ArcheAge

Final Score? In my opinion, it deserves a solid 94. This is my opinion, and while you may disagree, it does deserve at least one play through to see if you like it or not.

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"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

Reviews

49%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,323 reviews

story36 positive mentions

grinding174 negative mentions

Incredible mix of gameplay elements including crafting, trading, and naval combat.
Beautiful graphics and immersive world design.
Extensive class customization allows for unique character builds.

Heavy pay-to-win mechanics make it difficult for free-to-play players to compete.
Labor point system restricts gameplay and progress, leading to frustration.
Poor customer support and management from the publisher, Trion, has led to a decline in player base and trust.

story
250 mentions
14 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story in ArcheAge is often described as lacking depth and engagement, with many players finding the main narrative bland and repetitive, particularly after reaching level 35 where it abruptly ends. While the quest writing is generally easy to follow and there are interesting race-specific storylines, the majority of quests consist of tedious fetch and kill tasks that can detract from the overall experience. Despite its potential, the game's narrative fails to captivate players, leading to a sense of disappointment regarding its storytelling quality.
- “One of the other positives so far is that each race has its own story you're following, whether you're an elf trying to solve a murder and potential conspiracy or a dwarf trying to get your memory back and learn more about a mysterious inventor who may be a key to its recovery.”
- “At a little over 351 hours, I write this review, having spent about a week running through the really scenic and engaging main storyline and other questlines that give you the chance to explore and understand the depth of each region.”
- “It gives you the choice of either questing or mob grinding as a method of leveling, but I would strongly suggest questing as the story is quite interesting.”
- “The content is what you make it, because the story isn't all that compelling and it won't keep you engaged.”
- “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.”
- “One issue with the quests is that a large proportion of them consist of 'kill x/x (enter mob name here)' which can become extremely tiresome and dull very quickly, unless you enjoy killing the same enemy over and over again.”
grinding
174 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of Archeage is heavily criticized, with players noting that a significant portion of gameplay revolves around tedious farming and crafting, often requiring extensive time investment or monetary expenditure to progress. Many reviews highlight the game's pay-to-win elements, where players who spend money can easily outpace those who do not, leading to frustration among casual players. While some enjoy the farming and crafting mechanics, the overall sentiment suggests that the grinding can be overwhelming and detracts from the game's potential enjoyment.
- “You will spend 90% of your time farming money and some money as well most likely to get screwed by people who put thousands of euros into the game without any skills at all.”
- “The game requires a lot of your time, and I mean a lot... if you don't like grinding and donating monthly to keep your land.”
- “Farming takes up hours and hours and hours and is boring to tears.”
gameplay
136 mentions
31 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Archeage is described as ambitious and engaging, offering a diverse range of activities that can be overwhelming yet rewarding once players find their preferred paths. While the mechanics are praised for their depth and variety, many reviews highlight the negative impact of microtransactions and predatory practices that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game retains high replayability and offers unique mechanics that appeal to fans of the genre, though it often requires a significant time investment and can feel grindy.
- “The variety of activities can be overwhelming, but once you pick a path (or three), the depth of each mechanic shines.”
- “I found the gameplay and combat to be fun and intuitive.”
- “The mechanics are clean, the quests are interesting, and the game has loads of potential to become something fantastic.”
- “Microtransactions ruined what could have been ages of gameplay.”
- “Good game ruined by horrible publisher gameplay decisions.”
- “The game's mechanics are solid; unfortunately, they've all been bent to restrict your choices and push you towards the cash shop.”
graphics
110 mentions
53 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the visuals as "stunning" and "pretty nice," particularly for an MMORPG, while others note that they can appear dated or inconsistent, especially on lower settings. Some users highlight impressive details and a large, immersive world, but there are also mentions of graphical glitches and performance issues. Overall, the graphics are generally considered above average, with a score range from 6.5 to 9 out of 10, depending on individual experiences.
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning and the UI is fairly easy to figure out.”
- “Graphics are amazing for an MMO; sea battles are maybe the cherry of the game, think about 20 galleons just ramming each other and boarding enemy ships, not to mention world PvP.”
- “It has an amazing concept with a cool open world and nice graphic design.”
- “The visuals are contemptible, on highest settings.”
- “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.”
- “The game tries so hard to show you how pretty it looks, yes it looks amazing for an MMO, massive props to the devs on this, but the world itself seems so bleak/uninspired, it feels like any other MMO you've played, the quests are generic, the fighting is generic, the art style is generic, even the music for the most part seems like it was just smacked in the middle.”
music
38 mentions
42 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its epic and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the immersive experience of exploration and combat. Players appreciate the ability to create and play their own songs, although some note that the background music can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is well-composed and complements the game's diverse environments, with distinct musical styles for different races, contributing positively to the overall gameplay experience.
- “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.”
- “The game can make your own favorite songs from real life and play them on a flute or guitar.”
- “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 other races have a really fierce music.”
- “The game tries so hard to show you how pretty it looks, yes it looks amazing for an MMO, massive props to the devs on this, but the world itself seems so bleak and uninspired. It feels like any other MMO you've played; the quests are generic, the fighting is generic, the art style is generic, and even the music for the most part seems like it was just smacked in the middle.”
- “Same music on loop for hours.”
- “There are some nice furniture and cosmetics, but also a ton of stupid ones that shred any semblance of immersion, like a 'desserted house' entirely made of candy, sloth gliders where the sloth hugs you as you walk/glide around on its 'wings', and yuletide wagons that play actual Christmas music as you drive around.”
monetization
28 mentions
11 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game is heavily criticized for being pay-to-win, with numerous microtransactions that provide significant advantages, such as exclusive vehicles and equipment upgrades. Many players feel that the game has devolved into a cash grab, with essential items and access to content locked behind paywalls, leading to frustration and a sense of exploitation. While some users note that the game can be played without spending money, it often requires excessive waiting, further diminishing the overall experience.
- “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.”
- “I would say this game is pay-to-win but can be played without succumbing to microtransactions (if you like waiting).”
- “Too many paid benefits, limitations, and microtransactions.”
- “Microtransactions in the game are very strongly pay-to-win, from exclusive vehicles to equipment upgrade scrolls and gems to mounts and more.”
- “Everything is a cash grab; even to do the newer dungeons, you need keys that you have to purchase.”
- “Your game can be amazing, but blatant cash grabs and a pay-to-win model will destroy your game.”
stability
14 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with players reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and issues that detract from the overall experience. While some users note improvements compared to previous years, many still experience frequent technical problems that require troubleshooting, leading to frustration and a diminished enjoyment of the game. Overall, the presence of hackers and ongoing stability issues make it difficult for players to recommend the game confidently.
- “The game itself is extremely pay to win and grindy, which I didn't mind, but the hackers and glitches completely destroyed my friends' and my experience once again. For these reasons, I cannot in good faith recommend this game to anyone.”
- “Spent more hours troubleshooting problems than playing.”
- “We can accept glitches, bugs, crashes, etc., but we need to be able to play it.”
humor
14 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted through amusing player interactions, such as defending oneself in a player-run court and encountering absurd scenarios like ships being dragged across land or chaotic sea battles with pirates and creatures. While some players express frustration with the game's monetization and management, they still find enjoyment in the comedic elements and unexpected situations that arise during gameplay.
- “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.”
- “Sea travel involves getting utterly destroyed by pirates and hilariously powerful sea creatures, and not much else unless you voyage out at max level.”
- “There are elements of comedy too; I've seen a ship dragging itself across the land using its harpoon gun, I've seen a large 20+ person moving dance party, and some funny player masks.”
emotional
10 mentions
60 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as both heart-wrenching and engaging, eliciting a range of feelings from laughter to deep sadness, particularly highlighted by the loss of a character named Severin. While players appreciate the character development and fun elements, they also express frustration with the game's repetitive quests and limitations, which detract from the overall emotional experience.
- “Then that time came round and I lost Severin... I cried manly tears, of course.”
- “I laughed, I cried, I murdered a random stranger; would have used him for fertilizer too if I could find a plot of land.”
- “Truly disgusting and heartbreaking.”
- “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 has the most boring story, if there is one.”
- “The emotional aspect of the game is overshadowed by the repetitive questing and painful grinding, making it hard to connect with the characters or story.”
- “The inability to play as the same race more than once leads to a lack of emotional investment in the storylines, which are already quite dull.”
optimization
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is criticized for poor performance and a rapid power creep that favors pay-to-win mechanics, making it challenging for new players to compete on relatively new servers.
- “Dramatically accelerated and highly optimized power creep, along with unapologetic pay-to-win mechanics, makes it incredibly difficult for new players to break into servers that are even just a few weeks old.”
- “Terrible performance”
- “Terrible performance”
atmosphere
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by an epic and atmospheric soundtrack that effectively sets the mood for various scenarios, from exploration to intense battles, reminiscent of a bard performing in a fantasy tavern. Overall, it receives a solid rating of 7/10 for its ability to immerse players in the game's world.
- “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.”
replayability
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
ArcheAge boasts high replayability, rated 8/10, thanks to its expansive world, diverse professions, and multiple gameplay paths, offering players numerous ways to experience the game.
- “Replayability - high (8/10): With a vast world, a variety of professions, and many gameplay paths, ArcheAge has replayability in spades.”
character development
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game was initially well-received, with players enjoying a balanced experience where gear and knowledge levels were relatively equal among participants. However, this sense of fairness and progression may have diminished over time as disparities grew.
- “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.”