Warframe. A third-person sci-fi shooter with RPG elements, that at a glance would resemble Mass Effect.

Pros:

+ Great variety of guns and 'classes'
+ Fast-paced combat
+ Decent modification options
+ Colourful graphics
+ Nice clan system (which I have yet to experience since I don't have any friends)
+ Free to play. All microtransactions (save the cosmetics) can be unlocked sooner or later.


If there is anything enticing about the game, it's the 'classes' which are referred to as warframes. Different warframes have different stats and skillsets that caters for specific types of gameplay. The guns themselves, though there are not s*** loads of them, are complemented by a weapons system that allows for a great deal of experimentation and theory-crafting, especially when combined with an impressive number of modifications. The Dojo or clan system allows even more access to guns and mods.

The gameplay itself is extremely simple; shoot enemies and take cover when you're a bit low, using your primary, secondary, melee or ability anywhere in between. Movement and gun physics are refined and not a great deal of skill is required to scrap some AI metal.

Does the game come with microtransactions? Yes. Is it pay-to-win? No. *Thank goodness?* Save for cosmetics, any game altering gun, class or modification can be unlocked at some stage of the game. You won't need to spend a penny, but lots and lots of time. Which leads to:


Cons:

- Grinding for mods / weapons / 'classes'
- Missions feel repetititve after a while
- Lack of story / weak context

The cons though are more than enough to put someone off. We've seen it many times before in F2P and many people are looking for a game that breaks through this cliché. But to compensate for the fact that any mini purchasable item can be unlocked, players are required to grind ( a bit hard ) to unlock the parts they desire.

In terms of missions, I could probably list all the game types using my fingers (*edited there are 14 mission types, some with alternate modes etc.) and this does become repetitive after you've played the game for a while. The game lacks a storyline; and whatever attempt is made to seem like there can be totally ignored, and the lore itself is lacklustre.

But how is Warframe then still fun to play?
Co-op. Grinding is a lot more fun with a few friends.

Been playing this title for about 9 years. It started off as a simple 7MB mod, which is still one of the most played LAN games. Dota has one of the steepest learning curves in any game, but this A-RTS will provide countless hours of fun, especially when you're playing with friends.