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Age of Conan: Unchained is an award-winning and critically acclaimed massively multiplayer online game set in the sexy, savage and brutal world of Conan the Barbarian. Tread in the footsteps of the greatest fantasy hero of all time, and explore the vast reaches of Hyboria. Choose between twelve different classes, from Barbarian to Demonologist, and fight your way to riches and glory as you battle …

Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
Age of Conan: Unchained screenshot
+2

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,410 reviews
story81 positive mentions
stability31 negative mentions

  • Age of Conan: Unchained offers a unique and immersive MMORPG experience with a gritty world and engaging story.
  • The combat system is skill-based and allows for dynamic, action-oriented gameplay, making each encounter feel visceral and rewarding.
  • Despite its age, the game still has decent graphics and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues, including login problems and crashes, which can frustrate players.
  • The free-to-play model is heavily restricted, limiting character slots and access to certain content, making it difficult for new players to fully enjoy the game.
  • The player population is low, making it challenging to find groups for dungeons and raids, which can lead to a solitary gaming experience.
  • story
    264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is praised for its rich lore and engaging early quests, particularly in the starting zone of Tortage, which features fully voiced dialogue and immersive narratives. However, many players feel that the storytelling quality declines significantly after the initial levels, becoming more grind-focused and less engaging, with a mix of repetitive fetch quests and a lack of voice acting in later content. Overall, while the game offers a compelling narrative experience for fans of the Conan universe, its execution can be inconsistent, leading to a mixed reception regarding its storytelling.

    • “The starting zone, Tortage, offers one of the best early-game experiences in any MMO, with a fully voiced storyline that feels engaging and personal.”
    • “The narrative design in these first 20 levels is immersive, with personal quests that help you feel connected to the world.”
    • “The story is set in a great lore-based world, and this would be the only reason to recommend this game to anyone.”
    • “The story and the quests seem to have potential, but the execution of that potential is poor and boring; I can't say it really took my interest at all.”
    • “However, after Tortage, the narrative quality starts to dip, becoming more of a traditional MMORPG structure, with less emphasis on story-driven quests and more on grind-heavy objectives.”
    • “The game reels you in from levels 1-20 with a fully voice acted set of characters and quests but drops the ball as soon as you hit the real content, which might be the biggest letdown.”
  • graphics
    216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game, originally released in 2008, are generally considered to be decent for its age, with many players noting that they still hold up well today, particularly in terms of detail and atmosphere. While some reviews highlight the dated nature of the visuals and suggest a need for a graphical update, others praise the game's unique art style and immersive environments, which contribute to a gritty and realistic aesthetic. Overall, the graphics are seen as a strong point, especially when compared to other MMOs of its time, though opinions vary on their current appeal and performance on modern systems.

    • “For a game released in 2008, Age of Conan’s graphics still hold up remarkably well.”
    • “The graphics are still damn good and I'm very pleased with them.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful even after a bunch of years, and the combat system is good, balanced, and easy to get used to.”
    • “The graphics are bad.”
    • “The graphics look as dated as is to be expected from an MMO nearing its 10th anniversary, with the single worst character design feature in the history of bad character design features.”
    • “The graphics are not good and not optimized.”
  • gameplay
    130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its unique combat mechanics, including a combo system that adds depth and engagement, though some players find it outdated and clunky compared to modern MMOs. While the day/night cycle and various character classes offer interesting dynamics, the overall experience can be marred by technical issues, a lack of innovation in group content, and a monetization model that restricts access to certain features. Despite these drawbacks, many players appreciate the game's lore, atmosphere, and the nostalgic feel of its mechanics, making it a mixed but generally enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

    • “This adds depth to the gameplay and allows you to better immerse yourself in the world of Conan.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and engaging, and for the time, 2008, it would be considered revolutionary.”
    • “Unique combat mechanics unlike any other MMO, war mammoth mounts for PvP wars, and plenty of PvE and dungeons for those who aren’t interested in the PvP.”
    • “However, like Conan's world itself, the game is not without its challenges, both in terms of gameplay and polish.”
    • “Sad to say, it's really outdated for an MMO after 15 years, with annoying quest mechanics and a really low player base (roughly around 50-70 these last years).”
    • “Over a decade and nothing in the way of any real updates to the engine or the gameplay.”
  • music
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised as one of its standout features, with many reviewers calling it the best soundtrack in any MMO. The orchestral score, characterized by epic and haunting melodies, enhances the game's atmosphere and lore, making it a significant part of the immersive experience. Players recommend adjusting audio settings to fully appreciate the music, which they describe as breathtaking and integral to the game's appeal.

    • “The game’s orchestral soundtrack is fantastic, capturing both the epic and tragic nature of Conan’s world, with tribal drums and haunting melodies that perfectly fit the tone of the game.”
    • “I couldn't start a review for such a game as Age of Conan without making this clear at once: this game has the best music I have ever experienced in any game, by far!”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing and original from the Conan movies.”
    • “Fatalities and the music cannot save this game.”
    • “+ decent soundtrack but it's mostly looped and annoying if you're in the same place for a while.”
    • “Although the music is not quite like the movie soundtrack, it comes close.”
  • atmosphere
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and unique qualities, characterized by a gloomy and harsh aesthetic that aligns well with the Conan universe. Players appreciate the impressive graphics, detailed environments, and a masterful soundtrack that enhance the overall experience, making it feel both realistic and engaging. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and technical aspects, the game's atmosphere remains a standout feature that captivates both casual and veteran players alike.

    • “The lack of cartoon graphics creates a harsh and gloomy atmosphere, which makes the game more realistic and attractive.”
    • “Great graphics, an interesting plot, exciting battles, and a gloomy atmosphere create a unique gaming experience.”
    • “The atmosphere of this game is just amazing...do yourself a favor...you know what to do!”
    • “Especially the day and night mechanic was kind of interesting in creating a night single-player-like experience, while the day remains focused on multiplayer. However, it's too simple to change the whole atmosphere and doesn't have any impact after level 20.”
    • “The lack of cartoon graphics creates a harsh and gloomy atmosphere, which makes the game more realistic but less inviting.”
    • “It just sucks because it's such a great IP and atmosphere, but Funcom is just not the right company to keep something going long term.”
  • stability
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of frequent freezing, severe server latency issues, and a plethora of bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay. Many players express frustration over the lack of developer support and the game's overall unplayability, particularly in later stages. While some users note that the game has potential and solid mechanics, the persistent instability and technical problems overshadow these positives.

    • “Still runs great!”
    • “The game maintains a smooth performance without any crashes.”
    • “I've experienced no bugs or glitches, making for a stable gaming experience.”
    • “The game freezes up constantly, then there is this random server latency that out of nowhere goes from 40 ms to over 4,000 ms latency.”
    • “It's a super buggy game and it's nearly dead due to its age, so you can't be confident they'll fix anything at this point.”
    • “This game is on life support and is still very buggy after all these years.”
  • grinding
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially in the early and mid-game stages where manual button mashing is required for combat. While some appreciate the social aspects and the sense of progression through grinding, others criticize the slow leveling and excessive fetch quests that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is deemed grind-heavy, which may appeal to dedicated players but can be off-putting for those seeking a more streamlined experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Honestly, core combat seems alright for an MMO made in 2008, but there are some serious problems like not having an auto attack, and this makes early and mid-game especially tedious and annoying because you literally need to mash the button to attack. After playing for even a short amount of time, your fingers will hurt like hell.”
    • “After a certain level, all you'll be doing is grinding to reach the next required level to move on to the next worlds and actually progress with the game. If you're into that, then it's a really fun game, but the question is for how long?”
    • “I played until level 15 and could not do any more as it felt more tedious than a manual labor job.”
  • optimization
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, "Age of Conan" is criticized for its poor optimization, with players reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and significant performance issues, particularly during large-scale PvP battles. While some improvements have been noted over the years, many users still experience lag spikes and frame rate drops, even on modern hardware. Despite its engaging story and atmosphere, the game's technical shortcomings detract from the overall experience.

    • “Apparently it's still as good, better optimized of course but very little marketing if any and small player base.”
    • “The DX9 v3 is nearly the same quality, but the game is much better optimized compared to the DX10 client.”
    • “Age of Conan’s performance has improved over the years, but it still suffers from occasional bugs, crashes, and optimization issues, especially in large-scale PvP battles like sieges.”
    • “Though at one time I mostly enjoyed this game, despite its flaws, the frequent lag spikes, poor optimization, and ridiculously common frame rate drops have not been addressed.”
    • “There is terrible stuttering and FPS drops when using the DX10 client.”
  • monetization
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization model in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it intrusive and reminiscent of a cash grab, particularly due to the prevalence of microtransactions. While some users appreciate that the game isn't pay-to-win, they criticize the high prices for additional content and the aggressive promotion of in-game purchases. Overall, the monetization approach feels out of touch and detracts from the overall experience for many players.

    • “Sure there are microtransactions, and they can be a little shoved in your face at times, but it's still not pay-to-win; it's rather 'pay to get levels a lot faster.'”
    • “Being that I like to spend a bit on vanity items to give my characters a look I truly relish, that's too big a red flag for me to let slide, costing old King Conan what the monetization experience aside would be a thumbs up.”
    • “Funcom... microtransactions should be micro; over £10 is not micro, £5 is a reasonable price to pay for a character slot, more than that and you are just gouging.”
    • “While the exact reasons for his departure aren't clear, it felt like a cash grab, and it didn’t seem like he cared much by the end.”
    • “I can't suggest anyone pays money for the additional content, boosts, microtransactions, etc., but you don't need to.”
    • “Too many microtransactions.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Age of Conan" is characterized by its dry wit and bitter undertones, reflecting the cunning and subversive nature of its characters and intricate plots. Players appreciate the clever dialogue, which often elicits genuine laughter amidst the darker themes of power and intrigue. Overall, the game successfully blends humor with its complex narrative, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “In terms of lore, Age of Conan never ceases to surprise you with how cunning and subversive some characters are. The dry humor, the bitter moods, and the complex, interwoven plots and courtly intrigues add to the experience, highlighting the pettiness of the stabs and counter-stabs driven by lust for power, wealth, or flesh!”
    • “I found myself laughing several times at the dialogue.”
    • “Funny thing is that they state that Age of Conan and The Secret World were the major contributors to the revenues.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, with some experiencing moments of deep impact, such as tears during pivotal scenes. However, the overall narrative has been criticized for being boring, which detracts from the emotional engagement for some players.

    • “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
    • “Admittedly, I am emotionally attached to this game, but let me try to stay objective.”
    • “The story was boring; it might have been okay, but I lost interest while constantly adjusting my settings.”
    • “The emotional depth was lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “I felt no emotional impact from the events in the game, which left me feeling detached.”
  • character development
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The character development in this older theme park MMO is praised for being engaging and commendable, despite the game's dated graphics and some questionable design choices, such as the controversial character attire. Overall, players appreciate the depth of character progression, even as the game approaches its 10th anniversary.

    • “A nice older theme park MMO that has commendable and engaging character development.”
    • “The graphics look as dated as expected from an MMO nearing its 10th anniversary, with the single worst character design feature in the history of bad character design - weird paint on thongs, which seems to cater to childish prudes.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players highlight the game's high replayability due to its top-tier music, engaging quests, and a wealth of activities that ensure there's always something to do.

    • “The music is top tier, and the quests offer incredible replay value; there's always something to do.”
    • “Every playthrough feels fresh, thanks to the diverse quests and engaging mechanics.”
    • “The game encourages multiple runs with its branching storylines and varied character builds.”

Buy Age of Conan: Unchained

48h Median play time
449h Average play time
10-294h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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This game contains adult content