Following numerous beta tests, Tencent’s Tarisland was released to the public on June 21, 2024. Often likened to the iconic World of Warcraft, examining the released version reveals four compelling reasons to consider this new title. Conversely, there are two reasons why this MMORPG might not be for everyone.
Arguments in favor of Tarisland
It’s beautiful
Tencent’s artists and programmers have crafted a visually appealing picture within the game. Despite its simplified “cartoon” style, Tarisland appears far more contemporary than World of Warcraft, thanks to advanced rendering and impressive special effects. Its high level of detail ensures it looks attractive on both smartphone and PC screens at 4K resolution, whether you’re viewing the towering spires of Silverlight or the sacred Elven tree.
In every location, there are spots perfect for taking screenshots in photo mode. The camera lets you select excellent angles to capture the most enchanting corners of this fairytale realm. Concurrently, you can modify the time of day, weather, lighting, and other settings to craft the perfect ambiance for your image.
All principal characters are intricately drawn and animated, with the heroes’ gear meticulously detailed. While the selection is currently limited, each outfit stands out as unique. There’s no sense of redundancy, as if the items were merely the same but recolored.
An equal opportunity for everyone
Since the game is less than a month old, nearly all players are on an equal footing, allowing them to explore the content together comfortably. Newcomers won’t need to rush to catch up with long-time players or review numerous past events. Guilds, including those transitioning from World of Warcraft, are approximately at the same level and are actively seeking new members.
In this phase of the game’s development, the creators have imposed a cap on character progression on the servers. Although the cap is periodically increased, the earliest players remain on a similar level. With the current modest player base, this enables newcomers to quickly catch up, ensuring there’s always a group available for dungeon runs.
For communication with party or guild members, there’s no need to download Discord or any other external applications. Tarisland offers an integrated voice chat feature for clans, squads, and even global player interactions.
Co-op on all platforms
Tarisland supports cross-platform play, allowing overall account progress to be saved across PC, iOS, and Android devices. The system requirements are modest enough to ensure a smooth and stable experience for all players, regardless of their platform.
To balance the experience across different devices, Tencent has optimized the interface and the display of the group’s status and its members. With a limited number of skills and a thoughtful design, even players on smartphones with small screens can enjoy raiding and participating in PvP alongside PC gamers.
No need to pay
Tarisland is a free-to-play MMORPG where you can download the client from the official website and start playing without spending real money. However, it does feature a built-in store that offers a variety of costumes, pets, and mounts.
The game includes various battle passes and cosmetic items, but none that provide a gameplay advantage, at least currently. Additionally, there’s a feature that allows players to exchange gold earned from completing quests for the store’s currency and vice versa, enabling the acquisition of paid items through active gameplay.
Arguments against
Secondariness
Tarisland is a standard MMORPG, crafted following established conventions. It avoids taking risks or delivering surprises, aiming instead to satisfy genre enthusiasts. The game features the usual quests, dungeons, raids, boss battles, skill leveling, and crafting professions, including fishing. Even the mini-games have precedents in titles like World of Warcraft.
Thus, the ambition to supplant the iconic game ironically undermines its novelty. It delivers a familiar experience rather than offering something innovative and unique.
Mobile game-style limitations
The developers of Tarisland have deliberately slowed down character progression. While the combat level cap might have been a positive feature in the early stages of a project still building its audience, the limitations on dungeon visits and the inability to craft continuously seem like unnecessary constraints reminiscent of mobile games.
Stamina, which is used for mining and crafting, regenerates at a sluggish pace—1 point every 15 minutes of real time. Consequently, crafting is limited to a brief period each day. Additionally, characters can only master one profession at a time. Switching specialties results in the loss of all accumulated experience, making the process of gaining new skills exceedingly slow.
For PC gamers, Tarisland’s pace may feel too leisurely. In contrast, smartphone users are accustomed to brief gaming sessions and lengthy waits for abilities to refresh. It’s possible that the game’s store will eventually offer items to expedite leveling.
Tarisland is just embarking on its journey. The developers are in active communication with the community and are rolling out updates. They’ve introduced a female paladin and a male mage, and plan to eventually eliminate gender restrictions for character classes. Anticipation is building for new locations, raids, and additional content. Player feedback may guide the game away from the vestiges of mobile-only games towards a unique identity. Only time will reveal its path.
