There are a lot of details that New World shares with other MMOs, like the crafting options and wide variety of weapons and armor. The game also sets itself apart in unique ways that gamers don't see as often, such as leaving racial choices out of the game. Other MMOs like World of Warcraft include choices like trolls, humans, or gnomes, while RPGs, in general, are famous for their myriad of racial choices and the ability buffs related to them.
There are no classes or racial choices to be made in New World. A character's class is determined over time by their weapons of choice, fighting style, and ability scores, and all of the races are human or variants of humans. That includes the aggressive enemies that assail the player when they leave the safety of a settlement. There is a variety of these, not including the animals that also roam freely in the wilds, and it helps to know where to find them and how to slay them.
Lost
It's impossible to die on Aeternum, but that's not as great as it sounds. The Lost are humans who have either gone insane from too many resurrections or died in gruesome ways that made resurrection either difficult or impossible. The way they passed often determines where they can be found, but regardless of where the player finds them, their powers and weaknesses are the same.
These enemies resemble ghosts in appearance and abilities. They drain life and stamina and have elemental damage like frost and electricity. Level the Arcana skill and make Lost Coating, which can be applied to the character's weapon to give them a damage bonus, as well as Lost Ward Potion, which improves damage absorption when fighting this enemy.
Drowned
Since everyone starts on the beach as a shipwreck survivor, the first enemies players will face upon reaching Aeternum will be Drowned Lost. They tend to be lower-level enemies that are designed for starting players. The ghostly pirates that wander the rocky shores and the skeletal fisherman that wander through the swamp are some examples. A character's first set of gear and weapon choices are often determined by whatever they pick up from a Drowned Lost on their way to the nearest settlement.
Withered
Found further inland than the Drowned, these are often former denizens of settlements that have been overtaken by Lost and abandoned by any survivors. These can be farmers, miners, trappers, or other settlers. Often they leave behind notes, letters, or pages from a diary that players can piece together and learn the tragic local story.
Crafters who are working on their Cooking skills or Miners will often come across Withered when collecting raw ore, herbs, or vegetables. They're the same level as the zone in which they're located and appear more often in lower-level areas, where colonists made more aggressive attempts to settle the land.
Ancient Guardians
As the name suggests, the Ancient Guardians are all that's left of some of the earliest attempts at settlement on Aeternum. Their persistence to exist beyond death has something to do with the power of Azoth, which these Ancients also used to drive their once-prosperous civilization. How or why their society fell apart is a mystery, but the Ancient Guardians remain to patrol the vast ruins they left behind.
These tend to be armored and capable of more complex battle tactics, like blocking and retreating, making them much more difficult to face and fight compared to other races of enemies. They are found by the impressive ruins that dot the more advanced zones of New World and that includes various expeditions.
Tinctures and coatings are also available from the Arcana Crafting Station or the Trading Post to give your character an edge when fighting the Ancient Guardians.
Corrupted
The first few enemies new players meet will often be Drowned Lost, but the first Boss they meet is an example of the Corrupted. The deep and menacing red glow is what makes these enemies so distinctive. They're marked on the map, are often some of the most dangerous and advanced enemies, and are an intrinsic part of the lore that's central to the story of Aeternum.
It's highly recommended that players don't face minions of the Corrupted alone, or if they do, make sure they have a few options with the power of Corrupted Ward to help them out. Crafters can also put a Perk on their armor to improve their damage absorption rates when fighting the Corrupted.
Unlike the Lost or the Ancient Guardians, the Corrupted are their own sentient Faction. The open portals that often dot the countryside, spreading to the land and animals nearby, are their attempts at an invasion. Players will face Corrupted minions in a variety of forms, including zealots, cultists, grunts, snipers, and several others, ranging from normal difficulty to full-on max level Bosses.
Angry Earth
Out of all the aggressive races that players will confront in New World, the Angry Earth is among the most beautiful and the most deadly. They tend to be the rarest enemies in Aeternum, especially compared to others, confined to isolated, mid-level areas where the trees and foliage are heavy. The Garden Of Genesis is an Expedition set in the Angry Earth environment.
This race is actually closer to wild animals in the way they behave, which makes perfect sense considering their lore and origins. Their motive is to protect the earth where they dwell against corruption, and that includes all of the colonists that have invaded Aeternum. In other words, this isn't personal.
Angry Earth Wards in the form of potions, tinctures, and crafting perks are available when it's time to take on the Angry Earth, either to farm rare wood and plants in their lands or to complete elite-level quests. It's also important to have these advantages to keep from being overwhelmed by the Blight, which often follows the path of the Angry Earth.
Blighted
They look and seem like Lost, and have similar abilities that drain life and vitality, but the difference lies in the color and location. A category of Angry Earth, the Blighted are humans who have spent too much time in close proximity to the Angry Earth or the lands where they live.
The green vapors that infect the ground and plants also affect humans and can turn them into a variety of monsters. There are also tinctures and armor Perks that can help with this condition, but if they aren't available, be sure to limit any time spent fighting the Blight lest it takes you as well.
New World was released on September 28, 2021 and is currently available on PC.