again, the problem is that the quests and mechanics used are tired and dull.
Quests and combat are largely the same as what you’ll find in any number of traditional YAFMMORPGs (Yet Another Fantasy MMORPGs). Tab-targeting and cooldown based skills are the order of the day, and that’s all fine and good. Honestly, I’m not knocking traditional combat in MMOs. It’s still solid, and done right it’s still fun. But there’s something off about ArcheAge to me. It’s lacking punch or impact that makes fighting mobs anything more than a chore when it’s not PVP. You hold down buttons to spam quick attacks, and then break it up with a few other skills. It’s very rotation-centric. And while other MMOs have spent time trying to make traditional combat feel more engaging, there’s little in ArcheAge’s combat that makes it fun. It’s not bad, by any means… it’s just OK.
But I’m not all down on ArcheAge. As with the clipper story above, or my journey into illegal tree farming, there are stories to be told in Auroria that are uniquely your own. Committing crimes, being jailed by your peers, and then breaking out to become a pirate can only happen in ArcheAge. Flying your glider, taking into battle in contested territory, or over the open water? Also things that can only happen in ArcheAge. Seeing a fleet of farm carts roll across the countryside with armed riders on elks and leomorphs? Also only in ArcheAge. XLGAMES and Trion’s latest has a lot going for it. It’s just sadly brought down by dull core systems design, and worse: bots, hackers, and a terribly sluggish engine.
This is actually happening in the Korean version... for real.
As catalogued numerous places, and this is by no means a Trion Worlds problem, AA is host to a number of fairly game-impacting issues. Hacks and bots conspire to keep land un-claimable by real players, gold spam is a constant issue that causes most players to turn off general chat channels, and the CryEngine is simply not up to the task of maximizing both beauty and performance on even the top end machines. XLGAMES wants the world of Auroria to be open for claiming land, but when plots are so tightly packed together than every farm or house is on top of the next, every zone looks like a mess. Add in player-uploaded artwork and emblems that bring in everything from Family Guy to Justin Bieber, and any sense of connection to Auroria is gone.
We could get into the worries I have for later XLGAMES patches bringing in race cars, skateboards, and other completely ludicrous items, but that would not be fair as they’re not in the game in North America and may not make it here at all. That does bring up a good question though: how much authority does Trion have to add or take things out of the NA and EU versions of ArcheAge? Players have to remember they don’t have full control of this game as they do Rift. Just because players want something doesn’t mean Trion can guarantee it. And I would assume, even if players vehemently don’t want something, Trion may not have the power to keep it out of Auroria.
The road ahead is long and winding for ArcheAge. I foresee a niche existence for the game here in the west, but a healthy and devoted fanbase will likely be around for a very long time. It may not be the savior of the MMO we gamers always seem to be ready to find, but it certainly is a unique and enthralling MMORPG that deserves to be played. I wish I could say it was the kind of game I will make my home for years to come, but after all my time spent with Auroria I ended up feeling less fulfilled with my gaming time than I expected. Not because the accomplishments weren’t something I felt were meaningful, but because the tasks I performed to accomplish anything were rather rote and tedious. I’ll be watching AA with great interest though, and hope when I do eventually make a return, the things I once found tedious are improved, and the frustrations of bots, hackers, and a lack of polish are a distant memory.
Just remember, always travel in groups.
In short, ArcheAge does a whole lot of things most MMOs never would dare dream, but the sad truth is that it’s not exceptional at any one thing. And that, unfortunately, makes the grand idea that is ArcheAge a little underwhelming overall.
THE GIST
- GAMEPLAY: 7 – It’s tempting to go lower with the score than 7, but honestly I could just as easily go higher. There’s simply a lot to do in ArcheAge, it’s just a shame that not all of it is very fun.
- VISUALS: 8 – With the right machine, ArcheAge is stunning. The CryEngine makes sure of that. Points off for being relatively uninspired in terms of art direction, but that’s purely taste talking. There’s no denying that Auroria can be very pretty, especially on the open sea. Sadly, the sluggish nature of the engine also means that worse off machines are stuck with muddy low-res views.
- POLISH: 6 – You’d think a game that’s now years old in Korea would launch with a smoother client experience in the West. This isn’t the case. From bots to cheats, texture popping to data packet security, XLGAMES did not give the West a polished product.
- SOCIAL: 8 – At its core, ArcheAge is designed to be a game where you work with people. It’s also a game where people will go out of their way to be jerks towards you. I’ve met a fair mix of good and bad eggs, and love my guild, but the social tools to make Guilds stand out more would be nice.
- LONGEVITY: 8 – There’s just so much to do in Auroria. Things that most MMOs would never bother putting in their game which are welcome additions here. Player-run courts, pirate islands, jail? It’s all awesome. The problem is when systems involve unnecessary grinds, time-sinks, or god awful RNG. If you can stomach these, you’ll be loving AA for a long time. Sadly, I don’t think most players will.
- VALUE: 7 – ArcheAge is free to play. And some free players will gladly tell you they can have plenty of fun without spending a dime. Personally, I think without the ability to own land, you’re missing a lot that’s unique and fun about AA. And you’re also missing out on getting the most from the Labor system. Both mean you’ll want or have to spend money at some point. In my eyes, ArcheAge is really “Free to Try”, but Sub to Play.