Preview: The Secret World

Platforms: PC and Xbox 360

Developer:Funcom

Release Date: April 2012

Class variety at its best

The massively multiplayer online (MMO for us lazy gamers) is a separate gaming scene in its own right. With millions of people invested in these player populated worlds logging on each day to invest even further in either Player versus Player (also known as PvP) arenas, player versus environment boss fights or just to talk with their online buddies. The MMO scene is in my opinion everything that is right with gaming. With many, many titles emerging from the woodwork, I thought it would be a good idea to take a in depth look at a already underappreciated game: The Secret World

The Secret World takes place in a world where every myth, legend, folktale and crackpot conspiracy theory you can shake common sense at is real. Witches, vampires, Bigfoot are all real in this world and you enroll in one of three secret societies that are waging a behind scenes war against the paranormal onslaught.

You just know that place is haunted by ghost clowns.

 The London base Templers are and organization hell-bent on exterminating every paranormal creature by any means. The Illuminati have set up a cozy base in New York where they proceed to control form the shadow and act as puppet masters focused only on reaping the benefits. The Dragon are based in Seoul are largely a neutral organization that prefer to stay out of the conflict ensuing over the globe.

But each society has a common link. The Council of Venice, nobody knows who or what they are and you're expected to find out.

Choosing you're society sets you on their story line which, Funcom says measures in 150 hours each.

Players will also be able to create guilds known as Cabals in the game, each being affiliated with a faction. Every action a guild member takes will influence the Cabal’s rating in the game. And PvP will be handled in large persistent warzones that promise never to quiet down.

Small minigame locations have been added such as Shambhala, El Dorado, and Stonehenge. But what exactly you’ll be doing there is unclear.

The game is weaving seemingly incredibly deep story, which promises as much variety as one could ever hope for. One minute you’ll be blasting zombies with a shotgun and the next you'll be throwing fireballs at vampires in Transylvania, thanks to the free form class system.

Character progression

Developing you're character is the cornerstone of any MMO and The Secret World’s take on this is rather interesting. You acquire experience for doing just about everything, but you don’t level up at all. Rather than levels you acquire skill points that you can invest in almost five hundred different talents. So there is no following a tank, healer or gunner progression, you can heal one day and hack ‘n slash the next all by switching between seven active and seven passive skills. 

The areas of skills you can invest in range from magic, guns and melee weapons. Another key thing is that skills from one area can transfer into another, for example a skill that increases armor penetration that originated from a melee skill can transfer over into magic and guns. All this adds up for an entirely unique freeform class system where variety is going to rule the kingdom.

LOOT!

Skills scale with your gear so finding new and shiny stuff is a key component. But don’t start hatching a plot to acquire a set of godlike armor and be able to take almost anything being thrown at you, because clothing in the secret world is purely cosmetic. Character toughness will be influenced by skills only and you'll be able to wear what you please without sacrificing armor. Many of you will remember hearing this exact statement from the Warhammer MMO developers before they about faced on it, let’s just hope Funcom keeps their word. 

Weapons come in many sharp and lethal sizes of your choice, ranging from shotguns to daggers, or you could just scoff at the human weapons and start whipping out fireballs.

The entire system looks very promising with Funcom telling us that we’ll never be in a situation where we are at a disadvantage against another player and promises that everyone will truly have a unique one of a kind character.

Go there, shoot 10 goblins and bring me a silver ring

Questing in the game promises to be deeper and to feature more variety than typical MMOs, some requiring you to do research or adapt you're skills to acquire success. The world’s story promises to be incredibly rich and as soon as you get tired of one area another pops up just begging you to come and explore all the mysteries it has to offer.

Talking of secrets this game is filled to overflowing with them, symbols adorn the world signaling possible threats or treats. Riddles will be a large part of this exploration and a in game browser is available for on the spot translating or help with history.

Upon completion of a quest money is immediately wired to your character meaning that you don’t have to schlep back to the quest giver every time, a wonderful addition considering the often long trek back to the quest giver.

Every time you do a certain amount of missions you'll acquire Ranking Missions from you're faction to prove you're worthiness to them. These are difficult requiring you to team up to finish them and receive your shiny new reward which can include a title, weapon or cool new clothing.

Dungeons will appear in large quantity and variety, forcing players to band together and switch up skills to overcome hordes of enemies and get the pot of loot at the end.

Quests can also trigger events in the world for example, helping some bum scout out an a abandoned police station and you could find yourself under attack from a zombie horde.

Final Impression

 I have played MMOs for a long time and I have to say this one looks like a contender for the big names out there. The modern setting invests you emotionally in the game and it looks just like you would expect from the real world only a lot more strange.

The big surprise though is just how sharp and funny the game can be. Its filled with more pop culture references than you would believe, for example the “Wanted” skill that allows dual wielding pistols.

Good, boy, don't eat me.

The gameplay is deep yet accessible to everyone, promising to attract a large audience.

With the entire game being voice covered and motion captured, characters seem like true individuals.   

The mix and match combat and the incredibly deep story make for a game that will keep you coming back for more and fork out your subscription fee without a consideration on your social life or financial status.