The Secret World

[chestburster]

Just played 250 hours of this game since I finished my finals in mid May. Completed 80% of all the missions available.

This is my first ever MMO. I was quite cold with the "press 1-7 wait for skill to cool down then press 1-7" again playstyle. But after getting used to it, I find this game's combat system quite enjoyable: my main enjoyment comes from trying to figure out a build that outputs maximum DPS. My character is essentially a glass cannon. As I only play solo, every fight is a life-and-death experience. This made the "go-there-kill-10-monsters" missions very challenging and fun.

The late game maps are pretty empty at this moment. You can run around the whole map for hours without encountering any other player. This in my opinion greatly enhances the atmosphere of the game. You can really play this game like a singleplayer game. When played this way, the game functions like Skyrim, but with better exploration and top-rate writing, atmosphere and storyline.

The writing and general feel of the Lovecraftian cosmism are among the best I've seen. The insignificance of mankind on the cosmical scale is depicted tastefully in this game: no, in this game you never defeat or even encounter any Lovecraftian cosmic god. You merely manage to defeat some of their pawns. In the end, nothing probably matters as the age of man (the Fourth Age in this game) is coming to an end anyway.

 

[chestburster]

I want to say again that the Lovecraftian homages are so tasteful in this game:

Spoiler

Your ultimate enemy is not some herp-derp "super evil final boss". You're fighting against the spreading of a substance called "The Filth", a.k.a. anti-Anima, or anti life/order. You're literally fighting against entropy itself in this game. And the gods of entropy are imprisoned in the so-called "Gaia Engines" which produce musical notes in order to function.

This is great reference to Lovecraft's god of chaos, Azathoth, who is calmed by music played by flutes and drums, and the cosmic force that was countered with strange music in "The Music of Eric Zann", which incidentally was Lovecraft's favorite work.

 

[Angthoron]

This thing really shouldn't have been an MMO. Maybe something like Outcast.

 

[J_C]

This thing really shouldn't have been an MMO. Maybe something like Outcast.

I really don't understand this. Funcom can craft fantastic world, their games have great writing and visual design. Yet they persist to make MMOs since Dreamfall. I like The Secret World in itself, but if they'd make it a full blown RPG, in this setting, in could have been one of the greatest RPG ever for me.

 

[Kane]

Funcom can craft fantastic world,

the same texture over and over

their games have great writing

Please kill 10 sewer rats for me. Have you killed the rats already? Have you killed the rats already? Have you killed the rats already? Thanks for killing the rats. Here's your gold.

and visual design.

dolls and plastic

I like The Secret World in itself, but if they'd make it a full blown RPG, in this setting, in could have been one of the greatest RPG ever for me.

Fortunately, FunCom is way way too stupid for that to ever happen.

 

[J_C]

Funcom can craft fantastic world,

the same texture over and over

their games have great writing

Please kill 10 sewer rats for me. Have you killed the rats already? Have you killed the rats already? Have you killed the rats already? Thanks for killing the rats. Here's your gold.

and visual design.

dolls and plastic

I like The Secret World in itself, but if they'd make it a full blown RPG, in this setting, in could have been one of the greatest RPG ever for me.

Fortunately, FunCom is way way too stupid for that to ever happen.

You forgot to take your anti-retarded medicines again god dammit!

 

[Kane]

You forgot to take your anti-retarded medicines again god dammit!

I wish I did take them too, unfortunately even the pills can't make Funcon games look good. Maybe I should try some of yours?

I guess we can find a compromise on Anarchy Online, but considering all they did after that are 10 years worth of WoW clones and fucking over small studios it doesn't take a genius to realize that if there was any talent - ever - at funcom it's gone longer than the pharaos.

 

[J_C]

You forgot to take your anti-retarded medicines again god dammit!

I wish I did take them too, unfortunately even the pills can't make Funcon games look good. Maybe I should try some of yours?

What a comeback...not. You didn't even understood what I wrote. "can craft fantastic worlds" is not about textures, but how the whole world, lore, background is set up. Writing doesn't mean quest, but quality of dialogues (duuhh). Visual design is not how the characters look, but the overall look of the world.

 

[Multi-headed Cow]

You forgot to take your anti-retarded medicines again god dammit!

I wish I did take them too, unfortunately even the pills can't make Funcon games look good. Maybe I should try some of yours?

 

[Kane]

What a comeback...not. You didn't even understood what I wrote. "can craft fantastic worlds" is not about textures, but how the whole world, lore, background is set up.

Yes, Funcom turning Howard's Brainchild into an episode of Teletubbies definitely showcases their ability to "craft fantastic worlds".

 

[J_C]

What a comeback...not. You didn't even understood what I wrote. "can craft fantastic worlds" is not about textures, but how the whole world, lore, background is set up.

Yes, Funcom turning Howard's Brainchild into an episode of Teletubbies definitely showcases their ability to "craft fantastic worlds".

Oh...

 

[DeepOcean]

This thing really shouldn't have been an MMO. Maybe something like Outcast.

I really don't understand this. Funcom can craft fantastic world, their games have great writing and visual design. Yet they persist to make MMOs since Dreamfall. I like The Secret World in itself, but if they'd make it a full blown RPG, in this setting, in could have been one of the greatest RPG ever for me.

So much potential ruined by MMO mechanics... The atmosphere is great but ruined by retards that bunnyhop around, monsters that respawn in front of you and wait for you to come close so you can kill the retarded AI one by one. They have a great skill system ruined by the MMO combat that is standard WoW MMO, rotation based combat is unbelievable boring. Even, the story is affected by MMO mechanics, they had to invent this weird thing of bees making everybody immortal and "secret societies" that fucking everybody knows. I found a very interesting quest of a guy that wanted to investigate demons but he goes too far in his research, you go to alot of places to investigate what happened to him, excellent story that suddenly ends because it continues in a fucking dungeon. Everything scream: We wanted to make a singleplayer game but manage only to get funding for a MMO. If this game was single player, it could be one of the best storyfag RPGs. I wanted to like this game but the WoW parts of it continued to test my sanity.

 

[J_C]

We wanted to make a singleplayer game but manage only to get funding for a MMO.

But doesn't a singleplayer game cost less than an MMO? Anyway, you are right, I stopped playing just because of the sole reason of the game has grindy MMO mechanics.

 

[Minttunator]

Yeah, as much as I love TSW for daring to bring something different to the extremely stale MMO genre, I definitely agree with the sentiment that it could've been much better as a single-player game.

 

[chestburster]

I found a very interesting quest of a guy that wanted to investigate demons but he goes too far in his research, you go to alot of places to investigate what happened to him, excellent story that suddenly ends because it continues in a fucking dungeon.

What's wrong with dungeons? The hell saga dungeons (all three of them) have some of the best designed boss fights and atmosphere I've seen, in MMO or otherwise (bunny hopping teammates notwithstanding).

 

[DeepOcean]

I found a very interesting quest of a guy that wanted to investigate demons but he goes too far in his research, you go to alot of places to investigate what happened to him, excellent story that suddenly ends because it continues in a fucking dungeon.

What's wrong with dungeons? The hell saga dungeons (all three of them) have some of the best designed boss fights and atmosphere I've seen, in MMO or otherwise (bunny hopping teammates notwithstanding).

Because the atmosphe and (Dare I say?)IMMERSSIUM are ruined by the only fact of having three other dudes with you. I wanted to enter on that ominous door on that scary hotel alone and see what is on the other side alone. Imagine if you played the Ocean Hotel level in Bloodlines but with people three other people that bunnyhop, say inane things on the chat and are there for nothing more than purple loot? They are better done than other standard MMO Dungeons from an atmosphere point of view but they don't come close to what it could be in a single player experience, the Ur Draugr is way more intimidating when you are alone fighting a masive beast that could kill you with one hit than when you have four dudes that already know how to fight him, filling the screen with alot of special effects while his massive HP pool is slowly drained .

 

[chestburster]

Because the atmosphe and (Dare I say?)IMMERSSIUM are ruined by the only fact of having three other dudes with you. I wanted to enter on that ominous door on that scary hotel alone and see what is on the other side alone. Imagine if you played the Ocean Hotel level in Bloodlines but with people three other people that bunnyhop, say inane things on the chat and are there for nothing more than purple loot? They are better done than other standard MMO Dungeons from an atmosphere point of view but they don't come close to what it could be in a single player experience, the Ur Draugr is way more intimidating when you are alone fighting a masive beast that could kill you with one hit than when you have four dudes that already know how to fight him, filling the screen with alot of special effects while his massive HP pool is slowly drained .

True, although in my opinion, this game is written in such a fan fiction/homage/pastiche style with the clear purpose to stimulate LOLs, rather than to generate genuine fear or IMMERSHUN.
Take than Ur-Draug for example: you're clearly fighting some cosplay/fan service of Cthulhu rather than the real deal (nobody can face the real Cthulhu and survive). It's like visiting your local Six-Flag with your friend and enjoy a ride called "Cthulhu roller coaster." The bunny hopping friends and their lollygagging does not distract from the ATMOSPHERE much.
On the other hand, the game has plenty of semi-scary singleplayer instances. One level in a completely pitchblack rundown mental asylum was quite scary.

 

[Minttunator]

For anyone who still doesn't have it, TSW is 50% cheaper on Steam today: http://store.steampowered.com/app/215280/

 

[Vaarna_Aarne]

nobody can face the real Cthulhu and survive

Aquaman begs to differ.

 

[Rahdulan]

Because the atmosphe and (Dare I say?)IMMERSSIUM are ruined by the only fact of having three other dudes with you. I wanted to enter on that ominous door on that scary hotel alone and see what is on the other side alone. Imagine if you played the Ocean Hotel level in Bloodlines but with people three other people that bunnyhop, say inane things on the chat and are there for nothing more than purple loot? They are better done than other standard MMO Dungeons from an atmosphere point of view but they don't come close to what it could be in a single player experience, the Ur Draugr is way more intimidating when you are alone fighting a masive beast that could kill you with one hit than when you have four dudes that already know how to fight him, filling the screen with alot of special effects while his massive HP pool is slowly drained .

True, although in my opinion, this game is written in such a fan fiction/homage/pastiche style with the clear purpose to stimulate LOLs, rather than to generate genuine fear or IMMERSHUN.
Take than Ur-Draug for example: you're clearly fighting some cosplay/fan service of Cthulhu rather than the real deal (nobody can face the real Cthulhu and survive). It's like visiting your local Six-Flag with your friend and enjoy a ride called "Cthulhu roller coaster." The bunny hopping friends and their lollygagging does not distract from the ATMOSPHERE much.
On the other hand, the game has plenty of semi-scary singleplayer instances. One level in a completely pitchblack rundown mental asylum was quite scary.

It only emphasizes what people have basically been saying from day 1, that it should have been a singleplayer game. But I guess box price + subscription + microtransactions were impossible to pass up for Funcom.

 

[DeepOcean]

Because the atmosphe and (Dare I say?)IMMERSSIUM are ruined by the only fact of having three other dudes with you. I wanted to enter on that ominous door on that scary hotel alone and see what is on the other side alone. Imagine if you played the Ocean Hotel level in Bloodlines but with people three other people that bunnyhop, say inane things on the chat and are there for nothing more than purple loot? They are better done than other standard MMO Dungeons from an atmosphere point of view but they don't come close to what it could be in a single player experience, the Ur Draugr is way more intimidating when you are alone fighting a masive beast that could kill you with one hit than when you have four dudes that already know how to fight him, filling the screen with alot of special effects while his massive HP pool is slowly drained .

True, although in my opinion, this game is written in such a fan fiction/homage/pastiche style with the clear purpose to stimulate LOLs, rather than to generate genuine fear or IMMERSHUN.
Take than Ur-Draug for example: you're clearly fighting some cosplay/fan service of Cthulhu rather than the real deal (nobody can face the real Cthulhu and survive). It's like visiting your local Six-Flag with your friend and enjoy a ride called "Cthulhu roller coaster." The bunny hopping friends and their lollygagging does not distract from the ATMOSPHERE much.
On the other hand, the game has plenty of semi-scary singleplayer instances. One level in a completely pitchblack rundown mental asylum was quite scary.

It only emphasizes what people have basically been saying from day 1, that it should have been a singleplayer game. But I guess box price + subscription + microtransactions were impossible to pass up for Funcom.

And what is funny, is that Age of Conan and Secret World didn't worked so well for them. Funcom, suffered massive layoffs and basicaly is on a skeleton crew just to keep the MMOs running.

 

[KevinV12000]

I bought The Secret World on the Steam sale and was curious to see what people here thought.

I have to say that I disagree with most of the posters here. While the game is definitely an MMO with the standard negatives that come with it, I am stunned by the quality of the writing, the voice acting, the cutscenes and the art direction. It was a pleasure just to walk through the beginning section in the streets of London.

The writing is well above, miles above, anything else I have seen in a good, long time. The mood, the quiet intelligence of the thing, the spot-on accents, everything about this game screams heart, wit and intelligence.

Is it sad that such merit had to toil to produce an MMO given the modern marketplace? Yes, it is.

But, is it remarkable, given that marketplace, that we are presented here with something with heart, soul, a vision and delivered with grace and wit?

Yes it is.

Spin this game for ten minutes and compare it to other MMOs, like, say, SWTOR for example. This game is clearly superior.

Yes, it hurts to see such talent end up with someone spamming "Top DPS LFG for farm run." Yes, it should have been a single-player game.
But one doesn't have to necessarily accept the MMO cliches to enjoy the game.

I would enjoy this game if all I got out of it was the wonderfully Lovecraftian New England town beginning, let alone the rest.

 

[Zewp]

It's good, but the MMO mechanics harm it for me a bit. The combat is completely boring. I do agree that it's one of the better MMOs I've played, but the problem is the MMO mechanics feel like they get in the way, seeing as 95% of the game is played like a singe-player game.

Also, I fucked up my build and now I have to either start over or grind for hours to get enough SP to fix it.

 

[DalekFlay]

I really hope singleplayer MMOs like this and TOR get offline versions eventually with the grind removed somewhat. Officially or unofficially.

Anyway some people here selling me on Secret World, so let's see what happens...

 

[J_C]

I really hope singleplayer MMOs like this and TOR get offline versions eventually with the grind removed somewhat. Officially or unofficially.

I don't see any chance for that. It would need a lot of work, redoing the quests, monster population, balancing.