Dragon's Prophet Preview

I get a feeling that PR companies like dragons; dragons sell. They also make great games, thankfully, which is probably why Dragon's Prophet looks so interesting. Developed by Runes of Magic creators Runewaker, alongside Infernum, Dragon's Prophet is a huge scale free-to-play MMO designed to give both casual and hardcore online gamers a familiar yet brilliantly diverse and exciting world to play in. If you haven't already worked it out, dragons form the backbone of this title and you'll be getting to know all 300 of them during your time in the game world.

That world is called Auratia; and as you might expect from an MMO it's a hugely detailed setting with a rich fictional history. I think a lot of the back story can be summarised with the simple fact that the whole world was created by a group of super dragons fronted by a big bad boss called Morgath. The rest is equally, and brilliantly, bonkers. You can check out the whole history of Auratia here.

For the game itself, Auratia is a collection of five worlds (soon to be bumped up to six for open beta) all based around different settings, from forests and snow regions to deserts and ravaged wastelands. The locations I've seen and played in so far are richly detailed and very easy on the eye. There's no doubt that the concept of a free-to-play game being technically lacking has passed by recently and Dragon's Prophet only raises the bar. Regular MMO players will certainly feel at home with the classic blend between realistic and cartoony visuals that always help to bring out the adventurous nature of these games.

Dungeons will of course be a key feature of the game and each world will have four to explore. Three adventure dungeons that can be played in a short session of 10-20 minutes and one legendary dungeon which features large numbers of enemies and bosses. Different difficulty settings can be selected for each of these allowing players to improve their combat abilities. The adventure dungeon I played was relatively easy for my level so was mainly about trying out the combat, but a big ol' dragon at the end of the level put me to the test. It was fun alone, but would probably be greatly enhanced when playing with friends.

So with a huge and diverse world in place, the next big step is how the game actually plays. Pleasingly, the mechanics are actually implemented very well. While movement and key presses are standard MMO fair, the fighting mechanics are more reminiscent of Diablo. Without an automated tracking system the combat is fluid and requires the precision timing and skill that can usually only be found in action/RPG games. Other small details like the amount of damage dealt or received popping off the characters as well as a more streamlined use of hotkeys give the combat a satisfying edge.

Interestingly, the standard MMO classes have been outed in favour of four more diverse and expandable classes that play on the new combat system. Guardian, Ranger, Oracle and Sorcerer; each with their own advantages and disadvantages as well as special skills unique to that class. However, unlike traditional MMOs these classes are never defined by one single role such as healer or tank. Runewaker has designed the game to allow for flexibility in combat with each class. What's more, the dragons themselves, as your companions, will take on these roles.

So yes, the dragons. There's no point denying it, this is what could set Dragon's Prophet above the rest. As I mentioned, the game will feature over 300 unique dragons! Of course, that kind of number means that they're not all the scaly fire breathing monsters we've come to expect. The dragons are arranged into four basic types; Flying, Gliding, Land and Aqua. Within these categories are even more sub-categories, just a small indication of how varied the creatures are. As well as being intrinsically cool, the dragons do, of course, serve crucial in-game functions.

As you might expect the, dragons you tame (we'll get to that in a sec) essentially become your partners in crime and you can summon them at any time from the lair; a sort of dragon-only Pokéball. As well as fighting for you, the player can also ride the dragons into battle or on longer journeys when quick travelling isn't your thing. Other tasks can be handled by your dragons; for instance you can organise your 'crew' of up to six of the creatures to fetch items for you while you're Away From Keyboard. So no more searching for endless herbs if you don't want to, just gather up the flock and send them on their errands while you sit back and watch How to Train Your Dragon or something. The system actually reminds me of the Brotherhood quests in Assassin's Creed, only your dragons will continue working even if you're signed out of the game.

To acquire (or is it catch?) a dragon, you can just stroll up to almost any of them in-game and activate the 'attempt capture' key. This begins a mini-game where you need to keep a cursor in the middle of the screen amid distractions. It's not exactly mind-blowing, but it serves its purpose of being tricky but manageable with practice. Much like actually taming a dragon, or so I'm told. Sadly, although understandably, not all of the dragons can be captured. There are a few Legendary and Elder dragons (like old Morgath) are purely for fighting with or against, as opposed to direct control. This is to ensure that veteran players aren't flying around on uber-dragons with laser shooting eyes (and no, that's just a metaphor).

For those looking to invest both (or dare I say either) time and/or money into Dragon's Prophet, the clan, housing and PvP systems will be of particular interest. A separate world, placed literally above the standard worlds, will host these elements. Houses can be created by any player on certain patches of land which can be bought either through in-game or real life currency. Anything from little wooden huts to renaissance style maisonettes can be built. The land these buildings occupy is also home to the PvP system and players can battle over rule for that land.

Clans that 'own' a particular region will have a castle of their own from where they can dictate taxes and other details. Of course, if they can't keep the inhabitants of a region appeased then revolutions can take place in which players can storm the clan's castle. It's certainly an exciting prospect and sounds really fun to be a part of, hopefully though the revolution concept isn't abused. In my head right now I'm just seeing this world torn up by wars and sieges.

Of course, if the clans can keep things in order then it won't be such a worry. Registration for clans has already begun with the game currently in closed beta and Infernum have already accepted over 1000 requests. Dragon's Prophet is really making waves in the MMO community and should already have a loyal core fanbase by the time the full version is released.

While the free-to-play model is likely to attract many first time MMO players, it's often a frightening or agitating concept for experienced players who are accustomed to paying monthly. Although with most MMOs now converting to free-to-play, this presents a great opportunity for them to get on board. Runewaker has assured us that the game is by no means pay to win (although xp buffs can be purchased which always seems a little dodgy to me). Visual content is the primary focus for revenue, as well as premium packs which offer fast tracks to items and other goodies that can only otherwise be accessed through lengthy play. This kind of model will always turn some people away, but for many it may be the ideal way to enter the MMO world.

Dragon's Prophet is currently in closed beta and is still taking submissions for access to the game. Open beta will launch later this year followed by the full game. Be sure to check back here at GameGrin for the latest info. You can sign up for the beta, and view some more content, at the official website.