8.7 is okay for me, mmkay a bit high maybe. But if you lower it, then you have to degrade many games here by ~.5
Now I am not a professional game tester and such, just the idiot who plays games for fun. But when I look at the technical part of the game, it seems to be a 9+. Game runs like butter, enough content at release, Massive Multiplayer possible in a non instanced open world (no Freemarch 1,2,3...), next level of open grouping.
Then there is the actual game. I am so bored of it, because I played this kind of MMO for years already - but this is a matter of taste. For what this game is, a "Mostly PvE-MMO" I guess, it has too few activities besides killing mobs. There is more possible than standard crafting and collecting shinies.
It seems that the reviewer played the game up to the point where I'm finding many people fading away or quitting. I'm still playing Rift and enjoying it, but there is just this certain 'dull-ness' factor that is creeping in and I've seen a number of friends just stop playing already. Someone said Rift is a game without a Soul, and it is starting to feel that way to me.
For me the biggest detractor of Rift is linearity, or feeling like I'm on the exact same rails as everybody else. Although the landscapes are beautiful, they also feel small and confining. In Vanguard you could get seriously lost and eating my something bad and never get back to your tombstone. In Rift, death can be a means of quicker travel and the landmass really isn't big enough to give you the sense of exploration or discovery.
Character customization, also, in this game is a joke. A serious joke. How could a game take that many steps back and not get it noticed in a review?
Blah...
Customization during the creation? It's actually better than most MMO's I've played (Aside from Perfect World International, the character creation in that is insane).
Customization in game? Yeah, it's probably lacking. I thought there was a dye system, which is kinda cool. But I don't know if there's a barber or anything like that.
All that being said, I really don't think character customization is the games issue at all.
Im not sure what to believe. The score of 8.7 or this list :
Pros
Ascended Soul system
Beautiful sounds & visuals
Highly polished
Massive rift invasions
Open grouping
Cons
Bland crafting
Only two leveling paths
PvP imbalance
Same old questing
Tedious solo play
Those cons are not just minor details. But with a score of 8.7, there isnt much room for improvement, so I wonder if this is even on a scale of 1-10.
If the conclusion is something along the line of that its a very polished nice looking version of same old same old, then how can that score get so high? Or does innovation and improvement not count anymore?
The review seems solid, but the final score seems too much. I agree with others, it seems that its almost impossible for a MMO to not score good anymore.
ya its amazing with all those important negatives to give this game an 8.7 is a little hard to believe as one person said if this is an 8.7 what are they going to give GW2 an 13.6
Listing the cons like this make the game look far worse than it is. The crafting is not bland. Its just standard, but it works very well, and at end game provides some nice items. The daily repeatables too, give you a reason to craft as well, for added xp and gold.
And two leveling paths is not entirely accurate. If you play the entire game, to its fullest, you can definitely have over 4 paths. As all the added xp from crafting, exploring, pvp, and rifts make it so you do not get to see all the zones. For instance, after scarwood, I was able to go to moonshade than right to stillmoor. Which left Iron pine peak, shimmersand, and droughtlands for another toon to complete. And thats just on guardian side. Because you can do the same zones on defiant side, but with different hubs and quests for the most part.
PvP imbalance should not go against a game that said it was focusing on PvE content. And regardless of any imbalance that a min/maxer might complain about, the pvp is still fun, despite being similar to other games.
The questing may seem similar to past mmo's, but guess what, it works. And most every other game out there has the same questing system. You can not directly port a single player rpg quest system into an mmo, and until someone explains how you can change the industry standard quest system to something else, that WORKS. I would say that Rift questing is satisfactory at worst.
And as far as solo play in an mmo, give me a break. I can go with the typical response that its an Massively Multiplayer game, and you should be playing with others, otherwise go play an rpg. But aside from that, the solo play is not that prevalent with warfronts and rift open groups. Even I run quests solo a good portion of the time, but always find myself in open groups to take down local rifts, and then continue on. Its a long stretch from tedious.
The problem is that a majority of these nay sayers either didn't play rift to end game, or rushed through the game. Either way, I have a strong guild in game, that hasn't lost members. The server is always medium or higher, and there are plenty of people at rift invasions to make them exciting. Add to that Trion's awesome responses to what the community wants, and the fact that they have already made a great content update, and this game is a solid 85 at worst all day long.
^*sigh*^
I am prob more critical of the reviewer than the actual game, but lets face it the game is a hodge podge of other games especially WAR and WOW, how far have we come when the standard for a game is "well at least the launch did not crash to many times" is that the new standard for games-Really. The reviewer gives many of the games important points a con, yet because it runs smoothly and the chat works hey its a 8.7. Is It just we are so happy to have any type of game that can combat WOW that we cheer when crafting does'nt tottaly suck (I am looking at you AOC) Ah well I am waiting for Bio wares epic, if they cant do it I will quit mmo's for ever orrrrr until someone comes along who can wow me with a ui that works lol.
Character customization, also, in this game is a joke. A serious joke. How could a game take that many steps back and not get it noticed in a review?
Blah...
Customization during the creation? It's actually better than most MMO's I've played (Aside from Perfect World International, the character creation in that is insane).
Customization in game? Yeah, it's probably lacking. I thought there was a dye system, which is kinda cool. But I don't know if there's a barber or anything like that.
All that being said, I really don't think character customization is the games issue at all.
I can count so many MMO's that have better that it's staggering. You'll also note the dates. This is a 2011 release... the bar has been set, and it was missed.
EverQuest II (Released 2004)
Vanguard (Released 2007)
Champions Online (Released 2009)
City of Heroes (Released 2004)
Star Wars Galaxies (Released -2003-)
AION (Released 2009)
EVE Online (Released 2003)
Age of Conan (Released 2008)
I can keep naming them, really, heh. I think there are a few free to play titles that also beat it. However, RIFT is a AAA multi-million dollar, big budget MMO developped to be a subscription model game. Compared to freemium or free to play? Of course it's going to blow them out of the water. But compared to products it stands next to? It not only missed the bar, it was miles away getting a milkshake.
Character customization, also, in this game is a joke. A serious joke. How could a game take that many steps back and not get it noticed in a review?
Blah...
I think its because there seem to be plenty of options during character creation. Not lots, but maybe enough. Problem is, most of them don't do much, when seen from even just a few paces away. I see people who look like clones all the time, even though the only thing they did the same was hair style / color.
I even wonder if over half the customization options get thrown out, when you're at even a slight distance. It's either that, or the changes that the sliders make really are that subtle.
The devs say they kept customization to a minimum for performance reasons, but it seems like a cop out to me. I don't know why they cant just gradually trim customization choices as needed during a crowded raid. They could start with the most subtle choices like nose shape, working all the way up to.. well, everything that's currently left out entirely already. Even hair styles could be grouped by similarity, and then when things get really crowded, you get one of the main five hairstyles, instead of all 30.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
Character customization, also, in this game is a joke. A serious joke. How could a game take that many steps back and not get it noticed in a review?
Blah...
I think its because there seem to be plenty of options during character creation. Not lots, but maybe enough. Problem is, most of them don't do much, when seen from even just a few paces away. I see people who look like clones all the time, even though the only thing they did the same was hair style / color.
I even wonder if over half the customization options get thrown out, when you're at even a slight distance. It's either that, or the changes that the sliders make really are that subtle.
The devs say they kept customization to a minimum for performance reasons, but it seems like a cop out to me. I don't know why they cant just gradually trim customization choices as needed during a crowded raid. They could start with the most subtle choices like nose shape, working all the way up to.. well, everything that's currently left out entirely already. Even hair styles could be grouped by similarity, and then when things get really crowded, you get one of the main five hairstyles, instead of all 30.
I was dissapointed with the lack of custimization... however, if that's the biggest dissapointment in a game, that's actually a pretty good sign. It's something that can easily be addressed if they really think it is an issue, and it's something that I'm completely willing to look past if so many other things are done right.
Character customization, also, in this game is a joke. A serious joke. How could a game take that many steps back and not get it noticed in a review?
Blah...
I think its because there seem to be plenty of options during character creation. Not lots, but maybe enough. Problem is, most of them don't do much, when seen from even just a few paces away. I see people who look like clones all the time, even though the only thing they did the same was hair style / color.
I even wonder if over half the customization options get thrown out, when you're at even a slight distance. It's either that, or the changes that the sliders make really are that subtle.
The devs say they kept customization to a minimum for performance reasons, but it seems like a cop out to me. I don't know why they cant just gradually trim customization choices as needed during a crowded raid. They could start with the most subtle choices like nose shape, working all the way up to.. well, everything that's currently left out entirely already. Even hair styles could be grouped by similarity, and then when things get really crowded, you get one of the main five hairstyles, instead of all 30.
Customization can be fun with a large assortment of options, especially for one who likes to RP in a game. But the major factor is, how many actually zoom in that close to another players face or your own avatars face for that matter to look at the details? A very small percentage and that is what Trion is probably thinking. I rather them spend the first year of release working on more content before facial customizations.
Besides, MMORPG means Most Men Online Role Play Girls and its not for there facial features. :P
Originally posted by Falcomith Customization can be fun with a large assortment of options, especially for one who likes to RP in a game. But the major factor is, how many actually zoom in that close to another players face or your own avatars face for that matter to look at the details? A very small percentage and that is what Trion is probably thinking. I rather them spend the first year of release working on more content before facial customizations.
I disagree. In Aion, I saw lots of different looking people, without needing to zoom in on thier faces. Players would even compliment eachother's customization choices now and then, because the system was flexible enough to get pretty creative with.
Besides, MMORPG means Most Men Online Role Play Girls and its not for there facial features. :P
From what I've seen, it's guys who play girls that seem to care the most of all, closely followed by girls who play girls.
edit: i hate mmorpg's enahnced editor.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
My biggest disapointment in Rift: PVP. Man it's terrible.
I've played heaps of PVE games with PVP tacked on as an afterthought, but this one takes the cake. But well done Trion in turning PVP into a mindless instanced grindfest.
To all you guys out there bashing Trion on "originality", just how "original" is a game supposed to be? Ok, let's take out questing, leveling, dungeons, pvp, crafting, talent speccing, and anything else that makes a game and what do you have? Nothing, that's what! Yeah, a game with nothing sounds really fun. And games that have tried to be "daring", "innovative", and "original" are also no longer around except for Eve. In fact, Eve is the only game that I know of that was "original" and "innovative" in any real sense of the word.
No, I don't look for "originality" of mechanics in a game, I look for fun and new content. The way mmo's are done now are fine. The only two things that bother me about most new games that come out is that (a) they have no content to speak of and (b) they're buggy as hell.
To all you guys out there bashing Trion on "originality", just how "original" is a game supposed to be? Ok, let's take out questing, leveling, dungeons, pvp, crafting, talent speccing, and anything else that makes a game and what do you have? Nothing, that's what! Yeah, a game with nothing sounds really fun. And games that have tried to be "daring", "innovative", and "original" are also no longer around except for Eve. In fact, Eve is the only game that I know of that was "original" and "innovative" in any real sense of the word.
No, I don't look for "originality" of mechanics in a game, I look for fun and new content. The way mmo's are done now are fine. The only two things that bother me about most new games that come out is that (a) they have no content to speak of and (b) they're buggy as hell.
EXACTLY!!!!!
The game runs better than any game I have been with at launch over the past 5 years. That in itself is terrific. The graphics are perfect for what the game is. Take a look at the detail of a Rift opening and look at it in the sky, its very well detailed. The story-line is great as well. And because they have so many different planes of elements, they have so much room for content its absurd. And to speak of content, launch content is jam packed, with a nice patch and new content out only a month after launch.
I'm so sick of hearing people say Rift lacks originality. No game has ever allowed you to pick a calling and then choose from 8 different souls to customize your toon. How many other games are there where a rogue can be ranged dps, melee dps, tank and healer with the click of a button?
The rift invasions are not static pq's like in warhammer. Sure they are similar in open grouping and evolving phases, but thats where it ends. Rifts can pop up anywhere at any time, and thats the beauty of them. I can be questing in any part of the zone and suddenly a rift shows up to break the quest grind. And they are both solo and group friendly. And now invasions are a HUGE original addition. From the start beginning emote to the end boss battle, rift invasions are terrific. There is nothing more fun than desperately trying to hold on to a wardstone while another mass group is trying to shut down rifts.
They have loads of factions for people that love to faction grind. Both through pve zones, rifts and pvp. They have terrific rewards from all paths you choose. And the itemization is almost perfect for a majority of their loot, unlike games like AoC at release.
Because a game takes a warfront system that works, a crafting system that works, and a questing system that works does not mean lack of originality. They took working systems and added their story to them and the story and environments is what makes it original.
I can quote again what I wrote previously in that, if you guys were reviewing cars now a days, would you never drive another because cars keep being made with tires and doors? I think not. Why? Because thats what it takes for a car to work properly nowadays. Sure a time may come when things change, but the technology is not there yet. So why create something that wll not work do to technology restrictions, when you can improve, customize and flesh out a system that has become the industry standard?
You can not say a game is bad because it is similar to something you played in the past. You have to be unbiased and think about the game as its own entity. Is it fun to play? If you say no, and the answer is because you yourself are bored with fantasy mmo's, then you're opinion is invalid. You will be bored with anything. If you say no, because of bad game design, bad infrastructure, bugs, exploits, etc then your opinion is valid.
Rift has no game breaking bugs. Has great servers. Deals well with exploits and values its community feedback. Rift is a great game and Trion a good starting developer. If you are bored, just say it, and stop blaming the game for your lack of interest, when in reality you just aren't interested in the genre any more.
And for those that are looking forward to TOR, I hate to tell you this, but a majority of the quests are the standard go kill this, go get that. So does that mean that bioware should get a bad score?
The invasions are worth nothing and in that regard open gouping is worth nothing and restricted to your own faction.
The game is the same old instance and raid farming using in stone written soul builds.
The only real pro is, that trion managed it to have a coherent graphics design on a rather high level. From hair cuts to architecture anything seems coherent. Not that its a huge achievement, but Trions seems to be one of the first who cared to ask or hire pros for concept art from hair cuts to architecture.
Customization can be fun with a large assortment of options, especially for one who likes to RP in a game. But the major factor is, how many actually zoom in that close to another players face or your own avatars face for that matter to look at the details? A very small percentage and that is what Trion is probably thinking. I rather them spend the first year of release working on more content before facial customizations.
I disagree. In Aion, I saw lots of different looking people, without needing to zoom in on thier faces. Players would even compliment eachother's customization choices now and then, because the system was flexible enough to get pretty creative with.
Besides, MMORPG means Most Men Online Role Play Girls and its not for there facial features. :P
From what I've seen, it's guys who play girls that seem to care the most of all, closely followed by girls who play girls.
edit: i hate mmorpg's enahnced editor.
The female character just have the better animations/looks in Rift. This is not necessary my opinion, but what the fans post on the forum.
Perosnally i think it doesnt matter. You cant acuse me of cross dressing when playing a female animal race. I am not that sick
This was a really nice review. I liked the additional review as well, I hope that figures in more reviews in the future. I agree also with what both have said, though I can't speak for end-game at all as I haven't hit it even remotely yet.
I'm very taken by this game. For me, it's the best post-WoW release I've played, and so far it's better than WoW. I do some quests, and yes the quests are kind of bland, but I am running around closing rifts, fighting off invasions, looking for artifacts, exploring, just killing a mob to see how it fights and what it drops, etc. while I'm questing. I don't see how anyone can play this game exactly like WoW: just go to point A to point B and complete quests. There are so many other things to do at the same time!
I think the pace is just about right too. I've played quite a few hours by now but still haven't hit lvl 20. I just hit a primary goal of my own, which was to buy a mount. Does this game have longetivity for me? I think so actually. I wouldn't mind having an alt at some point.
My only complaint so far is that crafting is pretty dull, but fortunately it's not as tedious as it can be in some games (DAoC ). I have been making myself some green clothing for my little Necro, and I like the fact that I could take up just butchering as a harvest skill and use my third skill to runecarve with.
Would I qualify this game as an 8.7/10? I haven't seen quite enough of the game to give it a definite score yet, but I would say that I think it deserves better than most games on the market today. I do feel that mmorpg.com does not reward innovation enough (like for those games that get low ratings but try to break the mould), but this game deservers far higher than Teala's 6.5. Tentatively, I would rate it at an 8/10.
Why even bother have a scale from 1-10 if the games you rate are always 7 or better. Personally I feel Rift is a good game if someone has never experienced an MMORPG before, with that said, Rift has quite a few short comings that I think many veteran players will agree either gives the game to much of a "been there - done that" feel or completely misses the boat. In my opinion, based on my experience with the game, I see it only rating a 6.5 at best.
Character customization, also, in this game is a joke. A serious joke. How could a game take that many steps back and not get it noticed in a review?
Blah...
Customization during the creation? It's actually better than most MMO's I've played (Aside from Perfect World International, the character creation in that is insane).
Customization in game? Yeah, it's probably lacking. I thought there was a dye system, which is kinda cool. But I don't know if there's a barber or anything like that.
All that being said, I really don't think character customization is the games issue at all.
I can count so many MMO's that have better that it's staggering. You'll also note the dates. This is a 2011 release... the bar has been set, and it was missed.
EverQuest II (Released 2004)
Vanguard (Released 2007)
Champions Online (Released 2009)
City of Heroes (Released 2004)
Star Wars Galaxies (Released -2003-)
AION (Released 2009)
EVE Online (Released 2003)
Age of Conan (Released 2008)
I can keep naming them, really, heh. I think there are a few free to play titles that also beat it. However, RIFT is a AAA multi-million dollar, big budget MMO developped to be a subscription model game. Compared to freemium or free to play? Of course it's going to blow them out of the water. But compared to products it stands next to? It not only missed the bar, it was miles away getting a milkshake.
I have played all of thoes you mentioned with exception of Aion and I completely disagree with you. COH and CO where far and above others but the others you mentioned? At the base of all of thoes games customization is the same base rift has. With exception of weight (in rift you cant make a fat character) at its base all the cusmization is baseline for MMO's right now. It might have a handfull less of select options such as tattoo's but overall they are the same. As to customization through gear most games today are the same. Everyone is after the same endgame gear and all that gear looks the same. Yes its really as simple as that.
So yes, of all rifts faults customization is not one of them. I am a 6month subscriber to rift though I see plenty of its faults I just have hopes for the game. Trion as far as updating the game has shown so far to listne to what the players want. I say SO FAR because there has been other companies like that who have taken a turn for the worse.
Really? People cry about a game not being so differenet and super ground breaking that every aspect of the game has to be new...... and if it's not we will call it a WoW clone pretty much is what's being said. With that being said here's this for an example. Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest same similarities different games and both great just like every other jrpg game right? Call of Duty and Battlefield just like ever other shoter game? Boarderlands and Fallout ? Warcraft, Starcraft and Command and Conquer? Resident Evil and Silent Hill?
People need to stop pointing out the similarities of the games and look at the differences between the two cause if you dwell on the same aspects of the game of course it will remind you of the other game look outside the box at the differences cause if you played MMOs before WoW it's based off of alot of EQ and DoAc.
Overall there will be similar aspects in EVERY game you play and if you don't like Rift then get over it go back to whatever game you were playing before. WoW is an amazing game but overall people want something new with the same idea and Rift delievers that will it become as big as WoW? No, but it has potential to not be a flop like every other MMO after WoW.
Also I am sure everyone who says this game is overated isn't max level in the game nor has really played it to even give your 2 cents about the game so lets be honest. On top of that jeez the game hasn't even been out for 2 months and you say it's horrible and sucks. Did you play WoW at release? Do you remember when there were no battlegrounds? Druids and Warlocks were the worse classes in the game? No flying mounts? No dual spec? Tier 2 droped in Molten Core? Before Arenas? 1-60 took 20 days of gameplay? Before gear score? Before heroics? Before every kid thought he was leet sauce cause he has badge gear and heroic gear?
Look at WoW when it was released to now and all the changes it has gotten the game would be laughable with the bugs and the lack of content that was released with the and the first year it was out when there were only around 2-3 million players.
It's an MMO it will grow and expand and become better later on if you don't like it then don't like it move along but before you judge the game give it an honest try.
Also I am sure everyone who says this game is overated isn't max level in the game nor has really played it to even give your 2 cents about the game so lets be honest. On top of that jeez the game hasn't even been out for 2 months and you say it's horrible and sucks. Did you play WoW at release? Do you remember when there were no battlegrounds? Druids and Warlocks were the worse classes in the game? No flying mounts? No dual spec? Tier 2 droped in Molten Core? Before Arenas? 1-60 took 20 days of gameplay? Before gear score? Before heroics? Before every kid thought he was leet sauce cause he has badge gear and heroic gear?
Look at WoW when it was released to now and all the changes it has gotten the game would be laughable with the bugs and the lack of content that was released with the and the first year it was out when there were only around 2-3 million players.
It's an MMO it will grow and expand and become better later on if you don't like it then don't like it move along but before you judge the game give it an honest try.
That was almost 7 years ago with the game being developed back in 2000. There is no excuse now, therefore your point is moot. Thousands of players have expressed their dissatisfaction with Rift endgame content. It is extremely hand held and very linear. Theres a reason theres been a huge outcry on multiple review AND fan sites, yet any form of critism on the official forums, is met by a swift deletion and/or forum suspension, no matter how well thought out and constructive the post may have been.
Also I am sure everyone who says this game is overated isn't max level in the game nor has really played it to even give your 2 cents about the game so lets be honest. On top of that jeez the game hasn't even been out for 2 months and you say it's horrible and sucks. Did you play WoW at release? Do you remember when there were no battlegrounds? Druids and Warlocks were the worse classes in the game? No flying mounts? No dual spec? Tier 2 droped in Molten Core? Before Arenas? 1-60 took 20 days of gameplay? Before gear score? Before heroics? Before every kid thought he was leet sauce cause he has badge gear and heroic gear?
Look at WoW when it was released to now and all the changes it has gotten the game would be laughable with the bugs and the lack of content that was released with the and the first year it was out when there were only around 2-3 million players.
It's an MMO it will grow and expand and become better later on if you don't like it then don't like it move along but before you judge the game give it an honest try.
That was almost 7 years ago with the game being developed back in 2000. There is no excuse now, therefore your point is moot. Thousands of players have expressed their dissatisfaction with Rift endgame content. It is extremely hand held and very linear. Theres a reason theres been a huge outcry on multiple review AND fan sites, yet any form of critism on the official forums, is met by a swift deletion and/or forum suspension, no matter how well thought out and constructive the post may have been.
Look at the games that recently within the last few years that have came out. Rift is by far well ahead of any of the other MMOs that have ever been released including WoW for years. Also this is Trions first game as a company and it has done a very nice job on rift overall. The game has been out for alittle over a month. What do you expect it to have be at the top of its game? No, it's a MMO there is goign to be trial and error the game will grow expand and get better.
WoW was an amazing and awesome game but hasn't for a few expansions in my opinion but who cares it's my opinion just like this post and your post and everyone else on this forum if you don't like it don't play it but don't expect a MMO within its first year to be the most amazing game ever. Also don't listen to word of mouth check the game out yourself play the endgame and then judge the game before you rant "it isn't good" "people say the endgame ihand held and very linear" like said it's an opinion just like this post.
It's Trions first game give it time maybe it will be great maybe not can't judge a MMO for sure within the first month of release.
After one month of play and reaching level 30 with four char classes, I am very bored.
Whilst it is a beautiful game and has a lot of good features, like the class system, the quests are just plain too boring and note, I do read all the text for each quest. I also find the closing of rifts is a big yawn by now, you done one you done them all. It is the same thing over and over and over. Every rift is basically the same. Or the invaders popping up everywhere, the same and again the same.
I find that to get into a group is a real pain and have only been successful once or twice to find a group, so I am basically stuck with doing solo quests and closing rifts (where you just click to get into a group).
I am a very keen crafter but even that is not holding my interest.
I was much more involved in Wow and found it much more interesting. Levelled a char in every class up to the top and played for five years. So going back to it is not an option because I am all played out of Wow now. Same with GW which I loved every minute of. Now eagerly awaiting GW2.
So I must sadly say I am disappointed with Rift, which has such great potential and could be not only a good but a great game.
Perhaps Rift is more suited to the very young crowd, but to each his own, I am just giving my opinion of a 20 year veteran of MMO games.
I have been playing Rift for several weeks. It has become very boring. I have played other games as Rohan, WOW, Perfect World, 2Moons, Silkroad, AOC and others. Rift is disappointing in that you run out of quests at a higher level. You run all over the map on the game to take quest/quests, complete quest, run to npc for more quests. There is a lot of time wasted running back and forth and all over. Each area has one portal and you have one portal stone which you set as your home. The colors in the game are drab, graphics fairly nice. When you sign up for the game, you are required to provide either PayPal, a Rift time card or a credit card even though you have time (I purchased the game and 30 days came "free").
This is one game I will not renew my subscription nor if I know now what I did when I thought of purchasing the game; I would have passed. Even as a free game I don't think I would wasted my time playing it. It is not as good as this web site has it rated, I would rate it a 6.5
I wish this game had a free trial, could of saved myself $59. I cancelled my subscription on day 1.
It's key features that set it apart from other games are all cons not pros. Rifts were boring by the 5th one.
Combat is slow and tedious and I was playing the mage (nuker) class. Soloing is tedious at best. Mob density is way too high in areas making solo play an exercise in futility. Constant drinking to regen mana/health plus a never ending stream of ghost crawls back to your corpse makes this game about as fun as a root canal.
Game is boring and stale. It's just generic MMO 543,332.
Comments
8.7 is okay for me, mmkay a bit high maybe. But if you lower it, then you have to degrade many games here by ~.5
Now I am not a professional game tester and such, just the idiot who plays games for fun. But when I look at the technical part of the game, it seems to be a 9+. Game runs like butter, enough content at release, Massive Multiplayer possible in a non instanced open world (no Freemarch 1,2,3...), next level of open grouping.
Then there is the actual game. I am so bored of it, because I played this kind of MMO for years already - but this is a matter of taste. For what this game is, a "Mostly PvE-MMO" I guess, it has too few activities besides killing mobs. There is more possible than standard crafting and collecting shinies.
It seems that the reviewer played the game up to the point where I'm finding many people fading away or quitting. I'm still playing Rift and enjoying it, but there is just this certain 'dull-ness' factor that is creeping in and I've seen a number of friends just stop playing already. Someone said Rift is a game without a Soul, and it is starting to feel that way to me.
For me the biggest detractor of Rift is linearity, or feeling like I'm on the exact same rails as everybody else. Although the landscapes are beautiful, they also feel small and confining. In Vanguard you could get seriously lost and eating my something bad and never get back to your tombstone. In Rift, death can be a means of quicker travel and the landmass really isn't big enough to give you the sense of exploration or discovery.
Character customization, also, in this game is a joke. A serious joke. How could a game take that many steps back and not get it noticed in a review?
Blah...
Customization during the creation? It's actually better than most MMO's I've played (Aside from Perfect World International, the character creation in that is insane).
Customization in game? Yeah, it's probably lacking. I thought there was a dye system, which is kinda cool. But I don't know if there's a barber or anything like that.
All that being said, I really don't think character customization is the games issue at all.
0118 999 881 999 119 725... 3
I am prob more critical of the reviewer than the actual game, but lets face it the game is a hodge podge of other games especially WAR and WOW, how far have we come when the standard for a game is "well at least the launch did not crash to many times" is that the new standard for games-Really. The reviewer gives many of the games important points a con, yet because it runs smoothly and the chat works hey its a 8.7. Is It just we are so happy to have any type of game that can combat WOW that we cheer when crafting does'nt tottaly suck (I am looking at you AOC) Ah well I am waiting for Bio wares epic, if they cant do it I will quit mmo's for ever orrrrr until someone comes along who can wow me with a ui that works lol.
I can count so many MMO's that have better that it's staggering. You'll also note the dates. This is a 2011 release... the bar has been set, and it was missed.
EverQuest II (Released 2004)
Vanguard (Released 2007)
Champions Online (Released 2009)
City of Heroes (Released 2004)
Star Wars Galaxies (Released -2003-)
AION (Released 2009)
EVE Online (Released 2003)
Age of Conan (Released 2008)
I can keep naming them, really, heh. I think there are a few free to play titles that also beat it. However, RIFT is a AAA multi-million dollar, big budget MMO developped to be a subscription model game. Compared to freemium or free to play? Of course it's going to blow them out of the water. But compared to products it stands next to? It not only missed the bar, it was miles away getting a milkshake.
I think its because there seem to be plenty of options during character creation. Not lots, but maybe enough. Problem is, most of them don't do much, when seen from even just a few paces away. I see people who look like clones all the time, even though the only thing they did the same was hair style / color.
I even wonder if over half the customization options get thrown out, when you're at even a slight distance. It's either that, or the changes that the sliders make really are that subtle.
The devs say they kept customization to a minimum for performance reasons, but it seems like a cop out to me. I don't know why they cant just gradually trim customization choices as needed during a crowded raid. They could start with the most subtle choices like nose shape, working all the way up to.. well, everything that's currently left out entirely already. Even hair styles could be grouped by similarity, and then when things get really crowded, you get one of the main five hairstyles, instead of all 30.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
I was dissapointed with the lack of custimization... however, if that's the biggest dissapointment in a game, that's actually a pretty good sign. It's something that can easily be addressed if they really think it is an issue, and it's something that I'm completely willing to look past if so many other things are done right.
Customization can be fun with a large assortment of options, especially for one who likes to RP in a game. But the major factor is, how many actually zoom in that close to another players face or your own avatars face for that matter to look at the details? A very small percentage and that is what Trion is probably thinking. I rather them spend the first year of release working on more content before facial customizations.
Besides, MMORPG means Most Men Online Role Play Girls and its not for there facial features. :P
I disagree. In Aion, I saw lots of different looking people, without needing to zoom in on thier faces. Players would even compliment eachother's customization choices now and then, because the system was flexible enough to get pretty creative with.
From what I've seen, it's guys who play girls that seem to care the most of all, closely followed by girls who play girls.
edit: i hate mmorpg's enahnced editor.
When I want a single-player story, I'll play a single-player game. When I play an MMO, I want a massively multiplayer world.
My biggest disapointment in Rift: PVP. Man it's terrible.
I've played heaps of PVE games with PVP tacked on as an afterthought, but this one takes the cake. But well done Trion in turning PVP into a mindless instanced grindfest.
To all you guys out there bashing Trion on "originality", just how "original" is a game supposed to be? Ok, let's take out questing, leveling, dungeons, pvp, crafting, talent speccing, and anything else that makes a game and what do you have? Nothing, that's what! Yeah, a game with nothing sounds really fun. And games that have tried to be "daring", "innovative", and "original" are also no longer around except for Eve. In fact, Eve is the only game that I know of that was "original" and "innovative" in any real sense of the word.
No, I don't look for "originality" of mechanics in a game, I look for fun and new content. The way mmo's are done now are fine. The only two things that bother me about most new games that come out is that (a) they have no content to speak of and (b) they're buggy as hell.
EXACTLY!!!!!
The game runs better than any game I have been with at launch over the past 5 years. That in itself is terrific. The graphics are perfect for what the game is. Take a look at the detail of a Rift opening and look at it in the sky, its very well detailed. The story-line is great as well. And because they have so many different planes of elements, they have so much room for content its absurd. And to speak of content, launch content is jam packed, with a nice patch and new content out only a month after launch.
I'm so sick of hearing people say Rift lacks originality. No game has ever allowed you to pick a calling and then choose from 8 different souls to customize your toon. How many other games are there where a rogue can be ranged dps, melee dps, tank and healer with the click of a button?
The rift invasions are not static pq's like in warhammer. Sure they are similar in open grouping and evolving phases, but thats where it ends. Rifts can pop up anywhere at any time, and thats the beauty of them. I can be questing in any part of the zone and suddenly a rift shows up to break the quest grind. And they are both solo and group friendly. And now invasions are a HUGE original addition. From the start beginning emote to the end boss battle, rift invasions are terrific. There is nothing more fun than desperately trying to hold on to a wardstone while another mass group is trying to shut down rifts.
They have loads of factions for people that love to faction grind. Both through pve zones, rifts and pvp. They have terrific rewards from all paths you choose. And the itemization is almost perfect for a majority of their loot, unlike games like AoC at release.
Because a game takes a warfront system that works, a crafting system that works, and a questing system that works does not mean lack of originality. They took working systems and added their story to them and the story and environments is what makes it original.
I can quote again what I wrote previously in that, if you guys were reviewing cars now a days, would you never drive another because cars keep being made with tires and doors? I think not. Why? Because thats what it takes for a car to work properly nowadays. Sure a time may come when things change, but the technology is not there yet. So why create something that wll not work do to technology restrictions, when you can improve, customize and flesh out a system that has become the industry standard?
You can not say a game is bad because it is similar to something you played in the past. You have to be unbiased and think about the game as its own entity. Is it fun to play? If you say no, and the answer is because you yourself are bored with fantasy mmo's, then you're opinion is invalid. You will be bored with anything. If you say no, because of bad game design, bad infrastructure, bugs, exploits, etc then your opinion is valid.
Rift has no game breaking bugs. Has great servers. Deals well with exploits and values its community feedback. Rift is a great game and Trion a good starting developer. If you are bored, just say it, and stop blaming the game for your lack of interest, when in reality you just aren't interested in the genre any more.
And for those that are looking forward to TOR, I hate to tell you this, but a majority of the quests are the standard go kill this, go get that. So does that mean that bioware should get a bad score?
The review is wrong on any possible level.
They removed sounds
The soul system is a fake
The invasions are worth nothing and in that regard open gouping is worth nothing and restricted to your own faction.
The game is the same old instance and raid farming using in stone written soul builds.
The only real pro is, that trion managed it to have a coherent graphics design on a rather high level. From hair cuts to architecture anything seems coherent. Not that its a huge achievement, but Trions seems to be one of the first who cared to ask or hire pros for concept art from hair cuts to architecture.
The female character just have the better animations/looks in Rift. This is not necessary my opinion, but what the fans post on the forum.
Perosnally i think it doesnt matter. You cant acuse me of cross dressing when playing a female animal race. I am not that sick
This was a really nice review. I liked the additional review as well, I hope that figures in more reviews in the future. I agree also with what both have said, though I can't speak for end-game at all as I haven't hit it even remotely yet.
I'm very taken by this game. For me, it's the best post-WoW release I've played, and so far it's better than WoW. I do some quests, and yes the quests are kind of bland, but I am running around closing rifts, fighting off invasions, looking for artifacts, exploring, just killing a mob to see how it fights and what it drops, etc. while I'm questing. I don't see how anyone can play this game exactly like WoW: just go to point A to point B and complete quests. There are so many other things to do at the same time!
I think the pace is just about right too. I've played quite a few hours by now but still haven't hit lvl 20. I just hit a primary goal of my own, which was to buy a mount. Does this game have longetivity for me? I think so actually. I wouldn't mind having an alt at some point.
My only complaint so far is that crafting is pretty dull, but fortunately it's not as tedious as it can be in some games (DAoC ). I have been making myself some green clothing for my little Necro, and I like the fact that I could take up just butchering as a harvest skill and use my third skill to runecarve with.
Would I qualify this game as an 8.7/10? I haven't seen quite enough of the game to give it a definite score yet, but I would say that I think it deserves better than most games on the market today. I do feel that mmorpg.com does not reward innovation enough (like for those games that get low ratings but try to break the mould), but this game deservers far higher than Teala's 6.5. Tentatively, I would rate it at an 8/10.
Playing MUDs and MMOs since 1994.
I have to agree.
SexuaLobster's Grease Portal
I have played all of thoes you mentioned with exception of Aion and I completely disagree with you. COH and CO where far and above others but the others you mentioned? At the base of all of thoes games customization is the same base rift has. With exception of weight (in rift you cant make a fat character) at its base all the cusmization is baseline for MMO's right now. It might have a handfull less of select options such as tattoo's but overall they are the same. As to customization through gear most games today are the same. Everyone is after the same endgame gear and all that gear looks the same. Yes its really as simple as that.
So yes, of all rifts faults customization is not one of them. I am a 6month subscriber to rift though I see plenty of its faults I just have hopes for the game. Trion as far as updating the game has shown so far to listne to what the players want. I say SO FAR because there has been other companies like that who have taken a turn for the worse.
Really? People cry about a game not being so differenet and super ground breaking that every aspect of the game has to be new...... and if it's not we will call it a WoW clone pretty much is what's being said. With that being said here's this for an example. Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest same similarities different games and both great just like every other jrpg game right? Call of Duty and Battlefield just like ever other shoter game? Boarderlands and Fallout ? Warcraft, Starcraft and Command and Conquer? Resident Evil and Silent Hill?
People need to stop pointing out the similarities of the games and look at the differences between the two cause if you dwell on the same aspects of the game of course it will remind you of the other game look outside the box at the differences cause if you played MMOs before WoW it's based off of alot of EQ and DoAc.
Overall there will be similar aspects in EVERY game you play and if you don't like Rift then get over it go back to whatever game you were playing before. WoW is an amazing game but overall people want something new with the same idea and Rift delievers that will it become as big as WoW? No, but it has potential to not be a flop like every other MMO after WoW.
Also I am sure everyone who says this game is overated isn't max level in the game nor has really played it to even give your 2 cents about the game so lets be honest. On top of that jeez the game hasn't even been out for 2 months and you say it's horrible and sucks. Did you play WoW at release? Do you remember when there were no battlegrounds? Druids and Warlocks were the worse classes in the game? No flying mounts? No dual spec? Tier 2 droped in Molten Core? Before Arenas? 1-60 took 20 days of gameplay? Before gear score? Before heroics? Before every kid thought he was leet sauce cause he has badge gear and heroic gear?
Look at WoW when it was released to now and all the changes it has gotten the game would be laughable with the bugs and the lack of content that was released with the and the first year it was out when there were only around 2-3 million players.
It's an MMO it will grow and expand and become better later on if you don't like it then don't like it move along but before you judge the game give it an honest try.
That was almost 7 years ago with the game being developed back in 2000. There is no excuse now, therefore your point is moot. Thousands of players have expressed their dissatisfaction with Rift endgame content. It is extremely hand held and very linear. Theres a reason theres been a huge outcry on multiple review AND fan sites, yet any form of critism on the official forums, is met by a swift deletion and/or forum suspension, no matter how well thought out and constructive the post may have been.
Look at the games that recently within the last few years that have came out. Rift is by far well ahead of any of the other MMOs that have ever been released including WoW for years. Also this is Trions first game as a company and it has done a very nice job on rift overall. The game has been out for alittle over a month. What do you expect it to have be at the top of its game? No, it's a MMO there is goign to be trial and error the game will grow expand and get better.
WoW was an amazing and awesome game but hasn't for a few expansions in my opinion but who cares it's my opinion just like this post and your post and everyone else on this forum if you don't like it don't play it but don't expect a MMO within its first year to be the most amazing game ever. Also don't listen to word of mouth check the game out yourself play the endgame and then judge the game before you rant "it isn't good" "people say the endgame ihand held and very linear" like said it's an opinion just like this post.
It's Trions first game give it time maybe it will be great maybe not can't judge a MMO for sure within the first month of release.
After one month of play and reaching level 30 with four char classes, I am very bored.
Whilst it is a beautiful game and has a lot of good features, like the class system, the quests are just plain too boring and note, I do read all the text for each quest. I also find the closing of rifts is a big yawn by now, you done one you done them all. It is the same thing over and over and over. Every rift is basically the same. Or the invaders popping up everywhere, the same and again the same.
I find that to get into a group is a real pain and have only been successful once or twice to find a group, so I am basically stuck with doing solo quests and closing rifts (where you just click to get into a group).
I am a very keen crafter but even that is not holding my interest.
I was much more involved in Wow and found it much more interesting. Levelled a char in every class up to the top and played for five years. So going back to it is not an option because I am all played out of Wow now. Same with GW which I loved every minute of. Now eagerly awaiting GW2.
So I must sadly say I am disappointed with Rift, which has such great potential and could be not only a good but a great game.
Perhaps Rift is more suited to the very young crowd, but to each his own, I am just giving my opinion of a 20 year veteran of MMO games.
I have been playing Rift for several weeks. It has become very boring. I have played other games as Rohan, WOW, Perfect World, 2Moons, Silkroad, AOC and others. Rift is disappointing in that you run out of quests at a higher level. You run all over the map on the game to take quest/quests, complete quest, run to npc for more quests. There is a lot of time wasted running back and forth and all over. Each area has one portal and you have one portal stone which you set as your home. The colors in the game are drab, graphics fairly nice. When you sign up for the game, you are required to provide either PayPal, a Rift time card or a credit card even though you have time (I purchased the game and 30 days came "free").
This is one game I will not renew my subscription nor if I know now what I did when I thought of purchasing the game; I would have passed. Even as a free game I don't think I would wasted my time playing it. It is not as good as this web site has it rated, I would rate it a 6.5
I wish this game had a free trial, could of saved myself $59. I cancelled my subscription on day 1.
It's key features that set it apart from other games are all cons not pros. Rifts were boring by the 5th one.
Combat is slow and tedious and I was playing the mage (nuker) class. Soloing is tedious at best. Mob density is way too high in areas making solo play an exercise in futility. Constant drinking to regen mana/health plus a never ending stream of ghost crawls back to your corpse makes this game about as fun as a root canal.
Game is boring and stale. It's just generic MMO 543,332.