Black Desert Online

 PC
  • Publisher: GameOn
  • Release Date: Mar 3, 2016
User Score
6.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 1667 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,021 out of 1667
  2. Mixed: 105 out of 1667
  3. Negative: 541 out of 1667

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  1. Kaarilala
    Mar 10, 2016
    8
    lmao, I love that all these reviews came in on the exact same day, by a bunch of keyboard face smash names, all with 0's, all with only a single review... seriously, Metcritic you need to do your job better, clean up the obvious bots out of here.

    As for my Review, Honestly, is it the best PVE game? Nah, not really, it's very focused on PvP. the game has a very fun combat system, it's    lmao, I love that all these reviews came in on the exact same day, by a bunch of keyboard face smash names, all with 0's, all with only a single review... seriously, Metcritic you need to do your job better, clean up the obvious bots out of here.

    As for my Review, Honestly, is it the best PVE game? Nah, not really, it's very focused on PvP.
    the game has a very fun combat system, it's very much a combo based system where you string together abilities by using directions and key inputs, no hotbar smashing for your primary combat abilities. some abilities do require hotbar use though, stuff like buffs, etc.

    for the PVE they do have, it feels very organic, its a very open world that feels alive, random NPCs wandering around, crowded spots of monsters, no barron empty areas ive run into so far. players can participate in zone control PvP, Trade between towns, etc. you can be a professional in this game and not even touch combat if you really wanted to.

    honestly, im enjoying the **** out of this game, it's 30 bucks, and ive gotten more then that worth out of the game. the cash shop is exceedingly expensive for what it offers, but honestly, its all optional, the "pay 2 win" ghillie suit, is barely an advantage, the "advantage" it gives you, anyone can do without the ghillie suit anyway... just crouch... >.> It's that easy.

    anyways, back to the game, as someone who works full time, and only has a few hours a night to play, this game has been a lot of damn fun.    … Expand
  2. kyriores
    Aug 1, 2017
    3
    Good game, but do yourself a favor and play on a private server. You won't have to deal with Kakao's greed, which is pretty much the only thing that's ruining this game.
  3. GabrielKD
    Mar 7, 2016
    8
    The game is b2p and it has a cash shop with cosmetics such as armors/weapon looks, dyes and quality of life stuff such as inventory space/weight limit. You also get to increase your weight limit/inventory space by questing in game which is great. It does feel a bit restricted at first, but once you learn not to pay too much attention to every little trash you find, it gets better.

    The    The game is b2p and it has a cash shop with cosmetics such as armors/weapon looks, dyes and quality of life stuff such as inventory space/weight limit. You also get to increase your weight limit/inventory space by questing in game which is great. It does feel a bit restricted at first, but once you learn not to pay too much attention to every little trash you find, it gets better.

    The combat, graphics and overall feel of the world and the level immersion is amazing.
    It is however not for people expecting run of the mill theme-park mmo, it has extremely large "life" elements, like trading/farming/sailing/guild wars/ sieges/ etc.
    There's a questing system that isn't lacking in quests but it is pretty "run of the mill", nothing extraordinary but nothing to scoff at either.
    The voice acting is a bit .. bad, but in a rather funny way that, for me at least, doesn't detract from the world.

    I can't praise the combat system enough, I've played Witch quite a bit so far, but I've never felt so good playing a "mage"-like character, hurling those spells feels insanely satisfying. Valkyrie melee combat feels very good too, the hits feel like the connect in a very satisfying way, I'll need to play more to get a fee for it thou.
    The combat is amazing, I can't stress that enough, especially once you start unlocking your higher-level skills and combos. And for a game that emphasizes world-mob-grinding so much, this can only help immensely.
    There is no "level cap" but rather a soft-cap at 50/55 and then it gets progressively slower to level.

    All your characters are in a "family", they basically share the same family name and many things from the world progression, such as contribution/workers/knowledge.
    The world is teeming with so many systems it would be hard to go over all of them here but it's great to discover and use them.

    Again, this game is not for everyone, it's somewhat far from the standard mmo and the lack of instanced dungeons/raids and "standard" treadmill end-game will put some people off.

    Now if you'll excuse me I have a billion things to up my world progression.    … Expand
  4. Juniperus
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    you can ignore almost any bad review for three reasons.

    1. Reviews whining about the cash shop. There is absolute no reason at all to EVER use this shop. You won't need anything of this shop. There is not a single pay2win item in this game and no one needs those silly looking costumes. 2. Complains about Game mechanics: This is the first mmo that actually feels and plays like the    you can ignore almost any bad review for three reasons.

    1. Reviews whining about the cash shop. There is absolute no reason at all to EVER use this shop. You won't need anything of this shop. There is not a single pay2win item in this game and no one needs those silly looking costumes.

    2. Complains about Game mechanics: This is the first mmo that actually feels and plays like the REAL mmorpgs before WoW came and ruined it all. Raids are most horrible and boring crap that ever happened to online gaming. WoW is pure grind compared to black desert, where you have a multitude of things to do. I just played a whole weekend without grinding for 1 minute. Don't listen to WoW-Players, no one is less qualified to judge over a mmorpg.

    3. The Game is ridiculously low priced and you don't have to pay a subscription fee. So, compared to the last real mmorpgs of this kind, you'll pay a fraction of the cost.

    If you ever played something like Everquest or DaoC, Eve, or just like to play a mmo with more depth, then give it a try and don't let cheapskates and wow-victims take this experience from you.    … Expand
  5. luislmf
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Black Desert is, since Everquest, the best MMORPG. It really nails the really important things al mmorpg should have and its not buy to win, dont believe it, just play it and see for yourself. For 30 euros and no subscription its a really good investment, this game has content for years.
  6. Justos91
    Mar 7, 2016
    9
    Ignore all reviews from 0-3. This game is WELL deserving of a 7-10. Great gameplay, mechanics, and its FUN. Guys, this isnt a monthly sub game, play the **** out of it and move on. Its a ton of fun.
  7. Masterplanner64
    Mar 10, 2016
    10
    I'm giving this game a 9/10 mostly because I don't believe in giving a 10 to any game because they all have some room for improvement same with this game but anyone that gives this game less than an 8/10 its either trolling, has the patience and understanding of a 10 year old/needs things spelled out , or so jaded that they should just quit games altogether. this game does not cater to theI'm giving this game a 9/10 mostly because I don't believe in giving a 10 to any game because they all have some room for improvement same with this game but anyone that gives this game less than an 8/10 its either trolling, has the patience and understanding of a 10 year old/needs things spelled out , or so jaded that they should just quit games altogether. this game does not cater to the whims of casual play for the most part. (Grinding slow paced mobs when you char moves like lighting and afk fishing are some exceptions.) the combat is very technical for most classes and more akin to a fighting game

    the UI is easy to adjust though the edit UI menu and if you turn off the tutorial videos you will get lost but the game has a built resource called the BDfoundry for hints and tips on how to play but this game doesn't just give you all the answers.

    This is the opposite of WoW nothing is instanced except for player housing atm you pvp for guild halls/houses/castles and resources and taxes on other players. the big raid bosses are world bosses and summons the. end game is many different things not just a gear grind raise the best horse build the best boat be the highest ranked guild have the highest ranked house, be the best trader, fisherman, gatherer, farmer. etc. you can also benefit from making alt and playing them give the best gear to a lvl 1 no soulbound gear.

    So where can it improve? well lvling is fast, focused on large groups of mob grinding in spot to the next the difficulty is relatively low but but fun nonetheless true grind though comes at lvl 50 soft cap (no true hard cap, past 60 though is a practical halt) the mobs aren't completely brain dead but move slow in attacking and movement. more variants in mob difficulty and rewards would be a nice improvement.

    Some designated or even instanced pve dungeon would be nice

    and the rest is being address with the blader and nija classes coming soon as well a instanced 40 v 40 pvp BG

    all said and done Black Desert is the best MMORPG ive played thus far and that's all the action combat mmorpgs wow for 10 years and many niche f2p mmos. It is worth you time the more time you put into to it.    … Expand
  8. Aeonhunter
    Mar 11, 2016
    9
    I had to make an account just to write a review for this game as the amount of VERY negative reviews is absurd.

    I have played this game now from launch and I find it to be very amusing: The combat is great, visuals are stunning and the aspect of REAL adventure is really there! I enjoy it on every levels and find it disturbing to see those 0 reviews. So first let's speak about the    I had to make an account just to write a review for this game as the amount of VERY negative reviews is absurd.

    I have played this game now from launch and I find it to be very amusing: The combat is great, visuals are stunning and the aspect of REAL adventure is really there! I enjoy it on every levels and find it disturbing to see those 0 reviews.

    So first let's speak about the negative feedback this game has gotten and then I write a little conclusion of my own of the state of the game at this very moment (11.3.2016). Let us begin:

    It feels messy and I don't know what to do!
    --> EVERY MMO feels bit messy when you log in the first time. This game is not an exception. But then there is games where you don't care to find out what is going on and then there is games where you really want to find the information. I find this game to be the latter. And after all, it is a SANDBOX game, so it's not that self explanatory what you should do. Do what you want to do!

    It's too hard!
    --> ;) life is. Well seriously speaking the fact that the bosses for example hit hard and takes some carefulness to kill HAS to be a good thing. Too many easy games out there.

    UI is messy!
    --> I personally like it. And it can be modified in different kind of ways. Make your own UI and if it's still messy... Well look to the mirror to see who to blame.

    Gender locks destroyed my plan to be amazing MALE witch!
    --> I hate to tell you this but normally witch it gender locked even in real life. But this one I give to the haters. If you find it depressing that you can't do one EXACT class in the gender you want then yes, this aspect is there. BUT some of the classes are like the same, only with different gender (Warrior - Valkyrie, Witch - Wizard)

    It's P2W even it's B2P!
    --> It really ain't. It has one aspect in pearl store that could be considered as P2W and that is pet, which only loots but it will surely make your life easier. The game is P2W in regions where it is F2P, but they made it in EU B2P because we hate P2Ws, don't we? And I've heard rumors that pets will be added to the game by qs in EU, so let's keep our fingers crossed. (You can buy pets from other players with in-game silver anyway)

    It feels like F2P, all that energy and stuff, UGH!
    --> Well I certainly see your point there. But I see it differently. You can't chop logs all night long in real life, can you? Neither you can in this game. The energy stops me from spamming some actions in game and that makes me want to make my gold in the most efficient way possible. So I see this thing as a pro instead of a con. But everybody have their own opinion and I'm fine with that!

    I have a superüber computer but still it runs like crap!
    --> All I can say is that I have mid range computer and I can't run it with highest settings, but with high mid setting it works like a charm. It looks stunning even with these graphics. The negative feedback on this section is that with mid graphics the objects pop pretty near your character. That is a little visual problem when dashing down the road with your horsey but won't affect your normal visual experience.

    The combat system is confusing, I want my global CDs and hotkeys back!
    --> I personally thought the same. For an hour. After a while you really get into the combat system and BOY, then it feeeeeels good! It's the best combat system in any MMO I've played. And trust me, I've tried many of them. It feels pretty flawless and comfortable and you can really enjoy smashing all the monsters. You can hotkey most of your strikes tho if you so desire.

    The conclusion:
    There is so much more I would like to correct and tell you about this game. But I'm pretty sure most of you don't mind reading this long reviews (and tbh the character limit is closing threateningly) so let's wrap this up:

    There is always some cons and pros as game can't be perfect. And with this particular game I have to say it isn't for everybody.

    Pros: It's stunningly great looking game that offers you a huge world to explore as you will. It offers a lot to do in many forms, so there is always something for everyone: crafting, housing, boss fights, exploring, money making, horse taming and breeding, lore hunting, PVP, guild wars etc... It's sandbox game, so the way you are meant to play ain't introduced to you as you are in control. The game offers some fresh and lifelike inventions which are badly needed for the genre to keep it alive.

    Cons: The fact that leveling up is solely by mob killing is the largest restriction in this game. You have to grind some mobs to get to that soft cap (which is 50 and it isn't THAT bad to reach) and if you don't like action combat gameplay and some monster smashing then sadly, this game isn't for you. The lore is ok/good and so is voice acting (for a MMO-RPG), but if you are expecting AAA solo RPG game storytelling it will be a small letdown. The core game mechanics will divide opinions as some of us like it more classic.

    Hopefully this helped!    … Expand
  9. Zombiemold
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    This is a fantastic Sandbox MMO aimed at hardcore MMO audiences. It's not perfect, but quite deserving of very high marks. A lot of great content and updates are lined up, and I am excited for what is to come.
  10. TheVVhiteRabbit
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Best MMO hands down that I've played since Vanilla WoW.

    Absolutely NOT pay to win, that's absurd. In WoW you can BUY a max level character hahaha yet people say it's not pay to win, ok sure. This is amazing, don't listen to the negative reviews, other people are freaking out because they're still playing ESO, GW2 or WoW and they're upset that this is clearly better and they wasted their time.
  11. Alex2life
    Mar 7, 2016
    8
    Been playing MMOs on and off for like a decade now and I've always loved the side stuff like fishing, I just find it relaxing.

    The thing is, with most MMOs fishing is just a small side activity that might grant you a small amount of currency, achievements etc. In Black Desert I can earn a large amount of money through fishing, I can progress through fishing etc. My goal atm is to get    Been playing MMOs on and off for like a decade now and I've always loved the side stuff like fishing, I just find it relaxing.

    The thing is, with most MMOs fishing is just a small side activity that might grant you a small amount of currency, achievements etc.
    In Black Desert I can earn a large amount of money through fishing, I can progress through fishing etc.
    My goal atm is to get a fishing boat so I can fish all over the map.

    And I know other players are enjoying trading, fighting, gathering etc.
    The ui can be confusing at first but if you just take it slow and actually read the tips and such, its pretty easy to understand.

    Combat is flashy, fast and just awesome. If you find the enemies too easy, go to another place. T

    The whole node-networking is just really fun. You use contribution points (That you earn through questing) to activate places on the map so your slaves...*cough* workers can gather ressources for you.
    And if you connect towns you can sell stuff with a distance bonus - Atm, Im fishing at one town, then running to the other end of my network to sell it for a bonus.

    Cant recommend it enough - So much different stuff to do :D    … Expand
  12. ealaidh
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    I was given this game as a gift, so this review comes from experiencing it post-release rather than trying to defend my purchase. Also, I would rate this game as an 8.5 to 9.0, but due to the ESO brigaders I need to rate it a 10 to try to balance things out, so thank you for further breaking the system here.

    POSITIVES: - Combat: A common complaint is that combat is too easy, but    I was given this game as a gift, so this review comes from experiencing it post-release rather than trying to defend my purchase. Also, I would rate this game as an 8.5 to 9.0, but due to the ESO brigaders I need to rate it a 10 to try to balance things out, so thank you for further breaking the system here.

    POSITIVES:

    - Combat: A common complaint is that combat is too easy, but people should wait until they’re done killing goblins to judge. When you storm rebel strongholds and have to deal with wizards throwing fireballs that can knock you down while other rebels charge you to stab you in the back for massive damage and more shoot arrows, then you can judge. And when it comes to the solo bosses? Those are some of the most challenging and fun encounters I’ve had in gaming. On top of that, each class is wildly different (barring Wizard/Witch), so you’ll have a new experience each time you swap characters.

    - Options: I had aspirations of getting to level 50 in the first few days so that I could do world bosses and do GvG. Instead, I found myself spending a lot of time getting into the subsystems. Trading, fishing, crafting, cooking, and gathering are all intricately done and explain why the game is built like it is. Instead of getting to level 50 quickly, I ended up spending almost four days setting up a trade network and getting my workers settled so I could build a nice boat to eclipse the rafts my friends had built in just a couple hours of work. Leaderboards make it even better, and I’ve spent the last two days competing with an old guild leader from a previous game over who was the better cook. I am.

    - PvP/GvG: This game boasts the kind of PvP that other games have been trying to pull off for ages. It has a huge, open world and makes PvP a threat. However, do too much of it and you risk having guards attack you in cities and having your guild drop you for reducing their karma too much. That’s why GvG is a thing. In-game you’ll regularly see guilds declaring war on each other as they fight over nodes that give access to different resources and bonuses. The game hasn’t been out for a week, but if you have system notifications on you can see wars begin dozens of times a day. Players drive this system, and players are enthusiastic to do so, all because it was built to be rewarding.

    - Graphics: The game looks really good. Better than any MMO I’ve played before, and on par with some single player games I’ve played. And on top of that, it’s optimized really well. Certainly better than anything EA does with their games. I’ve never played another MMO with the potential for beautiful settings, because you have an incredible amount of landscape to explore in this game.

    - Immersion: People complain about the lack of fast travel, or the separate banks in different cities, and I’ve even seen complaints about not being able to store your crafting supplies in one place à la Guild Wars 2. Those systems would ruin the sandbox nature of the game, where a lack of fast travel is required for the entire trading system to function. This is not a themepark MMO, where everything is handed to you. It’s older fashioned, leaving it up to the player to piece things out and collaborate with others as they go.

    - Characters: You can create beautiful and handsome characters, you can create monsters. It’s incredible. There are sites set up to help share amazing creations done on NA/EU servers or across the world. The only item I whole-heartedly recommend buying in the cash shop is the 30 day appearance coupon, which is $10 and lets you customize ALL your characters on a server as many times as you want for 30 days. I’ve heard complaints of Same Face Syndrome, but if you actually make an effort you won’t make the same half-assed sorceress as everyone else.

    - Loading Screens: After you load your character, there are no loading screens. Not one. You can go across the entire world without having to wait while a new screen loads, even going into housing without a hiccup.

    NEGATIVES:

    - Voice Acting: It's spotty. It goes from tolerable to abysmal, and only for a few NPCs is it decent to good.

    - Translations: The translations aren't always perfect. This usually doesn’t cause issues, but can occasionally when you’re trying to gather a certain type of fish when the game needs you to get another. It’s better than other localized Asian MMOs, and I rarely notice glaring issues.

    - Cash Shop: Even though Daum hasn’t used the same ridiculous monetization the Korean BDO used, things are too expensive. That being said, the game is not P2W. This isn't ArcheAge, where you could buy the best armor and weapons. There is no way to turn real money spent on the game into in-game money, which can be used to get the best items. You can only get a 10% experience boost in the cash shop, and getting to 50 10% quicker means nothing when you can get the same boosts in-game.

    All in all, I'm enjoying the game more than anything else I've played recently.    … Expand
  13. daaeeneeryys
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    I see a lot of 0 which makes the score go down by a lot, and that's not a 5 game at all. So, i will vote an 8 because i do get upset with a few things, but this doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the game. The game is awesome, there are tons of things to do that you will just get lost, the combat system is awesome, there is a lot of grinding and the feeling that you get from achieving hardI see a lot of 0 which makes the score go down by a lot, and that's not a 5 game at all. So, i will vote an 8 because i do get upset with a few things, but this doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the game. The game is awesome, there are tons of things to do that you will just get lost, the combat system is awesome, there is a lot of grinding and the feeling that you get from achieving hard things to do like building a **** boat is incredible.
    But, yes, it has cons.
    The lack of in-game costumisation of your outfit it's a big meh, and it's important on a mmo to have that without having to spend money on shop when you already had to pay for the game, i really hope they start changing this things, but we'll see
    The buffs you get from things you can only get from shop (example: pets) it's another hit, they are not reeally enough to say its p2w, but if it goes that way it will end being it, and that will ruin it all. They have to make this things just p2f so you can get pets in game but at cost of time, i would be OK with that.

    Tweaking this things and adding more PvE content would just be perfect for this impressive mmo, hope they don't ruin it.    … Expand
  14. Primogenitor
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Don't listen to people who say it is pay to win, this isn't Archeage, I have yet to come across anything that makes it pay to win. Everyone has access to everything. Best MMO IMO, try it. ESO fanboys keep down voting, because their game isn't do as well. 90% of things you buy from the cash shop are skins, just like League of Legends don't do much. The other 10% is expanding inventoryDon't listen to people who say it is pay to win, this isn't Archeage, I have yet to come across anything that makes it pay to win. Everyone has access to everything. Best MMO IMO, try it. ESO fanboys keep down voting, because their game isn't do as well. 90% of things you buy from the cash shop are skins, just like League of Legends don't do much. The other 10% is expanding inventory system, and weight limit.… Expand
  15. Tokenblackman
    Mar 9, 2016
    10
    Black Desert, to sum it up is Likely one of the Greatest potential. MMORPG's to come around, the Game Does in Fact have a PVE. Since the Game is in the Very 1st stage of its life (western version) with no Current expansions, out this is a Game Build around PVP. with Guild castles, a war system so far as it stands to Give a Game such a one sided point of view of all of the Many classesBlack Desert, to sum it up is Likely one of the Greatest potential. MMORPG's to come around, the Game Does in Fact have a PVE. Since the Game is in the Very 1st stage of its life (western version) with no Current expansions, out this is a Game Build around PVP. with Guild castles, a war system so far as it stands to Give a Game such a one sided point of view of all of the Many classes that are going to be released.

    Down sides no game is "PERFECT" The interface is alittle clunky and the Translations Are alittle off sometime thing are a little buggy. but then again what isn't at At this point at lvl 50 there is no Real content (right now)

    also to add to that on that the next expansion that will be released will likely Require and your guild to consist. of players of Max level and also when you get the lvl cap Start working on a profession to Build up the Game economy.

    10/10 Due to the potential and there is Nothing to Compare to it Right now to Leave anything below a 5 would be unfair for any game under 1 week old unless it is unplayable    … Expand
  16. leche
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    This game reminds me a lot of the fresh feeling of playing Runescape for the very first time. The combat is hands down the best MMO combat I have ever experienced. No question about it. When most of an MMO is combat, you better be sure that the combat is good. I'm happy to say that I am completely satisfied with the combat. The only thing I wish was that there were more in game clothing!!
  17. Musai
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Voting 10 when my actual score is an 8. This site is a joke; downvote brigading of a game is totally pathetic. Would love to see the number of hours these people have actually spent in game giving 0-3s

    Metacritic is objectively awful.
  18. Nilm
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Runs great, looks fantastic, about 30-40times better then ESO.
    Servers have never crashed so far unlike ESO
    users are better
    Less trash to deal with
  19. Leomaric
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    A fantastic game that gives you freedom in whatever you want to do. I definitely recommend this game to anyone that enjoys action combat, pvp, and sandbox games.
  20. Tensha
    Mar 14, 2016
    9
    lvl44.
    A real open world mmorpg
    It has a little cons like gear aesthetics without use shop.
    Graphic and part of the living world inspired by the witcher 2 IMHO.
  21. dirklalleman
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Amazing game, the best graphics ever found in an MMORP. To bad there are some haters knowing nothing about the game the real players did not write the reviews.
  22. skilliard
    Mar 7, 2016
    9
    1. Graphics (9/10)

    The graphics are very pretty, and the weather effects are some of the best I've seen in any MMO. The only issue I have with the graphics is how heavily the game relies on LoD to deliver good performance and visuals. The end result is that it looks amazing in still screenshots, but in actual gameplay objects frequently change in complexity, resulting in a "pop in"    1. Graphics (9/10)

    The graphics are very pretty, and the weather effects are some of the best I've seen in any MMO. The only issue I have with the graphics is how heavily the game relies on LoD to deliver good performance and visuals. The end result is that it looks amazing in still screenshots, but in actual gameplay objects frequently change in complexity, resulting in a "pop in" effect.

    Audio(8/10):

    The music in the game is outstanding, and the sound effects on abilities are incredibly satisfying. However, the voice acting in the NA/EU version is terribly uninspired and voices don't match character appearance. Then again, most games have terrible voice acting, so it isn't really an issue.

    Gameplay(10/10):

    The gameplay is unlike any MMO. I actually feel a reason to go out into the world. If you're looking for a WoW clone with instanced raids, battlegrounds, competitive arenas, then don't play Black Desert. Black Desert is a large seamless world where you interact with the environment around you. There is plenty of PVE and PVP, but it doesn't come in the form of instanced raids. BDO is the first game in years that has kept me entertained for more than a week.

    Story/Lore: 10/10:

    I can't say much without spoiling it, but the world is very expansive, and encourages you for learning more. You gain knowledge as you talk to NPCs which can be used to unlock new quests, which provide awesome rewards. It's not like most MMOs where questing is boring and linear.

    Monetization(8/10): The cash shop items aren't too game-breaking, but the issue is that they can't be traded to other players. This means that there's no way to earn them in game, unlike other MMORPGs like GW2.    … Expand
  23. KapiHeartlilly
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    A Fresh entrance into the Western scene, Solid Graphics and Optimisation for all people to be able to enjoy it, No Pay to Win cash shop, plenty of content to sunk your time into, Good Player vs Environment, Guild Player vs Player content and a huge amount of activities and mini games like Fishing and Trading.
  24. Avengersoul
    Mar 8, 2016
    9
    Ignore the ESO user base that is threatened by this game giving it a 0, they collectively came here after recruiting in the ESO chat to come and drop the games score down bringing it from a mid 8 to mid 5.

    That aside, Black Desert Online is the first MMO I've played in 10 years that actually has me invested in the world and doesn't feel like it will fail in a couple of months (ESO    Ignore the ESO user base that is threatened by this game giving it a 0, they collectively came here after recruiting in the ESO chat to come and drop the games score down bringing it from a mid 8 to mid 5.

    That aside, Black Desert Online is the first MMO I've played in 10 years that actually has me invested in the world and doesn't feel like it will fail in a couple of months (ESO anyone?)

    BDO boasts a huge world with tons of lore to back it up, there is lore for everything. It's also not going to hold your hand and let you get around quickly skipping the content. If you want to get from one end of the map to the other you'll be running either on foot or on your mount, there are some transportation NPC's that will taxi you to certain places but there is no fast travel! There is however a waypoint and autorun system in place allowing you to make your way to any destination of your choice.

    The crafting system in place is fantastic. One of the most in depth crafting in an MMO I've seen. Each has tons of recipes to learn and it feels rewarding when you finally make what you were after. From player crafting to hiring workers and assigning tasks there really is loads to do in the game if you prefer trading instead of combat. Want to go explore the ocean, gather material and build a boat. Want to be the best fisherman, grab a pole and cast that line! Everything is ranked in the game, if you're good at something you will get credit and be known!

    If you like questing there are tons of quests. You have your basic kill quests but also tons of other quests that range from profession related to small tasks like helping a girl get her kitten down from a roof. You'll never get bored or run out of quests to do.

    Combat is also great, it's an action combat based system that relies on combo's to do massive damage. The animations and overall feel of it really makes it seem that your abilities are actually hitting your target. The game can be a bit grindy but with the combat system the grind flies by and you're never left feeling bored killing anything for a long period of time.

    There are countless ways to make money in the game as well. Fighting normal mobs or bosses, fishing, gathering, making potions....but the greatest thing in this game are trade runs. You can pack certain goods in crates or purchase goods from a trader in a city, load up a wagon and hit the road to other cities for massive profits, the further the distance the more you make. There are certain factors to watch out for doing this as there is a weight system in place, goods can degrade over time and you can run across thieves while transporting goods but the system is a lot of fun to take part in.

    Another great thing about the game is it's an open world. Only a couple things are instanced base, player house being one of them however arena's, dungeons are all in the world, you won't be hitting any loading screens while playing.

    Housing is another great thing in the game, you can purchase up to 5 "residences" in town that you can enter and decorate. There is furniture in the cash shop, npc's selling them or you can craft them. You can decorate however you wish and housing is also ranked based on a point system for what you own, you can even invest money into your property if you're the top ranked out of everyone that owns that same house and earn interest off your investment.

    PVP is also in the game, I haven't experienced much but there is open world pvp and a karma system to help with gankers. The main focus currently are guild wars which is free of the karma system. I believe later we will be getting sieges.

    Lastly the game is gorgeous! This is one of the most beautiful MMO's I've played that has a realistic look to it. There is a day/night cycle that runs two hours for each and the nights are very dark, sometimes requiring a lantern to see. The game also runs really well on a variety of systems, if you have a high end system it will definitely show but even extremely low end systems can run the game extremely well, I tried the game on my laptop which has i5 integrated graphics and was able to run about 30 fps on low which still looks great.

    The game is B2P, starting price is 30 dollars which is a very good price for the amount of content we have or will be getting in the future. There is a cash shop, the prices in the shop are very overpriced sadly but there is no P2W in this game, Daum (the publisher) has listened to the community and removed the P2W aspects from the game that were there in the Korean/Russian release.

    I could go on and on about the game all day, there really is too much to talk about even in the 5k character limit here.

    I rated the game a 9/10, no game is perfect. This game also won't be for everyone, I would suggest trying to snag a guest pass if you want to try it out. There has been some launch issues regarding preorder items but for the most part the launch has been pretty good. I haven't had any issues playing the game.    … Expand
  25. TheMerryGambit
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    10/10 Would buy again... well personally its an 8.5 or 9 out of 10 But I'm giving this game a 10 because it truly deserves a much higher score than a 6 And here are the reasons why:

    TLDR: 1) Combat - The combat in this game is Fluid, dynamic, and Amazing. When I first saw it on videos I thought "What is this hot mess?" All I could imagine was button mashing for the win. But that    10/10 Would buy again... well personally its an 8.5 or 9 out of 10 But I'm giving this game a 10 because it truly deserves a much higher score than a 6 And here are the reasons why:

    TLDR:

    1) Combat - The combat in this game is Fluid, dynamic, and Amazing. When I first saw it on videos I thought "What is this hot mess?" All I could imagine was button mashing for the win. But that is NOT THE CASE AT ALL. You have to be skilled with your combos and time them correctly to pull them off. But if you chain them together you can create a masterpiece of destruction... and it FEEELS SOOO GOOOOOD!

    2) ABSOLUTELY NO PAY TO WIN - Accomplished VIA:

    >> A Semi Fixed Marketplace with anti botting measures
    >> No player trading allowed (very intentional to stop gold farming) Again at first you might shake your fist at the sky and cry "TYRANNY!" but This essentially completely locks down all gold farmers and craps in their faces. I love it so much I could cry.
    c) higher cash shop prices for vanity items (and few character clothing customizations in game) in order to pay for more amazing content.

    The vast majority of the negative reviews on here are people **** about the cash shop costumes being too expensive or that there are no refunds for pre-orders after you play the game etc. But they are truly missing the point as to why the cash shop is the way it is. Think of it as paying to keep the game devs generating amazing content without pay to win abuse and you'll realize it's well worth the cost.

    3) Stable Marketplace economy - At first it might seem too fixed but there are so many complex facets to the economy you'll be thankful you have a stable marketplace at it's central hub. `

    4) Graphics Are Amazing... like ridiculously amazing. They roads even stay wet and have puddles that you can create ripples in for a while after the rain clears and they dynamically go away after a while of the sun drying them out.

    5) Housing System is amazing - While some of you might miss the "claim and concor" aspect of Archeage, BDO takes a different approach. In BDO your housing is a part of your economy. you essentially buy multiple properties to build up your own empire similar to a Sim City or RTS game... its actually pretty badass.

    6) Economy/Trading System. This backpacks off the above and ties in with the crafting system... there is literally so much to this system that it would take a while to explain but needless to say it's in depth and awesome with such variables effecting price as market trends, player relationships, distance travelled, type of location/NPC you are selling it to, environmental factors etc. etc.

    7) Crafting systems - Again these are so large and so expansive I would have to write a book. Needless to say you will invariably end up picking 1 - 3 aspects of the crafting system to focus on and just learn and explore all that you can within that discipline. For me that's fishing and Gawd Damn it's satisfying in this game.

    8) Story and immersion - no fast travel at all... this might upset some... but it's a godsend. Really it's hard to pin point it down but the story is actually good even though it has its translation and voice acting hiccups. there is quite a political war going on between 2 of the main hubs of the world and all in all you feel like you're in the middle of a big ongoing conflict.... hard to lay my finger on it but It's very similar to the Witcher 2 even with all of its flaws.    … Expand
  26. SimplyMog
    Mar 5, 2016
    4
    This is a hard one to review, but i'll be trying to be as unbiased as possible... The game has a brilliant character creation system, by far the greatest i've ever used, to the point i spent hours in it. The graphics are nice and controls fairly easy to get the hand of. Unfortunately, in it's current state the game is in a bit of a mess...

    There is a point where everyone leaves their    This is a hard one to review, but i'll be trying to be as unbiased as possible... The game has a brilliant character creation system, by far the greatest i've ever used, to the point i spent hours in it. The graphics are nice and controls fairly easy to get the hand of. Unfortunately, in it's current state the game is in a bit of a mess...

    There is a point where everyone leaves their horses in certain spots, and due to not being able to toggle them from your own vision, the screen can get fairly clustered with other people's horses, not just yours. The game feels also quite like a mobile game, in the sense there's quite a few "waiting" portions, however, while some may have a problem, the game offers multiple ways to shorten that time, if you're observant.

    While my biggest complaint is directed at the character customization, and don't confuse that with character creation, it's much different. When you first receive new armor or a weapon, you're excited to equip it to change your characters default look, only to realize, it doesn't actually change. Some going in blind to this game will be incredibly disappointed, for a game that stresses character customization there is a significant lack of.

    One of the "best" ways to change your looks is through the cash shop, where my other large complaint comes in, through purchasing of costumes and accessories. I completely understand vanity items, and that they're not a necessity, but $30 for a full set, or $16 for the torso/main piece only. If this had been a F2P game, i would completely ignore this matter, but that isn't the case.

    However, this game does offer a lot in the sense you can leave your computer running, and it will accumulate points for various sections of the game, and even when offline. However, while this is a nice time saver, this relates back to the feeling of a "Mobile game", which it shouldn't be, it's an MMO on a PC.

    Combat is nice and fluid, but some classes are more interesting than others. The skill tree system (currently) feels vast enough for me to say it's enjoyable to try out new skills when I get them.

    Voice acting in the game is... actually really bad. It pains me to say it as they must have put a lot of work into it, as a lot of NPC's speak when you're simply idling in town. If i had the option to just have the korean audio, i would take it.

    Overall, BDO gets a 4, a deserving 4. Does this mean the game is crap, no, no it does not. Does it mean you should throw your wallet on the screen, as i did, no, no you should not. The developers need to really consider what it means to have a game "Buy to Play", for as it stands, it feels like i've been playing a glorified farmville, apologies for the analogy to those hurt by that comment, but think about it...

    You start out with nothing, go out do missions, eventually get to crafting and the core section, and things start costing points that are returned by waiting: making food costs points, chopping trees costs points, making swords costs points, and getting those points back takes literal time. There are ways to get points back besides quests and waiting, through "loyalties", or real money, speeding things up, like a mobile game.

    I, like others, believe Black Desert will go F2P if things continue as is, and that's a shame, as i would love to see it prosper.    … Expand
  27. DDonut
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Not for people who like to give up, Who dont enjoy spending 100 hours perfecting your play to the utmost and making a name for yourself in a game that has no limit. You will never forget the days u see your first ents walking through the forest. Or the first time u hammer on a cyclops in a far of forest. The first time u succeed in building a fishing boat and go on the hunt for whales orNot for people who like to give up, Who dont enjoy spending 100 hours perfecting your play to the utmost and making a name for yourself in a game that has no limit. You will never forget the days u see your first ents walking through the forest. Or the first time u hammer on a cyclops in a far of forest. The first time u succeed in building a fishing boat and go on the hunt for whales or just see the sun rise above the islands. Cant praise this game enough but its not for people who dont like the grind. This is for people who like to work for their stuff and wait for that feeling when u finnally get that +15 upgrade on your weapon.… Expand
  28. LypseDK
    Mar 5, 2016
    2
    The Bad..
    Voice and text are not matching.
    The black spirit... who thought that whine when summoned was a good idea.
    Mobs die in one hit.. then at the first real fight with the summoned imp you almost die... very strange.
    So many systems in place, that are just diffrent grinds?
    I got the most fun out of the character generator, then it fell apart after that...
  29. snooze4321
    Mar 4, 2016
    4
    Black Desert Online is enjoyable if you like pvp or running goods between cities for profit. But the games pros are outweighed by its cons.

    Pros: - An amazing parkour system where you can climb over any wall and onto roofs etc. - The game looks great and has good optimization - The autorun feature means you can set a destination to a quest or location and just hit your run key - The    Black Desert Online is enjoyable if you like pvp or running goods between cities for profit. But the games pros are outweighed by its cons.

    Pros:
    - An amazing parkour system where you can climb over any wall and onto roofs etc.
    - The game looks great and has good optimization
    - The autorun feature means you can set a destination to a quest or location and just hit your run key
    - The lack of fast travel gives the game a more life like feel to it. Combined with a trading system that has you running goods between cities.

    Cons:
    - THE ENERGY SYSTEM. Everything you do requires energy, if you cut down 10 trees you then have to wait HALF AN HOUR to cut down another 10.
    - The voice acting is atrocious
    - Such little effort has gone into the quest text and dialogue, combined with how fast you level it might as well not exist
    - The ludicrous cost of cash shop items. An outfit will cost the same amount as the game itself. Your auto loot function costs $10. And the dye system is a joke.
    - Daum's business practises. The way they interact with the community, the prices they put on items and the fact they had you waive your rights to a refund if you pre-ordered the game all ties into the fact that Daum can not be trusted. I really would not be surprised if they made the game free to play 6 months later.

    You will get enough fun out of $30 if you can ignore the cons just don't support bad business practises; don't buy cash shop items.    … Expand
  30. boxgurl160
    Mar 3, 2016
    0
    Black Desert Online Is a buy to play MMO with a price tag of $30

    This game has a lot of issues. Most mainly being from it's terrible publisher DAUM. I think it's quite clear that this game for them is nothing more then a quick cash grab. Let's talk about DAUM's communication skills If there's anything this last week proved it's that DAUM is terrible about communicating to their    Black Desert Online Is a buy to play MMO with a price tag of $30

    This game has a lot of issues. Most mainly being from it's terrible publisher DAUM. I think it's quite clear that this game for them is nothing more then a quick cash grab.

    Let's talk about DAUM's communication skills

    If there's anything this last week proved it's that DAUM is terrible about communicating to their player base. During the 2nd closed beta people were given a look at the cash shop items, a lot of people were upset with the pricing and RNG items. A costume would cost more then the actual game. So DAUM created a thread on the official forums to keep all the angry players in one spot. A whole week of people complaining and DAUM said nothing to anybody. At the end of the week it was the last day to pre-order and still DAUM had said nothing about it. Only the day after the pre-orders ended did people finally get a response. It's almost like they purposely waited till after pre-orders ended to release a statement to make sure they got no more negative press. They also didn't get the response from DAUM, they got it from MMORPG, that's right a third party site.

    Did they listen to their players? Well yes and no. They did reduce the price---of just the costumes, and only by $3 from $32 to $29. In fact it almost seems like they lowered the prices by $3 just to shut up the people who were complaining about costumes being more then the game itself. Everything else stayed the same in the cash shop.

    During the Early Access stage of the game people like myself who spent $100 on the game tried to claim our pre-order items had many issues. What happened when you tried to send in a support ticket asking for help? Nothing, Till this moment I still haven't gotten a response to my ticket asking for help. Sure eventually I got my items after the game launched, but it's really telling when DAUM can't be arsed enough to even reply to support tickets asking for help.

    on 3/3/2016 the game officially launched. When it went live there was a 1 gig patch. Normally with a MMO you expect for there to be some sort of patch notes. So was there any patch notes? Nope, apparently 1 gigs worth of changes isn't important enough to tell their players about.

    Now let's talk about character customization.

    BDO has a very detailed dye system, and a good amount of dyes. How do you get dyes you ask? Well through the cash shop of course! There's no way to obtain dyes in the game itself without paying for them. Oh did I mention that the dyes are rng one time use items? I hope you don't have a certain look you want because good luck getting the dyes without spending $100.

    I bet you're thinking "well if I can't dye my gear surely I can just use a wide variety of costumes at my disposal!" you'd be wrong. Each class has about 4 different outfits in the game, that's right 4. There's more in the cash shop of course. So really if you want to look different then other people you're gonna have to pay money at some point. It's almost mind boggling, since you can play mmos from 16 years ago that offer more character customization then BDO does(without using cash shop items). Heck even modern F2P games have more customization then BDO does.

    Being able to style and customize your character in an mmo is a very important feature, and has been a fundamental part of MMOs for over a decade. The fact that DAUM has restricted that customization to the cash shop is disgusting.

    DAUM sold a B2P game which has a worse cash shop then most F2P games. I like the game, but I would not recommend it to anyone with how greedy and lazy the publisher DAUM is. Black Desert Online does not have a bright future if DAUM keeps up with their shenanigans.    … Expand
  31. crypticturtle
    Mar 8, 2016
    8
    I honestly enjoy this game. The combat is excellent, the world is alive, the game has a great land and property ownership system, and you can hire npc workers to gather for you. A few drawbacks are that low-level combat is very easy, the UI feels like a foreign website, and the games trading/property system is a bit confusing at first. They also need to make an option to make other playersI honestly enjoy this game. The combat is excellent, the world is alive, the game has a great land and property ownership system, and you can hire npc workers to gather for you. A few drawbacks are that low-level combat is very easy, the UI feels like a foreign website, and the games trading/property system is a bit confusing at first. They also need to make an option to make other players parked mounts invisible since they clog up cities.… Expand
  32. chr0mius
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Great game with a very in depth economy and crafting system. Skills are definitely more involved and builds are far less linear than most mmorpgs. Character creation is also very good although the classes are gender locked. Combat is unique and becomes pretty natural as you learn the combos. A shame that trolls are trying to tank the rating because its a really fun game.
  33. sodade21
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    Amazing game. You need to give it a shot and maybe force yourself for the first 5 hours of playing till you get an idea of what happening.. then you probably gonna love it! its amazing and has a bit room for improvement ;)
  34. Marulk
    Mar 3, 2016
    0
    Moneyscammers i say who does nothing to fix the problems who overflowing atm . Can`t even login on my server and it`s no use write a ticket as they got 0 support. Beta i would say but u pay for Alpha..if i could i would sew their lazy money asses on all they got...
  35. Ljungman
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Been playing it from the release now and I can positively say that it was well worth the money and the time I've been playing it. This is far the most fun I've ever had in MMO in a long time. The only complaint I have at the moment is that the gender is tied to the classes, which isn't that much of a problem really.

    I love the world that they have created and it's really fun to explore,    Been playing it from the release now and I can positively say that it was well worth the money and the time I've been playing it. This is far the most fun I've ever had in MMO in a long time. The only complaint I have at the moment is that the gender is tied to the classes, which isn't that much of a problem really.

    I love the world that they have created and it's really fun to explore, and feels rewarding in doing so. There is TONS of things to do, with professions, mini-games and the questing. The thing I love most about this MMO is the combat, it's just SO fun to crush your enemies, and that it works fluently is a bonus.

    I'm giving this a 10/10, just because I've enjoyed so much compared to other MMOs like WoW, Guild Wars 2, Elder Scrolls Online and other free one ^^    … Expand
  36. Edean
    Mar 4, 2016
    0
    This game has no pve endgame content and the combat gets really boring after few hours.
    The only reason this game is getting any good reviews is that you can play as pornstar looking skimpy anime girls.
    Stay away. Its not worth your time.
  37. Bjoernen
    Mar 3, 2016
    1
    The game have their classes gender locked. Meaning that if you want to play as a specific class, you are forced to play either a little asian girl or - if you are a Bezerker - a huge monstrous man.

    People are defending it by saying its "in the lore" which in all RPG's is a **** excuse to limit player customization and personal choice. If only the female gender can pick up a bow in Black    The game have their classes gender locked. Meaning that if you want to play as a specific class, you are forced to play either a little asian girl or - if you are a Bezerker - a huge monstrous man.

    People are defending it by saying its "in the lore" which in all RPG's is a **** excuse to limit player customization and personal choice. If only the female gender can pick up a bow in Black Desert the "lore" is a **** disaster.

    I never made a character. I usually play spellcasters in games, and I was limited to the choice of being an old man. The game is Korean. It shows. A lot of skimpy dressed pretty females fighting monsters.    … Expand
  38. Dunhilda
    Mar 3, 2016
    9
    Be warned many of the reviews with 0 are salty children that are crying for some reason, simple research on this title will show all of the mas being wrong and clearly talking out of their asses, hell click on some of the mand see their other reviews... ESO with 10s

    They are fan boys, salty ones at that. 5,000 words isn't idel for me to explain the whole game to you, you're best bet    Be warned many of the reviews with 0 are salty children that are crying for some reason, simple research on this title will show all of the mas being wrong and clearly talking out of their asses, hell click on some of the mand see their other reviews... ESO with 10s

    They are fan boys, salty ones at that.

    5,000 words isn't idel for me to explain the whole game to you, you're best bet is to do your own research in to this title, take a look at streams on Twitch, check Youtube, and read up on this game

    also, no it doesn't have P2W, the pets are very close to P2W, but that just it, they are close to it, many games have a Free to play model or Buy to play and offer you a subscription for more Exp or Gold gain (ESO) we don't sit down and claim that to be Pay to win.    … Expand
  39. zutkos
    Mar 3, 2016
    0
    The game had potential, I'll give it that. Sadly the final product is just horrible. For all you PvE lovers, just turn back and never return, BDO has no PvE at all.
  40. Ripred
    Mar 3, 2016
    9
    The tutorial is really fast paced and stacks everything on you at once which gets really confusing, but once you get the hang of it this is actually a really good MMO. I've never seen an mmo with combat as good as this and the graphics look great even on the lower settings.
    For $30 buy to play this is a steal.
  41. Demeos
    Mar 3, 2016
    8
    This is a decent game. Different, more alive.

    - Towns feel like living breathing town plus players running around. - Combat is reminiscent of hack and slash games. I'd say it's almost like Blade and Soul. Unlike that game however, you can literally perform several different attacks with just the movement keys and mouse buttons which is more reminiscent of games like Street Fighter    This is a decent game. Different, more alive.

    - Towns feel like living breathing town plus players running around.

    - Combat is reminiscent of hack and slash games. I'd say it's almost like Blade and Soul. Unlike that game however, you can literally perform several different attacks with just the movement keys and mouse buttons which is more reminiscent of games like Street Fighter or Mortal Kombat.

    - While combat is the most common focus of the game, it isn't the only one as there is plenty of harvesting/crafting to go around. Home ownership, increasing reputation with npc's, sending npc workers out into the world (and you will see them out and about in the actual world), horse taming/breeding/riding, guild vs guild and arena pvp...there's just a ton to do and you can choose to do whatever you want.

    - Now the story isn't anything to write home about in my opinion. Not that I ever really cared about the lore in any MMO...mainly because they say I'm the chosen one and yet I'm surrounded by hundreds of other chosen ones. Anyways, I like the idea of an MMO that doesn't put much emphasis on Story as it allows the player to create their own through actions within the community.

    - The music is in my opinion perfect. Never obnoxious, always at the right level setting the mood, and changing depending on the situation. That combined with the visuals of the world really draws you in.

    - Contrary to what people might tell you, there currently is no Pay to Win in this game. There's Pay for Convenience which is what most decent Buy to Play MMO's have.

    ...Now that I've sang it's praises, I'll talk about the not so good.

    - The look of your character's armor won't change much while you level. You can craft some costumes to replace the appearance of your armor, but the best costumes are in the cash shop.

    - Armor/Costume Dyes are mostly cash shop only and dyes are consumed on use. They did add the option of using loyalty points (earned by logging in daily) to buy a random dye box, but you never know exactly what you'll get that way.

    - There are no dungeons...at least not in the traditional sense. There are outdoor areas with enemies that could be tackled as a group, but you could also solo it if you're skilled enough. There are however over-world bosses and you can even summon some of them with summon scrolls (can be purchased in loyalty shop).

    - PvP doesn't really start until level 45 and the soft cap is level 50 (meaning you can level beyond 50, but it's really slow). On the bright side (or downside depending on your preference), ganking/griefing is severely penalized via a karma system that will leave you unable to go to towns without being kill-on-sight to the guards, but only if you decide to go on a player killing spree against players who haven't flagged themselves for PvP.

    - There is some odd optimization choices that some consider jarring. I for one didn't, but it's really up to what your tolerance is. Fortunately, this never affected gameplay. At least it didn't for me.

    - The character creator seems deep at first glance, but in practice is actually more restrictive than other MMO's and can even be confusing at times. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in the creator figuring out how to coax it into doing your bidding.

    - Apart from the Main Story quest, there is little to no voice acting and the voice acting that is there is cringe-worthy. It doesn't help that the localization of the text is haphazard half the time. Not unreadable, but off-putting none the less.

    In conclusion, this game has it's flaws. But the parts where it's good, it's really good. That being said, it's not going to be for everyone and unfortunately, LP's and Livestreams do not do the game-play justice. If you're the least bit interested in this game, head over to their forums and see if someone will give you a 7-day guest pass and try it for yourself. Personally, I'd say it's at least worth the one-time fee of 30 dollars.    … Expand
  42. fishgeekted
    Mar 3, 2016
    9
    There is plenty wrong with this game, but there is plenty right too. They are trying to push a game into a different direction and it shows. Their biggest fault is that they weren't courageous enough to go the whole distance and they ended up keeping the game firmly planted on the land of familiarity.
  43. bemaniac
    Mar 4, 2016
    2
    I find that the games icons are confusing and cheesy voice overs are embarrassing to listen to. I get the sense of an inferior product as there doesn't seem to be much player cooperation in the game and everything is much too easy to kill. Leveling up was so quick and then there was nothing to do except pvp. I find the character graphics as good as they say but the world is blurry in theI find that the games icons are confusing and cheesy voice overs are embarrassing to listen to. I get the sense of an inferior product as there doesn't seem to be much player cooperation in the game and everything is much too easy to kill. Leveling up was so quick and then there was nothing to do except pvp. I find the character graphics as good as they say but the world is blurry in the distance and the pop in on all settings is really bad. It's like a really broken version of the Arcania Gothic 4 graphics engine but ends up looking less attractive as a result. I think the steady solid graphics of Rift and Wow are more appealing. All the icons and wibbly screen effects in this confuse the eyes. For 4k gamers in particular the game only runs in 24 frames per second when you choose 4k.… Expand
  44. archanjo
    May 17, 2016
    3
    boooriiiinggggg yawnnnnnnnn .
  45. Fluffins
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    This game is great. It was a great story so far, decent voice acting and balanced classes. It plays well enough that a Tab Targeter like me got used to the controls quickly. Its support staff might not be 100% perfect, but they get the job done.

    Do not believe the trolls adding negative reviews to this game. They are either part of the group of ESO players trying to downplay the game or    This game is great. It was a great story so far, decent voice acting and balanced classes. It plays well enough that a Tab Targeter like me got used to the controls quickly. Its support staff might not be 100% perfect, but they get the job done.

    Do not believe the trolls adding negative reviews to this game. They are either part of the group of ESO players trying to downplay the game or those that happened to get involved with the whole pre order "fiasco".

    I never pay more than $40 for games, but this game was good enough to go all the way and get the $100 pre order.    … Expand
  46. Rockyboro
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Never been so sucked in to MMO after old school WoW. Gw 2 i was hyped but this came unexpected.
    Its like EVE online, very slow game with tons of stuff to do. This is not theme park; maybe at begining but later on you must figure out by yourself. BDO got the most beautiful world and characters in any MMo i saw up to date. And yes there is some grind but hey thats what MMO is all about.    Never been so sucked in to MMO after old school WoW. Gw 2 i was hyped but this came unexpected.
    Its like EVE online, very slow game with tons of stuff to do. This is not theme park; maybe at begining but later on you must figure out by yourself. BDO got the most beautiful world and characters in any MMo i saw up to date. And yes there is some grind but hey thats what MMO is all about. Sometimes it feels like skyrim online. Try it !    … Expand
  47. ChamomileCandy
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    This is one of, if not the best, game I have ever had the privilege to follow and finally play. I watched this game for three years and automatically bought it when it came to NA/EU to play both CBT's. Finally launch has started and it is still fantastic! There is so much that can be done in this game it is just astounding. There are so many npc's to talk to, villages to explore, items toThis is one of, if not the best, game I have ever had the privilege to follow and finally play. I watched this game for three years and automatically bought it when it came to NA/EU to play both CBT's. Finally launch has started and it is still fantastic! There is so much that can be done in this game it is just astounding. There are so many npc's to talk to, villages to explore, items to craft, cook, and upgrade it is almost overwhelming the amount of things you can do.

    To these reviewers saying that this game is lacking, they have not played this game past lvl 10 and if they have then they never attempted to delve into this games many mechanics. Let me tell you that lvl 1-50 are known to be mainly tutorial, which is why so many players have already reached lvl 50+ by the second day of the prelaunch (29.2.2016)

    For those people saying that the classes are gender locked... well yes this is true, however Almost all classes have a female/male counterpart with slight differences to make the classes unique (witch/wizard is the only class with the same skills so far) Warrior/Valkyrie, Witch/Wizard, and Tamer/Berserker (originally supposed to me counterparts, but other classes may be added for these two) later releases include Blader/Plum (think samurai) and Ninja/Kunoichi. The only classes without confirmed counterparts are Archer and Sorceress but male counterparts have been teased in trailers/in game.

    Later as well there are many more things to be implemented including a large portion of the undiscovered map, guild sieges, node wars, horse racing, arena battles, and much more.

    I hope this clears some stuff up for those of you who are unsure if you should purchase the game... Or at least do some research before listening to all these negative/false/stuck up reviews by players who never attempted or even desired to give this game a chance. Please don't deprive yourself of a great game by listening to these reviewers with such a poor outlook on a good thing    … Expand
  48. logic
    Mar 3, 2016
    8
    Come on in and join the fun. BDO is a huge open world sandbox MMO with wonderful features. You can be whatever you want to be in this world. A rich trader, a badass fighter, a slum lord, an adventurer. Very nice graphics on top of first class mechanics. The translation from Korean to English can be a bit sketchy but with everything this game has to offer, that's a minor annoyance.
  49. hull19
    Mar 7, 2016
    9
    Buy it once, then no subscription fee. Cash shop for a few smal lboosts or cosmetics, a bit on the expensive side. Nice graphics, with good feeling combos on the variosu classes. Wish classes you be male/female isntead of gender locked. Love the fishing!

    Can't wait for map expansion, and adding more features to classes. Disapointed that the translations are so-so. Tutorials are also    Buy it once, then no subscription fee. Cash shop for a few smal lboosts or cosmetics, a bit on the expensive side. Nice graphics, with good feeling combos on the variosu classes. Wish classes you be male/female isntead of gender locked. Love the fishing!

    Can't wait for map expansion, and adding more features to classes. Disapointed that the translations are so-so. Tutorials are also somewhat lacking, in my opinion, for more advanced gameplay features.

    9/10.    … Expand
  50. Xelly5
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Really great, immersive, and deep game. Refreshing change from the MMO's of previous generations, there's a lot to this game, a lot to learn and a lot to enjoy. Exploration is in, on the rails questing is out, but not totally absent as quests now serve to offer perks, sometimes permanent growth to your character but you're no longer guided along the yellow brick road to the end. ExploringReally great, immersive, and deep game. Refreshing change from the MMO's of previous generations, there's a lot to this game, a lot to learn and a lot to enjoy. Exploration is in, on the rails questing is out, but not totally absent as quests now serve to offer perks, sometimes permanent growth to your character but you're no longer guided along the yellow brick road to the end. Exploring will have you discover hidden languages, open world dungeons (there are no instances, only phasing for the extremely robust housing system) definitely give it a go. There are a lot of ESO fanboy downrating posts here, don't listen to them.… Expand
  51. microplasma
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Absolutely great game. At first people trying this game might think it is the usual MMO with better graphics, however this game is a lot deeper than most games I've ever played. It's a great sandbox that you can lose yourself in for hours on end.
  52. AmbientXVII
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Looks like some ESO guild is trying to smear and defame this game lol. I'd advise just ignoring all those 0 ratings.

    It's by no means perfect, but it's still a great sandpark (sandbox-thempark hybrid) MMO. The good: -visceral action combat mechanics -exciting open world PvP and large scale GvGs -multiple ways to progress your character (freedom of endgame) -the world feels alive    Looks like some ESO guild is trying to smear and defame this game lol. I'd advise just ignoring all those 0 ratings.

    It's by no means perfect, but it's still a great sandpark (sandbox-thempark hybrid) MMO.

    The good:
    -visceral action combat mechanics
    -exciting open world PvP and large scale GvGs
    -multiple ways to progress your character (freedom of endgame)
    -the world feels alive and immersive
    -great graphics

    The bad:
    -lots of pop-in
    -bad story and voice acting
    -gender lock
    -Limited player-to-player trading
    -No challenging PvE, heavy emphasis on grinding (either mobs or the various systems)

    The neutral:
    -Being in a guild greatly increases your mileage with the game
    -The game demands a lot of time investment; not pick up and play
    -You're expected to partake in all the systems, rather than focus on one. (You can't focus 100% on PvP)    … Expand
  53. SlickReed
    Mar 4, 2016
    10
    Black desert is hands down one of the best and innovative games Ive ever player, it takes the MMO genre to a new level with great graphics, deep gameplay and careers, awesome combat, awesome character customization, BD has it all. Come join the fun.
  54. pessimist93
    Mar 4, 2016
    8
    Pro:
    - Large beautiful world without a single loading screen in the entire game
    - Surroundings which feel alive thanks to the immersion in the game - Awesome graphics - Many minigames to relax from fighting and questing which also give exp and money so you dont have to fall behind while not progressing the story and quests - Cash Shop Items are mainly just cosmetical and give only    Pro:
    - Large beautiful world without a single loading screen in the entire game
    - Surroundings which feel alive thanks to the immersion in the game
    - Awesome graphics
    - Many minigames to relax from fighting and questing which also give exp and money so you dont have to fall behind while not progressing the story and quests
    - Cash Shop Items are mainly just cosmetical and give only minor buffs
    - Open world PVP and huge GvG (something that a game called Guild Wars 2 still doesnt have lol)
    - There is always something to do, you can choose your endgame by yourself and dont have to follow a carved out path
    - Character editor which makes you feel like a plastic surgeon

    Neutral:
    - Voice acting isnt that good but isnt bad either. Some characters are well voiced while others completely are out of place
    - Story: Slowly developing (which is fine) but they could have put more effort into telling it
    - Translations are really strange sometimes so some sentences doesnt make any sense at all
    - Costumes and skins are very expensive. They are well made however

    Bad:
    - The loot system looks like it was made in the last millenium. The one who either hits first ordeals the most dmg gets the loot. They should have rather give everyone their individual loot.
    - Dye system is a total rip off. Not only dyes are RNG based but also you can only use them 1 time, and ofc its also expensive as ****

    The game definetly has it flaws but its not worth 0 (nice try ESO Fanboys, next time you try to push a game into a negative score use a different account than the one you used to push ESO into the positive).
    Its a alternative to GW2, which is pretty much dead, and a game with potential.    … Expand
  55. actionchip
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    The tutorial is fast, but once you get the hang of it this is actually a really good MMO. I've never seen an mmo with combat as good as this and the graphics look great even on the lower settings. Really good
  56. Fure
    Mar 9, 2016
    10
    Stop Complaining with the Cash shop... Because in this game it is EASY to make money with at least a brain... And you can get some of the cash shop item from the auction if people want to sell them. So probleme resolved.

    You people who told us that lvl 50 no PVE then its only the 3 march so Did you get 50 so fast? Or Its just some rumors you heard. There is a lot of PVE content all    Stop Complaining with the Cash shop... Because in this game it is EASY to make money with at least a brain... And you can get some of the cash shop item from the auction if people want to sell them. So probleme resolved.

    You people who told us that lvl 50 no PVE then its only the 3 march so Did you get 50 so fast? Or Its just some rumors you heard.
    There is a lot of PVE content all around the progression of your caracter. NPC Friendship NODS/connecting Discontinuer Slaves Commerce Finding new knowledge Crafting And muche more.

    You enjoy the real life aspect of the game? No fast travel for exemple? Cuting down a Three takes few time fishing also... That real life aspect most people like it and the same groupe of people complain about the energie systeme... its full contradiction. because In REAL LIFE you need energie also... surprise...

    I mean The energie is systeme is a good thing because you have to manage your energie according to what you want to do next... For exemple I want to go fishing so I wont cut three I need my energie to fish...
    Real life aspect so stop complaining about that, its part of the game and its important. Life is about making choices!!! Not crying because you can't do every thing right know.

    And the combat systeme is one of the less boring I have ever seen in a MMORPG. And people who said its boring they have been rushing Bashing LVL50 in 15hours... Missing the content of the game. Forgive them.

    It's a game that require to take your time to discover it and enjoy it. Rushing is like Eating 30euro and poo it in a volcano.

    Big tips... Don't go swwiiimmmmmiinnnngggg

    I won't say more because most of the positive rewiew or good enough for me. But I wanted to counter the negative points wich are for some... HALF LIES    … Expand
  57. Uxz
    Mar 7, 2016
    10
    Don't mind the low scores, the game is great. There is a huge influx of angry Elder Scrolls Online players who campaign to reduce the score here in thsi game.
  58. Aerfist
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    To all these ignorant eso fanboys making negative reviews just to try and burn this game in favor of ESO your pathetic. This game is an amazing true sandbox open world, incredibly fun action combat and a huge immersive world with absolutely no fast travel. What truly pisses these fanboys off is that Black Desert Online IS WHAT THEY WANTED FROM ESO. They wanted an amazing open world gameTo all these ignorant eso fanboys making negative reviews just to try and burn this game in favor of ESO your pathetic. This game is an amazing true sandbox open world, incredibly fun action combat and a huge immersive world with absolutely no fast travel. What truly pisses these fanboys off is that Black Desert Online IS WHAT THEY WANTED FROM ESO. They wanted an amazing open world game set in tamriel as we all did ESO turned out to be nothing more than a half decent cash grab theme park and they know it. So they get on here and trash the game to try and bump their weak dying one. Check the profiles of juzaah tonykroos esofanatic mizooka these are all the same person trying to bump a mediocre theme park game. Don't let them scare you away from an amazing game.… Expand
  59. Exin
    Mar 6, 2016
    10
    This game is the absolute best in terms of immersion in MMO. Graphics are the best, the systems are complex and engaging. The fighting is super fun... Don't let yourself fooled by the haters, this is the best MMO up to date, give it a try!
  60. DarkSchneider78
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    This site has alot of contradicting users here.. dont take all the negative comments to heart - try out the game for your self. So far I love this game and I am coming from UO and SWTOR. I love that .. there is a chance I might get lost while adventuring
  61. Shadowsoal
    Mar 4, 2016
    10
    Huge surprise here.
    About half the people are giving severe votes before the game has had any time for review.
    Adding my own 10 to the positive bandwagon because I feel the terrible ratings are highly unfair at this early stage.
  62. Hond
    Mar 4, 2016
    10
    Ignore the low scores, the trolling and salt that people have posted - there are a lot of bitter people in this world unfortunately. I'm always dubious of new MMO's especially eastern developed regardless of western conversion however out of 17 years of playing MMO this one really shines and is refreshing. If anyone is sceptical then try and source a 7 day pass and make your own mind up.Ignore the low scores, the trolling and salt that people have posted - there are a lot of bitter people in this world unfortunately. I'm always dubious of new MMO's especially eastern developed regardless of western conversion however out of 17 years of playing MMO this one really shines and is refreshing. If anyone is sceptical then try and source a 7 day pass and make your own mind up. The only 2 gripes are the acting and cut scenes are a little rough around the edges on the and the main screen UI needs to some TLC which I guess could be reworked hopefully sometime soon. I score this MMO a 9.6 because it's simply fantastic.… Expand
  63. RedScaledOne
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    No idea why people from Elderscroll Online do stuff like this. But this Game is not a 0 it is vastly complex and a lot harder than ESO.
    Best too try it out for yourself. Ad least the graphic is worlds apart.
  64. Coldless
    Mar 4, 2016
    10
    Well all these ass hats who have no f*cking clue wtf they are talking about or have never played the game is just stupid.
    The game has amazing visuals and superb combat system. You can do so many stings, you dont even know where to start. Leveling is quete fast. The world feels alive and truly open the map is huge.
    Dont listen to these stupid reviews they are clearly only bashing the    Well all these ass hats who have no f*cking clue wtf they are talking about or have never played the game is just stupid.
    The game has amazing visuals and superb combat system. You can do so many stings, you dont even know where to start. Leveling is quete fast. The world feels alive and truly open the map is huge.
    Dont listen to these stupid reviews they are clearly only bashing the game without even playing it or just for fun.    … Expand
  65. Shacal82
    Mar 6, 2016
    10
    Haters Gonna hate. The Hardcore MMO Sanbox wonna Love it. There is so much to discover. The Love to deatial so immpresive and the imesrsion from a open world immens. Love or Hate. Me Ansver: Give a Chace to love it.
  66. hanschara
    Mar 4, 2016
    10
    Absolutely a wonderful game! I do qualify, this game is not for everyone, there is a lot of grinding and the cash shop is currently a little high priced. In addition to the cash shop, I am unsure how they will keep the game b2p and continue to make enough revenue, I imagine they might take the game f2p in the future, but we will see what happens :) That being said, the combat (to me theAbsolutely a wonderful game! I do qualify, this game is not for everyone, there is a lot of grinding and the cash shop is currently a little high priced. In addition to the cash shop, I am unsure how they will keep the game b2p and continue to make enough revenue, I imagine they might take the game f2p in the future, but we will see what happens :) That being said, the combat (to me the most important aspect of the game) is fantastic and by far the best of any mmorpg. The world is beautiful, immersive, and the graphics are beautiful. I would say if you can stand grinding, aren't super put off by high cosmetic prices, and love good combat with and with out groups, this game could be super enjoyable for you. For my personal tastes, its the best mmorpg I've played in a long time.… Expand
  67. jamessamuel
    Mar 3, 2016
    9
    Black desert online brings a fresh breath of air in the MMO genre. The graphics and smooth gameplay is what sets Black desert online apart from its action combat competitors like TERA online. Lets start with optimization, the game runs extremely well and is well optimized for PC. With a gtx 960 and i5 4690k i had no problem running the game on high settings at 60fps. The game graphics areBlack desert online brings a fresh breath of air in the MMO genre. The graphics and smooth gameplay is what sets Black desert online apart from its action combat competitors like TERA online. Lets start with optimization, the game runs extremely well and is well optimized for PC. With a gtx 960 and i5 4690k i had no problem running the game on high settings at 60fps. The game graphics are the best MMO graphics i have ever seen in an MMO and art style is quite intriguing. But it all comes down to gameplay, and Black desert online shines in this category as well. Gameplay is smooth and flashy, with interesting class diversity and mechanics. Overall i give Black desert online 9/10 certainly one of the best if not the best B2P MMO to ever come out. The Only criticism i have is that its abit grindy.… Expand
  68. IllusiveEnergy
    Mar 4, 2016
    10
    This game comes with a lot of frustration for early backers like myself. But the frustration is worth every second.

    If you're someone thinking of giving this a try, DO. Please do not let the negative reviews scare you. This MMORPG is the quality of a AAA single player game. Not trying this yourself is a great mistake. In fact, the first three people who message me on the BDO forums I    This game comes with a lot of frustration for early backers like myself. But the frustration is worth every second.

    If you're someone thinking of giving this a try, DO. Please do not let the negative reviews scare you. This MMORPG is the quality of a AAA single player game. Not trying this yourself is a great mistake.

    In fact, the first three people who message me on the BDO forums I will reply with a 7 day guest pass. My username is Illusive.    … Expand
  69. Kraf
    Mar 6, 2016
    10
    Best combat in an MMO; period. So much to do in this game; it can be daunting... I think that's a good thing. Graphics are rediculously pretty, but you better have a beast PC to run the game on highest settings with a decent fps.
  70. zeetur
    Mar 4, 2016
    10
    BDO offers a living seamless world that feels alive. Most other MMOs drag you along with quests until endgame raiding where all you do is kill bosses over and over again for loot and then wait for the next expansion so you can do the whole thing over again. This is NOT the case with BDO.

    Quests provide rewards separate from character level. You as the player can decide to do quests and    BDO offers a living seamless world that feels alive. Most other MMOs drag you along with quests until endgame raiding where all you do is kill bosses over and over again for loot and then wait for the next expansion so you can do the whole thing over again. This is NOT the case with BDO.

    Quests provide rewards separate from character level. You as the player can decide to do quests and gain level XP from mobs you kill on the way OR grind on mobs. Quests are your main form of getting Contribution which you will use in the incredibly in depth crafting, housing and trade systems.

    Combat is action oriented and instead of focusing on only a couple targets at time you will be killing hordes of mobs like in Diablo. At launch, combat is pretty easy and the challenge comes from how to commit genocide faster. In upcoming FREE expansions mobs get incredibly difficult and some zones even have survival elements like having to drink water in the desert to stay alive.

    Crafting is one of my favorites parts in BDO. You can decide if you want to chop down trees for lumber yourself OR you can hire NPCs to do the dirty work for you. Eventually you will own warehouses and workshops all over the world with dozens of NPC workers doing your bidding. You can even have up to 5 homes across the world!

    Guild Sieges allow guilds to build towers and cannons to attempt to lay claim to cities, farms and other points of interest every week. Battles for cities can reach over 800 people.

    TLDR: This is a living breathing world that gives the player the freedom to do what they want to do. Want to minmax your gear and crush in PVP? Go for it. Want to be a trader? Get rich. Want to build a boat and sail the vast oceans in search of rare whales? Get it!    … Expand
  71. Yoyoma1910
    Mar 3, 2016
    10
    Probably the best MMO I've ever played, with in depth systems and story, and an exceptionally fun combat system. Much of it is easy to get into, yet challenging to master. Worth every penny spent.
  72. KrytyNiekrytyk
    Mar 9, 2016
    4
    Pros:
    - great graphics
    - great character creator - sandbox Cons: - boring (go to place B from place A and kill everyone, do the same from B to C etc). - no equipment system (you will look the same from lvl 1 to lvl 50, or you can pay 30 euro for some epic outfit) - hud - no tutorials - combat system has too many keyboard shortcuts, so you can be pro player if you will just hit    Pros:
    - great graphics
    - great character creator
    - sandbox
    Cons:
    - boring (go to place B from place A and kill everyone, do the same from B to C etc).
    - no equipment system (you will look the same from lvl 1 to lvl 50, or you can pay 30 euro for some epic outfit)
    - hud
    - no tutorials
    - combat system has too many keyboard shortcuts, so you can be pro player if you will just hit keyboard with your head.

    So:
    Wait for f2p or for equipment system patch, and this will be quite better (like 6/10).    … Expand
  73. Dragonfire14
    Mar 8, 2016
    4
    PROS:
    - Unique character creation
    - Multiple character slots - Interesting trade route system - One time purchase CONS: - The UI is confusing and all over the place - Combat keys are random, for example to do a skill you may have to press a combination of keys such as "S, SHIFT, left click). Acts more like a fighting game. - Quest trails don't lead to the next objective for    PROS:
    - Unique character creation
    - Multiple character slots
    - Interesting trade route system
    - One time purchase

    CONS:

    - The UI is confusing and all over the place
    - Combat keys are random, for example to do a skill you may have to press a combination of keys such as "S, SHIFT, left click). Acts more like a fighting game.
    - Quest trails don't lead to the next objective for some quests
    - Boring dialog
    - Bad english voice overs
    - Male characters limited to one class (unless you want to be old or a giant)
    - Energy system that limits your gameplay
    - Energy is used on almost everything. From Gathering to talking to some npcs
    - Game feels like an alpha
    - characters sometime appear as default class looks
    - feels unpolished
    - Game mechanics are not explained (or not explained early enough)
    - classes are gender locked
    - First boss is a massive increase in difficulty compared to all the enemies you fight before hand
    - Many free to play systems in play
    - boring quests
    - random arrows that point to nothing    … Expand
  74. Delrick
    Mar 8, 2016
    8
    There's been a recent wave of people from another game to downvote this game, I'm not going to share which game because it's a group of people not the game, in hopes to ruin this games reputation by giving it a 0/10. Most of the negative reviews given had their accounts all made on the same day, all downvoting BDO with 0/10 and upvoting their game with 10/10 saying it's the perfect gameThere's been a recent wave of people from another game to downvote this game, I'm not going to share which game because it's a group of people not the game, in hopes to ruin this games reputation by giving it a 0/10. Most of the negative reviews given had their accounts all made on the same day, all downvoting BDO with 0/10 and upvoting their game with 10/10 saying it's the perfect game and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. There's no perfect game out there and there never will be.

    If you take a look at the negative reviews made towards this game, it's mainly "has no PvE at all" , "extremely P2W" , or "not a sandbox game."

    1. "This game is extremely P2W." BDO in NA/EU isn't P2W by any means. It's PFC (Pay for Convenience) and that's 100% accurate. You can buy yourself more bag space, weight limit, costumes, and potions that you can cosmetics for your ships / vehicles / mounts. NONE of these items are you able to trade or sell to other players as they're all either character or account bound. The concept of P2W is most commonly described as: paying real life money to advance your characters strength in game, like for example, spending $1000 and converting all of those spendings to in game money or buying yourself gear.

    2. "This game has no PvE at all, there's no end game." ----- I laughed.

    3. Not a sandbox game? There's trading, linking nodes, fishing, farming, hiring workers to do tasks for you, gathering, processing, achievements that progress your character and none of this is forced on you. You're given directions yeah, but it's not linear whatsoever. Wanna say **** leveling and pvp because you wanna go fish right out of the gate? You can and that goes with anything you wanna do. The world is MASSIVE and none of it is instanced.

    Aside from all the negativity by haters from other games trying to promote their game out of fear or anger because other games are losing players to this game, this game is genuinely a very good game. It's not a perfect game, I gave it a 8/10 for a reason. -1 Point was to the bugs and UI problems that they're having. This would easily be a 9/10 game if it wasnt for that, but hey, the game JUST came live (if these changes are ever fixed I'll gladly change my review). And my other -1 point goes to the Energy system. It's the ONLY thing I dislike about this game. The way they've implemented the energy system makes it so that it doesnt feel TERRIBLE, but it's not GREAT either. I hate limitations through recovery systems.

    What this game has to offer:
    - Amazing graphics
    - One of a kind character customization
    - A MASSIVE world
    - Its NOT P2W
    - The classes all seem so fun that it literally took me a week to figure out what I wanted to play and even after I figured out what I wanted to play, Im fully aware/certain that the character im playing WONT be the only class I ever play in this game.
    - The community is nice
    - There's so much you can do that you'll literally get sidetracked. I got realized I got sidetracked from something I wanted to do, told myself I was going to go do that now and then INSTANTLY afterwards I had gotten sidetracked again without even realizing it this time.

    I'd like to admit that yes, I made my account here on Metacritic today. I realize that my comment about all the downvotes about this game were accounts made today and here I am upvoting this game on the same day I made my account. I dont believe that these people are reasonable at all. A majority of the comments are from people who have never played this game.

    TLDR; the game is amazing, dont trust the negative reviews on this site (or any site with a review based system), and do your research about BDO. Visit the official forums, visit the BDO reddit, watch youtube videos about this game.    … Expand
  75. DeanNovelli
    Mar 6, 2016
    1
    Pay to Win, Breast sliders and fetch quests, i think that sums up the game after leveling to 50.

    Don't get me started on the black spirit which is easily the worst part of the game.
  76. Spoonparty
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    No other game has united my friends/gaming circle like BDO, since the Vanilla WoW days. That goes for mmos, fps, mobas and every other type of game we try to play as a group (8-12 people). Never has a game satisfied us all until this.

    I probably couldn't tell you exactly what it is that has made this occur but I'll have a go: 1. There's something for everyone in BDO and it's fine not    No other game has united my friends/gaming circle like BDO, since the Vanilla WoW days. That goes for mmos, fps, mobas and every other type of game we try to play as a group (8-12 people). Never has a game satisfied us all until this.

    I probably couldn't tell you exactly what it is that has made this occur but I'll have a go:

    1. There's something for everyone in BDO and it's fine not "to do it all". You can play the elements of the game that you want to play and do just fine.
    2. Each little aspect of the game (cooking, fishing, breeding etc) feels totally unique and like its own game in itself. Very immersive.
    3. The world feels like a world. No fast travel, no queuing stuff through a menu, no lifeless settlements. Everywhere feels alive, bustling and real.
    4. No subscription. All though I've played everyday since launch and will do for a while, I like feeling safe in the knowledge I can drop in any time free of charge.
    5. NOT pay-2-win. Take my word on this, it's not. Search for KungenTV's video on the topic. Too much to explain here.

    Anyway, you've read all this stuff before. I wasn't that interested in BDO running up to launch and don't really have a desire for Asian games, but this one has hit the spot. Everything is just well thought out and well designed. You will need to use external guides to get started and kickstart your fun during the first few sessions to get the most out of the game and realize it plays differently to what you are use to. Once things start to make sense, you'll be in love!

    Mark my words.    … Expand
  77. mishayangg
    Mar 7, 2016
    2
    No dungeons. No raids. No endgame. What is the point of gearing up? Guess I will go to max level because I was forced to buy this free to play game....
  78. Tolmos
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    Black Desert Online manages to scratch the old school MMO itch that many players have felt over the past decade. With open world PvP, guild vs guild fighting, a complex economy and supply chain management system, tons of side content such as involved crafting and gathering as well as housing, and finally an action combat system that relies heavily on combos and player skill, this game willBlack Desert Online manages to scratch the old school MMO itch that many players have felt over the past decade. With open world PvP, guild vs guild fighting, a complex economy and supply chain management system, tons of side content such as involved crafting and gathering as well as housing, and finally an action combat system that relies heavily on combos and player skill, this game will keep you immersed from day one. And if graphics are your thing, you won't find yourself disappointed there, either. Simply back up to a wall and lean against it to activate the free flying camera and enjoy all the sights your local environment may have to offer!

    While players who are used to endgame gear grinds and hand-holding quest content may be disappointed, players who are looking for an involved and living world will find plenty to interest them. The game identifies itself, on its home page, as a "life simulator". The towns feel truly alive, and quest rewards are designed in such a way that even if you return to old cities long since visited, you will still find that helping out the locals is a rewarding experience. The lack of fast travel truly makes the map feel massive, while the addition of an "auto-pilot" to waypoints set on the map helps avoid creating unnecessary tedium in the acts of managing your workers and resources in other cities.

    While I have nothing but praise for this sandbox MMO's gameplay and core mechanics, I have an equal amount of loathing for the voice acting and general story. The English voices sound like various interns were asked to play the part during their lunch breaks, and the story is dragged down greatly by this. The underlying premise seems interesting, but the amazing immersion created by the rest of the game is thrown out back and beaten to death by the dull and uninterested actors telling the tale.

    All together, I would say that if old school sandbox games are your style (Ultima, Lineage II, Shadowbane, EVE Online, etc), this game is for you. But if you are looking for a modern theme park with endgame raids and a story to match, you will likely find yourself quite disappointed.    … Expand
  79. Wandering_Fox
    Mar 7, 2016
    2
    BDO gets a lot of the basics right which give it a lot of attention. However it lacks a true end game and has too much in the way the game has become pay to win. Furthermore, they turned a F2P game from KR into a Western Buy to Play game with a Free to play cash shop.

    Its really starting to feel that these KR ports are becoming cash grabs from the unsuspecting western audience that is    BDO gets a lot of the basics right which give it a lot of attention. However it lacks a true end game and has too much in the way the game has become pay to win. Furthermore, they turned a F2P game from KR into a Western Buy to Play game with a Free to play cash shop.

    Its really starting to feel that these KR ports are becoming cash grabs from the unsuspecting western audience that is too willing to forgive in order to fill a gap in the current MMO market for open world gameplay.    … Expand
  80. MagicSquid
    Mar 17, 2016
    1
    I came back to give this game a lower score/review. I had uninstalled it and decided to re-install it. Despite its bugginess, the general lack of enemy AI that I had seen, and all the other issues, I figured I'd give it another chance.

    Well, upon creating a new character, I loaded into the game and found that every single one of my key bindings, including the Escape button to bring up    I came back to give this game a lower score/review. I had uninstalled it and decided to re-install it. Despite its bugginess, the general lack of enemy AI that I had seen, and all the other issues, I figured I'd give it another chance.

    Well, upon creating a new character, I loaded into the game and found that every single one of my key bindings, including the Escape button to bring up the menu to re-bind the keys, as well as the mouse buuttons, had been unbound.

    Currently there's no way within the game to re-bind the keys, so the game is completely unplayable. This game breaking, massive bug, on top of all the other issue I encountered and the utterly lack-luster combat system that I had seen, earn the game a dismal 1/10.    … Expand
  81. PrincessRose
    Feb 13, 2019
    0
    I liked this game at first, but that was before I realised it had soul destroying RNG for everything. Want to upgrade gear, it's not too difficult until you try and get tet gear I failed many times and spent nearly 3 billion on cron stones so my gear would not degrade back to duo. It's a terrible system of non stop failure, tedium and effort and getting no reward for my efforts.

    Decide    I liked this game at first, but that was before I realised it had soul destroying RNG for everything. Want to upgrade gear, it's not too difficult until you try and get tet gear I failed many times and spent nearly 3 billion on cron stones so my gear would not degrade back to duo. It's a terrible system of non stop failure, tedium and effort and getting no reward for my efforts.

    Decide that you want a better horse, spend many months, as training them and getting good skills is also random and you are more than likely to end up with a dud horse that you can spend money on to try and change it's skills which could end up costing you $100's to get all the skills you want.

    If you eventually get a courser to try and turn into a Pegasus, that is also random and can take 50+ attempts and it is also random and you may not get the dream horse you want.

    Everything in this game is a trap that gives lots of failure to encourage lots of spending of money to try to increase your success, but even then you aren't guaranteed to get what you want.

    This game is a trap, stay away escape while you can, this game is rng heavy designed for lots of tedious frustration and failure to try and milk you of your money. Avoid at all costs.

    Only recommended for those who like wasting money and time. As this game feels like work with no fun or reward for your efforts.    … Expand
  82. OriginalConcept
    Mar 6, 2016
    4
    Black Desert Online is a game that's cool until you realize how much grinding everything takes. Wanna make a boat and go deep sea fishing? You'll have to spend 10 hours getting it.

    Combat involves pulling enemies into a group and dropping AoEs. Even the "bosses" have laughably telegraphed attacks. It's flashy but it's not deep. I haven't tried PvP. Sounds cool, but I'm not going    Black Desert Online is a game that's cool until you realize how much grinding everything takes. Wanna make a boat and go deep sea fishing? You'll have to spend 10 hours getting it.

    Combat involves pulling enemies into a group and dropping AoEs. Even the "bosses" have laughably telegraphed attacks. It's flashy but it's not deep.

    I haven't tried PvP. Sounds cool, but I'm not going to grind for 50 hours so I can be on level footing.    … Expand
  83. alex_dragon
    Mar 7, 2016
    0
    Cashshop is completely p2w. gear are not equalized in any means meaning someone can just spent $1000 on this game and owns everyone in open world.

    its not about skills because if someone spent more money than you they will have an easier time beating you, sure you can gear up ur stuff for free but that will take forever and the grind in this game is insane. combat system it doesn't    Cashshop is completely p2w. gear are not equalized in any means meaning someone can just spent $1000 on this game and owns everyone in open world.

    its not about skills because if someone spent more money than you they will have an easier time beating you, sure you can gear up ur stuff for free but that will take forever and the grind in this game is insane.

    combat system it doesn't really require strategic thinking and is just buttons smashing. however it has the best graphics and character customization no doubt.

    lack of PVE content i am hugely disappointed bu this. the game as a whole right now is just a open world pvp game    … Expand
  84. Kozuka
    Mar 8, 2016
    10
    Black Desert is the best MMO to come out in years. Graphically very pleasing, a great mix of sandbox and theme park features, and real meaningful content that is actually satisfying to complete instead of just auto queuing for the next mindless dungeon. Every facet of the game has much more depth and complexity than the average cookie cutter MMO (ESO, BnS, WoW...) and is much more akin toBlack Desert is the best MMO to come out in years. Graphically very pleasing, a great mix of sandbox and theme park features, and real meaningful content that is actually satisfying to complete instead of just auto queuing for the next mindless dungeon. Every facet of the game has much more depth and complexity than the average cookie cutter MMO (ESO, BnS, WoW...) and is much more akin to SWG or Everquest.

    The good vastly outweighs the bad, and this is worth a purchase if you are an old school MMO fan.

    Ignore the ESO trolls, Black Desert is the game ESO should have been.    … Expand
  85. Monstreur
    Mar 6, 2016
    0
    NA/EU ip block, KR ip block and bans, RU ip block, JP ip block and bans... They give you a great character creator but the all gear in this game looks the same, if you don't buy a 25U$ skin. Back to Blizzard.
  86. Bombzy
    Mar 7, 2016
    2
    I was really looking forward to this game, but I have to say I am disappointed. Character creation is quite nice and very detailed - but gender locked classes was a bit annoying. However, that was the best bit - it is really all downhill from there. The game itself is a mess. Confusing and cluttered UI, glitchy graphics, lag, lighting effects where you can't see what the hell is going onI was really looking forward to this game, but I have to say I am disappointed. Character creation is quite nice and very detailed - but gender locked classes was a bit annoying. However, that was the best bit - it is really all downhill from there. The game itself is a mess. Confusing and cluttered UI, glitchy graphics, lag, lighting effects where you can't see what the hell is going on half the time. Combat looks quite good but is way too easy. Maybe this changes at higher levels, but even the first boss fight with the Giant Imp required no thought, planning or skill. Quests are boring and unimaginative and text and voice acting is truly awful. Steer well clear - this will be F2P soon.… Expand
  87. Sajonara84
    Mar 7, 2016
    4
    ignore 10/10 and 0-1/10 reviews, those are clearly paid reviewers....
    As i predicted this is just another overhyped asian grindfest with nice graphics and combat mechanics.
    Everything else is just mediocore at most with terible UI/Story/PvE/fetch quests
    If u like endless grinding and u are fan of echii thats game for you, otherwise stay away from this...
  88. CroGerA
    Mar 7, 2016
    3
    I played it for few days with an "guest pass", and this game is one of the most terrible mmorpgs i ever played. Really glad i didn´t pay for this **** Its like the most of asian mmorpg - they just cant do it.
  89. Proudsoul
    Mar 6, 2016
    0
    When it comes to DAUM the word Greedy just doesnt fit. They are without a doubt the WORST company I have ever given my hard earned money to. They have ZERO communitcaton with their customers, they STILL havent given people what they paid for from the pre-order. They THEN promise COMPENSATION and have yet to deliver it nor even speak of it ! If you want to be robbed of your money and play aWhen it comes to DAUM the word Greedy just doesnt fit. They are without a doubt the WORST company I have ever given my hard earned money to. They have ZERO communitcaton with their customers, they STILL havent given people what they paid for from the pre-order. They THEN promise COMPENSATION and have yet to deliver it nor even speak of it ! If you want to be robbed of your money and play a game that is just another Archeage this is for you ...Oh lets not forget the GREED of DAUM want to make you character lok better with gear well you cant you have to BUY gear with Real money ..ok so $5 $10 is okay ..no $25 for an outfit ...Pass on this game.… Expand
  90. macho41
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    This childish community can't take a criticism so I'm giving it a zero...

    Othervise the game is not that bad it's just not as good as the others.

    My biggest gripe with it is that it doesn't have any pve content...
  91. julama23
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    My god this is hilarious. Aren't we done with these korean garbages already? Blade and soul failed 1 month ago and now this failure. Korea just stop, you suck.
  92. jon43
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    Is this the new trend? Releasing crappy korean MMOs?

    PROS - Graphics, character creator

    CONS - everything else

    TLDR: Get a better MMO..............
  93. davana
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    Lol people going nuts because of 2 or 3 guys said they prefer ESO. I'm not even playing ESO, but I can at least see where they are coming from. When I played ESO there was at least high quality stuff, I don't see anything that good in BDO. Get a better taste people.
  94. mary94
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    Maybe I'm just too old, but there is nothing that Black Desert does, which hasn't been done before or done better. Same old, just of a mediocre quality. Might as well play WoW, at least it has some PvE.
  95. alanaw
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    The game is probably more like 4 or 5, but I'm just giving it 0 to even the score for all those fanboys giving it 10. It's perhaps worth the 30$ price tag, even though it won't last you for more than 1 month, unlike other AAA mmos.
  96. misal
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    Pretty graphics don't make a game. Black desert is a perfect example of that. What a souless game. Besides why the hell asians can't create a good action combat is beyond me.
  97. julaw
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    I'm absolutely digusted by the performance issues. The game is crashing every 5min. It's not even a new game, you'd think the game would have been fixed by now, but no.
  98. kokolo
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    BDO is anything but decent. This grindfest mess that they've created deserves to die, and I'm sure it will very soon. If blade and soul didn't make it, Black Desert has no chance at all.
  99. japaba
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    This game is not a sandbox. The company lied and I was very mislead. I guess I'm staying with EVE till a true sandbox game comes along. It's way better anyway.
  100. kosa
    Mar 9, 2016
    0
    Black desert probably has the most immature community I've ever seen. Well at least it seems very similar to WoW, so that's bad enough. If only the game was that great to tolerate all these kids.
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Awards & Rankings

12
#12 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
4
#4 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Merlin'in Kazanı (Turkey)
    Jan 1, 2018
    80
    With it's massive and unique open world, Black Desert Online is inviting you to a great adventure.
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  2. Digital Chumps
    Jul 27, 2017
    50
    Overall, Black Desert Online is a typical MMO in every single way. While I disagree with their claim that it’s the “next generation” of MMOs, I did find the character creation to be the most robust of any MMO out there. Unfortunately, the character customization is the game’s biggest highlight, and many of the other elements of Black Desert Online can be found in many other MMOs.
    Read full review
  3. The Overpowered Noobs
    Jun 11, 2017
    70
    Black Desert Online comes to the table with an intricate character sculpting tool, gorgeous graphical presentation, and a nuanced, exciting combat system overlying a less immediately apparent, but very unique, sandbox-style resource management simulation. Those looking for a rich narrative, complex or groundbreaking PvE questing, or highly unique monster design may be disappointed, but those seeking a mechanically rich, visually striking MMO will find themselves at home.
    Read full review
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