Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning: Review

I confess to the spirit - I was among the first. Then, in September. Overflowing with rainbow hopes and bright optimism, drove away doubts and sincerely believed that Warhammer Online could if not to squeeze the World of Warcraft, then at least give an acceptable alternative to those who prefer to fight against other players rather than dull bots. Now there was no trace of past emotions, he returned as if in a forever abandoned provincial hole, where he once brought in the inaccessible ways of being and from where he later ran, swearing and promising that if at least once, then I will tear off my own hands ... What is supposed to tear off in such cases ..

But time perfectly treats reckless oaths, resentments are almost forgotten, only the light shadow of something seemed to be unpleasant from the disorders, but for a long time ago, he is one hundred percent not sure. In a word, I almost do not bother, I even want to believe that the past nightmares were not with me that they didn’t happen, but were pretty exaggerated by the state of affect from excessive feelings. My soul is ready to separate the grains from the lumps, and therefore the game has a great chance to start everything from scratch and prove to me that it is actually a guy in the board and is quite capable of charming before losing my connection with reality ... Well, it's time, let's start, perhaps, let's start.

Balance in pairs

With the choice of the part of the conflict over the past period, nothing happened that there was no surprise - nothing could happen to him. Destruction and order, green -skinned, dark elves and chaos against gnomes, higher elves and people's empires - classic Warhammer. But the collection of classes was replenished with four new exhibits, pair per fraction. Now the classes are twenty -four, and if the developers wanted to create problems with the reviews with the listing of everyone by name, then they successfully achieved their. However, there is an opinion that the target was pursued by another: they say, the more classes, the better they are hawing. If really, then you can only laugh at the development naivety. Class balance is not at all the case when the quantity goes into quality. It is more often crossing it, and then even the PIPP even hawes, it is choked, and this is unlikely to contribute to the financial health of projects.

Not to say that the developers War They do not understand this. The principle of balancing is even original - paired classes. For example, a fiery magician and sorcerer, specialists of distant magical battle. Their kinship through the game mechanics is obvious. The first draws magical energy in fire, the second in dark art. Both are subject to a magical rollback and constantly walk along the blade of a knife, risking scooping up in the elements much more than able to digest. But there are differences that cause the incessant complaints of the sorcerers. In their enviable opinion, the fiery magician has the best set of abilities, especially in the field of control (control or Crowd Control - the term in MMO, implying the ability to temporarily worsen the control of enemy characters; in War These are various knockouts and knockdowns, discarding and slowing down to a complete stop), which gives him a significant advantage. Whether it is or not is the question is controversial, but if there were no differences, the question would not have arisen at all.

Another pair-the Avenger and the Trick, the beginners who appeared in the game only this spring, the classes are again almost identical in mechanics. Both are a variety of berserkers - they accumulate rage and fall into combat madness, but do not commit any madness, but simply apply and receive increased damage. But “almost identity” does not mean “complete”, and the differences cause regular displeasure of players and the accusations of developers of bias.

In fairness, it should be recognized that in terms of balance of class couples, significant work was done. Excesses and distortions today are far from as clear as at the start of the game. Many complaints can be attributed to the eternal habit of MMO users to whine for any reason, and if there is no reason, to invent it and continue to whine. Therefore, for the "pair" balance, developers are quite worthy of a solid four with almost a plus. If the rest of the game aspects could boast of such a balance ..

Tactics of the fighting spirit

However, between newcomers and balance problems lies a fair amount of playing time filled with fresh sensations from acquaintance with the new RPG. The surrounding world, its sound and visual images cover the “Nuba” by the ninth rampart of impressions, and he flounders in them, as if a boatswain that was falling overboard, which crossed the Jamaican roma. Warhammer Online the eyes of a newcomer is completely not bad. And if you are suddenly convinced by orc or goblin and a different career than in the ranks of the green -skinned ones, you can’t think for yourself, then you are provided, if not a cultural shock, then at least a mental smile. “The warriors of the bloody Sonets need more cerebelles, and you are a brainwalk and a snot. Let's look at whether you can kill you. A bunch of stupids rages to us with his wise walkers. Yours to go and knock them a lot-duma ". There is, boss, not a question, boss, allow me to execute, boss!

Funny tasks are great, but they are still a pleasant roadside. And what about the road? Where it leads, as with bumps and whether it was carried from the rains? Yes, at first glance it is quite nice. The character development system is more than traditional. For those who have the experience of World of Warcraft (and there are still those who do not have?) - almost native. Completed several quests or simply stabbed a certain number of monsters - got the level. I got a level - I ran to the teacher, reached - replenished the baggage of knowledge with a new ability, tactics or military spirit. At the 11th level, the characters have access to advanced abilities, again standardly represented in the form of three “trees” - an analogue of the talent system from World of Warcraft. Up to 21, you purchase a point through the level, and then each "LEVEL-up". Twenty -five dots are dotted to the maximum, and even three can be earned by fame when performing a patriotic duty on the front line and beyond - a long but glorious way to the heights of skill. If there is enough patience.

Tactics and fighting spirit-own know-how online "wahi". The first is the constant “buffs” (from to buff-to improve the characteristics of the character due to the superimposed spells, aur or the same tactics) for strength, health or something else, the second is a special energy accumulated in battle, which can be discharged with special techniques divided into four groups by power by power. The fighting spirit of the fourth level gives a good chance to solve the outcome of a small battle in its favor, but practice shows that the energy on it almost always accumulates longer than the character in battle lives, so they are usually limited to the first or second, occasionally - the third - third. And are satisfied, for the fighting spirit of even the first level is a pretty decent power.

A significant role in the development of fighters is played by equipment. Local "from couture" has its own characteristics, the main of which is the source of inspiration. The most talented "couturier" in Warhammer Online work for military departments. If you have an illusion to avoid universal mobilization and get a wardrobe exclusively hunting monsters and quests - kill it right now, so as not to waste time on the fuss with its whims. Developers have repeatedly stated that the main thing in War - This is RVR (Realms vs. Realms (kingdoms against kingdoms), a variety of Player vs regime. Player (player against the player) with an emphasis on large -scale military operations between factions). It is the war that is the driving power of this world, which means that it is the war to feed it.

The realities of the game are such that the best equipment is sold with military merchants, and the main requirement for its purchase, along with a career level, is the level of fame. Therefore, it is better not to mow from the draft in the army, but to honestly extinguish your year and a half (up to the eighty, maximum, the level of fame can not reach faster). By the way, not only fame is accrued for the murder of players, but also experience. Therefore, participation in the scripts (an analogue of Battlgrad from World of Warcraft) provides an almost fastest career advancement.

Smart will not go underground

Pve (Player vs. Environment, everything that is not related to PVP) in Warhammer Online exists for a checkmark, a sort of MMO version of the Potemkin villages. It is better not to meddle in the local dungeons fanatical fanatical fanfurcraft without validol (with him, by the way, too), the rest can give them a couple of or three days. In total. For a variety. However, even formal duty can be fulfilled with elements of creativity and imagination. Designers Mythic, Obviously, realizing that it is very difficult to compete with the World of Warcraft dungeons, but otherwise, in no way, they invented a curious feature that will probably only only only only only from other projects - public quests. From now on, players do not need to “spare” every two minutes on the corresponding channel of the announcement of the search for a good company to kill a bad boss. Group tasks are carried out, as expected, in groups, but without excessive formalities. It is enough to be in the quest zone and at least once hit some quest monster or help performing a medical spell to be included in the list of the draw for the award after the completion of the task. Each participant receives a bonus to throw a cube depending on the contribution (so far no one can really explain how this contribution is computed), and then the blind fortune gives his smile to the one who stood most of the battle in Afk mode. Almost no joke.

Production is dull. It is allowed to learn two professions - raw materials and artisan. The group of the first includes gardening, gutting corpses, analysis of things and picking in garbage dumps mining after everything is valuable, it seems, has already been seized. There are so far two processing specialties - alchemy and talisman science. The technological chain is obvious: you get the ingredients with various characters, throw them to your specialist. The one on the cheaters from developers (no recipes-everything is written on the ingredients) produces several tears with a cursor-and voila, becomes the happy owner of some consumer goods. Next, the consumer goods can be inserted into a weapon or armor (if you made a talisman), drink (if a drink) or sell. Routine. However, players are not used to - something like this looks in almost all MMORPG.

It was smooth on paper ..

If there is no happiness in PVE, the war certainly should work for two. Deliver a lot of pleasure or at least recoup the costs of subscription. Blessed, who believes ... Theoretically, you can enter the battle in the first minute of the character’s life-just click on the button located in the upper right corner of the screen to the left of the mini-card and stand in line for the script. In practice, “stand in line” is not a figure of speech, but objective reality, therefore, most likely, you will not need a minute, but five or even ten.

The first -level fighter can really do anything, but in order to save the “kids” from the fate of hopeless meat, there is “support” (most often her name is Bolster, from the original English “Bolster” - support, stand), raising their level in the PVP to the minimum decent for the current shooting range (tier - level, tier; all locations; Warhammer Online Bred by "tiram" based on characters;The first is for 1-11, the second is for 12-21, the third is for 22-31, the fourth for 32-40). In the starting area, this is the eighth, in the following - by ten, twenty and thirty higher. Bolster does not give new abilities and does not improve equipment, but adequately increases health and caused damage. Therefore, the “supported” level is inferior to a similar natural, however, as they say, not to fat.

Again theoretically, the most important PVP activity in War there is a war in ordinary gaming locations. Special military zones are allocated for standard servers (the bolster also applies to them), falling into which, the characters automatically become accessible to RVR, and they can be attacked (you can attack players in open servers throughout the map). Key points are located in the military zones, and starting from the second shooting range, the company's points are owned by ownership, to the fourth turning into real fortresses. Both points and possessions can and should be seized by receiving experience, fame and reputation as a reward, and the bosses of possessions are also a good source of production. Three zones of conflict (gnomes against green -skinns, elves against elves and imperials against chaosites), multiplied by the number of tyirs, give a good field of military activity. In fact, high -level characters do not push the kids, because the game mechanic does not give them this: you just need to go down the dile of lower and enter the military zone, as the fighter turns into a completely non -combat chicken, a feasible sacrifice even for the youngest and youngest.

However, in forty levels and without Ganka (Gank, Gankat, there are popular terms for situations when one of the parties is so surpassed in strength to the other that the result is preceded in advance) there are enough responsibilities. On their shoulders lies the main severity of the battles in the fourth dash, the most extensive and fat to a contribution to the final victory. After the establishment of control over his locations, the faction receives the right to attack the capital of the enemy. At first, the metropolitan fort is seized with a direct assault - the main defensive strengthening of the city. Then the "street battles" implemented in the form of scenarios begin. If this stage is also passed, then the last one will remain-the victory over the most important boss (emperor Karl Franz or Tsar-Zanek, the leader of the Chaosites). In case of success, the war is declared won, participants in the final battle receive rich booty, and the enemy SGB is put in a cage and put up for public display in the capital of the winners. The people rejoice, requires champagne and gypsies with bears, few chosen ones are praised by the loot ... And then the situation at the front is “rebooted”, and it all starts first.

... Yes, forgot about the ravines

In a word, in theory, the RVR system in Warhammer Online looks solid, logical and seductive. In practice - in strict accordance with the immortal "they wanted the best, but it turned out as always". Difficulties begin with the fact that the effectiveness of scenarios for career growth is incomparable with battles in open areas. While players dream of a brilliant military career, lure them on siege of possessions ... difficult. Когда же мечты растворяются в кислоте обид и разочарований, то заманивать уже некого. And resentment and disappointment determine a bouquet of sensations from the project.

IN War Disgusting design of the combat system. The main trouble is an excessive amount of control, turning the game for hand -to -hand classes into existing hell. If at low levels the battle is more or less cheerful and vigor, then the older the character becomes, the older the problems become. After the thirtieth level, the melee hand -handakers spend most of the battles - from countless knockdowns, in flights - from countless knockbacks or in vain attempts to take at least a couple of steps - from countless slowdowails. The relief of the terrain with its hills, obstacles and buildings, being dropped from which you have to spend tens of seconds on returning to battle, is imposed on constant “demobilization”. And all this - under the continuous shelling of "truckers".

The counterates against control are small, ineffective, and even amusing. But the attacking abilities of each class - a wagon, a small cart and a column of heavy -loading dump trucks, crawling. What is the character of ten types of attacks if he uses the strength of two or three most effective. I don't know either. The game for some classes resembles console playing with his "who will turn whom to two buttons". After a luxurious design of World of Warcraft Assortment Warhammer Online It looks like a comprehensive lunch of the factory dining room after the menu of a five -star restaurant.

Impossible and balance of classes. For example, it is obvious that doctors of the level of up to 30-35 are too strong, until most attacking classes acquire abilities that reduce the effectiveness of treatment. That is, it seems that the balance of the game is designed for maximum pumping. At the same time, the pumping speed remains very non -construction, and developers constantly declare the desire to make the gameplay exciting from the first to the fortieth level. A curious idea of ​​fascination ..

If the claims listed above add scenarios that fell, like classes, the victim of a perpetual idea of ​​the developers about the relationship between quantity and quality, then there will be not a single PVP element made by the left foot behind the right ear in the state of narcotic breakdown after a severe Bodun. For the game, in which the “war is everywhere”, is almost a deadly diagnosis that has not yet come true only because of the faithful fans of the Warhammer universe, and even a regular marketing machine Electronic Arts, Fresh meat regularly supplying a meat grinder.

The bad words of farewell

The result of return to Warhammer Online Almost a year after the release is disappointing. Instead of a global alteration of the game, the developers focused on cosmetic repairs, and often not those elements that should be repaired. Probably someone will like “waha”, but there will be not even a minority, but a misera. The rest is unlikely to wait for something else but disappointment. I say this without much regret, although it is insulting for Warhammer. What world they ruined, scum ..

Pros: The atmosphere of the world is transmitted well;stylish graphics;Public quests can probably be set as an important contribution to the genre;At the early levels there is a completely fan open PVP.
Cons: Boring PVE;bad class balance;disgusting design of the combat system;Glucks, bugs and lags with which developers have not been able to cope for almost a year, make a game not the best goal for investing your free time.Yeti Win Casino review