Played a Ranger until about level 11 or 12 last night, actually a really fun and rewarding game to play. I actually discovered the game due to some drama that geeks on Reddit are touting, sitting on a high horse. I don't care what the devs past is or isn't, I just want a fun game and I've found it.

Regarding the reviews: Keep in mind that the majority of negative reviews are not disparaging the game, the feel, etc. They are mad they can't actually play. This is a solo dev, working on a free project, I'm sure he isn't made of money, so upgrading server capacity isn't a drop in the bucket.

Pros:
- You can fire off abilities in pretty rapid succession, but everything seems to have a bit of a cast time/wait time, so you have to worry about positioning. Definitely not a turn your brain off game, makes it quite engaging.
- The animations/art direction are a really nice mix of modern pixel art, and classic RPG, though I imagine that this will be hit or miss with folks.
- The quality of the quests is pretty standard, as far as quests go, not a monumental advancement in quest creation, but not a slog either. I consider that a win.
- Armour and weapons feel important, you can really feel the 5-10 damage increase from weapons, upgrades really feel like upgrades.
- Enchanting/jeweling system feels really nice as well, it's not a matter of picking and enchanting/slotting jewels, there is a failure system but it isn't a brutal one.
- The abilities feel really nice and all serve their own purpose. At least for ranger, the ability to hybrid between range and melee abilities, or "melee weave", is a nice touch.
- The upgrade and leveling system are quite unique, you have to gain a certain amount of EXP to level (duh) but instead of just unlocking things, you have to use your EXP to 'purchase' stats, abilities, professions, etc.I think it's a pretty cool and well implemented leveling system that allows for a lot of variety in builds.

Cons:
- 'Epic' (pink) loot seems to appear rather frequently, which makes it feel less epic to get. Though it could be that I'm not far enough into the game, and there are other rarities that I haven't seen yet.
- There's no "auto-attack" which feels pretty clunky, especially as a ranger, sometimes I am just running away from a mob, waiting for my bow skill to get off CD.
- Obviously, the server situation, it's hard to really put this as a con, given what I've said above.
- Some quests feel like they require multiple people, and from what I've observed so far, getting in a party isn't the easiest thing.
- Absolutely no monetization, which makes me a bit worrisome. I think having a shop with cosmetics that have zero impact on actual gameplay (similar to GGG's model) would be a good idea for funding. I want to help the dev be able to afford the upkeep involved in something like this, and I can't imagine I'm alone. Even just having a "buy me a coffee" link or something.

Overall, considering this is a work in progress, I would give it a strong 7.5/10. The combat is good, the game feels nice and rewarding, but there are server issue and some bits that need more polish. It's a really nice and cool foundation, that given some time, passion, and dedication has the chance to be a contender for a really popular MMORPG. Excited to see what the game brings in 2026.

Mouse

I want to keep digging.

So glad that they reverted the PSN ruling, this game is too good to be spoiled by a rotten corp. Sony should be ashamed of themselves, and I feel so bad for Arrowhead :(

It's not gambling, it's a long term investment.