It's too... MMO-ish

[Cpt.Calavera]

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that I'm playing an MMORPG without the MMO part. The graphics are too cartoonish and sometimes if you're not paying close attention it's easy to think this is WoW 2.

I'm not saying the game is bad, it's just not for me I think. I prefer Skyrim's more realistic art style.

[Kiya]

Each to their own :) I love the art style, it reminds me alot of the Kings Bounty series of games. I've never played an MMORPG so I couldn't compare.

[Zaole]

i don't see how cartoony art makes it seem like an MMO, unless you're simply comparing it directly to WoW, in which case you mean to say the game feels too similar to WoW, not to MMOs in general.

the gameplay is entirely different from WoW's, so i can't see a comparison there. i do see a similarity in resource gathering and item creation (although i haven't actually performed the latter), but that was one of my favorite parts about WoW. gathering nodes feels really fun to me.

[SoupDujour]

I agree. The game feels like a free to play MMORPG. The art style is bad, very cartoonish,dialogue is ridiculous and so is the plot. It's a very shallow feeling experience altogether. You can't compare this to Skyrim, it's comparable to Two Worlds 1. It doesn't seem like a bad game, just not a game worth purchasing until it's 75% off it's current price.

[Demon Wraith]

There's not too many MMOs out there with a combo system. I think I heard that there was a Korean MMO with it, but that was about it. Action's faster paced than the most popular MMOs on the market.

[Excuritas]

Its just the demo... i think they will still improve some things.

[Chubz123]

Its just the demo... i think they will still improve some things.

The game is 3 weeks away. Don't be ridiculous.

[Ankle_biter]

I don't think it literally plays like an MMO in all ways, but it has the same vibe as an MMO. Especially a very popular one that will go unnamed.

Considering the only benefit to an MMO is playing with other people/competing against other people, that isn't really a good thing. MMO's are basically stripped down single player games that are played with other people, and that is how this game feels... but you play alone.

Never mind the awful camera, and the flat low resolution environment textures that for who knows what reason don't have normal maps.

[Chubz123]

I don't think it plays or feels like an MMO at all. It certainly looks like one, but the actual gameplay feels like an indie/budget RPG game with no interesting mechanics and cliches up the yin-yang.

[Chiatroll]

it had a combo system and combat I have to be awake for. I'm not feeling the mmo.

[Tairneanach]

i do see a similarity in resource gathering and item creation (although i haven't actually performed the latter),

Item creation here is quite different from WoW, where you click the recipe, enter the amount you want to make, click ok and wait. In blacksmithing, you can select from multiple components to make precisely the armour or weapon you want, in alchemy you have to experiment with different components to discover new recipes. I haven't tried crafting gems yet. Anyway, item creation is much more involved and at least blacksmithing is more personal than in WoW.

The art style is bad, very cartoonish,

Sorry, but a certain STYLE can never be bad. It's not your taste, fine. If you want to comment on the graphics and call something bad, pick technical aspects like texture quality. Everything else is up to personal preference.

The game is 3 weeks away. Don't be ridiculous.

The demo build is months old, apperently, so some changes can be expected.

[lampak]

The thing is the game has been initially made as an MMO and quite late in the production they decided to make it single-player. Though I must say it bothered me more when I was watching screens and trailers, once I've got my hands on the demo it wasn't as obstructive as I thought it would be.

[M4nkoRid3r]

Oh hey it's the same guys that have been dissing the game over and over and over. *yawn*

[Cpt.Calavera]

Oh hey it's the same guys that have been dissing the game over and over and over. *yawn*

Excuse me? This was the first thing I wrote about this game ever.

I think it sux, it's my opinion, live with it.

[Zaole]

Excuse me? This was the first thing I wrote about this game ever.

I think it sux, it's my opinion, live with it.

thanks for the useless post. it's totally fine if you want to discuss the game with others and voice your opinion, regardless of what your opinion is, but there is absolutely no point to going "THIS GAME SUCKS THAT'S MY OPINION DEAL WITH IT!"
at that point, you're just trolling. generate worthwhile discussion or go be an idiot somewhere else.

[Cpt.Calavera]

thanks for the useless post. it's totally fine if you want to discuss the game with others and voice your opinion, regardless of what your opinion is, but there is absolutely no point to going "THIS GAME SUCKS THAT'S MY OPINION DEAL WITH IT!"
at that point, you're just trolling. generate worthwhile discussion or go be an idiot somewhere else.

Nah, I'll be an idiot right here just like you.

[M4nkoRid3r]

Excuse me? This was the first thing I wrote about this game ever.

I think it sux, it's my opinion, live with it.

You don't have to think my post is about you if you've posted so little in this forum you know ;). My comment wasn't aimed at you though.

You think the game sucks that's your opinion, but please don't turn into a few of the people I was talking about and spam your distaste for it in every other thread, it's getting rather old, and both sides are being a bit... childish about it. Perhaps I should stop visiting the forums.

[Tairneanach]

This game definitely doesn't offer enough choices to be a real RPG. I mean, why the hell can't I not be dead at the beginning, eh? EH?!

Sorry, the Steam forums combined with a boring day at work are causing acute Daft Sillyness. Very serious syndrome, that one.

[Novanic]

thanks for the useless post. it's totally fine if you want to discuss the game with others and voice your opinion, regardless of what your opinion is, but there is absolutely no point to going "THIS GAME SUCKS THAT'S MY OPINION DEAL WITH IT!"
at that point, you're just trolling. generate worthwhile discussion or go be an idiot somewhere else.

thanks for the useless post. it's totally fine if you want to discuss the game with others and voice your opinion, regardless of what your opinion is, but there is absolutely no point in feeding the so called trolls. This game doesn't need you to defend it. It's his opinion, get out of his face about it. In your words:

"at that point, you're just trolling. generate worthwhile discussion or go be an idiot somewhere else."

[frunch]

Ok so it wasnt just me that thought WoW when seeing the Gnome in the cutscenes (demo). He looks EXACTLY like my gnome warlock did...in this unnamed MMO we all speak of.

Demo was meh but im looking forward to a few user reviews. Never had a demo blow me away and I didnt expect this one to.

[Ghostdog]

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that I'm playing an MMORPG without the MMO part. The graphics are too cartoonish and sometimes if you're not paying close attention it's easy to think this is WoW 2.

Agree that the graphics do unfortunately look a bit WOWish, but fortunately the combat (and skill/class system) is nothing like WOW (yes I used to play WOW a long time ago). Incidentally not all MMOs look like WOW or play like WOW - take DC Universe for example.

I'm not saying the game is bad, it's just not for me I think. I prefer Skyrim's more realistic art style.

I also prefer Skyrim's art style and setting (by a huge margin, and that's an understatement), but tbh have got tired of Skyrim's combat - ultimately it still feels too much like its predecessor imo. Which I think is why I found the combat in the Reckoning demo so refreshing.

Edit: actually am not sure it's helpful to compare Reckoning and Skyrim, since it seems that they have different goals and the only thing they have in common is an open world. Skyrim immerses the player in a huge, convincing and beautiful world from the start, whereas it seems from the demo that Reckoning is not trying to do this but rather get you familiar with the distinctive (and fun) mechanics of the gameplay and character progression (as well as placing you in the storyline).

[GirlPower23]

How does Art direction equate to "It's mmo-ish."

There's not too many MMOs out there with a combo system. I think I heard that there was a Korean MMO with it, but that was about it. Action's faster paced than the most popular MMOs on the market.

Tera Online will be using a similar combat system to this game. It's the only one of it's kind.

Ok so it wasnt just me that thought WoW when seeing the Gnome in the cutscenes (demo). He looks EXACTLY like my gnome warlock did...in this unnamed MMO we all speak of.

Demo was meh but im looking forward to a few user reviews. Never had a demo blow me away and I didnt expect this one to.

Since basically D&D Standardized their look.. Considering the writer for this game was R.A. Salvatore, you are going to see a ton of "D&D" looking races and references, including gnomes. Although 4th Edition did go for a more radical look. Before that though, gnomes have always been short, bearded, and tech nerds in a fantasy setting.

[NorthernKingdom]

Only thing I don't like which is directly there because of MMORPG's is the loot progression color theme and exclamation points above quest giver heads. Do we really need to continue the white, green, blue, purple, orange loot scheme in 2012..... Available quest markers too. You can do something different without completely making the game unplayable because gamers can't instantly recognize it.

Other than those two things it's not very mmorpg at all to me. Somebody should make a bot chat window mod so you can witness QQ rage and nostalgic dinosaurs mentioning how older games did every better to get a real MMORPG vibe from this game.

[Tinusleet]

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that I'm playing an MMORPG without the MMO part. The graphics are too cartoonish and sometimes if you're not paying close attention it's easy to think this is WoW 2.

I'm not saying the game is bad, it's just not for me I think. I prefer Skyrim's more realistic art style.


I do agree with you on some points. I've played several mmo's and single-players for well over a decade now, and i, too, can't completely shake the mmo-feeling. I prefer graphics like skyrim, but i think the graphics here are very well done for the type of game it is. What completely blew my mind, (and not in a good way, mind), was the archery mechanics....i mean, they're completely similar to the ones in, for example, WoW. Homing arrows....it takes away the joy you feel when you aim yourself and plant an arrow through the head of an enemy 100 yards away. TES has allways done that right. Now it's just press, release, hit.

[GirlPower23]

I do agree with you on some points. I've played several mmo's and single-players for well over a decade now, and i, too, can't completely shake the mmo-feeling. I prefer graphics like skyrim, but i think the graphics here are very well done for the type of game it is. What completely blew my mind, (and not in a good way, mind), was the archery mechanics....i mean, they're completely similar to the ones in, for example, WoW. Homing arrows....it takes away the joy you feel when you aim yourself and plant an arrow through the head of an enemy 100 yards away. TES has allways done that right. Now it's just press, release, hit.

I don't think you've played WoW. Hunters play completely different. With that said.. the homing thing is kind of lame but meh.. I believe it's to do with the camera angle.

[HorrorScope]

1. Which mmo has corridor maps like this?
2. Were their x of x quests in this?
3. Which mmo has a combat system like this?
4. Where are all the other players?
5. Where is the cash shop?
6. What mmo lets you save your game and lets you reload?
7. Rayman has cartoon gfx, don't recall it being compared to a mmo.

If this is like an mmo, I could make that argument for pretty much any rpg. Skyrim's world map and navigation is way more mmo like than KOA.

[Tinusleet]

I don't think you've played WoW. Hunters play completely different. With that said.. the homing thing is kind of lame but meh.. I believe it's to do with the camera angle.

Lol xD Proof enough that you have played hunter in wow, at least xD Played warrior from wow release:P That should also tell you something about the hate i feel for hunters:P

[TemptedNZ]

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that I'm playing an MMORPG without the MMO part.


This still cracks me up.

It's like he's a detective.

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that I'm playing an MMORPG without the MMO part. The graphics are too cartoonish and sometimes if you're not paying close attention it's easy to think this is WoW 2.

I'm not saying the game is bad, it's just not for me I think. I prefer Skyrim's more realistic art style.Um... MMOs have vastly different art styles from one to the next. By all means, if you prefer a realistic art style, then you prefer a realistic art style. Just explain how a "cartoonish" art style makes a game an MMO? Or are you just making a random jab at WoW because it's cool to take random jabs at popular things?

[vashts1985]

Somehow I can't shake the feeling that I'm playing an MMORPG without the MMO part.

exactly why i want to play this game.

[Noizic]

exactly why i want to play this game.

Seconded!

[Shaneluls39199]

Seconded!

third...ed lol

it says under the 38 studios wiki page there working on an MMORPG.

this game could easily be taken online with a bit of changes and more content. and i hope as a 60$ customer we get something special if it does go online for supporting it from the start as an offline RPG

[N3Burgener]

1. Which mmo has corridor maps like this?
2. Were there x of x quests in this?
3. Which mmo has a combat system like this?

KOA reminds me a lot of Guild Wars and Vindictus, two free-to-play MMOs with instanced zones, slightly "corridor maps," and the combat even reminds me of Vindictus. Just the feel of questing and exploring outside of town feels strangely similar to those two games. And, of course, the visual style reminds me of WOW, so there you have three different MMOs that this "feels" like, at least from my experience.

[TheDarkChaplain]

KOA reminds me a lot of Guild Wars and Vindictus, two free-to-play MMOs with instanced zones, slightly "corridor maps," and the combat even reminds me of Vindictus. Just the feel of questing and exploring outside of town feels strangely similar to those two games. And, of course, the visual style reminds me of WOW, so there you have three different MMOs that this "feels" like, at least from my experience.

And now none of these feats are the rule for what makes an MMO. Looking for a specific MMO to find links between KoA and a whole genre is useless. WoW, Guild Wars, those all are MMORPGs, just like KoA is another RPG.
So yes, god beware that a handful of RPGs share similarities with another one of the bunch :rolleyes:

This game shares similarities with other games of its genre - it's a damn RPG, and RPGs have gone all across the field already. From fighting against creatures of hell over "cartoonish"-looking fantasy worlds to dull yellow streets of the not so far future, and of course to a universe far far away.
It is hard to find things that have not already been done before, one way or another.

KoA still lacks the specific essential traits that actually make an MMO - what these are should be fairly obvious.

[N3Burgener]

And now none of these feats are the rule for what makes an MMO. Looking for a specific MMO to find links between KoA and a whole genre is useless. WoW, Guild Wars, those all are MMORPGs, just like KoA is another RPG.
So yes, god beware that a handful of RPGs share similarities with another one of the bunch :rolleyes:

This game shares similarities with other games of its genre - it's a damn RPG, and RPGs have gone all across the field already. From fighting against creatures of hell over "cartoonish"-looking fantasy worlds to dull yellow streets of the not so far future, and of course to a universe far far away.
It is hard to find things that have not already been done before, one way or another.

KoA still lacks the specific essential traits that actually make an MMO - what these are should be fairly obvious.

Trust me, I've played a lot of RPGs in my time. Fallouts 1-3 and New Vegas, Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, Gothics 1-3, Risen, Dragon Age, The Witcher, Vampire Bloodlines, Deus Ex, Mass Effect, Knights of the Old Republic, Arcanum, Planescape, so on and so on.

And you know what? Kingdoms of Amalur feels a lot more like Guild Wars and Vindictus to me than any of those other games I listed, even though it does have a lot in common with those others. What sets Guild Wars and Vindictus apart from all those others? The MMO aspect.

Yes, KOA is obviously not an online game, but Guild Wars and Vindictus are not typical MMOs because they feature instanced zones that make them more like a single-player game with online elements. And playing KOA, to me, feels like I'm playing through an instanced zone of an MMO like Guild Wars or Vindictus, by myself. And that's the bottom line, no matter how much you try to argue semantics. It's not a direct criticism of the game, so you don't have to get all defensive about it---I'm just describing what it feels like.

[Kirzan]

The difference between what defines a "Cartoon" and "COLOR" is very, very big. Anyone who speaks negatively about a colorful video game saying it's "Cartoony" is obviously just trolling. Because anyone with a brain sees no resemblance between Kingdoms of Amalur, and Family Guy. Oh and just to make sure you slow thinking people understand: I wasn't talking about Family Guy's humor... I was talking about the graphical difference between having colors and a cartoon.

♥♥♥♥ I used proper grammar in that post... Oh well, I guess 1/10th of the people will understand.