I have continued to play casually since my post. I am level 32 now and am still enjoying the game a lot. It isn't groundbreaking in any way (except maybe that it has the best taming/mount system I have seen). It is, however, fun to play. The combat is interesting and engaging for me. You can quickly get into trouble if you take on multiple enemies, which is reminiscent of older MMORPGs. It takes a while to regain health if you don't have potions with you. That's enjoyable to me also. It requires that you stop while playing and just look around and enjoy the eye candy.
The number of familiars in the world that you can tame is impressive. I still haven't found lots of bugs or issues. It gets progressively more difficult as you go and the variety of options for the game to get as difficult as you want are in place. The only restricting factor in playing the more difficult parts of the game is the lack of players. There are players you run into in most areas, but not enough to form a good group or raid regularly.
So far, I haven't seen the need to use the store to buy anything. That might be the case in later levels but I haven't encountered a problem yet.
I believe if anyone is looking for something different to play, you might find Icarus fills the role nicely. I'm sure it would be a welcomed site to see more people playing it. I'm amazed that this one slipped under my radar for so long, since I follow new releases regularly and read tons of gaming reviews.
Just curious, you mentioned health regeneration is a bit slower unless potions are used.
Do they sell health potions in the cash shop, can they be earned from playing the game, or a combination of both?
Regarding the likely intentional 7 slot design it doesn't bother me so much, rare would be a game where I created more than a few alts, 4 slots would likely be more than enough.
If not, a 2nd account would be of no concern, I've routinely run with multiple accounts in most MMORPGs.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Regarding the likely intentional 7 slot design it doesn't bother me so much, rare would be a game where I created more than a few alts, 4 slots would likely be more than enough.
I could understand not personally caring about a limit on character slots. But why would they make it intentional that you can buy character slots, but only up to one fewer than the number of classes?
What seems to have happened is that it used to be a max of 7 slots and 7 classes. Then they added another class to the game last summer. Whoever handles the item mall doesn't seem to have figured that out yet. That does not bode well if you're hoping for a polished, well-maintained game.
Regarding the likely intentional 7 slot design it doesn't bother me so much, rare would be a game where I created more than a few alts, 4 slots would likely be more than enough.
I could understand not personally caring about a limit on character slots. But why would they make it intentional that you can buy character slots, but only up to one fewer than the number of classes?
What seems to have happened is that it used to be a max of 7 slots and 7 classes. Then they added another class to the game last summer. Whoever handles the item mall doesn't seem to have figured that out yet. That does not bode well if you're hoping for a polished, well-maintained game.
That confused me, as well. Then I thought, "Well, maybe they have account-wide purchases that they could force you to buy again on a second account."
If that were the case, you'd have to purchase other unlocks on that new account to build it up, as well. I know absolutely nothing about the game, so I am just theorizing on why something like that might be deliberate.
As best as I can tell, most unlocks are per character, not per account. Character slots and their premium service are per account, but as best as I can tell, that's it. And if you use a second account, you don't need to buy character slots.
I think it's also fairly obvious that the character slot limit is largely a product of careless developers. At the character creation screen, it says that the limit per account is 6. At the in-game store, it says that the limit is 7. I'm not at all confident that either of those numbers is correct and they haven't increased the limit since then. But I don't care to spend $40 to find out.
Since this began with a necro-post, I thought I'd carry on the thread with another. And let me preface this by saying, I'm 72 and have been playing MMOs since before they were MM =or= O. Gaming has always been a fun and relaxing hobby, and continues to be now that I'm retired. And I'm still keeping up with most of you kids. =P
I played Riders from the end of 2017 through mid 2019, got to lvl 60 and then left because I'm not much of a joiner and made the mistake of not joining one of the many guilds around at that time. As the OP pointed out, it's difficult to find folks to run dungeons with if you're mainly a solo player, and a lot of the end game content requires that you to get into those.
Played other games, didn't think a lot more about Riders, then lost my account in the migration from standalone to Steam because I wasn't paying attention, but I've just come back to it and am enjoying it immensely.
It's now 2021. Not a lot of changes to Riders, although they've opened some new areas and dungeons. But I enjoy the simplicity of it. Other games are sometimes convoluted and complicated. Riders is just... easy. Like the OP, I enjoy the visuals the game gives us. Fly up to a shady spot on a hill and just look out over the world.
I brought friends to play with me this time and we've reached lvl 55 now. We're still enjoying it immensely.
Gameplay is fun, challenging. You can use a "standard" method and tab target as in WoW or a few others, or you can choose the "action mode" where you use crosshairs... and can =still= tab target, similar to the play in ESO. The skills are fairly easy and the combos are good for increasing your DPS. Yes, they give you a lot of options, but they also give you three bars to house your skills, and at 55 my main bar holds most of what I need. If I need others it's a simple Alt + (same keystroke as main) or Ctrl + (same keystroke as main) and it's there.
Crafting is easy and you can gather most of what you need in world. You craft your weapons, your gear, gear for your mounts, buff foods, jewelry and potions. The more elusive items come to you as rewards for gameplay, or mini-games within the game. But you rarely lack resources.
It's not always easy to know what you're going to need for your endgame crafting, but if you do the research (which is how I found this forum to begin with) you'll be able to get a good idea of what's coming up and what you'll need for it.
You can craft most of what you'll need, but you can also FISH for items. One fishing area in the game will give you everything from Familiar (mounts) EXP potions to health potions to + crit potions. You can get tempering stones at another (and "temper" your gear to a higher skill level) and yet another will give you "seal stones" and boxes of goodies with even more potions or rare items in them.
It has PvP for those who enjoy that and PvE for those who don't. Nothing is mandatory or forced.
Everything in the game revolves around taming creatures. You ride them, use them as pets to fight with you, "seal" them (in those seal stones you got) and use them to strengthen your armor and make your skills more efficient, or use your "sealed" familiars in your Talent Orb to allow you to increase the effectiveness of your talents.
It's actually a pretty brilliant concept, when you think about it.
The Cash Shop. Don't most of the Asian games have them? And, please... FREE TO PLAY still costs them something, even if it's only to pay for the servers they're using!
I don't mind contributing to a game that gives me so much enjoyment and doesn't require a subscription. If you do become a Premium player and actually pay for an account, you get enough perks to make it worth your while. But most of them are cosmetic. I see very little "pay to win" going on here. You still have to earn your way though the game with hard work, learning your skills and your class.
Before discovering Riders and since leaving in 2019 I've been about a dozen other MMOs. I played them until they became tedious and repetitious... as will ANY MMO, including Riders.
But it was nice to come back to enjoy the similarities and differences. Nice to find that the graphics are still stellar and that the community is still helpful and welcoming. Nice to slow the pace down a little and cruise through the quests at something less than breakneck speed, rushing to get to endgame and then... what's next?
Note to OP: Perhaps that's why it never really caught on. It isn't "cutting edge" doesn't have too many amazing, heart-stopping cut scenes, no flash, no edge, nothing but a good game. Some people just need more. And some of us like to get away from "more" every now and then and just relax and have fun.
Comments
Do they sell health potions in the cash shop, can they be earned from playing the game, or a combination of both?
Regarding the likely intentional 7 slot design it doesn't bother me so much, rare would be a game where I created more than a few alts, 4 slots would likely be more than enough.
If not, a 2nd account would be of no concern, I've routinely run with multiple accounts in most MMORPGs.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Riders of Icarus is decent enough in that it lets you earn premium currency and you can get stuff without paying.
But it has a lot of stuff that you can pay for, and once you reach endgame/if you want good equipment the payments ramp up and become less optional.
What seems to have happened is that it used to be a max of 7 slots and 7 classes. Then they added another class to the game last summer. Whoever handles the item mall doesn't seem to have figured that out yet. That does not bode well if you're hoping for a polished, well-maintained game.
I think it's also fairly obvious that the character slot limit is largely a product of careless developers. At the character creation screen, it says that the limit per account is 6. At the in-game store, it says that the limit is 7. I'm not at all confident that either of those numbers is correct and they haven't increased the limit since then. But I don't care to spend $40 to find out.
I played Riders from the end of 2017 through mid 2019, got to lvl 60 and then left because I'm not much of a joiner and made the mistake of not joining one of the many guilds around at that time. As the OP pointed out, it's difficult to find folks to run dungeons with if you're mainly a solo player, and a lot of the end game content requires that you to get into those.
Played other games, didn't think a lot more about Riders, then lost my account in the migration from standalone to Steam because I wasn't paying attention, but I've just come back to it and am enjoying it immensely.
It's now 2021. Not a lot of changes to Riders, although they've opened some new areas and dungeons. But I enjoy the simplicity of it. Other games are sometimes convoluted and complicated. Riders is just... easy. Like the OP, I enjoy the visuals the game gives us. Fly up to a shady spot on a hill and just look out over the world.
I brought friends to play with me this time and we've reached lvl 55 now. We're still enjoying it immensely.
Gameplay is fun, challenging. You can use a "standard" method and tab target as in WoW or a few others, or you can choose the "action mode" where you use crosshairs... and can =still= tab target, similar to the play in ESO. The skills are fairly easy and the combos are good for increasing your DPS. Yes, they give you a lot of options, but they also give you three bars to house your skills, and at 55 my main bar holds most of what I need. If I need others it's a simple Alt + (same keystroke as main) or Ctrl + (same keystroke as main) and it's there.
Crafting is easy and you can gather most of what you need in world. You craft your weapons, your gear, gear for your mounts, buff foods, jewelry and potions. The more elusive items come to you as rewards for gameplay, or mini-games within the game. But you rarely lack resources.
It's not always easy to know what you're going to need for your endgame crafting, but if you do the research (which is how I found this forum to begin with) you'll be able to get a good idea of what's coming up and what you'll need for it.
You can craft most of what you'll need, but you can also FISH for items. One fishing area in the game will give you everything from Familiar (mounts) EXP potions to health potions to + crit potions. You can get tempering stones at another (and "temper" your gear to a higher skill level) and yet another will give you "seal stones" and boxes of goodies with even more potions or rare items in them.
It has PvP for those who enjoy that and PvE for those who don't. Nothing is mandatory or forced.
Everything in the game revolves around taming creatures. You ride them, use them as pets to fight with you, "seal" them (in those seal stones you got) and use them to strengthen your armor and make your skills more efficient, or use your "sealed" familiars in your Talent Orb to allow you to increase the effectiveness of your talents.
It's actually a pretty brilliant concept, when you think about it.
The Cash Shop. Don't most of the Asian games have them? And, please... FREE TO PLAY still costs them something, even if it's only to pay for the servers they're using!
I don't mind contributing to a game that gives me so much enjoyment and doesn't require a subscription. If you do become a Premium player and actually pay for an account, you get enough perks to make it worth your while. But most of them are cosmetic. I see very little "pay to win" going on here. You still have to earn your way though the game with hard work, learning your skills and your class.
Before discovering Riders and since leaving in 2019 I've been about a dozen other MMOs. I played them until they became tedious and repetitious... as will ANY MMO, including Riders.
But it was nice to come back to enjoy the similarities and differences. Nice to find that the graphics are still stellar and that the community is still helpful and welcoming. Nice to slow the pace down a little and cruise through the quests at something less than breakneck speed, rushing to get to endgame and then... what's next?
Note to OP: Perhaps that's why it never really caught on. It isn't "cutting edge" doesn't have too many amazing, heart-stopping cut scenes, no flash, no edge, nothing but a good game. Some people just need more. And some of us like to get away from "more" every now and then and just relax and have fun.