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f13.net  |  f13.net General Forums  |  Gaming  |  But is it Fun?  |  Topic: Mabinogi - Nexion - PC 0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.
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Author Topic: Mabinogi - Nexion - PC  (Read 5140 times)
schild
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on: March 29, 2008, 07:42:00 PM

Behind this cute little game hides its sinister nature, the grindy Korean free MMO.  If one is willing to give it a chance after understanding what lies beneath the bright colors and the Game Guard program installed along with, they will find a little gem of a game.  The commercial release is happening right now, so more features may be added along with cash shop options.

The look is cutesy.  Very cutesy.  Facial expressions are the familiar exaggerated anime style emoticons people like myself get made fun of for using.  One cannot look badass in this game, so don't try.

Using the free character card, your character is a human with a limited but decent set of options.  Through the wonders of RMT, many more options are available during a purchased Rebirth.  Other races will eventually be available.  Your character can start between the ages of 10 and 17.  Older characters are stronger to begin with, however they generally do not gain as many stat points with levels.  Characters age over time and gain more stats upon doing so.  Advancement is through a unique combination of skills, levels, and APs (ability points).  APs are used to raise the rank of skills.  Stats are the standard RPG fare, however they are raised by leveling, aging, obtaining skills, reading books, and some quests.  Skills are learned from NPCs, books, and quests.  There are three categories:  Combat, Magic, and Life.  Most life skills are not necessary to learn, but can benefit you so there is no reason to avoid them.

Combat is surprisingly brutal.  Timing the use of your skills and reading your opponents' moves will mean the difference between winning a fight without a scratch and a humiliating loss.  Magic and ranged combat are more support roles, but powerful when able to be used in a group.  Understanding melee combat is still important for these players as they will have to defend against attacks and can severely muck with the timing of their group in melee.  Equipment plays a part in combat, however your character and player skills and stats are more important.

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Rent it (worth a look, but not for everyone and may become grindy)

Sent in by Lantyssa.
Hoax
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Posts: 8110

l33t kiddie


Reply #1 on: April 03, 2008, 11:14:45 AM

Glad someone reviewed this, Lant can you confirm/deny the existence of a pretty robust music minigame?

A nation consists of its laws. A nation does not consist of its situation at a given time. If an individual's morals are situational, then that individual is without morals. If a nation's laws are situational, that nation has no laws, and soon isn't a nation.
-William Gibson
Lantyssa
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Posts: 20848


Reply #2 on: April 03, 2008, 12:22:29 PM

There is a composition system.  I wouldn't really call it a mini-game though.  Not how most people use it, at least.

The three music skills are Composition, Play Instrument, and Music Theory.  Play Instrument determines how well your song is performed.  Bad performances sound like it... one NPC advises you to practice in a dungeon.  Composition lets you write on score scrolls.  A melody and two harmonies.  Higher skill gives you more notes that can be scribed.  The Music Theory skill enhances the other two.

If you play an instrument without a written score scroll, the game picks a random tune for you to play.  A scroll is written to using MML (Music Markup Language) which is a text form of MIDI.  I've seen a few converter programs for the lazy or musically impaired.  Scrolls can be used 100 times, but are cheap, and you can cut-n-paste from your favorite text editor onto the scroll.  Instruments have their own sounds, of which I have seen a lute, mandolin, and ukelele so far.

Mostly people find an anime MIDI, convert it, then 'share' with everyone in the town square.  One of the books on camping had a song in it which I transcribed, and for having no skills, thought was cool.  Someone with an actual music background could compose their own songs.

Hahahaha!  I'm really good at this!
Nebu
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Posts: 17613


Reply #3 on: April 03, 2008, 12:30:20 PM

I played this game for two evenings and I just couldn't find the hook.  Did I miss something?  The areas were pretty generic and the cutscenes drove me nuts.  Does the game improve dramatically as you go on (like many MMOs) or it is just the usual addition of power to the same skill sets?


"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

-  Mark Twain
Lantyssa
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Posts: 20848


Reply #4 on: April 03, 2008, 02:21:10 PM

I did find it took me a little while to get used to the game.  Lots of little things that as I understood how they worked, suddenly weren't annoying or were fairly cool.

Combat is a big example.  Timing and the proper use of skills for attacking and countering are very important.  You don't actually need all that high a rank in skills to be successful.  It took me weeks to understand how they really work.  Once I learned that my enjoyment improved dramatically because I could fight something more than a fox even though my character's skill ranks had not changed much.

It has crafting, so I've had fun cooking, making potions, and enchanting with the scrolls I find in dungeons.  The crafting systems are by no means robust though, so they're only good give you a little something different to do.  Collecting enough skills to actually do something helps, too.  Raising skills does help, but their improvements are generally minor and after the first few ranks not something which happens quickly so I wouldn't say that is the focus.

It's not a game you can spend five hours a day playing though.  Well, not for long at least.  It's good for a quick trip through the dungeon, and socializing, but not the foozle whacking and questing most of us have grown accustomed to.  Honestly I am not entirely sure why it hooked me.  Perhaps I have been craving a skill-based game that much at a time when nothing else interests me, it's adorably cute, and I get to watch my character age.  Coupled with only having a few hours in the evenings, the time commitment is about right.

Hahahaha!  I'm really good at this!
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