I have to say, I haven’t been this excited about an MMORPG in ages, but Throne and Liberty has managed to pull me back in.
After a string of disappointments in the genre, this game has reignited that spark I thought I’d lost.
The story of Throne and Liberty
Now, the story… well, it’s kind of a mixed bag. At first, it has that slightly AI-generated feel, like it’s checking boxes for epic quests, ancient ruins, and mystical artifacts. It doesn’t have that deeply personal, gripping narrative that pulls at your emotions like some of the greats, but it still manages to get you invested in the world it’s built. If you’re the kind of player who loves to lose yourself in lore, there’s plenty to chew on here.
But be prepared—before you really dig into the fun parts, the game will sit you down for about 4.5 hours of NPC chat and questing to level up. The first stretch honestly felt a bit like a slog. I get it, world-building is important, but when you’re itching to explore or battle, this part drags on longer than it should. However, once you hit level 50, the game seems to wake up.
It’s as if the developers are saying, “Alright, you’ve earned it—now let’s get to the good stuff.”
And trust me, the real game starts here. The endgame content really does deliver on its promise of epic encounters and complex mechanics
Combat is smooth and satisfying
Speaking of magic, the combat system is a major highlight for me. It feels incredibly smooth, almost like a well-oiled machine. The character animations are fluid, and every attack feels impactful. I love how you can mix and match abilities, letting you craft your own fighting style. It keeps things fresh and exciting.
Then there are the co-op dungeons, which are genuinely fun. Each dungeon feels unique, and the bosses have their own mechanics that you need to figure out as a team. It’s satisfying to strategize with friends and finally take down a tough boss.
That sense of accomplishment? Priceless.
PvP needs work
Now, let’s talk about the PvP aspect, which, to be honest, is where things get a bit rocky. I found the crowd control (CC) chains to be frustratingly strong. Certain combos can leave you feeling helpless, and countering those feels like an uphill battle. It’s not that I dislike PvP—quite the opposite—but the balance could use some fine-tuning.
I hope the developers pay attention to this feedback, as a more balanced system would make a world of difference.
The morph system adds a cool twist
One of the coolest features in Throne and Liberty is the morph system. You can transform into different creatures, allowing you to run, fly and swim.
The morph system adds an unexpected layer of depth and strategy to gameplay, letting you adapt to situations on the fly. It feels refreshing and gives you that extra edge in both PvE and PvP encounters.
Crafting overhaul is a must
The crafting system in Throne and Liberty is a bit of a mixed experience—there are things it does well, but it’s not going to blow anyone away who’s used to really deep crafting systems in other MMORPGs.
If you’re into gathering, creating gear, and trading, you’ll find some solid systems here, but they aren’t revolutionary.
Gathering resources is fairly straightforward. You can mine, harvest plants, and gather materials from various monsters, but it doesn’t feel particularly special or different from what you’d expect in most MMORPGs.
The nodes and materials are scattered across the world, and some are rarer than others, which does push you to explore more, but the gathering process itself can feel a little grindy after a while. That said, if you’re the type who enjoys the grind, you’ll feel right at home.
As for crafting gear and items, it’s functional but lacks the complexity of other games like Black Desert Online or Final Fantasy XIV. You can craft weapons, armor, potions, and other consumables, but the variety feels a bit limited in the early game. It’s likely something that will expand as you progress further or as the game evolves through updates.
One thing I noticed is that while crafting is useful, you’re not necessarily dependent on it to get by. You can often find equally good (if not better) gear from dungeon drops or the auction house, so crafting doesn’t feel as vital unless you really want to get into it.
One nice touch is that certain high-level materials are tied to specific world events or boss fights, meaning you can’t just passively collect everything—some resources require active participation in the game’s bigger moments. This makes crafting feel a little more tied to the community and world events, which I think is a smart way to keep the system engaging.
The auction house plays a big role in the crafting system, too. Since you can sell crafted items or rare materials, it adds an economic layer to crafting. You can make some decent in-game currency by focusing on rare items that other players might need but don’t want to farm for themselves. Crafting here isn’t just for personal gain; it ties into the game’s overall economy, which helps it feel more impactful.
Monetization is surprisingly fair
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: monetization. We’ve all been burned by pay-to-win schemes before, right? But here, it feels much more balanced. You can earn everything that’s tied to premium currency through the auction house, which is a relief. It’s nice to know that while you can spend money, it doesn’t automatically give you an unfair advantage. That’s a huge plus in my book.
Throne and Liberty has managed to bring excitement back to my MMORPG experience. While the story might have its synthetic moments and the PvP needs some love, the combat is smooth, the dungeons are a blast, and the morph system adds a fun twist. Plus, the monetization model isn’t as intrusive as I feared.
If you’re an MMORPG fan looking for something new, definitely give Throne and Liberty a shot.
It’s not perfect, but it has the potential to grow and evolve into something special.
I’m genuinely looking forward to seeing where this game goes in the future!
Image credits: Throne and Liberty
