MegaTen Review

How is Megaten as an MMORPG?

When I started this game in CB I was honestly obsessed with it. I easily clocked in at 10 hours a day. However, I can't log on for longer than an hour today.

This game, in the early levels is very interesting. Interesting enough for me to come back for more. This is thankful because of its combat system that is different from the other generic MMO's combat. Different from the usual point, click, watch. With the occasional skill spamming. Megaten has a very Rock-Paper-Scissors combat oriented style. Pretty much the same of what Mabinogi is. This makes combat require you to pay much more attention and incidently much more intriguing.

Another thing, there's an actual story! With cutscenes too! Too bad that it's not very interesting so you won't be drawn into it too much. But for attempting to have a story is always a plus, it gives you a small sense of achievement.

When you first play you'll be brought through a tutorial Act (story quests). This would probably take 10 to 20 minutes if it's your first time. After that the next 30 levels is you completing the 16 Acts the game has to offer. Pretty good for a F2P game I guess. After that though, you feel like you are missing something. As if there's nothing left for you to do besides grind with no end. Which is mainly true.

Grinding in this game is mostly going to be done in instanced dungeons. For those that are used to killing XX mob for YY time for ZZ levels it's a good change of pace. The problem in this is that instead of killing mobs over countless number of times you are going to be running through certain dungeons over and over and over.

The grind is only half of it too. When you level, all it gives are stat points. No skills whatsoever. In order to progress skills you have to use them over and over again. For example, to raise Attack you have to attack mobs over and over again. Level grinding is only half the battle, grinding skills is also much more painful. So even if you did get powerleveled you won't be as strong as the other players as you don't have the skills they do, which matter a LOT. If I had to be honest, I could probably have totaled over 100 hours of skill grinding by itself. Thankfully, there's "incense" to use to speed up the skill and level grinding.

Later on in grinding, you will usually get a party for efficient experience. Most people don't have the ability to solo dungeons by themselves without dying over and over. Because you partied the complex skill system is taken out of the window and the combat turns into skill spamming as much as you can before the mobs can react. Very much alike from the earlier MMOs. To also say myself, doing dungeons over and over again is much more draining on you than point and clicking on mobs. Though that's a personal opinion. Another problem is that you will NEED a party to grind unless you have a specific build tailored for soloing. This makes grinding not something you can do as soon as you log in because you have to search for a party.

You can control demons as your personal sidekick. People generally want to use what demon they like and stick with it for the rest of the game. However you can't do this because there are demons that are better than the others because of the traits they have that are specific to certain demons. Take for example PvP. Loki is a demon that is highly resistant to most, if not all status ailments. This makes it a good demon for PvP, defensive purposes.

Demons would not be as strong as players though so they do tend to have a more support role than offensive one.

Gear in this game is quite balanced for the most part because they don't have any special bonuses. Most of your power comes from enchanting your gear with different demon crystals. This was totally destroyed when Cave introduced armour that adds insane damage boosts. So unless you can fork over lots of money or spend lots on ingame time farming cash, good luck getting those.

PvP in the game is broken. Points listed in earlier blogs.

A painfully obvious thing to remember in PvP is that the level gap is not easily overcome with sheer skill, more or less impossible.

I guess this sums up my experiences with Megaten, I just hope Aion comes out sooner.

Oh, and another thing to add on to this. Megaten's Community is absolutely amazing. Everyone is usually social and friendly for the most part. If you do play, make friends and join a guild. It will make your experience much more enjoyable.

In dedication to my favourite clan which was family to me, Twisted.