Throne and Liberty Review – An Underbaked Grindfest

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of MMORPGs that have promised the world but failed to deliver. With a heart full of hope and eyes wide open, I dove into the fantastical realm of Throne and Liberty, eagerly anticipating an exhilarating adventure filled with camaraderie, epic quests, and breathtaking visuals.

Amazon Games has been actively bringing South Korean Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) to the Western world. Their initial venture, titled “Lost Ark“, received a mix of responses, with some players admiring its innovative end-game systems and spectacular boss battles, while others found it repetitive and monetized similarly to certain MMORPGs that have a negative reputation. In the year 2024, the latest South Korean MMORPG to enter the Western market is “Throne and Liberty“.

Throne and Liberty is venturing into a market that’s already dominated by well-established competitors. Titles such as World of Warcraft and others have claimed a massive portion of the MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) market, while games like Destiny 2 have also gained popularity among fans seeking action-oriented gameplay. To stand out in the western market, Throne and Liberty needs to present something genuinely distinct from other online games available today. Although the game does propose intriguing concepts for PvE (Player versus Environment) and PvP (Player versus Player) content, it doesn’t fully deliver on multiple fronts.

In terms of diverse gameplay options, Throne and Liberty offers numerous activities for players to engage in. Besides the main storyline, there are multiple side missions, as well as optional activities such as crafting, resource gathering, and fishing. The game also features group content, including a set of dungeons that players can explore together. Throne and Liberty innovates on the traditional MMORPG concept of character classes by allowing players to switch roles at will rather than being confined to one specific class. Instead of selecting a fixed class, players choose their preferred weapon, which determines their skillset. For instance, those who prefer to attract enemy attention to protect teammates might opt for Sword and Shield, while Wand and Tome users specialize in healing, and Bow or Dagger users excel at dealing damage.

This structure without classes provides an added advantage: it keeps the initial leveling experience varied by enabling players to change their weapon, thereby altering their skillset. For instance, if casting fireballs becomes monotonous, you can opt for a Greatsword and engage in close combat with your adversaries instead. However, this setup presents a challenge as well: progression becomes tougher when you desire to try out various combinations. Each weapon user may require distinct types of armor, and if you’re the type who enjoys experimenting, you’ll need to grind extensively to craft the ideal equipment for your chosen roles. Solo play seems to be designed with a focus on players who don’t frequently switch weapons, as they can gather enough resources to maintain one set of gear effectively.

A notable feature of the game “Throne and Liberty” is that it enables players to transform into various animals, unlike games such as “World of Warcraft” where the Druid class provides combat advantages. In this game, the shapeshifting abilities are primarily for exploring the world of Solisium in diverse ways rather than offering direct benefits during battles. Players can take on forms such as an otter, a hawk, or a big cat. These transformations provide greater freedom and speed when navigating the world by water, air, or land respectively. While these shapeshifts don’t bring anything new to the table, they can be considered as “Throne and Liberty“‘s version of mounts.

“Rather than classes, players will instead pick their weapon of choice”

In terms of fundamental gameplay, “Throne and Liberty” is an action-packed real-time Role Playing Game (RPG) that uniquely emphasizes the ability to deflect and respond to attacks. Similar to other Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOs), enemy assaults in “Throne and Liberty” are predictable, allowing players to either dodge or counter without moving. The system appears to be engineered to enhance gameplay for the tank role, but it falls short due to the counter attack button feeling like another defensive skill that players will need to use regardless. Though intriguing conceptually, the counter system doesn’t significantly set “Throne and Liberty” apart from other games in a substantial or impactful manner.

One of the best things about Throne and Liberty is its visuals, and it’s hard to argue that Throne and Liberty doesn’t look great. The character models are all well detailed, allowing for armor and clothing to look like they naturally belong on these characters, while the world itself can often be really fun to explore thanks to just how breathtaking it can often end up being. The game offers up a few zones that players can explore, each offering up different themes and vibes, ranging from the large city of Kastleton, to the spookier, more atmospheric Carmine Forest. There are also the ruins of an epic battle in the form of the Titanreach Ruins, and even the tropical forests of Lizard Island, which also happens to be filled with poisonous flowers. All of these zones are also subject to different weather conditions, as well as a day/night cycle, which can do quite a bit to change the atmosphere of the area.

One of the potential downsides of Throne and Liberty is the way in which it has been monetized. A premium currency, Lucent, can be purchased by players, which can then in turn be used to buy things through an in-game shop. The in-game shop, at the time of writing, only features cosmetic items, including outfits and pets. What this means for the game’s economy in the future is currently unclear, but being able to pay real money for items that are otherwise earned in game certainly can’t be a good sign for the long-term health of an MMORPG.

“It’s hard to argue that Throne and Liberty doesn’t look great.”

In the game Throne and Liberty, the endgame content is rather limited for those who prefer Player vs Environment (PvE), as there isn’t much beyond dungeons to engage in. The focus of the game leans more towards Player versus Player (PvP) interactions, with Guild-versus-Guild events where player guilds clash against each other to dominate Boonstones and Riftstones. However, there isn’t a significant amount of raiding content like World of Warcraft or Destiny 2, where players can collaborate to confront tougher PvE challenges. Regrettably, the dungeons are generally on the simpler side.

Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that reaching endgame content can be quite difficult, and the process of enhancing your gear to survive even a single hit in the more challenging game areas at higher levels can be painstakingly arduous.

In essence, I find the game “Throne and Liberty” somewhat lacking in depth. The aggressive monetization common in some MMORPGs can be off-putting, and “Throne and Liberty” doesn’t deviate much from this trend with its in-game shop. Comparatively, games like “Lost Ark” from the same region have set a high standard. The rapid grind necessary to upgrade weapons and roles seems particularly steep, but for those seeking variety, experimenting with different weapons is definitely recommended. Despite these drawbacks, “Throne and Liberty” is visually stunning, runs smoothly, and boasts some innovative concepts in its combat and exploration mechanics.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.

2024-10-01 14:11

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