As a long-time fan of MMORPGs and having played numerous titles from the Korean scene, I was both excited and intrigued by Amazon Games’ latest offering, Throne and Liberty. The high-fidelity visuals immediately caught my eye during the Open Beta test, but it was the shapeshifting mechanic that truly piqued my interest.
Amazon’s upcoming publication in the MMO genre is called “Throne and Liberty,” developed by NCSOFT. Initially part of the Lineage series, it debuted in South Korea towards the end of last year and plans for a global release in September 2024. In preparation for its launch, Amazon Games conducted an Open Beta test recently where I spent numerous hours trying out the game. Two standout features of Throne and Liberty are its stunning graphics and a unique shapeshifting mechanism designed to make exploring an MMO world more engaging.
In the captivating world of Solisium, I find myself at the heart of an intriguing conflict. The Star of Sylaveth, once whole, has fragmented, scattering its pieces across the realm. The ominous figure known as Kazar is on a ruthless quest to collect each shard, and fate has bestowed upon me an essential role in this grand adventure.
In the initial stage of this game, experienced players of Korean MMOs will find a comforting sense of familiarity. The design follows a well-worn path, particularly during the first few hours. You’ll encounter a vast open world ripe for exploration, teeming with mobs to battle and optional side quests. To inject some excitement into traveling between expansive zones, you can transform into various creatures using a unique mechanism. These forms include a cat-like creature for sprinting, an otter for swimming, and a bird to glide from great heights. Additional forms of each animal can be obtained through in-game achievements or by purchasing them with premium currency.
In simpler terms, these features don’t significantly enhance the game mechanics, but they add enjoyment as you transform and witness new animations while exploring vast areas or swimming to targets. They also give developers an opportunity to be more inventive with map layouts since your movement is somewhat restricted. Scattered throughout the map are quirky grappling hooks that serve to make getting around more entertaining. Changing into various forms, even seemingly insignificant ones like enemy types, while strolling about seems unnecessary, but it’s all in the name of amusement – something this game isn’t short on.
In simpler terms, Throne and Liberty includes a premium currency, a season pass-like system, and a reward scheme for achieving level milestones (which can be paid to advance faster). During the Open Beta testing phase, there were limited options for customization purchases. However, any progress made during this period will be reset before the game’s official release. As a result, it is currently challenging to assess the financial implications of these features. Nevertheless, they are an integral part of the game.
In Throne and Liberty, there’s a significant focus on guild actions driving the gameplay experience beyond the storyline. Shapeshifting plays a notable part in this aspect, as suggested by various promotional materials for the game. Although I didn’t have the opportunity to explore these features during the Open Beta, early indications point toward guild activities such as contests over capture points and transforming into colossal golem-like beings being key elements that could set Throne and Liberty apart in the gaming community.
Based on my limited experience during the Open Beta, which spanned only a few days, there’s a lot more to explore and discover in Throne and Liberty. The game showcased new forms of shapeshifting and various modes of play, as well as numerous challenges and tasks that I couldn’t even begin to tackle. For those eager to fully immerse themselves in the game, they will need to wait until the official launch in a few months to uncover all its hidden depths.
The computer version of “Throne and Liberty” will be released on September 17, 2024. During a beta testing phase prior to this, we had the opportunity to try out the game for this review.
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2024-07-25 22:27