Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Overall, multiplayer in Storm Legion is extremely strong, with one caveat. There are nine new dungeons, three new raids, and a new warzone in this expansion. Grouping is extremely easy with RIFT's grouping interface and you can instantly find yourself thrown into a group for an instant adventures, rifts, dungeons, and quests. However, the normal dangers of being part of a PUG still apply.

The negative for multiplayer in Storm Legion is the impact upon the previously released dungeons. When RIFT first launched, its dungeons were challenging and unforgiving, which led to player complaints. Dungeons were later nerfed, at which point you could easily complete them. With the new gear and abilities in Storm Legion, you can now sleepwalk through the previous dungeons. A friend and I joined a group and we tore through one within 20 minutes. My big concern is that players will now ignore older dungeons in favor of the newer ones. Fortunately, there are 7 new dungeons to help keep things fresh. Still, it's just a shame to see older, well loved dungeons becoming obsolete.

Storm Legion is somewhat pricey at $39.99 for current players and $49.99 for new players. (If you have the big bucks, you can get the Infinity Edition, which includes additional perks, like a Brevanic portal generator and a cyclone mount, for $20 more.) Given that RIFT is a subscription-based game, some players may balk at the price point. That said, they'd do well to consider that Trion has consistently released substantial free content updates since launch, bringing added value to that $15 per month fee.

The scope of Storm Legion is immense. With the addition of the two new continents full of quests, dungeons and raids, the time you'll spend adventuring leveling to the new cap will not be a quick jaunt, but should take the average player weeks of steady playing. Couple that with exciting new systems like Dimensions, and there's no shortage of bang for your buck.

Storm Legion should have some longevity for RIFT players. Players will be spending a great deal of time in Brevane and Dusken--expect leveling from 50-60 to require about the same time investment as it took to level to 50 in the first place. The city of Tempest Bay will definitely be the new hub for players as both Guardian and Defiant can call it home. The addition of Dimensions will have players spending lots of time and in-game currency to create that perfect player home, providing lasting impact from this expansion.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Loads and loads of new content
• Player housing is amazing
• The setting and creatures are distinctive and detailed
• New quest types are a welcome addition

Cons

• Graphics can be a memory hog
• Older dungeon content is now a cakewalk
• Price may seem a bit high

Conclusion

Storm Legion doubles down (triples, actually) on the RIFT experience by adding a ton of new content to RIFT, and current and returning players should rejoice.Trion Worlds' handling of player housing is also superlative. Although there's not much about this expansion to entice new players into the game, it does offer a big incentive for returning players to renew their subscriptions. If you like RIFT, you'll enjoy Storm Legion. And even if you haven't given the game a whirl yet, there's a lot to love in this solid, polished title. If you're still unconvinced, you can try levels 1-20 out for free with RIFT Lite.