Mabinogi - Free at Last

wong1628

Game description:

As you all might know, Mabinogi is a mmorpg created by Nexon, and is rated as an f2p.  Its graphics are anime-ish, using cells (whatever the term is), while the gameplay resembles a sandbox style mmorpg.  Having known and played the game since its OB, I can safely say that it truely allows one to live a 'fantasy life'.

Starting out as a newbie with rank 0 in most skill, and rank f in a few, the game mechanics allow players to learn new skills by reading books from quests and stores or upgrading them by advancing a level / a year of age.   Skills are not limited to any specific class, nor are they limited by numbers.  With abilities from instrument playing to cooking, or sword combat to farming, there is always something to do.  Getting into the combat system, this game is not like any ordinary hack-slash mmorpg.  While fighting ai or (possibly) pvp, each party can choose between several combat modes.  For melee its defense, whirlwind, etc.  For magic its different elements.  For ranged its idk.  However, for the melee portion of combat, it utilizes a rock-paper-sissor system in which, e.g., defense can negate a smash, or counter-attack redirecting some dmg from a normal hit.  All melee combats require skill, luck, and reflexes.  Magic seemed to feel like button-smashing and macroing (range may be similar), but the game mechanics persuades players to use thier melee skills anyways.

Problem with game:

Having started playing since the OB, I had the unfortuanate pleasure of experiencing the agony of a particular gameplay element.  That is the rebirth feature.  Rebirths allow people to reset their character's age to its min. (10), while still retaining all gained skills, money, and items.  This seems helpful, as once one gets past lvl 20 and have completed all beginner's quests, the game instantly shifts to a massive grind-fest.  To obtain one of these rebirth cards, they must be bought with nexon cash (exchanged from real money).  Sure, if one has money to spare, its no biggie.  However, for those who do not believe that this game is worth slaving thier wallets to the CS, or don't have the money (yes, like me), its a turn off.

Important part:

As I neared lvl 20 twice, once during OB and once during full release, I finally snapped out of the trance and realized that I was wasting my time, as the impossible grind approached and built up.  Now, thanks to Nexon for implementing this feature that gives players free, yet limited, rebirths as they reached lvl (or age, i forgot) 20.  The limited part of this is that the premium rebirth allows for more character customization and change in the character's appearance, the free rebirth does not.

Go play Mabinogi:

Matter this does not.  For now I, and hopefully once fans of this game, are sufficently swayed to be certain to be willing to invest time into this colorful mmo-rpg.

 

Original post of news on Mmorpg.com: www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/330/view/forums/thread/221597/Everyone-who-has-put-off-playing-Mabinogi-nows-the-time-to-return.html

Notice/Announcement of this news on Nexon:  mabinogi.nexon.net/Notice/View.aspx