The upcoming release of Ring of Elysium by Grasshopper Manufacture promises a lot: massive amounts of content, in-game currency, and more. But just how does it stack up against its contemporaries? With a variety of third-party publishers already looking to ride the PVP wave, Grasshopper makes its debut with the release of this massively-multiplayer online role-playing game. And despite its similarities to some of the big names in the genre ( Terraria and World of Warcraft), it promises to offer something fresh to the table. In this Ring of Elysium Game Review, we’ll take a quick look at our thoughts about this newgrass MMORPG.
Unlike other similar titles, Grasshopper intends to differentiate its design from that of the competition using a combination of free-for-all open beta and single-shard closed beta. In both cases, players get to select their factions and engage in multiplayer action against each other. However, instead of randomly picking up weapons and fighting other players, each of them has a specific, limited selection of weapons they can use in battle. As a result, gunplay is considerably more refined than in other titles. Early access gives players a taste of how gunplay will evolve throughout the game, and as a result, a pre-alpha version of the game is available for you to test out.
During early access, you’ll be given the opportunity to try out a few pre-launch promotional maps and events, as well as getting a first look at the single-shard player economy. It’s possible to purchase credits early on, and Grasshopper representatives have confirmed that these credits will roll over into future stages, too. So how can you make money in Ring of Elysium? Just like in any free MMORPG, earning credits in this title is all about gaining levels, earning experience points, and using the in-game currency, earned through completing challenges and beating enemy players.
Like many of the classic battle royale games, you’ll need to accumulate more units to progress throughout the game. Unlike most of the classic battle royale games, however, in Ring of Elysium, you’ll be able to build up your economy by purchasing units and more units as you advance through the game. This is perhaps the biggest differentiator between this title and its peers. Although, the game’s single-shard system means that you won’t have to grind for an experience like you would in other titles.
The class system in Ring of Elysium is also quite different from its peers. You start with one class, which is the Pilot, and you can train additional Pilots into your army. Each class has specialties, which give them access to special abilities and weapons that can take down stronger units and have a devastating effect on the battlefield. Each pilot in your army has a skill tree, which you can switch between during missions to further improve their capabilities.
In contrast to other Rpg titles where you get a vehicle that you have to maintain and upgrade to get more power, in Ring of Elysium you have two types of vehicles to choose from. Your first choice is the Thrax, a highly mobile unit that is great at clearing choke points, capturing points, and racking up XP. The other type of vehicle you can purchase is the Hovercraft, which is a more stationary unit that is useful for covering the ground and defending objectives. Both of these are excellent choices, and each one has distinct benefits that can make you feel unstoppable. On top of these, your Hovercraft can turn into a grappling ship, which will send enemy units flying and allowing you to lay down massive amounts of damage over an extended period of time.
Another important addition to the gameplay in Ring of Elysium is the class system, which allows players to customize their characters exactly how they see fit. Two primary classes are available for you to choose from: the Paragon, which comes with a strong buff that will allow them to rapidly move from side to side and take out multiple opponents; and the Alchemist, who can pump out consistent damage while staying safe from harm thanks to the Paragon’s high defense. Each class also has access to special abilities, such as a grappling hook that allows them to grapple units and drop them from further back or attack faster units with precision attacks. There are plenty of other abilities available to each class, and this is a good way to balance out the amount of player-vs-player action without making it impossible to play against someone else online.
Overall, the combat in Ring of Elysium is very fast-paced, especially when you consider how close-quarter gunplay is required. The tutorial hints and tips you receive during the early parts of the game are really easy to follow and implement, even if they don’t make sense at first. This is another example of an online game that functions well even when under heavy difficulties, such as in the battle royale mode in Ring of Elysium.