Secret World Legends
Huh. It's been almost five years since I sampled The Secret World. Rebuilt as Secret World Legends and re-launched as F2P with a most actiony focus, my impressions haven't actually changed much.
Skills and weapons in the combat system have definitely changed. Rather than a wheel of stuff, there are trees connected to each weapon type you can unlock and learn. It's different from what it was, but not revolutionary or anything. You still juggle power, cooldowns, and limited hotbar slots with a primary and secondary weapon set to shoot or beat up enemies.
Being free to play, though, I've had a chance to play deeper into the game than I did over a sampler weekend. I have a character in level 30's, having cleared the story of the first few zones. It's interesting enough, but a mixed bag. From a mechanical standpoint, it's good to be able to replay missions (after a cooldown timer), though if you're playing for storyline, there's not much point to doing so.
I find the use of real world legends a plus. And if feels like you're really fighting to stave off badness in some cases (right up until you finish the quests and see the state of the region is exactly the same - phasing would lessen replay value, but increase impact). I'm kind of disappointed thus far with faction involvement, though - a couple brief cell phone calls and a scene between Solomon Island and Egypt, whee. I don't feel any real connection to my chosen faction. Then again, the way my character continues to be silent and unresponsive in cut scenes makes me feel kind of disconnected from everything - like my character is going along with all this, but doesn't care about any of it one way or another. That part still bugs me. Also, the villains so far have been lacking in any real depth.
Of course, the F2P monetization is there. Without spending anything, I've ended up having to grind a little bit to keep up with level flow and increasing things like sprint speed have been slower than I would like, but it's all been doable so far. New outfits and various other goodies are available for purchase. Monthly patron status gives various lockbox keys, which might be nice, but may not (ooo, RNG!).
So... eh... It's something to play on the side for a bit, anyway.
Skills and weapons in the combat system have definitely changed. Rather than a wheel of stuff, there are trees connected to each weapon type you can unlock and learn. It's different from what it was, but not revolutionary or anything. You still juggle power, cooldowns, and limited hotbar slots with a primary and secondary weapon set to shoot or beat up enemies.
Being free to play, though, I've had a chance to play deeper into the game than I did over a sampler weekend. I have a character in level 30's, having cleared the story of the first few zones. It's interesting enough, but a mixed bag. From a mechanical standpoint, it's good to be able to replay missions (after a cooldown timer), though if you're playing for storyline, there's not much point to doing so.
I find the use of real world legends a plus. And if feels like you're really fighting to stave off badness in some cases (right up until you finish the quests and see the state of the region is exactly the same - phasing would lessen replay value, but increase impact). I'm kind of disappointed thus far with faction involvement, though - a couple brief cell phone calls and a scene between Solomon Island and Egypt, whee. I don't feel any real connection to my chosen faction. Then again, the way my character continues to be silent and unresponsive in cut scenes makes me feel kind of disconnected from everything - like my character is going along with all this, but doesn't care about any of it one way or another. That part still bugs me. Also, the villains so far have been lacking in any real depth.
Of course, the F2P monetization is there. Without spending anything, I've ended up having to grind a little bit to keep up with level flow and increasing things like sprint speed have been slower than I would like, but it's all been doable so far. New outfits and various other goodies are available for purchase. Monthly patron status gives various lockbox keys, which might be nice, but may not (ooo, RNG!).
So... eh... It's something to play on the side for a bit, anyway.
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