Lost Ark has finally been published in the West and Meinmmo editor Alexander Leitsch is already diligently playing.Since the release almost 40 hours ago, he has already spent 12 hours in the game.But he is not really happy with the MMORPG.
Lost Ark is there and for me the release runs exactly as I expected it.Smaller problems, long queues and the same areas through which I had already sliced up in the beta several times.
However, one surprised me: the positive press echo.Shortly before the release, the NDA fell from a press event, to which we were also invited by Meinmmo.Our author Mark Sellner took a closer look at the tower and wrote a detailed conclusion.
Some gaming sites awarded on the basis of their experience during the press event pay beyond the 90, even the best value 100 was drawn.Our German colleagues from Gamestar also distributed a 78-88 in the preliminary rating (via Gamestar).
On the one hand, my MMO heart is happy.For a long time there were not so many tests and so much positive feedback for an MMORPG.On the other hand, however, I am surprised that this is the case with Lost Ark.Because I have some problems with the game.
My problems with Lost Ark
Basically there are five things that disturb me very much about Lost Ark:
Some of these problems can be solved relatively easily.However, others are so fundamental that I don't get warm with Lost Ark in the long run.But in turn.
A nonsensical beginning
A problem that I have stumbled several times over the past 40 hours is the entry into the game.It is incredibly exhausting.The first problem is already in the class selection, because at the beginning I have to choose from one of the basic classes.Two dialogues later I decide to specialize.An unnecessary step.
I am aware that the beginning is a remnant of the old class tutorials.But then you could have deleted the system completely.
It even happened to me that I chose the wrong basic class and had to extinguish my character.A stumbling block is the fact that you have separated the basic classes of canon and canon.So I needed two attempts to create an artifully, my new Main in the game.
And yes, there is an indication of the specializations in the character selection, but if you have no idea about the game.KL.) ”Not right away either.
The tube level greets every day
What I have always valued about MMORPGs is the free explore, the choice of my start and level area.Almost perfectly, this Guild Wars 2 has implemented this, where every people have their own area, but I can also travel away from the fields of the other peoples at any time and directly from the start.So I can play with friends, but also discover different areas without having to change the people.
Lost Ark is the opposite.The level process up to 50 is almost linear.Each area is relatively small and you are sent very dry from Quest-Hub to Quest-Hub.There are things to discover, such as the mococo seeds but real explorer feeling did not come up with me.
Instead, I run from the bottom left to the top right in every area, follow the story and make a few side quests.My highest character is only level 30 and the way there was not even long, but from the feeling that every level-up was like chewing gum.
For me, this is also a bit due to the missing soul in the game, something that has recently been very busy with games like Elyon.
I also see the quests divided.Again and again there are small bright spots, for example when I have to use Emotes or spy on a warehouse.But these highlights are sown too rare to really highlight the quests.The developers are already many of these quests to be deleted afterwards, but there are still many.
Basically, I criticize the same thing about Lost Ark as with Swords of Legends - Leveling is no fun.But at least the developer Smilegate has considered something:
This saves me the annoying process, but it's a shame that this process exists at all.
Action -rich fights yes, but with too little variety
The combat system.Here the testers overturn with praise.There is talk of the “best combat system of the genre”.I personally don't get warm with it.Objectively I can say that the attacks are massive and the animations have been implemented really nicely.
But I have four criticisms, regardless of the ISO perspective:
This may be complaining at a high level, but almost everywhere the combat system gets the full score.I have hoped for a little more - and maybe some readers of the tests.
Apart from this aspect, I personally have a lot of problems with the perspective and the control.I am and was never a fan of hack’n’slay and actually miss my third-person view.I lose a certain degree of immersion for my character and the world around it.
Maybe that's why many areas just felt completely the same.
Why do you put the interaction on “G”?
I have to interact with “G”.For me it feels wrong.In some games I interact with “f”, in others with “e”.It gets crazy when I have to press Enter or space bar.But the “G” button has not yet offered a MMORPG.
Again and again I find myself using another button.Or I want to use “G” to open the guild window.
However, the annoying is that the button for the interaction cannot be changed.With almost every other button it works, but not with the interaction.
Oh yes, I would also like to run the option with Wasd instead of the mouse.Thanks!
Working points in crafting
In this section there are two criticisms, but some of them are related.Because in Lost Ark there are job points that are used for various activities, for example when collecting and crafting.In total you can do 10.Have 500 working points, whereby they refer to the entire account.
However, you only regenerate 4.320 points per 24 hours.So if you play actively, you will not get back to 10 so easily after the start.500 points come.
In crafting, I can also only produce “secondary objects”, such as potions, bombs, things for my housing or new collecting tools.Equipment or weapons are not part of the crafting.And since I just liked that at New World, I lack the aspect at Lost Ark immediately.
VieleKLeinigkeiten, über die ich hinwegsehen kann
Neben den fünf genannten Problemen gibt es etlicheKLeinigkeiten, die man kritisieren kann.These include inappropriate animations in characters, sometimes weak dialogues, flowers that move in inns, as if there is wind, sound problems and a German synchronization that I personally do not find so successful.
Aber über dieKLeinigkeiten kann ich problemlos hinweg sehen, auch wenn ich verstehe, dass man sich daran stören kann.
No problem for me, but Lost Ark has many Asia elements
Lost Ark is an Asia-MMO.In my short check before the release, the comments were even spotted when I claimed that Lost Ark had Asia elements.
But for me it starts with the interface.Because Lost Ark has an incredible number of menu options and content that will be thrown around my ears at the start.However, it makes it more subtle than mobile MMORPGs like Lineage 2m, but I hardly notice a big difference to classic Asia MMorpgs.
Another classic Asia aspect is the exchange of equipment for me.There is a small blue arrow in the inventory, which shows when equipment is better than the previous one.Well, at least that's right, because of course this arrow does not take into account the type of stats, but only focuses on the item level.
This quick replacement of the equipment, without really focusing on the object, is an element for me that I first got to know Asia-Mmos.
For me it continues with the bust size of the women, which is often very prominently staged, as in my screenshot above to the menu.The name of the chipping line is displayed there, but the portrait does not look like my character at all.And the perspective shown now does not bring any added value.
If I look a little outside the box, for example on upcoming skins and outfits, I also see slightly dressed characters, network tights, wings and oversized swords there.The crowning glory is the upcoming Painter class, which has a very childish look. Achja, Gender Lock gibt es bei den meistenKLassen auch noch.
The sometimes oversized animations and the rather “smooth graphic” can also be stamped as “typical Asia”.
The shop is also a topic that was neglected in some reviews.From my perspective, I would not call it a pay2win, but there are things that you can bother, including:
These are all points of criticism that can and must be called.If you are interested in the shop more precisely, you will find out more here:
Ist Lost Ark Pay2Win? Das steckt im Shop der westlichen VersionBy the way, the Asia part does not bother me personally at all. Ich spiele gerne Blade & Soul oder Swords of Legends, da sind die Ausmaße vergleichbar.Only Tera is easy with my costumes.That is why this aspect is not one of my points of criticism.But I know games that have been criticized for far fewer Asia elements.
Anticipation for the endgame, even if I'm skeptical
Is Lost Ark a bad MMORPG?Definitely no.
Do my criticisms now stop playing Lost Ark?Also no.It's just not my dream game.
Because there has been no MMORPG release so far that I have in the meantime Daily quests in Guild Wars 2 and ESO and even played a round TFT while I could have played Lost Ark.I just needed variety.
Because overall, Lost Ark feels “too” for me in many aspects.For the first time gaming in the beta to level 30 was okay.The second time now to release was a pain with the paladin because it is simply incredibly slow.That's why I have now switched to the artist, my beta-Char.And I experience the same level content a third time.
More about Lost Ark on Meinmmo:
Still, I have anticipation.Anticipation for the first dungeons and raids, on my own island and sailing.Here I believe that Lost Ark really has potential.My guild with my colleague Mark Sellner and his crazy friends also motivates me, because they all really feel like the game.
But I secretly rush other MMORPGs because I don't think Lost Ark will stay my main game for a long time.I am pulling too much into other MMORPGs.
How do you see Lost Ark?Are you as enthusiastic as most here on Meinmmo or do you see the game rather critically, like me?Like to write it in the comments.
By the way, my colleague Mark Sellner is completely different.He loves Lost Ark and would even like to invest even more money in the game:
Lost Ark is so good that I spent 250 euros and would like to spend more
