A satisfying PVP experience with a few shallow gameplay mechanics.
For now, I needed a new game. Something to fill in the void between now and other, bigger MMOs coming out in the future such as Warhammer Online, Middle Earth Online, Vanguard Saga and so on.
RF Online, a korean developed MMO PC title created by CCR, was just released this past week on to retail stores nation wide, and has been a game I've been personally following in development since early beta stages. The whole premise was enticing- A science fiction, player versus player oriented MMO where magic, technology and mechs collide into one giant orgy of war and death. Three different races pitted against each other for control of a planet- Cora: The magical, elf-like creatures which are dominant in the use of magic, Accretia: The miltaristic, cyborg race that prefer brute force and strength above all else, and the Bellato: A short, midgetlike form of humans which excel in combining bits of magic and bits of technology to utilize giant, mechanical robot tanks (AKA Mechs).
Gameplay-
After playing beta, retail and joining a relatively large guild, I've found out that like many other korean games, this one follows a very similar formula in gameplay and character development. It's quite clear that the basic purpose of the game in terms of leveling and strengthening your character is through the repetitious, and often mind numbing act of slaying monster after monster after monster for hours on end. The one big thing for me that makes it stand out from other korean MMOs, and other american/european developed MMOs which follow the same formula, is the fact that downtime is non existent. I mean that in the most literal sense, in that there is absolutely zero downtime.
This is achieved by use of potions, which can be bought in stacks of 99 and are incredibly cheap to purchase. One can simply spam potions all day to keep their health maxed while grinding off mobs that are several levels higher than him or her. This, along with the game's smooth combat animations and skills, makes the fighting much more fast paced and interactive. This is what makes the grinding in RFO much more forgiving than say, in Final Fantasy 11 or Ragnarok Online.
Of course, that is the PvE focus of the game. But the main, central focus the game developers put their mind and money into is the PVP. And this, in my opinion, is where the game truly shines. Every 8 hours, an event takes place called the Chip Wars. This is where the three races of the game, Accretia, Bellato and Cora, wage war with each other for control over an area called the Crag Mines. This zone is rich in resources, and of course resources leads to money, and money leads to a richer economy and stronger characters. After each race musters as many players as they possibly can, they must march across the crag mines to reach an opponent's Control Center. A control center contains a chip, which is basically a key to the most mineral rich areas of the crag mines.
If a race is successful in destroying an enemy's control center, that entire race gains access to the Crag Mine Core, where one can easily earn 1 to 2 million credit in just a few hours of mining. These chip wars can sometimes end up being literally epic in size, pitting hundreds and hundreds of players against each other in full sized armies as they fight for control of the zone. This is what makes the PVP aspect of the game stand out from other MMOs- It has a true purpose. Not just for yourself, but for your entire race. It greatly rewards those that win, work together and cooperate. It is also extremely satisfying, watching hundreds of players on screen at any given time fighting with and against each other.
Another great aspect which I love about the game is the simple act of earning resources. Mining can be done while being away from the computer, so essentially you can make money overnight while sleeping. You will always be guaranteed to be richer every single day, so long as you remember to leave your character online to mine. This makes the game more forgiving for those that simply don't have the time to play as much as others do.
However, this is where the game essentially ends in terms of options. The crafting is shallow at best, and not as rewarding as in other MMOs such as World of Warcraft. The questing system is laughable at best, only giving you pointless tasks such as killing x mob y amount of times. There are no real instance zones, and the world seems to be a bit smaller than in most other MMOs. Also, character customization is seriously lacking making every soldier in the battlefield look essentially the same. If you live for competitive PVP and don't care for fluff, then I highly recommend this title.
Graphics-
The graphics were a mixed bag for me. Character models, character designs, weapon designs and animations were extremely well done. The armor pieces, weapon models and animations look extremely professional, very creative and give you even more of an incentive to continue developing your character and to make him or her stronger and stronger. By the time your character reaches level 50, he or she will look like a god among ants.
However, the environment leaves much to be desired. They are basically large, endless plains spanning out in all directions with no real substance in between points A and B. Zones sometimes feel flat, empty and uninspiring. I remember stepping into Dun Morogh for the first time in WoW and was captivated by the detail, artwork and lighting surrounding me. I didn't feel anything of the sort in this game, unfortunately.
Sound-
The sound is exceptionally well done. The musical soundtrack, sound effects, and ambient noises actually do help to pull you further into the world of RFO, but unfortunately there is no voice acting whatsoever to be found in the game. In this sense characters do feel less life like, but the overall ambience and musical score do help greatly with the overall gaming experience.
Overall-
I would highly recommend that players who enjoy competitive gameplay, PVP combat and MMO gameplay to consider trying this game out. Keep in mind though, that this game isn't casual gamer friendly as some other MMOs. Leveling can become downright painful at times, but it is offset by the fact PVP gameplay in this game is so entertaining. It depends entirely on your tastes, but if you are looking for an extremely deep, complex and large gaming world to play in, you may want to look elsewhere.
This cannot be compared to MMOs such as Everquest II, World of Warcraft or Ultima Online as it simply doesn't have the amount of activites you can do in comparison to those games. This shouldn't really be called an MMORPG, rather it should be labeled as an MMOPVP game. There is no real story, there are no actual quest lines, the crafting is shallow, and the game essentially leads you on a straight line. Hell, there isn't even any role playing in it.
It's a simple, fast paced, action oriented PVP game where the objective is simple- To dominate. If you don't want to bother with all of the extra fluff available in larger MMOs currently available in the market, you may enjoy this game. Either way, it's quite addictive, entertaining, and an extremely rewarding gameplay experience.