European Mythological Vampires and More: A Forsaken World Review
by Dworkin, MMO Games Reviewer
With vampires becoming more and more popular in today’s world, Forsaken World seeks to capitalize on this while adding in some European mythology into the mixture. Is it a good formula?
Starting Your Journey
Players already familiar with the standard MMO formula will feel at home at the controls of Forsaken World, a free-to-play MMO developed by Perfect World. Set in the fantasy world of Eryda, the title places focus on hardcore player versus player gameplay, vampires and European mythology.
The character one creates has a few limitations based on race, which is explained by the fact that certain races don’t have the right kind of aptitude for certain classes. For example, only humans and elves have the raw talent to heal while humans and kindreds have the proper agility to cloak themselves in the dark as assassins. In all, there are five races and eight classes to choose from.
Graphics and Sound
The world sports a graphical style that may not be unique but its of very good quality and has a charm that properly encapsulates the essence of the world it’s trying to portray. Each of the worlds has a distinct theme to them, though they’re not all available at once; most of the islands are level locked, opening up once the player reaches level 20, 30, 40, 50 and so on to unlock them. Players can travel to the other islands through the game’s questing hub, Freedom Harbor.
In addition to sporting a nice aesthetic, Forsaken World doesn’t put too much strain on the system hardware, never freezing or crashing even in the large Freedom Harbor hub.
Forsaken World has standard sound that one might find in any MMO. Indeed, the ambient noises of water making its laps and the background music repeating itself, but the sound itself doesn’t have too much of a draw to it. The immersion of this title generally comes from the visuals rather than the audio in this instance.
Combat System
One of the most prominent features of Forsaken World is its emphasis on player versus player gameplay, going even further than the traditional separation with two player factions; players in the Forsaken World are actually separated among three different player factions, although all three factions are technically on the same (good) side.
Combat in Forsaken World is straightforward as the player has both special abilities and an automatic attack mode. With each new level, new abilities are gained and those abilities are later enhanced. However, the mana and health bars are slow to regenerate, though potions can expedite the process. The only thing about combat that differs from others that follow the same formula is that the Tab key doesn’t switch to the next enemy based on where the player is facing; it will select the closest one regardless of direction. This can lead to a problem if the player isn’t paying attention, but adding a little attention to the fight should avoid the issue.
Multiplayer is a given in an MMO, but there is plenty to offer in Forsaken World. It’s simple to join a party or a guild, and having a guild is beneficial as they can receive unique quests and rewards for their efforts. Forsaken World also provides the option of choosing the server type, with the difference being that PvE players can only duel one another outside of the safe zones.
Jobs and Talents in Forsaken World
When a character reaches level 10, he may get a job, which is just like the crafting professions that are available in any typical MMO. Characters can become an armorsmith, a weaponsmith, a scavenger, a merchant, a tamer, an archanist, a miner, an artisan, a fisherman, a botanist, an alchemist, a chef, a fisherman and a socialite. With the exception of the merchant, socialite and adventurer jobs, the player can “freeze” the job progress.
Another feature available in Forsaken World is the talent system, which begins at level 20. Players begin to receive a single talent point upon leveling up all the way to the level cap. Each class has three different trees in which the talent points can be distributed, allowing for a diverse experience that can differ depending on how they’re distributed. Naturally, the talent system is used to enhance attack power, speed, crits, evasion, cooldown and other standard MMO mechanics for the purpose of maximizing the character’s efficiency.
The Eyrda Boutique is the game’s cash shop, accessible by tapping the J key. Using Eyrda Leafs as currency, players can purchase utilities, pets, mounts, fashion items or items to refine their characters. Alternatively, the Eyrda Leaf Exchange lets players exchange the currency for gold coins.
Conclusion
Overall, Forsaken World has much of the same elements of a traditional MMO, which allows it to remain familiar enough for MMO players to jump in and play it with ease. Though there are a couple of minor issues, such as the rare translation error, there are still several features that make Forsaken World a viable contender in the free-to-play universe. Good quality and content make this an interesting mythological fantasy title.