Throne And Liberty: Review In Progress

, developed by NCSoft and published by Amazon Games in the US, has a bit of a troubled history behind it. Originally announced in 2011, it was intended to be a sequel to the groundbreaking series, built on decades of immersive online RPGs. But the project was delayed multiple times, eventually splintering off into an original piece of IP, and being rebranded in 2017.

In many ways, plays like a typical MMO. Players explore a variety of different fantasy environments, fighting a variety of different monsters with a variety of different class-specific abilities. There’s an extensive main quest, side activities like crafting and fishing, multiplayer dungeons, competitive player-versus-player matches, and everything else you’ve come to expect from the genre. It has a handful of unique ideas, but they don’t always go far enough to carry an otherwise generic MMO.

Already out in South Korea, is preparing for a worldwide release this Fall. It’ll be available in the US, Europe, and Japan beginning October 1, with early access beginning September 26, but I was able to check out the single-player campaign for this review.

Why is this a review in progress?: The multiplayer aspects of this review must wait until early access begins, until which point this article will remain a review-in-progress with no final score. This article will then be updated to a full review, with score.

The first thing most players will notice about is its gorgeous environments. Beautifully rendered with a great deal of detail and color, it’s easy to get lost in a vista of rolling hills or craggy cliffs, or get lost down the cobblestone streets and dirt roads of its bustling towns. This carefully detailed, immersive atmosphere is aided by good, occasionally great music, with much of the game scored by lilting flute melodies that complement and elevate the visuals.

In a similar vein, many of ’s characters are memorably designed, including, but not limited to, those made in the game’s robust character