MMOs are a rarity on the Xbox One, but with a more powerful console than the Xbox 360 there’s hope that there will be more and they’ll be able to perform up to scratch. In a few months time we have The Elder Scrolls Online arriving, so that will be another test for MMOs. So how does Neverwinter fair up?
Like all MMOs it has a class and race system, which you select at the start. There’s not really anything new here to what you’ve seen before, as in some sort there’s a warrior, mage etc. End game content revolves around PvP and tiered dungeons to get gear and world events come in the form of collecting mushrooms or fighting dragons in selected areas. Neverwinter has everything you would expect from a standard MMO.
Apart from the occasional frame rate issue and freezing when you activate traps, Neverwinter provides a good amount of content to keep you immersed in the world for weeks, which is good to see. You won’t find yourself stuck without anything to do, as you’ll always be looking to upgrade your gear or working towards some dragon gear.
In terms of characters, the rogue certainly has an advantage over most classes, as I even witnessed one guy solo a tiered dungeon boss with one. Like all MMOs though, certainly classes do have balancing issues, which will most likely be patched in the future.
Currently the rank cap is 60, but on the PC that has seen an increase to 70 in the recent update due soon for the console version. So most the gear you do get now will be pretty useless in a few weeks or months time. At the same time it feels rewarding, as you hit max rank you start to get the sets of armour and powerful weapons.
Levelling up to max rank can be quite a chore, as quests tend to repeat themselves, but change areas on the map and present higher level enemies. You’ll be asked to kill a select number of enemy types quite a lot and clearing out caverns. It feels like a copy and paste job, but it makes it quicker to reach max level than having to do lots of different tasks on the way.
Like most MMOs as well, you’ll find that you’ll be able to use real money to buy the mounts and “cool” looking gear you want. I think I worked out that one of the rare mounts cost about £20 to buy, which seems like an awful lot for one item you rarely get to use, as most dungeons restrict them.
I have to admit that I’ve probably not spent as many hours on any other Xbox One game so far than I have done on Neverwinter. There’s something about it that makes it addictive and enjoyable at the same time and I’d really recommend checking it out, after all it’s free!
Pros
- Getting to end game is quick
- End game content keeps you going for weeks
- Free-to-play
Cons
- Frame rate issues
- Some players might not have the patience with it
- Items that look good in appearance cost real money (and quite a lot)