Skyforge has never grabbed stars from the sky, but has long since confidently occupied one of the niches in the MMORPG russian segment. In this review we will look at the main aspects of this game.
Skyforge is an online sandbox in a techno-fantasy setting, developed by Allods Team. The project was originally conceived as free entertainment for those who are tired of endless elves and want a touch of technomagic. The game was released in the spring of 2015, and since then it has somehow outlived everything and everyone, reliably retaining a certain regular audience of fans and attracting a small number of newcomers.
Well, now about all aspects of the game in order.
Plot and setting
In Skyforge we have to play as a sort of celestial being of a lower order, who is worshiped by three cripples and two plagues. First, we have to create our avatar using several parameters, select gender, appearance and other attributes. The hero editor is not unique, but you can dig around in it for 10-15 minutes.
The plot in the game is not particularly interesting, but serves only to justify everything that happens. It all starts with clearing out a town attacked by rats, during which some shady guy with a whole crowd of monsters appears to us and our supergod falls off. Although later it turns out that we are not such dead creatures, but real immortals, and from this stage the real path of the ninja begins… that is, the main character of the game Skyforge.
Combat system and classes
During the first hour the game will not allow us to choose a class. That is, there are classes as such, but initially everyone will play a brutal warrior with a one-handed sword, who in close combat destroys the faces of crocodiles and fulfills his divine mission.
Then, once in the virtual room, we will be allowed to choose our future class. At first, Paladin, Cryomancer and Guardian of Light will be available to us, but then the classes will be divided into subclasses, within which our character will look like a more unique dummy. Each class has its own weapon and set of skills, and their fighting style is different.
We will fight actively and dynamically in Skyforge, the monsters cast skills in the area, and we also hit at a certain distance, using certain attacks. Although the game has a targetlock, which highlights a specific target and concentrates the player’s attention on it. That is, you won’t be able to completely miss with your attacks; Skyforge perceives you as a noob who needs to poke at a specific point, otherwise he will get lost.
Game world
In Skyforge, the world is not open, but closed; you will move around it as part of one mission or another. The territory is divided into provinces, which, in turn, are divided into story zones. On them you will have to complete tasks (story or side), explore small areas, and then return to a special social hub, where the main interaction with NPCs and other characters takes place.
This approach is very similar to the approach used by the creators of conventional mobile grinders. True, in Skyforge this whole thing is accompanied by high-quality cinematics and some kind of plot, in which there is even a certain intrigue. That is, your gameplay will not be completely dull, but completing quests, of course, is tedious.
No, of course, there are other locations in the game that can be visited outside of the plot. They are broader and richer in terms of activities, and you can often meet players here. As a rule, you will visit these locks because of the need to grind, since at some point the passage of the plot will push you into a grindwall, when your character will fly away even from an ordinary mob. What should you do in this case? That’s right, farm until your hero becomes stronger and can pass the next gag.
Bleeding system
Not surprisingly, in Skyforge your main activity will be leveling up your character. It is built according to the usual scheme: choose a task, go to the province, grind monsters, kill the boss, teleport back. For this you receive experience and loot, which can strengthen your hero.
In addition, the game has special temples that also need to be upgraded. Each hero has the opportunity to invest upgrade points in a specific temple, which provides specific bonuses. By pumping them up, you increase the bonus itself and the number of your followers, because, let’s not forget that we are a deity.
Picture and settings
The graphics in the game are very, very good; at the time of release, the project even seemed, to some extent, next-gen. Now, of course, you can’t say that, but the differences in visuals from other similar MMORPGs are immediately noticeable.
The locations in Skyforge are picturesque, the textures are high-quality, the models of characters and monsters are well-designed. If your PC cannot cope with the load, the graphics level can always be lowered to the required level. You can, in general, set the “potato” settings, turning the game into a PS1 level project. But then you’re unlikely to want to play it, and even if your project is only progressing in this form, isn’t it really time to think about an upgrade?
conclusions
What, in summary, can be said about Skyforge – is it worth playing in 2023? Well, here, as usual, everything is subjective. It depends on what you expect from the game. If this is the quality of graphics and an interesting plot, then, of course, you should definitely appreciate this entertainment. If you are looking for dynamic PvP with the maximum level of action, then Skyforge is definitely not for you. The game is more geared towards PvE, although it is done very well.
What’s also important is that the project is completely translated into Russian, and even has high-quality voice acting for the characters. No, seriously, the dialogues are pleasant to listen to, it’s clear that the developers have worked on this aspect.
Is Skyforge still relevant in 2023? As an option, if you are looking for a Russified MMORPG, free and in an interesting setting, that’s fine. If you are looking for a masterpiece, then…you definitely won’t find it here.
