Amazon is bringing a new MMORPG to the gaming world later this year. Technically, Lost Ark isn't a brand new game, but it will be new to the United States and Europe when it launches this fall. Developed by Smilebright games, the game has been available in Russia, Korea, and Japan since 2018, but it's waited a while to get an even bigger audience. When Amazon does finally bring it to the US, Lost Ark will offer combat that MMORPG fans have seen in some variation before. However, the game does bring its own touches to fighting and further develops character choice as well. However, while the game focuses on combat, that's not all Lost Ark has to offer.
At first glance, Lost Ark has an aesthetic that may remind some of Diablo 3. However while the combat and even the looting may seem similar, there are more differences between the two than Lost Ark being an MMO. The game is quite a bit deeper than even some other MMORPGs like World of Warcraft, with Combat and dungeon crawling still front and center. However, Smilebright and Amazon seem to understand that in order for a player to really immerse themselves into a world like that, there needs to be something else to do. When a player grows tired of combat, they can retire from the battlefield and live a quieter life until they're ready to get back into the fray.
Lost Ark Has A Major Role For Hunting And Fishing
Lost Ark's ability to fish is actually quite similar to World of Warcraft's, in that while it does allow for some downtime, it's just not a time-waster. Players in Brightsmile's title will be able to travel all over a rather expansive map in order to find bodies of water where they can hunker down and do a little fishing. Those who build up their fishing abilities will be able to catch fish that can be used for special recipes. These recipes are then used to make combinations that can beef up a character's health, or give them other special abilities.
Likewise, hunting is more than whiling away the hours trying to find special animals in Amazon Games' newest project. Hunting will also reward characters with unique items that can then be crafted into food. However, those items can also be used to craft certain armor and weaponry that may not drop elsewhere in Lost Ark's world. Both of these functions mean that not only can players take some time off from their dungeon crawling, but they actually should make some time to head off in search of prey so that they can level up their characters just a bit faster and craft some really solid loot.
Sail Away In Lost Ark
For those who thought that all the action in Lost Ark was going to take place on land, there's an extra little option in this MMORPG. Characters will be able to gain their own ship and sail around the map in order to get from point A to point B just a little bit quicker. However, the interesting thing about this particular function is that it's not just another way to travel. There are quite a bit of different functions that are tied into this particular feature in Amazon Games' newest project.
There are of course ship-to-ship battles in Lost Ark, but there's more to it than just firing cannonballs. Those who want to get their own sailing vessel are going to start hiring up a crew. The better the crew, the better the performance and weapons that are going to be available for players. While there are plenty of games where a crew is populated on a player's ship, such as what is shown off in Assassin's Creed Valhalla, players are usually assigned background characters that are just tools. In Lost Ark, players will need to make good decisions on who they want alongside them on their ship in order to have the most success.
Strongholds in Lost Ark Offer Much To Do On Their Own
In Lost Ark, ships are going to be an item that at some point is a must-have. That's because they will allow players and your crew to arrive at their private island getaways. As a player character achieves a high enough level, they will receive their "song" that allows them to find the island where their strongholds will be located. Once they hit this level and direct their boat to the island, there's a lot more to do there than just go inside their castle and rest up. To some degree, Lost Ark is offering almost a Valheim degree of customization in this MMORPG world.
Players first need to build up their castles on the island and then they can start setting how exactly they want everything to look. There are several different ways that players in Lost Ark will be able to arrange both the main building where they live and other buildings that will offer fortification and defense.
One of the features that allow players to feel as though their stronghold is truly "home," in Amazon Games' upcoming release is that there's quite a bit to do once they've gotten settled in. That includes inviting both friends and foes to come and visit and either hang out, or do battle. Hunting and fishing will, of course, be available around the stronghold but players will also be able to farm and harvest for various items and abilities. All of this is geared towards making sure that Lost Ark players feel immersed in the world to the point where they want to keep coming back.
Lost Ark will launch for PC in the US and Europe in fall 2021.