https://massivelyop.com MMORPG news and opinions Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:35:17 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.1.1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/not-so-massively-stormgate-isnt-delivering-a-revolution-yet/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/not-so-massively-stormgate-isnt-delivering-a-revolution-yet/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=478776 Stormgate’s marketing is laser-focused on studio Frost Giant’s plan to deliver an “RTS revolution.” With StarCraft II still popular but slowly waning as it languishes in maintenance mode, the genre needs a new champion, and hot off its massive Kickstarter success, Stormgate is one of the best candidates to become just that. As a lifelong […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/02/07/not-so-massively-stormgate-isnt-delivering-a-revolution-yet/feed/ 19 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/the-soapbox-casuals-and-soloers-need-challenging-mmo-content-too/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/the-soapbox-casuals-and-soloers-need-challenging-mmo-content-too/#comments Tue, 30 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=477243 In a recent press Q&A around the announcement of Elder Scrolls Online‘s Gold Road chapter, Zenimax creative director Rich Lambert appeared to dismiss the idea of offering more challenging open world content, instead pointing to dungeons as a more difficult alternative. I’m going off an indirect quotation, so I’m not going to read too much […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/30/the-soapbox-casuals-and-soloers-need-challenging-mmo-content-too/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/18/heroes-of-the-storm-is-getting-another-patch-with-hero-buffs/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/18/heroes-of-the-storm-is-getting-another-patch-with-hero-buffs/#comments Thu, 18 Jan 2024 17:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=475984 Back in autumn of last year, Blizzard created a minor stir by launching several small patches for its maintenance-moded MOBA Heroes of the Storm. Now the studio is at it again, with a new patch being released onto the game’s public test realm. As before, this patch is mostly bug fixes and minor polishing, but […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/18/heroes-of-the-storm-is-getting-another-patch-with-hero-buffs/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/15/vitae-aeternum-the-ups-and-downs-of-new-worlds-revamped-story/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/15/vitae-aeternum-the-ups-and-downs-of-new-worlds-revamped-story/#comments Mon, 15 Jan 2024 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=474925 In the early days, I made the argument that New World‘s narrative, while minimal, deserved more credit than it was getting. Since then, however, Amazon Games has poured an immense amount of time and effort into overhauling the game’s story. With the completion of the main story revamp on the horizon, plus two post-launch zones […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/15/vitae-aeternum-the-ups-and-downs-of-new-worlds-revamped-story/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/05/not-so-massively-its-okay-that-redfall-is-just-okay/ https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/05/not-so-massively-its-okay-that-redfall-is-just-okay/#comments Fri, 05 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=473614 I rarely let myself get too hyped for unreleased games, but I was keeping one eye on the vampire-hunting online FPS Redfall. When it launched to disastrous user reviews and universal condemnation, I considered giving up on it, but I also remembered that many of my favourite games have been considered terrible by the wider […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2024/01/05/not-so-massively-its-okay-that-redfall-is-just-okay/feed/ 10 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/18/vitae-aeternum-predicting-new-worlds-2024-roadmap/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/18/vitae-aeternum-predicting-new-worlds-2024-roadmap/#comments Mon, 18 Dec 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=471955 Every year, the Massively Overpowered staff gathers to make predictions for the year to come in MMORPGs. But I have so many thoughts on what story beats and gameplay features New World‘s 2024 roadmap may hold that I’m devoting an entire column to them. Please note that this column will contain spoilers for the entire […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/18/vitae-aeternum-predicting-new-worlds-2024-roadmap/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/04/the-soapbox-in-defence-of-world-of-warcraft-cataclysm/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/04/the-soapbox-in-defence-of-world-of-warcraft-cataclysm/#comments Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=469967 When Blizzard announced Cataclysm Classic servers for World of Warcraft, there was some bemusement in the broader MMORPG community. Cataclysm has always been controversial, and to this day a lot of people see it as one of the worst expansions, a moment when the game began its decline. I’m ambivalent towards classic servers regardless of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/12/04/the-soapbox-in-defence-of-world-of-warcraft-cataclysm/feed/ 33 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/21/not-so-massively-eternal-card-games-gauntlet-problem/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/21/not-so-massively-eternal-card-games-gauntlet-problem/#comments Tue, 21 Nov 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=467832 A little over a year ago, I discovered digital CCG Eternal Card Game and sung the praises of its robust solo content. Since then I’ve played more than three hundred hours, and perhaps not surprisingly, spending that much time in the game has brought some of its flaws into clearer focus for me. Specifically, I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/21/not-so-massively-eternal-card-games-gauntlet-problem/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/17/dont-look-now-but-blizzard-has-been-quietly-patching-up-heroes-of-the-storm/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/17/dont-look-now-but-blizzard-has-been-quietly-patching-up-heroes-of-the-storm/#comments Fri, 17 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=467862 When it comes to Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard is putting the “maintenance” back in “maintenance mode” as November 16th saw a new patch for the MOBA, close on the heels of a smaller patch dropped in September, which was the first update for the game in over a year. If you were hoping for […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/17/dont-look-now-but-blizzard-has-been-quietly-patching-up-heroes-of-the-storm/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/07/vitae-aeternum-five-mmo-tips-for-new-world-rise-of-the-angry-earth-newbies/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/07/vitae-aeternum-five-mmo-tips-for-new-world-rise-of-the-angry-earth-newbies/#comments Tue, 07 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=465113 With the hype around Rise of the Angry Earth, a lot of players are starting or restarting their journey in New World. In my two years of play, I’ve noticed a lot of common mistakes or misunderstandings new players tend to fall prey to, some of which even tripped me back in the day. Today, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/11/07/vitae-aeternum-five-mmo-tips-for-new-world-rise-of-the-angry-earth-newbies/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/25/vitae-aeternum-rise-of-the-angry-earths-generous-endgame-and-season-three/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/25/vitae-aeternum-rise-of-the-angry-earths-generous-endgame-and-season-three/#respond Wed, 25 Oct 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=463217 We have now arrived at the final installment of my impressions of New World‘s first paid expansion, Rise of the Angry Earth. Having already covered new features like mounts and the flail weapon, as well as the new zone and main storyline, I will now be taking a look at the updated endgame, as well […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/25/vitae-aeternum-rise-of-the-angry-earths-generous-endgame-and-season-three/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/23/vitae-aeternum-new-world-rise-of-the-angry-earths-uneven-elysian-wilds-and-main-story/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/23/vitae-aeternum-new-world-rise-of-the-angry-earths-uneven-elysian-wilds-and-main-story/#respond Mon, 23 Oct 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=463210 In my first post covering New World‘s Rise of the Angry Earth expansion, I laid praise upon the new mounts and riding skill, as well as the flail. Today, I’m going to look at another headline feature for the expansion, the zone that was once First Light but is now the Elysian Wilds, as well […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/23/vitae-aeternum-new-world-rise-of-the-angry-earths-uneven-elysian-wilds-and-main-story/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/20/multiplayer-tcg-eternal-card-game-launches-new-battle-lines-set/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/20/multiplayer-tcg-eternal-card-game-launches-new-battle-lines-set/#respond Fri, 20 Oct 2023 22:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=462878 This past Wednesday, Dire Wolf Digital’s multiplayer TCG Eternal launched its latest set, Battle Lines. Battle Lines continues the storyline started in the previous set, Behemoths of Thera. Now revealed as the mad mage Severin, the Hermit has fully unleashed his beast army, and the peoples of Thera form desperate alliances to stand against him. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/20/multiplayer-tcg-eternal-card-game-launches-new-battle-lines-set/feed/ 0 https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/09/vitae-aeternum-rise-of-the-angry-earth-mounts-and-flail-are-the-lift-new-world-needed/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/09/vitae-aeternum-rise-of-the-angry-earth-mounts-and-flail-are-the-lift-new-world-needed/#comments Mon, 09 Oct 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=461123 New World’s first expansion is here, although if I’m being honest it feels more like the second expansion, considering the scale of the Brimstone Sands update. Still, Rise of the Angry Earth is the first time Amazon charged a box price for an update, so that raised an obvious question: Is it worth the money? […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/10/09/vitae-aeternum-rise-of-the-angry-earth-mounts-and-flail-are-the-lift-new-world-needed/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/28/interview-new-worlds-scot-lane-on-edengrove-housing-transmog-tokens-and-more/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/28/interview-new-worlds-scot-lane-on-edengrove-housing-transmog-tokens-and-more/#comments Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:05:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=458800 In part one of my interview with New World‘s game director Scot Lane, we covered topics such as the game’s past, future plans, and the upcoming dungeon finder feature. But that’s just the beginning of what we covered, so without further ado, I present the second half of our conversation. In this part, we cover topics […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/28/interview-new-worlds-scot-lane-on-edengrove-housing-transmog-tokens-and-more/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/28/interview-new-worlds-scot-lane-on-the-mmos-past-future-and-upcoming-dungeon-finder/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/28/interview-new-worlds-scot-lane-on-the-mmos-past-future-and-upcoming-dungeon-finder/#comments Thu, 28 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=458791 New World launched two years ago today. While it may have stumbled out of the gate, I believe it has since evolved into one of the best games in our genre. To celebrate the anniversary, game director Scot Lane kindly agreed to an interview him about the game’s past, present, and future. We covered a […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/28/interview-new-worlds-scot-lane-on-the-mmos-past-future-and-upcoming-dungeon-finder/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/26/not-so-massively-the-growing-field-of-starcraft-ii-spiritual-successors/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/26/not-so-massively-the-growing-field-of-starcraft-ii-spiritual-successors/#comments Tue, 26 Sep 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=458814 StarCraft II ranks very highly on my list of my favourite games of all time, but while it remains popular, it is in maintenance mode, and its days are slowly waning. Fortunately, there seems to be a growing movement of spiritual successors that aim to carry the RTS torch and bring SC2‘s legacy into the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/26/not-so-massively-the-growing-field-of-starcraft-ii-spiritual-successors/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/11/vitae-aeternum-the-pros-and-cons-of-new-worlds-transmog/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/11/vitae-aeternum-the-pros-and-cons-of-new-worlds-transmog/#comments Mon, 11 Sep 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=457012 In my very first Vitae Aeternum two years ago, I criticized some of the ways New World lacks character customization. It took a while, but one of my key criticisms from that has now finally been addressed: Transmog is here. Like a lot of things New World does, transmog’s implementation has been a little divisive, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/09/11/vitae-aeternum-the-pros-and-cons-of-new-worlds-transmog/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/30/previewing-new-worlds-rise-of-the-angry-earth-expansion-artifact-gear-endgame-crafting-and-onward/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/30/previewing-new-worlds-rise-of-the-angry-earth-expansion-artifact-gear-endgame-crafting-and-onward/#comments Wed, 30 Aug 2023 15:01:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=454711 In my previous Vitae Aeternum column, I covered the big tentpole features of New World‘s first paid expansion, Rise of the Angry Earth, including the updated zone, new weapon, new housing, and mounts. But there was a lot more discussed at the press briefing where Amazon Games unveiled the expansion. Aside from new content, Rise […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/30/previewing-new-worlds-rise-of-the-angry-earth-expansion-artifact-gear-endgame-crafting-and-onward/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/30/new-worlds-first-expansion-rise-of-the-angry-earth-launches-october-3-with-mounts-flails-new-housing-and-more/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/30/new-worlds-first-expansion-rise-of-the-angry-earth-launches-october-3-with-mounts-flails-new-housing-and-more/#comments Wed, 30 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=454703 New World‘s 2023 roadmap promised its first expansion, but until now, we had few details on what that meant. Recently the folks at Amazon Games invited members of the press to a special event where the veil was lifted on the expansion. Titled Rise of the Angry Earth, it will launch on October 3rd and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/30/new-worlds-first-expansion-rise-of-the-angry-earth-launches-october-3-with-mounts-flails-new-housing-and-more/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/23/not-so-massively-first-impressions-of-warcraft-rumble/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/23/not-so-massively-first-impressions-of-warcraft-rumble/#comments Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=454014 Being Canadian and living door to the global superpower down south sometimes feels like being the overlooked younger sibling of a celebrity, so it’s always a real thrill when we get something the US doesn’t. For whatever reason, we have been selected as one of the early access markets for Blizzard‘s new mobile game Warcraft […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/23/not-so-massively-first-impressions-of-warcraft-rumble/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/22/first-impressions-i-sat-through-wayfinders-queues-so-you-dont-have-to/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/22/first-impressions-i-sat-through-wayfinders-queues-so-you-dont-have-to/#comments Tue, 22 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=454255 Over the past few days, I have spent many hours waiting in Wayfinder‘s seemingly endless queues. But what of the game at the end of that queue? Is Wayfinder worth the Waitfinder? Having managed to play for a few hours now, I think the answer is a definitive, “Eh… maybe?” Off the bat, Wayfinder didn’t […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/22/first-impressions-i-sat-through-wayfinders-queues-so-you-dont-have-to/feed/ 36 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/11/not-so-massively-despite-everything-overwatch-2s-story-missions-deliver-an-epic-experience/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/11/not-so-massively-despite-everything-overwatch-2s-story-missions-deliver-an-epic-experience/#comments Fri, 11 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=452785 After a long wait, a tortured development, a great deal of cutting back on features, and endless controversy, the PvE update for Overwatch 2 has finally arrived. While the repeatable hero missions were cancelled, the Invasion update does still bring with it Overwatch‘s first three story missions, as well as a co-op event and the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/11/not-so-massively-despite-everything-overwatch-2s-story-missions-deliver-an-epic-experience/feed/ 6 https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/07/first-impressions-palia-is-missing-the-depth-mmo-life-skillers-are-hoping-for/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/07/first-impressions-palia-is-missing-the-depth-mmo-life-skillers-are-hoping-for/#comments Mon, 07 Aug 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=452132 “Life-sims” are another of those game genres that I like in theory, but less so in practice. Most have graphical styles I find off-putting, and they usually offer little to appeal to my interest in narrative. With its ongoing story, meaningful character relationships, and beautiful Landmark-esque graphics, I had hopes that Palia might finally be […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/08/07/first-impressions-palia-is-missing-the-depth-mmo-life-skillers-are-hoping-for/feed/ 49 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/31/not-so-massively-revisiting-heroes-of-the-storm-in-2023/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/31/not-so-massively-revisiting-heroes-of-the-storm-in-2023/#comments Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=449927 Social media algorithms are a dangerous thing. A few weeks back, Reddit began recommending me the sub for Heroes of the Storm. Although I had played zealously for years, I’d quit some years ago and never returned. But when I started reading posts by those still playing, the nostalgia hit hard. Before I knew it, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/31/not-so-massively-revisiting-heroes-of-the-storm-in-2023/feed/ 7 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/20/the-soapbox-why-the-secret-world-really-failed/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/20/the-soapbox-why-the-secret-world-really-failed/#comments Thu, 20 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=448995 We’re back with part two of my long-overdue post-mortem of The Secret World, my favourite MMORPG of all time. In the first part I addressed the oft-hated combat, how the flaw was probably not the combat itself, and how I don’t think that’s what ultimately killed the game. Today, I want to explore what I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/20/the-soapbox-why-the-secret-world-really-failed/feed/ 45 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/17/vitae-aeternum-new-worlds-second-season-improves-on-the-first/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/17/vitae-aeternum-new-worlds-second-season-improves-on-the-first/#comments Mon, 17 Jul 2023 15:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=449003 New World‘s first attempt at seasonal content didn’t exactly impress, but in typical New World fashion, the developers at Amazon Games have already made rapid progress on improving things. New World‘s second season, titled Blood of the Sands, may not be the most amazing MMO content I’ve seen, but it’s solid, and it improves on […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/17/vitae-aeternum-new-worlds-second-season-improves-on-the-first/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/09/localized-tooltips-appear-to-have-leaked-new-worlds-next-weapon/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/09/localized-tooltips-appear-to-have-leaked-new-worlds-next-weapon/#comments Sun, 09 Jul 2023 22:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=448072 The recent season two patch for New World also brought with it a bit of a spoiler for the fall season: The next weapon due to be added to the game. Spoilers are ahead, obviously, so turn away now if you’d like to wait for an official announcement. Attribute tooltips in the game’s French and […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/09/localized-tooltips-appear-to-have-leaked-new-worlds-next-weapon/feed/ 3 https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/05/the-soapbox-a-belated-the-secret-world-post-mortem-part-one/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/05/the-soapbox-a-belated-the-secret-world-post-mortem-part-one/#comments Wed, 05 Jul 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=446469 This weeks marks the eleventh anniversary of the launch of The Secret World. While the game is still playable (for those with existing accounts), it has been relegated to the semi-death of maintenance mode. It’s easy to find opinions on why games failed from those who never liked them in the first place, but I […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/07/05/the-soapbox-a-belated-the-secret-world-post-mortem-part-one/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/19/vitae-aeternum-touring-new-worlds-housing-system/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/19/vitae-aeternum-touring-new-worlds-housing-system/#comments Mon, 19 Jun 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=444605 Whenever I’ve talked about player housing in New World, my coworkers have requested tours of my in-game homes. Being a lazy worker looking to fill my column quota a generous writer who cares about the fans, I decided to turn this into a whole column so I can also share my creations with the community. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/19/vitae-aeternum-touring-new-worlds-housing-system/feed/ 2 https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/05/vitae-aeternum-what-amazons-lord-of-the-rings-mmo-should-and-shouldnt-take-from-new-world/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/05/vitae-aeternum-what-amazons-lord-of-the-rings-mmo-should-and-shouldnt-take-from-new-world/#comments Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=442823 We’ve had one, yes, but what about second attempt by Amazon to deliver a Lord of the Rings MMO? During the last run at this, I did a piece outlining my hopes for Amazon‘s LOTR MMO, and my thoughts on the matter remain largely the same, but something big has changed since then: Amazon launched […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/06/05/vitae-aeternum-what-amazons-lord-of-the-rings-mmo-should-and-shouldnt-take-from-new-world/feed/ 27 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/22/not-so-massively-godsworn-is-warcraft-iii-meets-age-of-mythology/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/22/not-so-massively-godsworn-is-warcraft-iii-meets-age-of-mythology/#comments Mon, 22 May 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=440100 It’s a testament to how far the RTS genre has fallen that Steam’s recent Tacticon festival of strategy games featured almost no RTS titles, leaning more toward turn-based offerings. But there was one game that caught my eye: Thunderoak Interactive’s Godsworn, an RTS that seems like the offspring of both Warcraft III and Age of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/22/not-so-massively-godsworn-is-warcraft-iii-meets-age-of-mythology/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/19/the-soapbox-raiding-isnt-the-problem-with-world-of-warcraft/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/19/the-soapbox-raiding-isnt-the-problem-with-world-of-warcraft/#comments Fri, 19 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=440108 It is by now clear that World of Warcraft‘s Dragonflight expansion hasn’t exactly set the world on fire. This has set off another round of the MMO community’s favourite gameshow, “Why Is World of Warcraft Declining?” A lot of people point the finger at raiding and Blizzard’s willingness to neglect the rest of the game […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/19/the-soapbox-raiding-isnt-the-problem-with-world-of-warcraft/feed/ 25 https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/08/vitae-aeternum-a-love-letter-to-all-that-new-world-does-well/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/08/vitae-aeternum-a-love-letter-to-all-that-new-world-does-well/#comments Mon, 08 May 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=437935 When you spend a lot of time in an MMORPG, it can be easy to become bogged down in all of the game’s foibles. Even minor hiccups can be amplified into infuriating grievances after hundreds of hours. This holds doubly true for a game with a rocky history like New World, and even more so […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/05/08/vitae-aeternum-a-love-letter-to-all-that-new-world-does-well/feed/ 12 https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/24/vitae-aeternum-analyzing-new-worlds-disappointing-first-season/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/24/vitae-aeternum-analyzing-new-worlds-disappointing-first-season/#comments Mon, 24 Apr 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=435940 It’s now been a few weeks since the launch of New World‘s first season, Fellowship and Fire. I wanted to give it some time to settle, but I think I’ve now had enough experience of it all for my opinions to crystallize, and overall, I am sorry to report I do feel more underwhelmed than […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/04/24/vitae-aeternum-analyzing-new-worlds-disappointing-first-season/feed/ 11 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/29/not-so-massively-second-impressions-of-diablo-iv/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/29/not-so-massively-second-impressions-of-diablo-iv/#comments Wed, 29 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=432949 My initial impression of the Diablo IV open beta was lukewarm at best, but I did hold some hope that the second beta weekend might change things. This second beta opened up two more classes, the Necromancer and the Druid, and those also happened to be the classes that most appealed to me on paper. […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/29/not-so-massively-second-impressions-of-diablo-iv/feed/ 42 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/27/not-so-massively-wolcens-endgame-is-one-of-online-gamings-all-time-worst-blunders/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/27/not-so-massively-wolcens-endgame-is-one-of-online-gamings-all-time-worst-blunders/#comments Mon, 27 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=431559 Speaking as a long-time fan of the game, I think the post-launch management of Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem has been an absolute mess. There have been long content draughts. The game moved to a seasonal content model called Chronicles, only to never release a second Chronicle. Wolcen Studio went years without concluding the cliff-hanger the […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/27/not-so-massively-wolcens-endgame-is-one-of-online-gamings-all-time-worst-blunders/feed/ 16 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/20/not-so-massively-diablo-ivs-beta-brings-the-horror-but-not-the-fun/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/20/not-so-massively-diablo-ivs-beta-brings-the-horror-but-not-the-fun/#comments Mon, 20 Mar 2023 15:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=431569 I have been pretty critical of the direction of Diablo IV so far, but franchise loyalty and professional obligation nonetheless led me to accept the offer of a press invite to this past weekend’s “early access to open beta” event. Based on Blizzard‘s recent history, I had expected D4 to have a very bland, derivative […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/20/not-so-massively-diablo-ivs-beta-brings-the-horror-but-not-the-fun/feed/ 58 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/15/wolcen-launches-endgame-update-with-new-story-chapter-and-massive-progress-reset/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/15/wolcen-launches-endgame-update-with-new-story-chapter-and-massive-progress-reset/#comments Wed, 15 Mar 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=430912 More than three years after its launch, multiplayer Wolcen: Lords of Mayhem has at last provided a conclusion to its main story with its new Endgame update. This update includes the long awaited Chapter IV, which sends players face to face with the Blind Prince Ahriman for a final confrontation. Rather than a traditional campaign, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/15/wolcen-launches-endgame-update-with-new-story-chapter-and-massive-progress-reset/feed/ 4 https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/the-soapbox-hating-on-the-competition-is-no-way-to-promote-an-mmo/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/the-soapbox-hating-on-the-competition-is-no-way-to-promote-an-mmo/#comments Mon, 13 Mar 2023 14:30:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=430334 Recently, RIFT was back in the news, offering free subscription time to new and returning players. While I salute Gamigo’s generosity here, whenever the topic of RIFT comes up, I can’t help but think of the spectacularly ill-advised “we’re not in Azeroth anymore” ad campaign. In my opinion, RIFT was about as close to a carbon copy of […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/03/13/the-soapbox-hating-on-the-competition-is-no-way-to-promote-an-mmo/feed/ 31 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/27/not-so-massively-impressions-of-century-age-of-ashes-new-pve-mode/ Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=426183 Back in 2021, I took a look at an early version of dragon-riding arena shooter Century: Age of Ashes. I found that its core gameplay held promise, but the game was at the time far too unfinished to deliver on that promise. Since then, Century has launched out of early access, and it’s recently added […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/22/vitae-aeternum-previewing-new-worlds-first-season-and-updated-2023-roadmap/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/22/vitae-aeternum-previewing-new-worlds-first-season-and-updated-2023-roadmap/#comments Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=427765 Last week, Amazon Games invited members of the press to a presentation where it unveiled its plans for a new seasonal content model for New World. Season one will launch next month, and new seasons are planned to roll around every three months, delivering new content and a seasonal pass for additional rewards. The inaugural […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/22/vitae-aeternum-previewing-new-worlds-first-season-and-updated-2023-roadmap/feed/ 14 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/13/not-so-massively-voidtrains-next-fest-demo-leaves-a-terrible-first-impression/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/13/not-so-massively-voidtrains-next-fest-demo-leaves-a-terrible-first-impression/#comments Mon, 13 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=426193 It’s hard to find a survival game with an original premise these days. Dinosaurs? Done. Alien worlds? Done. Zombies? Done to (un)death. But how about a survival game where you pilot a steampunk freight train through a surreal transdimensional nether realm? That… that sounds interesting. It was that intriguing premise that led me to check […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/13/not-so-massively-voidtrains-next-fest-demo-leaves-a-terrible-first-impression/feed/ 5 https://massivelyop.com/2023/02/09/not-so-massively-dark-envoys-demo-is-where-rpg-meets-rts/ Thu, 09 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=425741 A while back I stumbled across the Steam page for co-op CRPG Dark Envoy and had the thought it could be fun to play with a gamer friend of mine. I’ve kept it on my wishlist ever since, and when developer Event Horizon offered Massively OP a demo code ahead of the demo’s public release, […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/vitae-aeternum-obsessing-over-new-worlds-population-numbers-is-a-waste-of-time/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/vitae-aeternum-obsessing-over-new-worlds-population-numbers-is-a-waste-of-time/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=424288 New World is a bit unique in that it is the only major Western MMORPG that is playable only through Steam. The others are also available through other platforms, such as a developer’s own launcher, or even consoles. This means that we can see what New World‘s population is at any given time with 100% […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/30/vitae-aeternum-obsessing-over-new-worlds-population-numbers-is-a-waste-of-time/feed/ 13 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/20/digital-ccg-eternal-launches-new-behemoths-of-thera-card-set/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/20/digital-ccg-eternal-launches-new-behemoths-of-thera-card-set/#comments Fri, 20 Jan 2023 22:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=422943 This week saw the release of Eternal Card Game‘s latest card set, Behemoths of Thera. Set in a world ruled by gigantic beasts, Behemoths of Thera adds over 200 new cards to the digital card game, as well as two new keywords. Units with the Hunt keyword cause the enemy player to discard cards from […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/20/digital-ccg-eternal-launches-new-behemoths-of-thera-card-set/feed/ 1 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/16/vitae-aeternum-new-world-should-do-more-with-its-housing/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/16/vitae-aeternum-new-world-should-do-more-with-its-housing/#comments Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=422241 I find the history of player housing in New World a strange one. Prior to launch, I had the impression housing was being treated as one of the main selling features of the game. Since launch, though, it has received very little attention. Given the game’s post-launch struggles, it makes sense to backburner housing for […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/16/vitae-aeternum-new-world-should-do-more-with-its-housing/feed/ 8 https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/02/not-so-massively-why-im-not-playing-lost-ark/ https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/02/not-so-massively-why-im-not-playing-lost-ark/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2023 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=420671 Back at launch, I played Lost Ark quite heavily for some time, eventually racking up over 100 hours in the game and generally enjoying myself as I did. When I left to do other things, I thought it was likely a temporary break, but months have gone by, and that break is starting to look […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2023/01/02/not-so-massively-why-im-not-playing-lost-ark/feed/ 25 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/19/vitae-aeternum-the-uncomfortable-truth-of-new-worlds-lax-monetization/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/19/vitae-aeternum-the-uncomfortable-truth-of-new-worlds-lax-monetization/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2022 17:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=416357 I have a pretty laid back approach to monetization in online games. Bar mandatory subscriptions and a few egregious outliers, I am generally fine with any mainstream monetization systems in online games. But not everyone feels as I do. Monetization remains a deeply controversial topic, and developers often face harsh criticism for how they try […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/19/vitae-aeternum-the-uncomfortable-truth-of-new-worlds-lax-monetization/feed/ 49 https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/05/vitae-aeternum-a-measured-response-to-new-worlds-2023-roadmap/ https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/05/vitae-aeternum-a-measured-response-to-new-worlds-2023-roadmap/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2022 16:00:00 +0000 https://massivelyop.com/?p=417113 When New World released its roadmap for the first half of 2023 a few days back, the initial reaction from fans was… not great. I can sympathize; my own reaction was along the lines, “That’s it?” However, having sat on it for a bit, I find my mood has mellowed somewhat. I think there’s some […]]]> https://massivelyop.com/2022/12/05/vitae-aeternum-a-measured-response-to-new-worlds-2023-roadmap/feed/ 17