Path of Exile
[singlepic id=81 w=250 h=154 float=right]Now this looks interesting!
Introduced at PAX, Path of Exile is a Diablo-like action-oriented RPG “set in the dark fantasy world of Wraeclast. It is currently under development by Grinding Gear Games in New Zealand. A public beta is anticipated in early 2011.”
The game boasts a number of features, including:
- Completely free to download and play
- A persistent online world capable of supporting hundreds of thousands of players
- A dark and gritty game world rendered from a fixed 3D perspective
- Battle dozens of foes across a variety of unique areas
- Randomly generated levels and items for extreme replayability
- Online ranking and ladders for every game mode
- Visceral combat with dozens of combinable skills
- Battle in PVP tournaments for worldwide recognition
Now, granted, based on Joystiq’s mini-review/preview of the game, it is definitely an RPG in the action mold; the focus is very much on combat rather than on plot. It is also an online title, rather than purely single-player. Still, the game’s implementation and underlying systems sound pretty neat, and the game is free to play (though it will feature something called “ethical microtransactions” as well — Grinding Gear has to make money somehow).
If it sounds interesting, ye Dragons and Dragonettes, why not sign up?
Sounds like a Diablo clone a few years late. The camera’s position is too close to the action and the field of view is wide. Makes for the skinny, angular screenshot. Common error when manipulating a camera’s zoom controls.
It would be interesting to see what anyone would imagine an “ethical microtransaction” would be, though. Like someone who’s poor, in real life, and poor in the game, would ask for money and you’d give her a coin. The coin would credit her checking account and she’d be forever grateful. Lord British would approve, except that he didn’t get a penny. Fortunately the scroll writers aren’t Lord British, and they get every penny by force until bankruptcy or acquisition.
Meanwhile the local guards would be monitoring these transactions (new Britannian law forces social fairs to open their books to Britannian and City law enforcement) as well as video/voice/text traffic to ensure no local laws were broken, such as prostitution and tax evasion (by way of spells and such, of course).
Hopefully the action will deal with the death of more players than just those you kill, as it’s a bitter comfort when your enemies decrease without the kiss of your sword.
As far as I can gather, ethical microtransactions involve wholly optional customizations to one’s character, weapons, or spell effects, rather than the current “freemium” model which makes the game much more difficult and/or tedious to pass when played for free.
Interesting, not a big fan os diablo combat style games the screenshots look interesting. I miss the 2D rpgs!!!
I think the 2D RPGs are a thing mostly of the past (though not 100%, but I
can’tshouldn’t say more just yet), but I observe that the “fixed camera angle” 3D concept actually doesn’t look or behave much differently than a really high-quality 2D implementation.