Landed at the end of the year 2020 in Korea, the last MMO of Krafton _ (NDLR: formerly Bluehole Studio) _ arrives in the West from September 28, 2021. To prepare the ground, the studio has proposed several beta to adapt to this new audience. We were able to take part in the adventure on ELYON, and we are looking at its different aspects for this preview.

This preview of ELYON was made on PC with a version provided by the publisher during the Closed Beta Test 2. Some elements are subject to change during the official output.

ELYON is a mmo very far from the Western carcans in its design. Offering a more nervous gameplay, it rewards much more overcome the player invested. And this constant search for the ultimate optimization is felt in all clashes between players.

A pretext and neglected universe

We understand it from the first minutes of play, all that exists around the gameplay is purely accessory. The cinematics struggle to play properly, showing up and disappear randomly certain elements per moment. Sometimes the protagonists completely cease to move, before finally chaining the 5 actions that were for less than a second. Faults that must be at the game engine, UNREAL ENGINE 3, but still offers grandiose decorations for its age. The immersion is not at the heart of the game, and the dialogues do not catch up.

The story of ELYON is only a pretext to justify the war of factions. Its interest is quickly limited, and the repetitive requests of the different characters only reinforce boredom. It is not the first mmo of this kind to make this choice, even if it could have helped him out of the lot. However, the game does not drag on the ancillary activities, not limiting the progression to simple massacres.

This may have to reassure through very dynamic and impressive fights. But past the admiration effect against these beautiful animations, we find ourselves quickly limited by a combo system where the game tells you what to do. Once a spell started, you only have to let you guide by the posted buttons. Fortunately, before reaching the level 42 so much sought, it is possible to look at the different aspects that will allow you to make your hero unique.

** a very pushed customization ****

Oriented around the wars of factions and high level PVP, ELYON offers many ways to customize the gaming experience. Each class thus has a panel of 40 different skills, all having 4 possible variants. It will be necessary to choose 9 skills or variants, while respecting the number of attribute points available. These are obtained thanks to the runes of your equipment and their levels.

But this is not the only use of these gems, which also offer bonus attributes according to their color. The more levels of the same color of gem, the more you unlock passive skills for your character. These rune attributes are an additional way to strengthen its avatar by focusing on a specific aspect, whether it is the protection, assault or support.

ELYON offers a really complete customization of the characters, with very varied combinations. The different classes thus reveal all their potential in the wars of factions, very stirring to the remaining. But they have unfortunately presented later, hidden behind an intensive farming. And in the absence of any Challenge PVE during this beta, there was not much more to do.

* A complex and grueling progress *

Because if there is something that ELYON REQUEST, it’s a significant investment. All ancillary activities for preparing high-level optimization, any of them should be neglected to remain competitive. The bosses of the world, for example, although secondary, still allow to accumulate many resources. We must not hesitate to throw itself when one of them is activated. However, they remain much less important than trades, playing a role perhaps a little too central in the game.

And it’s probably the point that will escape most players: the farm is intensive. There is no question of time to devote for something else, the investment must be total. It is necessary to pick up herbs, cut wood, mine and further make potions, weapons and armor. All this takes a considerable time which, it is hoped, will be revised downward for its release. The machinery is all the more frustrating as most manufactured materials are unusable, and good only for sale.

Unfortunately, even this aspect requires being studied because to make sure all these creations, it’s better to sell them to NPCs. Direction then the sales table, presenting the current coast of a material in different regions. The selling price never ceases to fluctuate, you speculate to find the best place to sell your objects. However, this investment is quite quickly rewarded thanks to the different possibilities to personalize your character.

Our first impressions

To avoid if you do not like spending your time in Farm

Focusing on optimization for PVP clashes, ELYON is a game that requires a significant investment. The narration is tertiary, serving only a pretext, and making the experience very little immersive. The fights are very dynamic, even if they are often limited to pressing the flashing buttons on the screen. So it seems to be left to be a niche game, with a highly developed PVP side to the detriment of its universe.