The thing I appreciate most about this game is its overall atmosphere. The fairytale-like world and relaxing music create a calming experience. Some settings, like the Enchanted Forest, are especially well-designed. While it’s not Unreal Engine 5 quality, the art direction makes up for the technical limitations. I’ve been playing it as a slow-paced, single-player experience without rushing, which works well for the vibe it offers.

The Pay-to-Win Problem

Unfortunately, the game leans heavily on pay-to-win mechanics. Early on, progress feels smooth, with gear drops and XP coming quickly, but it grinds to a halt once you’re out of the initial levels. Gear stops dropping, and you’re quickly underpowered, especially against mobs—those insane respawn rates don’t help. The game subtly (or not so subtly) nudges you toward the in-game shop, but the prices are absurdly high. Temporary mounts cost as much as permanent ones in World of Warcraft! I could spend money here, but I honestly don’t want to because the quality of the game doesn’t justify it.

Questing and Travel Woes

The quests are painfully generic—kill X mobs here, then kill Y mobs in the exact same spot. Unlike more streamlined games where you can stack quests, here you’re forced to travel back and forth repeatedly. It’s reminiscent of WoW Classic, but without conveniences like a permanent hearthstone. Instead, you get one-use teleportation stones, which, unsurprisingly, can be purchased from the shop. The in-game teleports are an option but are outrageously expensive for low-level players—earning 500 gold from a quest but spending over 300 for travel in the same zone feels ridiculous.

Economy and Gear Workarounds

To compensate for the lack of gear drops and low coin rewards, you can gather resources and sell them on the auction house. Even basic materials like lumber in stacks of 100 can fetch around 30,000 gold, though you’ll pay a commission for every sale. With this gold, you can buy gear and upgrades from vendors, which makes progression a bit more bearable.

NPC Clones and Gear Visuals

The laziness in NPC design is hard to ignore. You’ll see the same characters everywhere—sometimes a dozen or more in one location—with only slight changes in hair or faces. It’s immersion-breaking and just plain lazy. Equipping new gear doesn’t change your character’s appearance either, which feels like another corner cut.

Gear Customization and Shop Frustrations

The game allows you to socket gems into gear, which sounds great until you actually try it. After three failed attempts to socket a gem into a weapon—losing both the gems and the gold in the process—I gave up. Predictably, there’s an item in the shop to “reduce the chances of failure.”

Community and Social Aspects

Despite its flaws, the game has a surprisingly active community. There are plenty of Russian players in every zone, running solo or in groups, and the general chat has a fair amount of activity. I’ve even joined a clan, where people chat regularly, though I don’t understand much of it. The community seems to be one of the game’s stronger points, especially if you’re playing with friends. It’s not a great game, but with friends, it could still be fun.

Final Thoughts

All in all, the game is just okay. It has some redeeming qualities, like its atmosphere and active community, but the pay-to-win mechanics, generic quests, and technical frustrations weigh it down. Still, I plan to stick with it and aim for level 60, at which point I’ll compare it to Allods Online, another Russian MMO. For now, it’s free to play, so if you’re curious and don’t mind its flaws, it might be worth a try—but don’t expect too much.

The thing I appreciate most about this game is its overall atmosphere. The fairytale-like world and relaxing music create a calming experience. Some settings, like the Enchanted Forest, are especially well-designed. While it’s not Unreal Engine 5 quality, the art direction makes up for the technical limitations. I’ve been playing it as a slow-paced, single-player experience without rushing, which works well for the vibe it offers. The Pay-to-Win Problem Unfortunately, the game leans heavily on pay-to-win mechanics. Early on, progress feels smooth, with gear drops and XP coming quickly, but it grinds to a halt once you’re out of the initial levels. Gear stops dropping, and you’re quickly underpowered, especially against mobs—those insane respawn rates don’t help. The game subtly (or not so subtly) nudges you toward the in-game shop, but the prices are absurdly high. Temporary mounts cost as much as permanent ones in World of Warcraft! I could spend money here, but I honestly don’t want to because the quality of the game doesn’t justify it. Questing and Travel Woes The quests are painfully generic—kill X mobs here, then kill Y mobs in the exact same spot. Unlike more streamlined games where you can stack quests, here you’re forced to travel back and forth repeatedly. It’s reminiscent of WoW Classic, but without conveniences like a permanent hearthstone. Instead, you get one-use teleportation stones, which, unsurprisingly, can be purchased from the shop. The in-game teleports are an option but are outrageously expensive for low-level players—earning 500 gold from a quest but spending over 300 for travel in the same zone feels ridiculous. Economy and Gear Workarounds To compensate for the lack of gear drops and low coin rewards, you can gather resources and sell them on the auction house. Even basic materials like lumber in stacks of 100 can fetch around 30,000 gold, though you’ll pay a commission for every sale. With this gold, you can buy gear and upgrades from vendors, which makes progression a bit more bearable. NPC Clones and Gear Visuals The laziness in NPC design is hard to ignore. You’ll see the same characters everywhere—sometimes a dozen or more in one location—with only slight changes in hair or faces. It’s immersion-breaking and just plain lazy. Equipping new gear doesn’t change your character’s appearance either, which feels like another corner cut. Gear Customization and Shop Frustrations The game allows you to socket gems into gear, which sounds great until you actually try it. After three failed attempts to socket a gem into a weapon—losing both the gems and the gold in the process—I gave up. Predictably, there’s an item in the shop to “reduce the chances of failure.” Community and Social Aspects Despite its flaws, the game has a surprisingly active community. There are plenty of Russian players in every zone, running solo or in groups, and the general chat has a fair amount of activity. I’ve even joined a clan, where people chat regularly, though I don’t understand much of it. The community seems to be one of the game’s stronger points, especially if you’re playing with friends. It’s not a great game, but with friends, it could still be fun. Final Thoughts All in all, the game is just okay. It has some redeeming qualities, like its atmosphere and active community, but the pay-to-win mechanics, generic quests, and technical frustrations weigh it down. Still, I plan to stick with it and aim for level 60, at which point I’ll compare it to Allods Online, another Russian MMO. For now, it’s free to play, so if you’re curious and don’t mind its flaws, it might be worth a try—but don’t expect too much.