Albion Online
Developed by: Sandbox Interactive
Published by: Sandbox Interactive
Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android
Rated: NA
BAJO
For 90% of human history, we were hunter gatherers, heading out into the wild to forage for food, instead of growing it. It was only about 10,000 years ago that we started farming. Which is also about how long it takes to grow a farm, in Albion Online.
BAJO
Albion Online is a game which has nothing to do with the fable series. It's an economy based hunting, gathering, farming, PVP, sandbox MMO currently in alpha.
HEX
Whoa, that's quite a mouthful!
BAJO
Yeah, accurate though.
HEX
Yeah! This is a seriously large and deep MMO, and quite unlike anything we've ever played before. At first I wasn't sure quite what to make of this Bajo. I just thought it looked too simple - a bit like a browser based MMO. But this really is a unique and interesting game for a few reasons.
BAJO
Yes, there's a lot to it, isn't there. From the economy within the game, to how you choose to spend your time in it. And you also need to play with others - you're not going to get very far solo.
HEX
It is also, without a doubt, one of the grindiest MMO's I've ever played. And this may not be a bad thing for some because of the type of game that it is - but you can't deny progress is slow going. You begin by being dumped into a little city, with pretty much NO guidance. It takes a few hours before you get to grips with how progression works.
BAJO
It really does leave things up to you, but I like that, that's the core of the game really. Freedom, you can choose what you want to do in it, but you have to work for it.
HEX
Absolutely. I love how immediately you get a sense of how busy this game is! The first village you come to is thriving.. you can see the economy of the game in front of you as everyone is working hard to gear up and live.
BAJO
Visually, I spent the first few hours of this game just being envious of everyone with a horse. The world is just so big, my bag is just so small! I want a horse so bad...
HEX
Me too! Or at least an Ox or something to carry all of my junk.
BAJO
But alas, we could never afford one, and anything worth having in this game, is hard earned. Basically, your first goal should be to head out into the forest, gather wood and stone, make some basic tools, head out again, gather more, approach trickier enemies, and hopefully not die. Death is really bad.
HEX
It is. If you die, you get a massive durability hit to your gear and lose some of your gathered materials. But if gear gets too damaged, it just turns to trash. Useless, pathetic, trash. With a horrible trash font, just to make you feel like trash!
BAJO
Yeah, that font is horrible. I love-hate this Hex. There was one point where I died twice in a row. And that was pretty bad, I lost some stuff. But then, as I got up and was trying to make my way back to town, I clicked a non aggressive fox by mistake, and BAM! Three times in a row! And I lost EVERYTHING. All my weapons, all my gear. And then of course, comes the walk of shame.
HEX
Ahh yes, the walk of shame back to town. No gear, no clothes, no respect.
BAJO
It is quite depressing. Hex I like that there isn't a traditional class system in this game.
HEX
Yeah, the gear that you're wearing, is your class. Use a sword and a shield, and you're a warrior, with a few warrior abilities. Use a staff and a shield, you might get a protection spell from the shield, but you're really a wizard, casting fireballs.
BAJO
I'm a huge fan of the leather chest piece myself, Hex, because it comes with a regenning health ability. And that comes in really handy because regaining health in this game is SO SLOW outside of combat.
HEX
Yeah, the devs really need to speed up that health regen! I like that you can build a hybird class, but it's not the best use of your time to be spreading your focus on multiple clothing types. Because you just don't have the time to learn how to craft everything. I mean, check out this unlock tree called the 'destiny board'. Woah, that's big!
BAJO
Looking at it actually upsets me. And a little confusing about what you can unlock and what unlocks automatically. I don't think you'll ever be able to fill it all out. And I think for this game you really have to pick a direction and go - if you want to be a farmer, pick that and go with it right from the start. If you want to be a weapon smith, or make cloth - just one thing and go hard at it.
HEX
Yeah, that's your role in the world, and in a guild. And, you want to be in a good guild that know what they're doing. The mechanics and design ideas behind Albion Online want you to take part in the the economy of the world and help teammates around around you. You want a job basically, in this player structured society.
BAJO
Yeah, and you'll want to join a guild that has jobs set up already - maybe they need a weapon smith, maybe you can be that person.
HEX
Sadly, we weren't able to test out what it's like being in a guild with our limited alpha time. And likewise, with PVP. This is also a territory, power struggle game. Guilds can claim actual land in the world, and cultivate it. And of course, defend it form rival guilds.
BAJO
Tying in PVP with actually territory and gear makes for high stakes gaming. Housing is a big part of this game as well, and I was able to do a little bit of it. I bought myself a private island, put down a farm, which of course needs mats to build fully, and then upkeep apparently as well! But I grew some carrots!
HEX
The farming and housing stuff really exciting Bajo - there's just so much to build. And I just love the idea of community that this game represents, even though it's going to be a massive time sink.
BAJO
Yeah, absolutely. In fact, I'm quite nervous about that. Especially as this is truly multi-platform. You can play this on a PC, on a Mac, on a Linux box, you can then take it to an Andriod tablet or an iOS tablet, and it's all the same world!
HEX
It's too dangerous Bajo - being able to play a clicky-grindy game like this everywhere.
BAJO
Yeah, absolutely. This is certainly a game I'm going to be taking with me to the toilet.
HEX
...Well, I guess you know it has potential, if you can take it to the toilet with you. Me, I'm not personally sold on the grindiness. It's just so slow going, as we mentioned.
BAJO
I think grinding is kind of a feature in this game. You need to revel in the grind, let it flow over you and consume you, you need to want to grind.
HEX
Yeah, I think that's my fear, I don't have time to want to grind!
BAJO
There's so much we haven't talked about yet, like questing, and dungeons, and the impacts of the player driven economy on the land and crafting within a guild but we'll save that for our full review, when the game goes live.
