It’s easy to peruse existing MMORPGs and applaud how they continue to evolve with incredible expansions and new content like Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker, but breaking into the MMORPG arena is a bit more difficult. strange way. In the old days, we always had new MMOs. These days, the boundaries are blurred as more games now take on features and aspects that were once ranked as appropriate for the genre, and a number of new offerings in the classic space emerge. New World is amazing in a few ways here. Not only does it seek to break into a space ruled by giants that have been around for years, but it does so with a lot of excitement, ready to explore the features and mechanics of anything. nothing but safety.
The player-generated economy and PVP-centric server space create constant conflict. There’s been a lot of drama during my time with the game as clans come together and fall apart, 50v50 wars and invasions keep things constantly tense, both within one’s own faction and against our opponents. Although I don’t think it’s special to have to use a lot of voice chat to get a competitive edge and deal with all the old fashioned jokes for power and place in the clan space. fun, but the completely new New World social elements in a genre have become somewhat muted over the past decade, with structures that encourage social play eventually shutting down so that Activities can be completed alone or in parties that never require interaction. Just to be clear, I’m not under the illusion of all the power dynamics, clamoring Discord channels and factions that come with a more social game, but I’d love to see something that offers co-op cozy instead of the cold mausoleum that neo-MMORPG experience is usually. Meeting people, doing in-game activities with players on your server, and talking to others have been key elements of the genre, and I have some great friends which I have encountered today within the confines of some of the grandfathers of this genre.
Most of all, my favorite activity in the New World is crafting and collecting elements. There is a kind of gentle zen meditation that comes to someone after their sack is filled with iron ore, ready to craft some ingots, ammo, and armor. Finding great recipes for new dishes, tweaking an item to perfection with high-quality ingredients, and selling amazing things are all hallmarks of the crafting cycle. create/collect. Roaming around dungeons and killing bosses for drop items has always been a cornerstone of MMORPGs, but there’s nothing quite like creating your own divine sword. Or just a batch of really great lobster crackers. Sometimes, you just want to catch a rare fish. Other MMORPGs over the years have catered to the crafting and gathering team, but New World is fairly new in this respect. Binding crafting to building and controlling cities to tax rates and all that is another bold choice that I’m not sure has dealt with completely well, like many other systems in the game last – but I appreciate the willingness to take risks, especially in a genre where it’s just too risky to get into all these days.
There’s no doubt that New World has had some serious issues and post-launch enthusiasm has waned, but I can’t deny that I had a great time with what’s there. After a few hundred hours with the game, I don’t play it right now – but the time I’ve had has been excellent and since it’s not a subscription game, coming back will be easy someday if I have be trending. | Read our impressions
