It's hard to understand why MMOG players are so fiercely territorial
when it comes to their current game of choice. In fact you would have
to look at religion or political parties to find another group of
people that are as brand loyal, even Coke drinkers will sip a Pepsi now
and again. Since World
of Warcraft launched there have been several quality
titles that have never reached the level of success that they probably
deserved due to the cult like adherance of WoW players, and while
style="font-style: italic;">Rift has fared
better than most it still could use an infusion of fresh players.
Maybe it's an economic issue that keeps people from playing more than
one game, but there are two distinct camps in the MMOG community, the
single minded and the open minded. I don't mean to say that folks who
only have eyes for one game are inferior or less intelligent, not at
all. But the ability to see games and characters as a means of
entertainment instead of as a virtual extension of ones ego is
definitely a skill that takes time to master. In hopes of nudging more
folks along this path of enlightenment, I present the top 3 reasons WoW
players should give Rift
a try.
#3) A Brave New World
I know many folks who are more than happy to stay firmly rooted in
their parents basement as the pizza boxes with the coagulating cheese
and the empty mountain dew code red 2 liter bottles pile up around
them, but not me. In real life and in game I love to explore
new places and relish the journey as much as the destination. While
style="font-style: italic;">Rift certainly
isn't the largest piece of virtual real estate out there, it is widely
varied and semi-dangerous. From the white capped mountains of Iron Pine
Peak to the desert oasis's of Shimmersand there are environs both stark
and beautiful alike throughout Telara.
Some may find the relative high density rate of the mobs in
style="font-style: italic;">Rift to be a
drawback, and indeed it can be when you are short on time and need only
to make it to the next quest hub. This sort of inherit danger adds both
a thrill and a sense of accomplishment to the experience that a well
patrolled road or passive flight path can never deliver. In addition to
the visual aspects of exploring a new land, Telara is steeped with
lore, for those that enjoy learning and living the story behind the
game.
#2) It's Gotta Have Soul
One of WoW's few weaknesses is that of its highly limited class
customization. It isn't bad enough that we all have to look exactly the
same due to lack of armor variance or personalization, but we all end
up slotted into the same few cookie cutter talent specs as well.
Unfortunately, no game that has a strong PvP element built into its
core gameplay will be able to allow much in the way of post level-cap
advancement, but Rift has
found a way to at least free us from the bonds of same-spec servitude.
Instead of having a large list of playable classes,
style="font-style: italic;">Rift uses a soul
system that begins with the player picking from one of the four
archetypes, or callings. The callings are divided into Cleric, Mage,
Rogue and Warrior and each calling has 8 unique PvE souls within it.
Players get to accumulate all 8 souls and can then combine up to 3 of
them into a role. As you level up you gain points to distribute into
these soul trees, purchasing new abilities and unlocking power in the
root system based on the number of points invested. While each of the 8
souls make sense for each calling, they are amazingly diverse in their
scope and what they bring to the table. For example; Clerics are able
to tank, heal, do melee dps or do ranged spell based DPS. Players will
gain a total of 66 points to spend by the level 50 cap which gives them
the freedom to make countless combinations of classes. With 5 available
roles available, rolling an alt can be as simple as picking up a new
role and playing with some new souls.
#1) Doing it in Public
What really sets Rift apart
from the fantasy MMOG crowd is its finely tuned and engaging forms of
open world content. Certainly it wasn't the first game to attempt to
encourage and foster public gameplay, but it may easily be the most
successful. The centerpiece of the game, and it's namesake, are the
rifts; deadly portals into another plane whose inhabitants seek to
invade Telara and plunder it for it's precious Sourcestone. There are
many different styles and difficulties of rifts, from quest
driven solo rifts all the way up to huge raid rifts that can dominate
an entire zone, as well as PvP rifts and crafting rifts.
Groups are automatically formed when you get within the proximity of a
rift, and even multiple per-existing raid groups can be merged
instantaneously and without player coordination. Each rift has it's own
objective and gameplay type, with new styles being rolled out all the
time. Loot is delivered straight to the player via a UI window that
makes the process quick and seamless. There are many rewards to be
gained from participating in a rift event and few experiences rival
that of engaging in an large scale invasion with hundreds of other
players, fighting for the very survival of your world.
While it may be hard to pry yourself away from WoW and the countless
hours invested there, sometimes its worth the effort to experience
something new and fresh. With a free trial offer and constant deals on
Steam and various other outlets, Rift
is a fairly inexpensive new world especially when one considers the
vast amount of content it offers. So come, take up the call and see why
so many of us simply aren't in Azeroth anymore.
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our RIFT Game Page.
