I have a deep love for EverQuest that dates back to 1999. It’s also a game that I haven’t really been able to commit to since like 2002. I adore the world and still dabble in it occasionally, but I’m pretty far removed from the all-nighters of my high school days. Enter EverQuest Legends: a remixed, solo-friendly version take on EQ that aims to capture the vibe and soul of early EverQuest while also acknowledging that OG players are now adults with responsibilities. One big change is that you can now multiclass to cover multiple party roles in a single character, making solo play more viable. Most notably to me, the punishing XP penalty on death has been removed- which removes the survival horror aspect of the original, but encourages exploration.
I cannot overstate how exciting this release is to me. Being able to have a fresh start in an MMO is a wonderful feeling- I’ve done it with classic / progression servers in both EQ and World of Warcraft. But in each of those cases the game would eventually ask more of me than I was able to give. EQL is promising a compelling balance: a vast and exciting world to explore, but with the ability to play at your own pace.
Will the developers be able to pull it off? It’s too soon to say. They’re certainly being thoughtful about it, but fundamentally changing the way players engage with a 25+ year old persistent online game is no simple task. While I’m obviously excited, I have three main concerns:
1) Will the changes make the game too easy and trivialize the journey? If everyone’s at the level cap and completing end game content after the first month it all may feel a bit anticlimactic.
2) Will the upfront cost and subscription fee be a barrier for growing and maintaining a player base? I definitely prefer this model over the nonsense that comes with free-to-play, but I’m not sure if others will feel similar. Additionally, Legends is not included in Daybreak’s All Access subscription, so it will be an additional fee for current EverQuest subscribers. Will current players be willing to pay the additional fee to give Legends a shot? I think there is a hope that Legends will pull in new players, but with so many options, the market is rough for live service games these days.
3) What will the player base be like? There will always be assholes and trolls in an online game; it’s only a problem when they are the majority. I don’t know what the vibe will be in EQL- I’d like to think it’ll be kind, friendly, nostalgic, and helpful people, but projects like this can also attract the RETVRN crowd. It really doesn’t matter how great a game is if the chat is filled with slurs and conversations about how games are too woke now or whatever.
While these concerns are top of mind, they’re not enough to diminish my excitement for the game. I plan to preorder it and participate in next month’s beta to see for myself. I feel that I understand the core systems of EQ well enough to see how the changes in Legends will fundamentally change the experience into a more casual one (complimentary). I for one cannot wait to return to my ancestral MMO homeland of Norrath. The quest goes ever on.
A couple of previews from SGF:
Leave a comment