Warframe: POE
So Warframe just released it's Plains of Eidolon patch. What is it? Well, it is not quite what the term "open world" conjures to me in an online multiplayer game. Technically, I guess it fits, but to me the phrase implies running around, crossing paths with other people, and doing stuff.
Really, POE adds two main things. One is Cetus, a player-shared hub like the relays that already existed, though with a bit more NPC presence, including vendors and "bounty" (ie. mission) givers. The other is the Plains itself, which is a large open map with day/night cycles, periodic random events, new activities like fishing and mining for materials, and enemies scattered around in camps and patrols. The Plains are still instanced, however, so you only ever encounter players already in your squad. If anything, it reminds me of Guild Wars (1) maps. That's not quite the big, revolutionary thing that came to mind when I first heard about POE, but it is a marked difference from other mission zones, which involve tile set-based rooms linked together. It adds some new content and variety to the game. It's even accessible at a fairly low level, though some bounties and enemies scale things up. All that is good, no question.
Edit: While I might have a little disappointment, and I may find some things "too hard" for me in the Plains, the one point I really feel was a misstep is the extraction process. To keep items gained and save all progress made in the Plains you must exit back through the gate to Cetus (well, except for a couple specific quests that have end points on the map). This is a real PITA if you've "done" what you wanted, but you're across the map, making just getting back a slog. There should be a way to extract straight to your orbiter without hoofing it all that way.
After checking it out, though, my play time during the weekend went back to pushing through Neptune and Pluto in order to access The War Within quest. That, and the previous The Second Dream quest are two major mission chains interspersed with story-heavy scenes. It feels cliche to say they "change everything," but they kind of do - both in a story standpoint (which is otherwise fairly vague in most of the game) and a mechanical one by introducing access to the Focus system. And this after probably 100+ hours of play, considering how far along the system map the events come. It's odd, but pretty cool to experience, getting filed alongside other big moments in games like the Wrathgate or Revan reveal.
Really, POE adds two main things. One is Cetus, a player-shared hub like the relays that already existed, though with a bit more NPC presence, including vendors and "bounty" (ie. mission) givers. The other is the Plains itself, which is a large open map with day/night cycles, periodic random events, new activities like fishing and mining for materials, and enemies scattered around in camps and patrols. The Plains are still instanced, however, so you only ever encounter players already in your squad. If anything, it reminds me of Guild Wars (1) maps. That's not quite the big, revolutionary thing that came to mind when I first heard about POE, but it is a marked difference from other mission zones, which involve tile set-based rooms linked together. It adds some new content and variety to the game. It's even accessible at a fairly low level, though some bounties and enemies scale things up. All that is good, no question.
Edit: While I might have a little disappointment, and I may find some things "too hard" for me in the Plains, the one point I really feel was a misstep is the extraction process. To keep items gained and save all progress made in the Plains you must exit back through the gate to Cetus (well, except for a couple specific quests that have end points on the map). This is a real PITA if you've "done" what you wanted, but you're across the map, making just getting back a slog. There should be a way to extract straight to your orbiter without hoofing it all that way.
After checking it out, though, my play time during the weekend went back to pushing through Neptune and Pluto in order to access The War Within quest. That, and the previous The Second Dream quest are two major mission chains interspersed with story-heavy scenes. It feels cliche to say they "change everything," but they kind of do - both in a story standpoint (which is otherwise fairly vague in most of the game) and a mechanical one by introducing access to the Focus system. And this after probably 100+ hours of play, considering how far along the system map the events come. It's odd, but pretty cool to experience, getting filed alongside other big moments in games like the Wrathgate or Revan reveal.
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