Wildstar

In the hyper-competitive world of MMORPGs, a game has to feature loads of unique, attractive content to keep a healthy player base. But what if the appeal of your game is that it does exactly what other titles do but better? That's just what WildStar proposes.

Although the game takes some clear inspiration from some of the leading big names in the industry, it builds upon them with innovative mechanics you won't find anywhere else. Despite its harsh difficulty spike, WildStar makes each of its races feel unique in a way that we haven't seen any MMORPG achieve since the days when Everquest was first launched.

Join the Nexus

The planet of Nexus is an eclectic mix of environments that include vast tropical jungles, enormous mountain ranges, icy tundras, and even desolate deserts. It might not be geographically bigger than World of Warcraft's Azeroth, but the game does a superb job of making Nexus feel like a massive, breathing world.

As is the norm in this type of online game, the main story revolves around a huge conflict between two warring factions. In this case, it is the Dominion vs. the Exile. The neat part is that it doesn't matter which race you pick, players will all eventually join forces to fight the remnants of the Eldan.

The lore of WildStar is really not that profound, and much of the game's mythos can be found only by very inquisitive players. It's certainly not worth it too much, though: the end of the main story is as anticlimactic as it gets.

Choose Wisely

Where it gets interesting is when you see how WildStar tackles the subject of its eight playable races. Each race controls are vastly different compared to the others, meaning that the character you create could lead to an entirely unique gaming experience.

Mobility is the name of the game in this title, and I'm talking about both combat and non-combat activities. Because every race is set out on an individual path to unlock unique abilities, you'll have ample opportunity to experiment with different race traits while still having access to standard moves such as jumps, sprints, and dashes.

Besides races, players must also choose a class. Each of these classes fulfills the usual roles we've come to expect from an MMORPG, like being the party's tank, healer, or DPS.

Superb Presentation

Even though the story might not be the greatest piece of fiction ever written, WildStar still features some high production values that make the game feel incredibly cinematic. Even the biggest detractors of the game would be hard-pressed to say that their time spent playing wasn't enjoyable – because there's always something beautiful going on on the screen.

Be it the cinematics or the world of Nexus itself, the visuals of WildStar are truly marvelous, especially given the fact that they were created using a relatively small team. This is all taken to the next level when you realize that Jeff Kurtenacker, who scored parts of World of Warcraft, composed the soundtrack to this game.

Pros

• Beautiful visuals
• Deep character creation and progression mechanics
• Outstanding OST

Cons

• Disappointing plot
• Repetitive and uninteresting quests