Here’s my comprehensive review as a new player after investing 170 hours in New World. I’ll be discussing both the good and the bad aspects of the game. Keep in mind that while I have watched numerous guides, I am still relatively new, and my perspective may reflect a bit of inexperience. I welcome corrections and feedback from more experienced players.
Firstly, let’s address the game’s price. While I tried to convince a few friends to join me, some were put off by the high cost of the expansion. Charging €70 after two years of a game release with a less-than-stellar reputation doesn’t seem like an ideal strategy for attracting new players. To the developers at AGS, I would suggest reconsidering this approach if your goal is to attract new players.
Now, let’s dive into the good and bad aspects of the game:
The Good:
Combat System: New World shines when it comes to its combat system. It's incredibly satisfying, smooth, responsive, and fun. In fact, it's one of the best in the MMO genre, rivaled only by titles like Black Desert Online.
Music: The game's music is often underappreciated, but it adds a significant depth to the world. The music in New World is not just background noise; it's something that can captivate your attention.
Landscape: The game's landscapes are simply breathtaking, making New World one of the most visually appealing MMOs. The sense of wonder when exploring new locations is undeniable.
Graphics: While New World may not have graphics on par with AAA titles on PS5 or Xbox, it certainly ranks in the top three within its genre. The visuals are impressive and a standout feature in the MMO market.
Gathering Professions: The gathering professions in New World are among the best I've experienced in any game. They offer a relaxed and satisfying gameplay experience. The lack of overcrowding at gathering nodes is particularly enjoyable.
Weapon Skill Tree: The game's skill tree system is clear and straightforward, allowing for diverse character builds. It's a solid system that encourages experimentation and frequent respecs.
Leveling: New World caters well to solo players or those who can't party up every time they play. The leveling process, especially if you combine it with quests, is enjoyable and not overly tedious. It could use more difficulty, but it's generally a pleasant journey.
No Pay-to-Win: The game's approach to microtransactions and pay-to-win is commendable. The shop mainly offers skins and XP boosters, which aren't essential for gameplay. New World stands as a shining example of how to handle microtransactions in the gaming industry.
Dev Feedback (Added Later): The developers' frequent feedback and updates are commendable. While not everything goes perfectly, their open communication about their plans adds value to the game's development.The Kind of Bad:
Weapon System: While the weapon system is unique and adds a degree of flexibility, it falls short in comparison to traditional class systems in other MMOs. You may find that the system forces you to use two weapons instead of specializing in a single class, which can be restrictive.
Character Creation: The character creation system in New World is less robust compared to games that offer races and classes. The lack of diversity can make your character feel unattached and lack identity.The Bad:
Character Movement: Character movement can feel clunky and unpolished, particularly with certain weapons, like two-handed swords.
Crafting: Crafting in New World can be frustrating, with excessive grind required for BiS items. Crafting can be tedious, confusing, and riddled with artificial time-gated items like Chromatic Seals, and you need a lot of New World gold.
RNG: The game's reliance on RNG, particularly in PvP, can be frustrating. RNG affects perks when looting or crafting, leading to inconsistent results. The reliance on RNG is exacerbated by the costly nature of endgame crafting.
Bugs: While the initial leveling experience might seem bug-free, as you progress into the endgame, you may encounter an increasing number of bugs. This contributes to New World's reputation as a game plagued by technical issues.
Open World PvE (Chest Runs): Open world PvE content is lacking, with chest runs dominating the landscape. Chest runs are dull and repetitive, far from engaging PvE content. Bosses in open world PvE are also underwhelming.
Expeditions: Expeditions can be fun the first time you complete them, but they tend to lack challenge, regardless of the difficulty level. The reliance on finding a competent group rather than the mechanics within the expedition itself can be disappointing.
PvP Modes (Arenas and OPR): Arenas and Outpost Rush (OPR) have balance issues, particularly with the prevalence of healers. OPR can become frustrating when teams don't have enough healers. Additionally, the lack of variety in map rotations for both modes can lead to repetition.
Influence Wars: Influence Wars suffer from similar issues as OPR, with the faction that has more players tending to win. This makes battles imbalanced and less enjoyable.
Open World PvP: Open World PvP is virtually nonexistent, as there is no incentive for players to engage in it. The bonuses for turning on PvP are meager, and the lack of incentives hinders this potentially exciting aspect of the game.The Worst Thing In-Game:
Quality of Life features is New World’s Achilles’ heel. Many aspects of the game, including the bank system, character profiles, crafting menus, and attribute management, feel poorly designed and cumbersome. The lack of a character profile system that allows for quick switching of attribute builds is especially frustrating. Moreover, many quality-of-life issues exist, and it’s evident that the development team lacks the necessary skills to address them adequately.
In conclusion, my initial experience with New World was highly positive, but the endgame content has left me disappointed. While I’ve played 170 hours and still find the game somewhat enjoyable, I don’t foresee it holding my interest for thousands of hours. The game may be worth it for a group of friends but should be approached with caution by new players. It’s a complex mix of both the good and the bad, and there’s room for substantial improvement.