Behold: the world of Nala, a world that was formed between the light (Valaen) and dark (Bezda). Imagine a place corrupted by the fallout of fighting between Ael, your god and creator, and Kavel. Ultimately, Ael was betrayed and attacked by the Dark Lord Kavel, who was supposed to protect the creator. Kavel’s weapon was shattered during the fight and then expelled from the realm of light. The weapon fragments rained down onto Nala, causing the uprising of demonic corruption all over your world. This fallout has turned its people (including yourself) and creatures into demonic entities. Although you have come in contact with this infernal energy, it has not fully corrupted you. You are able to harness this curse and use it against darkness that has fallen upon the realm. You and those like you are known as Devilian’s. Along with your fellow warriors, you will utilize this immense energy turning the tides against the uprising Dark Lord”¦
Exciting, right?!
Devilian is categorized as an MMOARPG. I can also describe it as an action RPG that has been fused together with the community foundations of an MMO. From my many years spent playing games like Diablo, World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, etc”¦ I can say with confidence the developers over at Trion Worlds have been successful in fusing these two genres together. Over the years I have loved the two genres, but combining them in this matter is a first for me to see, let alone play.
Speaking of playing, if you are already intrigued by Devilian, head over to the website and start the download process because it is free to play. I have already done so and have enjoyed the time spent in the game. Upon launch, I am greeted by four different class types to choose from each with different fighting styles. There are two female and two male classes, each are uniquely suited for battle. The strictly range types consist of an Evoker and Cannoneer (female classes), and the melee style classes of Berserker and Shadowhunter (male classes).
Each class has specialties that bring its own unique fighting skill to the realm. Berserkers are for those who choose to be up close and personal with their enemies. They are not afraid to be surrounded because that is when they work the best. With their duel swords and rage energy, Berserkers are capable of ripping apart any demonic essence in their path. The Cannoneer’s looks can be extremely deceiving. For such a small character, she sure packs a huge punch in the form of massive damage via big guns! This class is tailored to people who enjoy shooting from range and destroying their enemies before they have any chance to get close. In a similar manner, the Evoker is another range class. However, this one has mastery of the elements and the ability to devastate any enemies who foolishly engage her. Last, but certainly not least, is the Shadowhunter. This class I would categorize as the jack of all trades and uses a bladed whip to deal damage up close or from a distance. In addition, Shadowhunters are able to cast shadow magic and lay traps to wreck any challenges he may come across. So far, this one has been my personal favorite.
After picking out my class and crafting the appearance of my character, I was immediately summoned into the world of Nala. The first thing to catch my eye was the environmental graphics. For a free to play game, they spent the time and detail to add a character rich environment to the game. Moving on, I found it quite simple to figure out the basic mechanics of the game. The play style supplies a top down look of the battlefield while you control your movements by either mouse clicking or WASD movements. All of the abilities you obtain will be commanded via keyboard numbers.
At first, the game is a little overwhelming when it comes to enemy numbers. In most games there is a small cooldown before an enemy respawns, but the initial leveling areas here have almost instant respawn timers. Therefore, it is a good idea to keep moving until you find a safe spot before opening your inventory or moving items around. Those timers did seem to slow as the level of the area increased giving more breathing room between fights.
Devilian sets itself apart from other MMO’s in that you essentially have two different sides of your character to level up: one being your human side, the other being your demon form. The human character can be leveled up by completing quests and killing monsters. The devil side of you is completely different and can only be leveled up by harvesting the souls of minions you have killed while in Devilian form. Each level will require more and more souls to complete. Keep that in mind and please learn from my mistakes! Don’t be afraid to activate your Devilian form often, collect souls, and become more powerful.
Each time you level up, you will receive a skill point. Using these points in one of three talent trees will drive how you fight your enemies with each tree having its own perks. From what I can tell, you do not have to stick to one specific tree. My wife is playing it like a buffet, taking a little bit from the three different trees, so explore the other talents to see if any of them fit your playstyle.
I have noticed the game is very linear when it comes to questing around the world. Each map has several sections, but you have to go down specific paths due to the questing direction. Most other MMO’s give a couple pathways to leveling and that is where this one draws the line. One thing this game did stay true to was dungeon running, and it is made slightly easier since players do not need to worry about class roles (Tanks, Healers, DPS). This makes queueing much faster and an overall more pleasant experience trying to get into dungeons. I believe that is due to the fact there is only room for three people in a dungeon.
Another reason this game is unlike any other Action RPG I have played before is due to the MMO backbone, aka”¦Guilds. In this game, the Guilds are where people can become teams and form unstoppable forces on the battlefields. There is also access to plenty of end game content when working with guilds. There are raids for the PvE lovers. However, if you prefer PVP they have that angle covered as well. Prove your power in the massive 20 vs 20 battleground or the Endless Hunting Grounds as your guild tries to wrestle control from other guilds across the realm.
Overall, this game brings many great factors to the computer screen with one of the best parts being it is free to play. There is an in-game marketplace if you choose to use it, but you will not be remiss if you choose not to partake. The fact that there is so much content and capability in this game means it should not be overlooked by anyone who enjoys Action RPG’s or MMO’s. With that being said, I hope you will join me in Nala to enjoy many adventures.
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