ArcheAge

About

"ArcheAge is a fantastically designed, massively multiplayer open-world game with an engaging story and marvelous graphics. Experience epic sea and land battles, uncover secrets, and enjoy the excellent soundtrack while enduring some grinding and bugs. Immerse yourself in the vast world of Nuia and Harihara, and uncover the conspiracy lurking in the shadows."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 5,361 reviews

story156 positive mentions

grinding479 negative mentions

ArcheAge offers a vast open world with a variety of activities including crafting, trading, and naval battles.
The class system allows for unique character builds by combining different skill sets, providing flexibility and creativity.
The game has a rich lore and beautiful graphics, making exploration enjoyable.

The game is heavily pay-to-win, making it difficult for free-to-play players to compete effectively.
The labor point system limits gameplay, requiring players to wait or pay to perform basic actions.
Customer support is lacking, with slow response times and unresolved issues for many players.

story
674 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
70%
7%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the engaging narratives tied to different races and the overall lore, while others criticize it for being generic and repetitive, often reduced to typical fetch and kill quests. Many players noted that the main storyline tends to lose momentum around level 30, leading to a grind-heavy experience that detracts from the initial excitement. Additionally, the pay-to-win elements and questing mechanics have been highlighted as barriers to fully enjoying the story, with some players feeling that the narrative is overshadowed by the game's economic systems and questing grind.
- “The story is excellent and if you are an RPG player, there are lots of opportunities to engage with it.”
- “The storylines are engaging, and the world is rich in lore, cinematic cutscenes, and voiced stories of 'your' adventure throughout the main quest line.”
- “The story seems nice enough with beautiful story pictures when you go further into the game.”
- “The fun was gone... it was always the same old story.”
- “The devs completely gave up the story around level 35; seriously, no ending, the story ends with you moving into a new area and it just ends. You never see another story NPC after it.”
- “The story seems very forced, and largely irrelevant.”
grinding
483 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
The grinding aspect of Archeage is a significant point of contention among players, with many describing it as excessively tedious and time-consuming. While some enjoy the depth of the farming, crafting, and housing systems, they often feel that the game requires an overwhelming amount of grinding to progress, especially for free-to-play users who face limitations on labor points and access to essential features. Overall, the game is seen as heavily grind-oriented, with a pay-to-win model that exacerbates the experience for those unwilling or unable to invest real money.
- “Challenging yet not too grindy.”
- “Not too grindy.”
- “Six long years of grinding for what?”
- “It is too much grinding for little reward; the labor system is terrible for non-premium players, labor was impossible to regenerate, and the marketplace was disabled for free accounts.”
- “You are expected to perform like you are working a full-time job plus overtime, and as a result, it is a requirement to complete dailies which take hours, among completing other grindy things so that your guild will benefit.”
gameplay
411 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
56%
8%
The gameplay of Archeage is characterized by its ambitious and diverse mechanics, offering a wide range of activities such as crafting, farming, and PvP, which can be both engaging and overwhelming. However, many players express frustration over the game's heavy reliance on pay-to-win mechanics and the labor point system, which can hinder progression and enjoyment. While the game has solid core mechanics and beautiful graphics, the overall experience is marred by issues related to monetization and balance, leading to a mixed reception among players.
- “Gameplay is engaging and easy to master quickly.”
- “The variety of activities can be overwhelming, but once you pick a path (or three), the depth of each mechanic shines.”
- “Archeage is an MMORPG that offers a unique and exciting gameplay experience, with a variety of classes and a vast open world to explore.”
- “Microtransactions ruined what could have been ages of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is solid but it can be hard for new players to get into the game since the gap between veteran players and new players is high.”
- “The core mechanics of combat, communication, and quests are all exemplary, but the gameplay is overshadowed by its heavy reliance on pay-to-win mechanics.”
graphics
408 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
33%
6%
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many players praising the stunning visuals, detailed environments, and character customization options. While some reviews note that the graphics can feel dated or experience occasional glitches, the overall consensus highlights the game's impressive art style and immersive world, making it a standout feature in the MMORPG genre. However, there are also mentions of performance issues and the need for high-end hardware to fully enjoy the graphical fidelity.
- “The graphics are stunning for an MMORPG, the content and gameplay is good, nothing amazing, but still good.”
- “Archeage is an immersive, sandbox MMO with stunning, up-to-date graphics, catchy lore, and a simple yet captivating combat style.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning and the UI is fairly easy to figure out.”
- “Graphics are bad, the screen feels cluttered, and it feels like a terrible knockoff of FF14.”
- “The graphics are very pretty, but the game is plagued with lag, disconnects, and graphical glitches.”
- “The graphics in the game are about the only thing that is done well, but it doesn’t even come close to redeeming this huge waste of time and money.”
monetization
127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
54%
43%
The monetization model of the game has been widely criticized as predatory and heavily reliant on microtransactions, leading many players to label it a "cash grab." Users express frustration over the pay-to-win elements, repetitive grind, and the overwhelming presence of in-game purchases that detract from the overall experience. Despite initial enjoyment, the game's shift towards aggressive monetization strategies has resulted in a dwindling player base and a tarnished reputation.
- “I would say this game is pay-to-win but can be played without succumbing to microtransactions (if you like waiting).”
- “I haven't played it recently, but I remember the microtransactions to be unintrusive and not particularly enticing, though that type of thing varies from person to person.”
- “In fact, in-game purchases are mostly cosmetics, mounts, or house decor.”
- “The biggest problem is that the grind became repetitive really fast, and the monetization held it back from reaching its full potential.”
- “It had so much potential but they wanted to make a cash grab instead of a healthy game.”
- “This game is nothing more than a cash grab.”
music
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
60%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience during exploration and combat. Players appreciate the ability to compose and perform their own music using in-game instruments, adding a unique interactive element. However, some reviews note that the soundtrack can be repetitive, suggesting a desire for longer tracks to maintain engagement.
- “The game's music is pretty alright and the game lets you compose music and play music on a variety of instruments.”
- “You can craft songs and copy the code from online databands of codes.”
- “So if you are looking for a game that really makes you feel you are part of the environment of the game, then Archeage is the game you are looking for... its music is just amazing, actually one of the things I'm pretty severe with when judging an MMORPG is the music they made for it, and it's just outrageous... the music is very well divided by zones, elves got a more Celtic style of music while races like have a really fierce music.”
- “People have said this game's music is a little repetitive and bland or mundane.”
- “The music is annoying (I know you can turn it off).”
- “Mostly what games make its first impression game is nice but... it was nice Asia when it was offered for other parts of the world I think it was rushed and someone forgot to put some voice for NPC quests and the funniest part NPC still speaks Asian as for one more downside background music it's too Asian it isn't bad but it's short and the same one loop goes and goes.”
stability
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game's stability has been a significant point of contention among players, with many reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay. While some users note improvements over time, the overall consensus is that the game remains quite buggy, with issues ranging from graphical glitches to login problems, leading to frustration and a lack of player retention. Despite its potential, the game's stability issues continue to detract from the overall experience, making it difficult for players to fully enjoy it.
- “It's actually not buggy or anything.”
- “Remember the time when games were 99.9% bug-free and stable?”
- “There are a lot of glitches, but when you run into a major one there just isn't help available from this company.”
- “I was really disappointed because I really wanted to try out the new ArcheAge, but after suffering ten long, grueling hours of troubleshooting, restarting, uninstalling and reinstalling drivers, and almost a complete factory reset (which still didn't fix the lockout), I've decided that this game is not worth the trouble.”
- “Very buggy, its 'hack shield' will crash your game constantly (if you can even get it started).”
humor
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a major draw, with players enjoying the absurdity of various mechanics, such as the crime system and quirky character interactions. Many reviews mention hilarious glitches, amusing player-created content, and the comedic aspects of the game's lore and environment. Overall, the game is described as a fun and funny MMORPG experience, despite some criticisms regarding its pay-to-win elements.
- “The reactions that some players had to this transition and Gamigo's takeover of Trion's games was absolutely hilarious to watch.”
- “The game has hilariously terrible physics that can be and are exploited almost every minute of the day somewhere in your server.”
- “2.) The crime system is pretty fun, getting a bounty on your head and having to defend yourself in court run by a player jury leads to great and funny confrontations.”
- “The fact that this game is so pay-to-win, it's not funny.”
- “The store is so bloated now with pay-to-win items, it's not funny.”
optimization
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
37%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players appreciate its smooth performance and decent graphics, others report significant issues such as random FPS drops, clipping, and stuttering. Some users note that it runs well on higher-end systems but struggles on lower-performance machines, leading to frustration with its inconsistent performance. Despite some positive remarks about its optimization, numerous complaints highlight ongoing bugs and server issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “Well optimized and surprisingly few glitches for an MMO, and significantly less grindy than other MMOs such as Black Desert.”
- “The gameplay is stellar and fluid, the optimization is great and the graphics are beautiful.”
- “It is very well optimized although there are few bugs; the few I encountered were not particularly game-breaking.”
- “I re-downloaded and logged in, they've added 2 new races, but most of the performance issues with clipping and stuttering graphics remain.”
- “Terrible optimization, with a system designed to suck money out of their players.”
- “Horrible performance, random FPS drops, far from minimum requirements for the game; it's weird FPS drop too, will be going at 120 FPS then drop to 5 then bounce back to 120, this occurs a few times every couple of seconds.”
emotional
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
84%
16%
Players express a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from pride in overcoming challenges as free-to-play users to heartbreak over its pay-to-win mechanics and toxic community. Many describe the experience as an emotional rollercoaster, with moments of joy and laughter juxtaposed against frustration and sadness, particularly regarding tedious quests and the game's decline. Overall, the emotional impact of the game is significant, eliciting both deep attachment and disappointment.
- “You've made me feel every possible emotion while playing this game.”
- “I can't express in words the emotional rollercoaster that this game provided me.”
- “I love this game and seeing it die a slow and painful death is truly heartbreaking.”
- “If you're an elf, there will be a bunch of boring storyline stuff to go through before you can really get to the game.”
- “And then on the outside of the clazone, you have the burnt, horrible, and disgusting crust. This would be the paywalls for the limited farm space, which you have to have if you want to have safe farms, the boring and repetitive questing, the painful grinding, and the inability to play as the same race more than once (in terms of boring storylines).”
- “And that sucks, because this game is fun, the emotes are cool and new, the character development is really nice, and you can see a game that could function as its own game, but the developers just don't have enough foresight and are taking what they can get. Sadly, it's the most boring story if there is one.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The atmosphere in the game is generally praised for its epic soundtrack and well-designed environments that enhance the storytelling experience, with some users likening it to a bard's performance in a fantasy setting. However, concerns about pay-to-win elements and unstructured player housing detract from the overall immersion, leading to a mixed reception regarding the game's atmosphere. While some players find the atmosphere engaging, others feel it lacks depth and quality, particularly in comparison to other MMORPGs.
- “The soundtrack is like a bard at your local fantasy tavern - it sets the mood, whether you are exploring uncharted lands or charging into the thick of battle.”
- “Very nice graphics, atmosphere, and sound also great for the storyline quests; still play it happy as toast :)”
- “The areas and atmospheres are well made, but as you level up you will encounter more PvP.”
- “Player houses kind of destroy the atmosphere.”
- “I do not like that the atmosphere is still a bit pay-to-win in some respects.”
- “It is this type of inept lunacy that drove ArcheAge into the gutter in the beginning, and sadly it looks like they have made zero progress on creating a customer-friendly atmosphere.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game features an in-depth skill tree and diverse skills, reminiscent of other titles in the genre, though it lacks personalization options like attribute points. While character design allows for upgrades in appearance and gear, the overall experience is enhanced by the initial balance among players, requiring a significant time investment for meaningful development.
- “In-depth skill tree and good character development through skill diversity, very much like other glyph titles.”
- “Character design is typical but not limited; being able to upgrade the name, face, hair, costumes, and gear.”
- “It has a fun character development concept.”
- “There is no personalization in terms of character development; there are no attribute points.”
- “Character design is typical but not limited; being able to upgrade the name, face, hair, costumes, and gear is lacking.”
- “Most of my hours were played at launch; it was pretty great for the first few months when everyone's gear, character development, and knowledge level were about equal.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
ArcheAge boasts high replayability due to its expansive world, diverse professions, and multiple gameplay paths, making it more engaging than many other free-to-play games. Players find it comparable to top MMOs like World of Warcraft in terms of content and level design, enhancing its long-term appeal.
- “Replayability - high (8/10): with a vast world, variety of professions, and many gameplay paths, ArcheAge has replayability in spades.”
- “On the one hand, I really like the game; it's fantastic, probably the best MMO I've ever played, rivaling even World of Warcraft in content, replayability, level design, and ingenuity.”
- “Overall, much more playable than many other free-to-play games on the market.”
- “On the one hand, I really like the game; it's fantastic, probably the best MMO I've ever played, rivaling even World of Warcraft in content, replayability, level design, and genuineness.”