Vindictus, A Whole New Level Of Free Gaming

Vindictus came out in 2012.  It is a free to play MMORPG.  In playing it though, I noticed that the game feels more like a legitimate title than a free game.  It takes place in a fantasy setting and is the prequel to Mabinogi.  You choose one of six characters, (only five are pictured above, the last character, Vella was added later because a lot of players wanted a female character who wielded two swords like Lann.) Lann, Evie, Fiona, Karok, Kai, and Vella.  Each character plays incredibly differently from the others, allowing the game to appeal to players who favor all sorts of play styles.

The story in the game is boring and the dialogue isn’t great.  A lot of side quests involve you running from one place in town to another, and then running back again.  I think story is very important in games, and so I always listen to the dialogue, etc.  Even so, I found myself skipping the tedious waves of dialogue.  It was more fun to just go out into the field and fight things.  Another shortcoming of the game is that it doesn’t tell you how to do anything.  It kind of thrusts you into the action with nothing but a battle control tutorial.  I had no idea what to sell and what not to sell at the blacksmith.  I had absolutely no clue what to do with the online  marketplace.  Even starting a mission took a while to figure out.  (Hint, you have to create your own boat if you don’t see one you can join.  Even after playing it, I’m still not sure I’ve got things really figured out.

Despite this, the game shines, though perhaps just because it’s free.  If I paid money for it, I’m sure I would want a lot more in terms of information.  The actual game play, when you get into a mission and start fighting monsters, is great.  You can team up with other players or go it alone, and either way will be rewarding.  One thing I did notice, though I haven’t gotten incredibly far, is that most of the normal enemies seem very easy, while some of the more important bosses are pretty difficult, leagues above anything else you fight.

This game is a great step forward for free to play games.  It has its share of problems, but most of them are with the story and lack of instruction.  With a bit of polish this game could easily have been sold for sixty dollars.  If other free to play game developers follow Vindictus’ lead, then free games could possibly reach a level that would drag video game prices down, or force a leap forward in game quality.

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