[TEST]Throne and Liberty, A new lease of life for MMOs?

Throne and Liberty is a Free-To-Play MMORPG that launched on October 1, 2024 on multiple platforms including Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. This game is published by Amazon Games and NCSOFT, publishers well known for iconic titles such as Guild Wars, Lineage, and AION.

Thanks to early access, we had the opportunity to explore the vast lands of Solisium well before the game’s official release on Xbox Series. This early access period allowed us to explore the world of the title extensively, discovering its many landscapes and secrets. Suffice it to say that we had the opportunity to travel intensely and immerse ourselves deeply in this rich and varied universe.

Gameplay

The gameplay is distinguished by the freedom offered to players regarding their play style. There are no predefined classes, so you can freely choose your roles. Although some combos are more effective than others, you have the option of playing a healing tank or a DPS tank depending on your preferences. The map, typical of MMOs, is large and you can use teleport points to move faster or opt for a mount. The unique thing about mounts is that your character transforms into three different forms: a wolf or tiger to move on land, an otter or turtle to navigate in water, and a raven or eagle to fly.

It is obvious that farming and crafting play a fundamental role in developing your character. These mechanics are essential for obtaining high-quality equipment, which is crucial for progressing in the game. However, it is important to note that these activities require a considerable investment of time and luck. Players will have to spend many hours harvesting resources and crafting items to improve their equipment and stay competitive. This dimension of the game adds additional depth, making each gear upgrade that much more rewarding after all the time and effort invested (or paid for).

The world around us

The landscapes are diverse, including plains, deserts, castles and forests. This allows you to constantly discover new biomes with new monsters to face. The game is visually pleasing, despite cutscenes that can be less impressive.

Apart from the main quest, Throne and Liberty offers a multitude of side quests and events to keep us entertained. Whether you’re playing in a guild or solo, there’s always something you can do to avoid boredom.

“Multiplayer”

Like any good MMO, Throne and Liberty is ideal for multiplayer. It is recommended to join a guild as soon as possible and progress with experienced members to benefit from their help. The advantage is that everyone progresses together, no one is left behind. Guild Raids allow you to fight World Bosses, which appear at set times during events, providing rewards more easily than when they are in the wild.

The game includes PvE and PvP elements, with a strong preference for PvP. Guilds are essential during these events. There are several ways for players to challenge each other, whether in designated areas of cities or in Matchmaking:

• Specific areas : PvP battles take place in designated areas of cities at varying times.
• Arena mode : Players can compete in dedicated 3v3 arenas, providing a controlled environment for duels.
• PvP Events : Outside of peaceful zones, PvP events can be activated by guilds, transforming the entire map into a combat zone.
• Territorial control : Once a guild has taken control of a territory, it can benefit from various resources and advantages. Territory control also allows the guild to collect taxes and access exclusive resources, strengthening its position in the game.

As for players who prefer PvE mode, the game offers a variety of options and features designed specifically for them:

• Dungeon : You will have to eliminate monsters to obtain rare items, some of which are only accessible under certain weather conditions.
• Tower of Taedal : This single-player mode takes you through a tower where you face a boss on each floor.
• CONTRACT : Various missions will ask you to kill monsters, activate certain elements of the scenery, protect an NPC, etc.
• History : As its name suggests, this is the main plot of the game.
• Co-op Dungeon : Face bosses in a private instance, alone or in a group of six players.
• Dynamic event : Take part in different world events where you will have to kill monsters and deliver the resources they drop to a specific point.

Getting started

After playing on Xbox, we found the menus very frustrating to navigate with a controller. You must use either the joystick or the directional arrows, or even both at the same time depending on the menu. It lacks fluidity and quickly becomes annoying, especially since we often spend time in the menus to improve our character, which can really exasperate us. On the other hand, for combat, the power controls are quite intuitive, but those for blocks and attacks are rather unusual.

Conclusion

Throne and Liberty is an MMO that, although it still requires some adjustments, has the potential to rise among the giants of the genre. The game, although Free to Play, offers content for all tastes and playing styles, provided you have the time to immerse yourself in its universe.
The world of Throne and Liberty is vast and not all content has yet been revealed, leaving time for future discoveries. The game is regularly updated to fix various bugs, although it can sometimes suffer from optimization issues.
Its economic model could put off some and potentially unbalance the Solisium universe. However, since it is free, it costs nothing to try it and form your own opinion. Additionally, despite its optimization flaws, the game is visually stunning, which adds to its appeal.

• Game obtained by the publisher
• Game made on Xbox Series

Thomas « RLY M0nsTeR »