ArcheAge and Landmark are very similar games in the genre they exist within - sandbox, but ultimately they’re actually two very different games, working off of a somewhat similar idea. There is a drastic difference between the two games that sets them very, very far apart - but ultimately, they are within the same genre.
Core Mechanics Similarity
If you look at the very heart of both games, you will find one core component shared between them: a love of crafting. Landmark and ArcheAge are both centered on crafting as a core component of the gameplay. Additionally, in both, crafting has a huge focus on building homes. They both are open ended sandbox games, and eventually, Landmark, right now, is nothing but housing - but let me blow your mind: it will have combat eventually.
What you’re looking at is actually two very, very similar games at the end of the day. Let’s just say Landmark is complete and has all of its features - like we should judge it, in both games you will go around gathering materials to craft things for your house, and to build cool stuff. You’ll fight monsters, farm more loot, and work your empire until you have one of the coolest houses in the world.
Crafting is similar as well - while you can manipulate voxels to build whatever you wish, there is also the entire crafting system in Landmark to build furniture and other cool items for your house. Speaking of voxel manipulation, some of the castle building in ArcheAge is sort of voxel based in the sense you place the walls and defenses freely.
Now, let me clarify, there is a lot of differences, but at its very core, they’re both very similar. Of course, again, there are differences.
Abundant Differences
The term MMORPG now pretty much covers any MMO that has RPG elements, to which both Landmark and ArcheAge have plenty, but ArcheAge is more of a quest, fight, explore MMO whereas Landmark is more pure sandbox. ArcheAge has pre-defined models for everything, so anything you craft will be pre-prescribed, whereas in Landmark you can craft these items, but also use the build tools to create your own voxel palace.
In ArcheAge your house comes pre-constructed. You buy the plan for the house and voila. In Landmark, you can carefully sculpt your house, however you wish, assuming it’s even a house. You could just build whatever you wish.
In ArcheAge you can grow crops, trade goods, and work within an economy. In Landmark, manual labor is the economy of choice, and you will spend most of your time digging deep into the ground.
ArcheAge has quests and Landmark doesn’t and surprisingly enough people who play Landmark love the lack of quests.
Just so I don’t get trolled, ArcheAge has combat as of current, and Landmark does not. So there you have it. Just so I don’t get trolled even more, Landmark will eventually have combat.
Which for Whom
So which one do you play and which one is better? That’s a loaded question - they’re both unique and fun in their own light. For the first time ever, I can give you a diffentive answer on which one. This isn’t some toss-up saying try both and see, there is a legit measuring stick to determine which game you should get into.
IF YOU LIKE TO SOLO and you work on projects alone, then Landmark is your best bet. It isn’t very co-operative, except on builds, and those are very small scale still since you don’t want too many cooks in the kitchen. This is not a bad thing.
IF YOU LIKE TO GROUP UP and do social things like talk to others, explore a giant world, meet new friends, engage in huge PvP sieges, build castles, build houses, and don’t mind getting friends to help you build stuff by dragging sacks on their back halfway across the world then ArcheAge is for you.
Introverts - Landmark and Extroverts - ArcheAge. You can solo in ArcheAge, but it won’t be that much fun and bringing a group of more than a few people into Landmark is going to just be basically “hey bro check out this new thing I just built brah” until you can’t stand it anymore.
So there you have it! Outgoing? Play ArcheAge. Keep to yourself? Play Landmark. Oh and a few more - want to show you wacky creations to the world? Play Landmark. Want to show your wacky creation you crafted flying off the top of a huge mountain as you glide beside it? Play ArcheAge. For any other scenario, there is always World of Warcraft.
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