Lost Ark

Lost Ark has had years of tuning already, which means playing from day one isn't going to be a curse

Lost Ark is the gold standard of Modern MMOs. Smilegate and Tripod deliver an incredibly polished experience that gives players dozens of dishes to choose from, all equally delicious. It hits on all those classic MMO beats, while injecting a fresh style and approach to all of it. Lost Ark has already proven to have some strong staying power in the east, and is now set up for a long and fruitful li...

Lost Ark is light on the MMO, and heavy on the action- RPG, taking all the elements from MMOs that make them great, and a few that make them a bit dull to fans of the genre. It's easy to get lost in the customization before you even set foot in the fleshed out world. The five main classes are the big star, each feels and plays differently enough making me want to replay the game just to try them o...

Lost Ark is a free-to-play MMORPG that leans heavily into PvE questing and combat. There is arena-based, competitive PvP as well, but out in the world and following the game’s sprawling story, there’s no need to worry about attacks by other players. While there are plenty of opportunities for cooperative play and interaction with others, Lost Ark is a solo player’s dream MMO.

Lost Ark is a great MMO for those willing to put up with a bit of grind. As long as you have friends at your side you should be fine.

“So long as you're willing to play by its rules, Lost Ark it is an absolute blast thanks to its perfect blend of visceral ARPG combat and steady MMO progression.”

Lost Ark might be one of the most banal games you'll ever come across if you're just looking at it from a narrative point of view, but it's a prime example of how good gameplay and combat can carry the entire experience. Sometimes, all it takes is the appeal of watching your tiny numbers gradually grow into big numbers for you to get hooked on a game.

With some small setbacks like pay-to-progress features and awkward movements, Lost Ark manages to stand out with its overall style, story, and game mechanics. Free-to-play is going to push this game to the top now that it's in the West.

Smilegate's blend of ARPG and MMO is a (mostly) successful experiment.

Excellent combat and an engaging endgame are undercut by Lost Ark's archaic MMO quest design and emphasis on microtransactions.

Lost Ark is a Korean MMO action RPG, in the vein of Diablo or Path of Exile. It features a beautiful world and engaging gameplay, but it’s held back by clunky animations, mediocre voice acting and an unoriginal story.

But still: With all of its endless intricacies, its variety of end-game content, and of course, its stylish action, Lost Ark feels like it’s destined to remain something of a phenomenon for quite some time. Getting to the endgame can sometimes feel like a chore, and the game’s economy can be a headache unto itself — but the rewards upon arrival are worth the trek several times over. Smilegate and ...