Post by Morreion on Apr 19, 2018 8:39:20 GMT -5
Project Gorgon is a different kind of MMO.
In the first place, it is an indie game labor of love, largely created by a husband and wife team, both of whom were prominent developers of Asheron's Call, one of the Original Three MMOs back in the 90s.
Secondly, it has the flavor of Asheron's Call- a classless skill-based system- which is a refreshing change of pace.
Thirdly, it is available on Steam, buy to play with no cash shop or subscription- 40 bucks and you're done paying. No cash shop, woohoo! My Kickstarter donation was put to good use!
A word of caution. PG is an early access game and is in development (though it's been that way for a while now). It's still being worked on. The biggest drawback to the game is its sub-par circa-2000 graphics and occasional performance issues.
Now, for the fun part.
PG not only looks like a classic MMO, gameplay is reminiscent of classic MMOs too. There are teleporter pads here and there, but you do a good amount of running about in zones. No instant travel from any point to anywhere here. Your map is greyed out until you uncover the terrain for the first time as you move along.
A crowded merchant's counter
Are you tired of MMOs With A Thousand Quests, with forests of NPCs with yellow symbols above their heads? PG brings a different focus. Talking to NPCs is essential. Gameplay revolves around your relationships with NPCs. You do Favors (a limited amount of quests), Tasks, Hang Outs (offline time spent on doing things for them), and Gift Giving (NPCs all have different tastes and wants) for NPCs you wish to gain benefits from. Benefits include gifts and EXP, access to special items and abilities, cheaper prices on items sold, and additional storage space (what we call banking is spread over several NPCs).
As mentioned, PG is a skill-based advancement game. There are a LOT of skills to choose from- I mean a LOT. My character is actively engaged in the following skills right now- Sword, Psychology (CC, debuffing & healing), Foraging, Gardening, Cooking, Mycology (mushrooms), and Fishing...and I am currently currying Favor with an NPC so that I can learn Cheesemaking, which complements Cooking with dairy product ingredients. Jaema is doing Animal Training, Leathermaking and Dye Making that I know of. Many skills complement other skills. For instance, I will probably engage in a modest amount of Carpentry so that I can make wood chips, which are a part of certain Cooking recipes. There's something for everyone, and overall the system is an OCD person's dream.
One aspect of PG- a quirky MMO if there ever was one- is its dry, world-weary wink-and-a-nod sense of humor. I've laughed more than once at funny things seen and said.
A crowded poetry reading
Quirky too are some of the skills available, including Poetry Appreciation (players can recite their verse at a podium in the Ungrateful Badger Inn), Art History, Compassion, Performance (including musicianship), Civic Pride (keep the oil lamps fueled and lit in town), Gourmand (eat types different foods), Brewing (yeah Kul!), and- I'm not kidding- Death. You gain experience in this art by dying to different mobs!
PG is in development, but its core game is in place. There are several zones to play in. The nature of the skill system will keep you occupied for a long time, assuming you are engaging in several skills.
Jaema has that Liz Taylor look going!
Overall, I like the game. It is definitely different than your typical WoW clone, and refreshingly free of badgering you for $$$. It doesn't look that good, and game performance isn't always up to par. But if you're looking for a change of pace, this one is worth a try.
