MasterCheese
01-26-2011, 02:08 AM
Anyone check this game out yet? It's a beta event atm so I'm blasting through it as fast as I can.
Basic Idea:
Cookie Cutter copy of WoW on a modern engine
Crazy customizable classes
PUB QUESTS ALWAYS
There are two "factions" to choose from, the Guardians and the Defiant. Rift is trying to break the GOOD VS EVIL mold, and neither sides aren't really BAD, just have different ways to save the world, which cause them to fight eachother. The lore behind it is very rich, but is typical fantasy stuff.
3 races per faction (at the moment at least, remember it's in beta), and it seems like each race strongly favors a certain "calling", or class. Those being Rogue, Cleric, Mage, and Warrior. Each calling has a certain fight mechanic, ie Rogue builds up combo points, Warrior builds up rage etc etc. Very typical.
The first unique thing is the soul system. Each calling has 8 separate "souls" to choose from as their starting point. For instance, mages can go Necromancer or Pyro, Rogues can go Marksman or Blade whatever. Very shortly after starting the beginning area (which there are only 2 of, one per faction), you will unlock 2 more souls to choose from out of the same pool. This creates an interesting class dynamic that leaves a lot to be explored.
That being said, everyone playing understands it WILL be explored. There will be min/max spreadsheets eventually with cookie cutter classes to choose, but I think rift helps the typical mind to get over that idea.
Questing is very typical, Kill X, Loot X, Capture X. They try to advertise a better "flow" of quests in that you're never really going back multiple times to the same quest giver, and for the most part is true, however it does fall into the same old niche of questing from the same area.
The quests however, feel like they have more of an impact on the world than any MMO I personally have ever played. Loading screens are updated with story bits based on what you've done, and overall quest sequences play out much more dramatically than a typical game.
The best part about the bulk of the game, to me at least, isn't the quests. It's Rifts version of public quests, called Rifts. These are elemental dimensional holes that can be either opened by a player, or naturally. The rifts will starting dropping off elemental units in the surrounding area. When you approach a rift, the game offers you to join a public group nearby to take it out. There are sequences within the rift area to complete (mostly just Kill A, B, C) and it will eventually close. Rifts of different elements will fight each other.
However, every so often "invasions" occur. These are rifts opening en masse (of a particular element) across a territory. Once a rift gets a strong enough foothold, it will send out invading teams to take over actual NPC towns by destroying a key object in them. Once destroyed, it becomes their town, and a new foothold for them to send out units. Once the invasion begins, a global automatic public quest is given out across the territory, with usual objectives as Close X amount of rifts, Kill off X amount of invading teams. When those objectives are completed, an elemental boss shows up in an invading squad somewhere on the map. Kill them and huzzah you saved the world for another hour. Or let all the towns be taken over, and the quest will fail.
PvP is your typical fair, titled "Warzones" in this game. Certain battle areas with certain objectives, win 'Favor' as currency for PvP items etc etc.
Instances, so far, are typical, however incredibly interesting. I'll leave it at the fact that the first one ain't no Ragefire, and ain't no tank n' spank. You have to know mechanics and such to actually beat it.
I'm currently a 29 Bladedancer with BladeDancer/Nightblade on Server Dayblind. If anyone wants to play during a different beta event (the current one ends friday at 1pm EST), I'm down to reroll.
TL;DR Just try Rift, it's kinda cool.
Go here for a BETA VIP Code (invite to all Beta events):
http://www.zam.com/giveaways/rift
and yeah.
Basic Idea:
Cookie Cutter copy of WoW on a modern engine
Crazy customizable classes
PUB QUESTS ALWAYS
There are two "factions" to choose from, the Guardians and the Defiant. Rift is trying to break the GOOD VS EVIL mold, and neither sides aren't really BAD, just have different ways to save the world, which cause them to fight eachother. The lore behind it is very rich, but is typical fantasy stuff.
3 races per faction (at the moment at least, remember it's in beta), and it seems like each race strongly favors a certain "calling", or class. Those being Rogue, Cleric, Mage, and Warrior. Each calling has a certain fight mechanic, ie Rogue builds up combo points, Warrior builds up rage etc etc. Very typical.
The first unique thing is the soul system. Each calling has 8 separate "souls" to choose from as their starting point. For instance, mages can go Necromancer or Pyro, Rogues can go Marksman or Blade whatever. Very shortly after starting the beginning area (which there are only 2 of, one per faction), you will unlock 2 more souls to choose from out of the same pool. This creates an interesting class dynamic that leaves a lot to be explored.
That being said, everyone playing understands it WILL be explored. There will be min/max spreadsheets eventually with cookie cutter classes to choose, but I think rift helps the typical mind to get over that idea.
Questing is very typical, Kill X, Loot X, Capture X. They try to advertise a better "flow" of quests in that you're never really going back multiple times to the same quest giver, and for the most part is true, however it does fall into the same old niche of questing from the same area.
The quests however, feel like they have more of an impact on the world than any MMO I personally have ever played. Loading screens are updated with story bits based on what you've done, and overall quest sequences play out much more dramatically than a typical game.
The best part about the bulk of the game, to me at least, isn't the quests. It's Rifts version of public quests, called Rifts. These are elemental dimensional holes that can be either opened by a player, or naturally. The rifts will starting dropping off elemental units in the surrounding area. When you approach a rift, the game offers you to join a public group nearby to take it out. There are sequences within the rift area to complete (mostly just Kill A, B, C) and it will eventually close. Rifts of different elements will fight each other.
However, every so often "invasions" occur. These are rifts opening en masse (of a particular element) across a territory. Once a rift gets a strong enough foothold, it will send out invading teams to take over actual NPC towns by destroying a key object in them. Once destroyed, it becomes their town, and a new foothold for them to send out units. Once the invasion begins, a global automatic public quest is given out across the territory, with usual objectives as Close X amount of rifts, Kill off X amount of invading teams. When those objectives are completed, an elemental boss shows up in an invading squad somewhere on the map. Kill them and huzzah you saved the world for another hour. Or let all the towns be taken over, and the quest will fail.
PvP is your typical fair, titled "Warzones" in this game. Certain battle areas with certain objectives, win 'Favor' as currency for PvP items etc etc.
Instances, so far, are typical, however incredibly interesting. I'll leave it at the fact that the first one ain't no Ragefire, and ain't no tank n' spank. You have to know mechanics and such to actually beat it.
I'm currently a 29 Bladedancer with BladeDancer/Nightblade on Server Dayblind. If anyone wants to play during a different beta event (the current one ends friday at 1pm EST), I'm down to reroll.
TL;DR Just try Rift, it's kinda cool.
Go here for a BETA VIP Code (invite to all Beta events):
http://www.zam.com/giveaways/rift
and yeah.