While clicking through Steam for a casual game that my mother would love, I accidentally clicked on the MMO area again. Since most of the games are addictions I’ve already sacrificed blood and wallet to in 2005-2008, I usually don’t have to worry about much. Much to my free time’s dismay, however, a Free to Play game had been added to Steam just a few days prior.
It looked cute, I had already finished my chores on The Craft of Wars Which Shall Not Be Mentioned and I still haven’t found a replacement for True Love ’95. So why not give it a try?
Well I couldn’t not.
Kill wolves. Of course we’re gonna kill wolves. You’d better step it up and–now I have to get apples? Alright, Metatron. Focus. This has to teach newbies, too. Get to at least level 5, THEN complain.
An early quest asked me to get a red apple as a token of good will for the next quest guy. After killing a bunch of wolves because I’m a filthy grinder, I went back to get a freaking apple. I clicked the thing and huhwhaaaat? Experience from getting an apple?
Oh. Not character experience. Plant lore experience. Hey, the tree is still there. Let’s click some mo–WHOA DID YOU JUST FLASH MY SCREEN WITH LEVEL UP THERE’S RANKS TO PLANT LORE WAT.
APPLE UP!
As simple as this game is, it understands gratification. This may not be entertaining for everyone, and I’m sure some TOO KOOL 4 SKOOL types will shrug, but I’M GOING TO CLICK THIS TREE UNTIL MY HAND IS TIRED BECAUSE I WAS THE KID WHO RAN AROUND IN CIRCLES TO GAIN LEVELS I DON’T NEED IN SNES RPGS.
And now we enter the Derp Portal.
You are probably prepared.
While the game is quite simple, I’m impressed by crafting and class systems in place. The crafting system is enjoyable, and while the talents may not be as deep as I’d like them to be, I’m sure the game will be able to mature while continuing to be accessible.
Talents are…basic. As a Priest, it looks like I have the Shadow DPS and Holy Healing options available. You can either spec into additional healing with Healing Mastery or melt faces with Shadow Mastery by way of adding talent points rather than committing to an entire spec.
Although this is great for hybrids, it doesn’t leave much for the deep tree talent theorist to work with. In the Spells tree, you can increase the potency of your 6 spells. The 6 Proficiencies augment other parts of your character, such as baseline heal potency or shadow potency or survivability.
Where’s Improved Kick?
It may not be the deepest talent customization in the world, but I can appreciate the game’s accessible nature while not ruining the fun of a character sheet. Just because kids are new doesn’t mean they’re morons, and I know a few players from the certain games with certain systems that would still manage to screw this up.
One of the quests is a nice jab at the world of questing. I do love those. Seriously, who needs to do some epic errand for stuff all the time? Inb4 “hard working” people pretend to struggle 24/7.
I think there’s someone down there. Kbai.
Oh, maybe my out-of-the-way contact is down there. I’d better WALK IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND KILL SOME MORE EVERYTHING ELSE.
Oh hey. A pirate. Ya know, I was in the Navy for a while. This’ll be pretty good, it’s kinda crappy how we can’t have beards these days without faked medical permission. Here’s a chance for me to be in an environment around real sailors with real beards and–Captain…Nobeard?
Nobeard is worst beard.
Well fuck.
Why is he named Greentooth?
Greentooth bro, no need to be a dick.
BAM!
No, Greentooth has to specifically be a dick.
While I was telling Greentooth to go fuck himself, I noticed that achievements had more rewards than I assumed. Cash in achievements for a bit of gold. While the basic achievements of gathering 20 pieces of materials or hitting level 5 in mining may not be much, there are quite a few achievements for hunting down powerful enemies and performing other great feats for both recognition and gold.
Gold for doing extra stuff!
Now we get to one of my biggest addictions in gaming. From the Mog Houses of FFXI to the delightful apartments and mansions of Everquest 2, player housing is just my thing. I love customizing homes, decorating the interior and collecting interesting pieces of furniture. Buffs and bonuses from certain pieces of furniture? Even better.
Simple and cute enough.
Unfortunately, the player housing in Villagers and Heroes doesn’t go far enough for me. Your house is basically a vault for a few more storage cells. A great thing, since free to play space is quite limited for semi-packrats like me, but I’d like to go inside my house.
But like many cute things, you can’t get inside.
You won’t catch me quitting any of my other MMOs for this, I’ll certainly pop online a few times to see where the game is headed. It’s cute, responsive and with a decent mixture of older players so I won’t look like as much of a pedo.
How can parents be sure of a game’s population by age? Looks like kids being kids to me.
One guy did try to ask where I was from a bit too quickly. Thankfully, as a guy raised during the AOL STRANGER DANGER EVERYONE IS A RAPIST period, everyone is a potential threat and I lol 16/F/Japan’d the fuck outta there.
To be fair, I still have Ragnarok Online installed while returning to Mists of Panderia before Warlords of Draenor, it’s obvious I never quit. I just wander off. You can stay, Villagers and Heroes. You can stay.
I’ll admit, I originally loaded up the game and RAGED at the blockiness, the lack of extra races and the slim class choices, but if you’re a perpetually upset black kid from the 90’s like me, any game that allows you to go brown is an easy way to distract you from the real issue at hand. After making my hair white and putting on a Klansman hood, I hooked and happy.
It’s free to play, it covers the standard MMO bases and I’m a priest. Give Villagers and Heroes a go.
