Lost Ark Review (Steam)

For this Lost Ark Review we embark on an odyssey for the Lost Ark in a vast, vibrant world: explore new lands, seek out lost treasures, and test yourself in thrilling action combat as you seek the power of the Ark in this free-to-play, action-packed RPG.

Lost Ark Review Pros:

  • Beautiful graphics.
  • Download size.
  • Steam achievements.
  • Own in-game achievements.
  • Can rebind controls for both keyboard and the controller buttons.
  • Controller support.
  • Action RPG gameplay.
  • Graphics settings are direct X 9 or Direct X 11, Resolution, screen type, force 21:9 aspect ratio, lock cursor, brightness, auto-detect graphics, graphics preset quality, texture quality, shadow quality, character quality, particle quality, anti-aliasing, better depth of field, indirect shadows, auto-optimization (performance or quality), bloom effect, distortion effect, flare effect, motion blur and Hud size. (80/90/100/105/110 percent options)
  • Accessibility settings for mouse cursor (default/light blue/yellow/pink/light green), mouse cursor size, Colourblind filter, color filter intensity, and photosensitivity mode.
  • Five classes – Warrior, Mage, Martial arts male, Martial arts female, Gunner male, Gunner female, and Assassin.
  • Daily login bonuses.
  • Character creator – presets, face, hair, eyes, skin, special, name, and voice.
  • Six character slots.
  • Keyboard control setting presets can be set to attack with left or right clicks and what keyboard layout you are using. (qwerty/azerty/qwertz)
  • Excellent voice work.
  • The advanced class allows you to choose a discipline for your character. For each choice, you can view and test out what that choice entails, and shows an optional video and stats info.
  • On-screen button prompts.
  • Can skip some cutscenes.
  • Stunning locations.
  • Minimap along with a big map that stays on screen, and can be toggled.
  • Welcome challenges – an optional list of challenges to help guide new players through the game and learn what it offers.
  • Plays better with a mouse and keyboard.
  • Each running quest will assign a number and have that number shown on markers making it easier to manage.
  • Handy locate the button for showing where your objective is.
  • Discover and unlock fast travel points.
  • Adventurer journal keeps track of progress across all the missions, objectives, exploration, and dungeons.
  • Assign and have a pet accompany you and they have their own inventory slots.
  • Full emote system for you and your pet.
  • Mounts are used so you can travel faster.
  • Loot list complete with loot rarity.
  • Big boss encounters.
  • Play how you want.
  • EXP bar shows down the bottom of the screen.
  • Rapport is something you can build up by doing rapport quests, building it up increases the likely hood of new quests and rewards.
  • A nonstop stream of action and things to do.
  • The welcome challenges really help you see everything on offer.
  • You share the world with other players and you all share the enemies and interactive points.

Lost Ark Review Cons:

  • Very long boot up.
  • On our PC it uses a lot of CPU and locks up the pc until it boots up.
  • Long wait times to join a server.
  • The mouse cursor stays on the screen when using the controller.
  • The controller icons are not always prominent or obvious.
  • Hard to keep tabs on all the missions.
  • Not always clear on your goal.
  • It can spawn loading times for no reason.
  • Enemies respawn either too fast or too slow.
  • Can be an assault on the senses with so many people on screen and using abilities.
  • Story-sensitive cutscenes can only be skipped after an initial viewing.

Related Post: Destructivator SE Review (Nintendo Switch OLED)

Lost Ark:

Official website.

Developer: Smile gate Studios

Publisher: Amazon Games

Store Links – 

Steam

  • 10/10
    Graphics - 10/10
  • 9/10
    Sound - 9/10
  • 8/10
    Accessibility - 8/10
  • 9/10
    Length - 9/10
  • 10/10
    Fun Factor - 10/10
9.2/10

Summary

If Diablo wanted to be an MMO this is the blueprint you work from. For Lost Ark has managed to marry the two in beautiful yet flawed synergy. The graphics are fantastic, the attacks and spells look so bombastic and action-based it’s proper feel-good every encounter. OK so there are many many moving parts in this game and I am still to wrap my head around them all. You get a list of opening optional challenges which really helps you learn not only mechanics but the vast selection of menus and options available to you. The game rewards you for just about anything at any time and it is overwhelming but honestly, you can easily play it and just play it like diablo doing inventory and level ups and still get the fun out of it. I really appreciate how much they have put into the game and they gave it a real good shot at keeping the player as informed as possible, it succeeds and fails in equal measures but like I say they don’t lock a load of mechanics or progress up in the menus so you can just ignore what you don’t understand. Gameplay-wise it’s straight-up Diablo but taken up 100 levels, you have such a huge catalog of spells and attacks each looking crazier than the last, the controls are familiar and the hot bar does show button icons to help. You can roam this massive world however you want, take part in dungeons either solo or with other players, do side missions, or go on the sometimes great story. However you want to play, Lost Ark does its best to accommodate you. I like how it’s free to play yet doesn’t ram microtransactions down your throat, they give you as much content as a World Of Warcraft or a Skyrim and it costs you nothing!

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!