A true Arlesian of the hack'n slash sphere in the West, camped by the Korean studio Smilegate, Lost Ark is gradually finding its way to our shores, in part thanks to Amazon's publishing assistance. After a fairly limited alpha, this atypical MMO let itself be approached through a closed beta that we were able to try, not without a certain feverishness. Was the wait worth it? Here are some initial answers.
The most impatient hack'n slash enthusiasts had already been able to try the Korean or Russian version of the game using clever stratagems such as a VPN. However, the experience was not optimal, both for latency and for a location that was not necessarily suitable. But everything comes at the right time to who knows how to wait, and Smilegate has therefore split a version specially devoted to Western audiences for its free-to-play MMO hack'n slash which is really worth the detour.
Preview made on the closed beta of Lost Ark via the personal purchase of a Founder's Pack. The final Western version of the game is expected in early 2022 on PC (Steam).
Lost Ark'n slash
The first contact with Lost Ark takes place through the choice of a class. Five in total, with male and female counterparts, there are classics of the heroic fantasy genre: Warrior, Martialist, Sniper, Mage and Assassin. My natural deceit naturally led me to the Assassin class, which is exclusively female. Each class has eight usable skills and a specific form from altering its last or offering new ones.
After the choice of class, Korean MMO obliges, we are entitled to a particularly advanced character creation engine which really allows you to create a unique avatar. And, as in many Korean titles, our avatar will necessarily be young and divinely beautiful. The female characters are of course no exception, with outfits (too?) Revealing that may displease some.
For the sake of this closed beta, Lost Ark has ignored a specific prologue for each class and takes all newcomers directly to level 10. A choice that is not trivial, since it allows us to unlock a specialization for our class. For our Assassine, we set our sights on the Warlock specialization, for its Edge-Lord side.
From the introduction, one element jumps directly to the eye: if the technique turns out to be slightly dated (the game took its first steps in South Korea in 2017), the artistic direction is a real success. Sometimes dark and colorful when necessary, often majestic, it immerses us directly in a universe that manages rather well to depart from the usual clichés of Korean MMOs.
The second thing that stands out, thanks to an introduction that gives us control of our class at the height of its power, is the title's typically hack'n slash gameplay. Without going overboard, it is probably the most punchy and spectacular we have ever seen, while yours truly has already skimmed this genre. The attacks are impressively fluid and brutal, and it is with unhealthy pleasure that we see the waves of enemies in front of us flying through the air or being reduced to a scarlet puree.
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The many boss fights are often particularly epic and require a certain dexterity and management of our cooldowns in order to avoid their devastating attacks. The combat side is therefore a real pleasure, keyboard and mouse in hand, which saves some fairly redundant elements inherent in hack'n slash games, and Korean MMOs in particular.
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A pure Korean MMO
Indeed, if Lost Ark is one of the rare titles in its category to offer a hack'n slash approach, it remains first and foremost a Korean MMO. For about thirty levels, our character will therefore be held by the hand in order to follow a very straight line in search of an Ark, the only element that can prevent a demonic invasion in Arkesia.
If, during the first hours, we read and listened with academic attention to each dialogue, weariness quickly took precedence, as the main and secondary quests sometimes without tail or head are linked together. Korean MMO obliges, Lost Ark also tends to get us lost with different objects to collect for rewards of dubious utility.
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Fortunately, those who give little importance to these additional activities should see their leveling phase progress smoothly. Slightly disappointed, however, in the fact that the fights offer a laughable amount of experience, thus forcing players to complete all the quests in their path in order to reach the maximum level. However, some quests are quite original in their realization, equipping us differently, transforming us or granting us new abilities and ways to complete them. Special mention to the presence of a mount, which really won't be too much in the vast world of Arkesia.
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Another element is somewhat confusing when one discovers Lost Ark for the first time: a system clearly inspired by gachas and which passes through the collection of cards. The construction of a deck with different cards from the same set gives us specific bonuses, but obtaining them sometimes involves a rather tedious exploration, sometimes by going to the cash register. We will come back to this later.
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Finally, the farming part of Lost Ark draws its inspiration more from the MMO than from hack'n slash. So don't expect a rain of loot by slaying opponents by the shovel. The equipment is recovered mainly through quests, recovery of countless objects to collect or dungeons. A slightly damaging element, but which does not block progress in any way.
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A long-term adventure
If, for about thirty levels, the progression in Lost Ark wants to be quite interventionist, the main quest of the game is not boring for all that. On the contrary, this one offers pleasantly surprising flashes, which even allow themselves in certain cases to offer us moral choices. Once, we participate in the impressive siege of a seemingly impregnable fortress; another, we are witnessing a full-scale demonic invasion.
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These parts of the main quest thus bring a particularly epic new breath to the game and are also accompanied by the introduction of new activities quite atypical for a hack'n slash. Around level 30, for example, we will unlock a personal island that we can decorate and develop in order to acquire advantages that will serve us in our progress.
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Around level 35, again with a more epic script element that finally makes us more or less leave the interventionist aspect of the main story by allowing us to sail more freely around Arkesia. A new part of the game is then unlocked, with a fleet of ships and crews to manage. The main quest continues to hold our hands a bit, but we can however land on different islands in order to complete secondary quests or collect the myriad of objects that Lost Ark offers.
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As in any self-respecting MMO, there is also a relatively large part related to crafting. Fortunately, no specialization for a profession is necessary here. Everyone will therefore be able to indulge in woodcutting, hunting or digging for ancient ruins without having to choose between just two activities. Again, this part will require a significant investment of time in order to progress in a given profession. If, like us, this kind of mechanic puts you off, know that it is far from essential, at least during the leveling phase.
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Is Lost Ark a pay-to-win game?
This question has been asked very (VERY) often in the general chat channel during our adventures. And the answer is somewhat nuanced. For our part, apart from purchasing the Founder's Pack for guaranteed access to the closed beta and whose content will only be active when the game launches in 2022, we have not spent a single penny in the store in line.
Free-to-play requires, there are of course mechanics that the most refractory could call pay-to-win. The first thing that comes to mind is the Crystalline Aura, which acts as a monthly Premium subscription service in many other free-to-play MMOs. This inevitably offers some minor advantages, such as free fast travel or reduced waiting times. Nothing outrageous, however, as the cost of fast travel is actually low or the reduction in waiting time, so light. In testing during Closed Beta, Crystalline Aura should also have its benefits reduced at launch, based on community feedback.
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Another slightly pay-to-win element: the advantages provided by pets. If, unlike the Korean version, these automatically pick up loot without untying, certain advantages, such as consecrated inventory or bonuses, require activation. This takes place via crystals, the only currency that can only be obtained against real money. Additionally, these perks can only be activated for one month and require re-checkout the following month. Again, this option will give a slight advantage to those who leave the credit card, but in reality, it will only allow you to reach the maximum level faster in order to unlock endgame content.
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Finally, the game's online store offers a wide selection of items to buy for crystals, but these are mainly cosmetic items. However, we mentioned items to collect such as cards, and the shop allows you to buy packs of cards. However, the purchase grants only one card per pack, and we will only know when we open it which card we have obtained, and of what rarity. Gacha, when you hold us...
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Lost Ark: our first impressions
In all respects, Lost Ark seems to be a particularly balanced mix between a Korean MMO and a hack'n slash, and truly borrows from both genres. Both in their positive and negative aspects. The progression is therefore inevitably quite repetitive, and a number of side activities to make you dizzy can occupy those who are interested for hours.
Fortunately, this repetitiveness is saved by one of the most impactful hack'n slash gameplays of the genre and by a main story that knows how to keep us going thanks to some particularly epic passages. This mixed with a management aspect of our own fortress and a fleet of ships rather well brought thus offers to those and those attracted by this kind of element a pleasant escape from the main progression.
Despite its free-to-play business model, Smilegate seems to have made a real effort to offer a formula corresponding to Western audiences. Inevitably, certain paying elements will bring undeniable comfort, but however not essential.
In short, this is a particularly promising first contact with the West. Too bad we have to wait another few months when this closed beta was already particularly solid in terms of latency and performance, and was also generally devoid of blocking bugs. Anyway, can't wait for 2022 to get lost for tens (hundreds?) of hours in search of the lost Ark!
