Rift (2011)

Ultimately though, RIFT has had one of the smoothest launches in MMO history, and Trion Worlds has shown publicly that they're willing to own up to their mistakes as soon as they're made, and are quick to enact change to prevent things from recurring, as shown by their near-instant creation of the coin-lock system and their authenticators, as well as their reaction to the end of the River of Souls event.

There have been obvious comparisons made to WoW, with some even going as far as calling it a clone. But what makes Rift so special is that it goes out of its way to avoid falling into the same traps as the many that have fallen before it. It avoids the painful, mindnumbing grind, makes incremental patches everyday and listens intently to its rapidly growing community.

Out of nowhere, Trion has delivered a solid MMO with a balance of smart innovation and polished imitation, and it sets itself apart enough to be worth a look for those who are seeking something different than the same old grind.

It may not be a WoW-killer, but it certainly gives the Blizzard juggernaut serious competition.

Rift has and offers more than we can expect from such a new online-RPG. The game has an amazing level of polish and reeks of pure quality. And even though we've seen all elements of the game before, studio Trion managed to give every one of them their own twist, what makes the whole larger than the sum of its parts.

For fans of WoW, Rift is a familiar yet refreshing new adventure, and Telara welcomes anyone even a little fed up with Azeroth.

Rift is a true polished gem shining upon the MMO scene and I don't see that light dimming anytime soon. This is truly a must buy for any MMO fans.

A technically solid and entertaining MMO that offers some interesting new features while emulating a number of the mechanics millions of players are familiar with and enjoy. I am cautiously optimistic for the future of Rift.

Rift is a great online role-playing game that boasts with a beautiful, varied and light effects permeated world.

What's really been most surprising to me is that the gaming experience as a whole is so fully developed for a startup MMO.

These are very difficult games to make, almost to the point that calling any freshly-launched MMO "not an instant failure" has become high praise. So, on that note, I can confidently say that RIFT is not an instant failure, and that's already a huge head start over many of the MMOs that came before it.

Whether you're an MMO veteran looking for your next fix, or if you're a newbie looking to expand tour horizons and jump into the genre for the first time, RIFT is an excellent place to start. Just remember - we're not in Azeroth anymore.

In all Rift has so much to offer with collections, dungeons, rifts, invasions, crafting, pvp and so much more. If you are a fan of World of Warcraft, or many other popular MMOs, this game would suit you nicely. Its graphics are beautiful, and its scenery is breath taking, allowing for an amazing and fun MMO experience.

Rift is one the most refined MMOs we've tried in a long time. Its massive invasion battles, combined with the narrative "twist" - the Rifts- offer a great deal of gaming fun. Trion Worlds' game is full of rich content, spread out across the levels. It's safe to say that Rift is an MMO that will keep players busy for quite some time!

It has taken all the boring bits of the genre, reworked them and delivered a well polished game that continues to surprise and delight.

Rift is an incredible piece of gaming craftmanship and has singlehandedly put the notion that players need to settle for buggy launches to death.

It's true that the soul trees offer outstanding flexibility for character development and the rifts bring a welcome sense of insecurity into Telara's everyday life, but for some players this simply might not be enough.

Doesn't fix what ain't broke; but does tweaks on an excellent formula to produce the best post WoW MMO so far. [May 2011, p.88]

Great class skill customisation options, the rift element, the game play mechanics, all these make RIFT one of the best fantasy MMOs on the market. Play it.

Rift offers a really polished MMO experience but looks and feels much like a mix of many good MMOs like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings Online and Warhammer Online.

Feels like a "best-of" MMORPG. Trion Worlds uses well known content, combining PvE, PvP, crafting, collecting, public questing. The class-system is great, though still unbalanced and the rift-events guarantee lots of entertaining battles.

RIFT doesn't repeat the mistakes of Age of Conan or Warhammer Online, where high-level players had nothing to do except being bored. Lots of quests, PVP, exploring, crafting and instances – there's a lot to do right from the start and even after level 50.

Standard quests and a throwaway story can't dent the thrill of Rift's invasions, or the depth of its soul system. [May 2011, p.92]

The exceptional storyline and intriguing lore make even the less interesting parts of the game enjoyable.

RIFT may not become an ultimate WoW-killer, but almost every aspect of the game is strong and – what's more important – has a lot of potential. [May 2011, p.93]

For what RIFT tries to do, it does very well. I rarely felt bored with all the random events and rifts constantly breaking up the monotony of questing. It's also important to give Trion a tremendous amount of credit for releasing such a "complete" MMO.

There's a steep learning curve, but once you're comfortable with what Rift offers, you will find a deeply immersive experience. Telara is a worthy alternative to Azeroth for anyone looking to explore a new world.

Absolutely colossal, Rift aims high and hits its mark, proving that there's room to grow within the traditional MMO format.

Rift looks fantastic, and is a lot of fun.

Whether or not the end game content manages to keep my attention remains to be seen, but so far this is easily the most polished MMO I've ever played within a month of launch, and I can easily see myself re-subscribing to it next month.

While Rift still has some things to iron out in terms of balance, bugs and lag, that's par for the course for any new MMO and since launch, the Rift team has been actively talking to the community and addressing their concerns. Although many of the quests could use a heavier dose of originality, the game as a whole offers a large amount of interest and fun; so much in fact, it just might lure more than a few players away from that other MMO.

Rift does many things that other MMORPGs introduced over the last few years, but to its credit - it does them well and in many cases better. While it's not innovative, it's a solid, enjoyable game worth player investment and acclaim.

Rift is a young game, so it's natural for it to exhibit some growing pains during these early months. Still, even amidst the relative flux of rapidly-changing classes and other early-game kinks, the experience feels remarkably complete and cohesive.

MMOs on launch are usually buggy, laggy, and not much fun, but Rift is already extremely polished and fun, and it will only get better. If you're looking for a new MMO, definitely check out Rift.

RIFT is a solid proposal and we have seen very few of them in the latest years. Its gameplay is typical but also has a lot of interesting and fun innovations.

A great option for MMO players, especially those who liked WoW mechanics. But this is Rift's greatest mistake: being too similar to Blizzard's game.

Rift provides a unique, rewarding experience and proves to be a worthy alternative to some of the best MMOs available. However, there is plenty of more work to be done in the areas of end-game, PvP, and professions.

Its main boasts - the soul subclasses and the dynamic content - are fantastic ideas that occasionally go clunk every now and then, but the core there is solid and makes the game feel worthwhile.

If any MMO is capable of beating Blizzard at its own game, it's this one. [May 2011, p.56]

All in all, Rift is the first real alternative to the best theme park MMORPGs on the market, WoW and LotRO. And this is without any doubt, a good thing!

If you are a fan of the genre and you're looking for a new world ready to be explored, then Rift will not disappoint you.

If you're looking for something radically different in the MMORPG realm you won't find it in Rift, but you will find a quality game.

RIFT is an interesting proposition, and its existence has to be acknowledged on a MMO map. But you need to remember that despite some novelties, this game offers a very classic approach to gameplay, so don't expect anything revolutionary.

Class flexibility, a solid infrastructure, and an element of unpredictability keep Rift from feeling like just another online fantasy game.

If you're looking for a change in your MMO diet then you might try a bite of RIFT. It might not be more satisfying than WoW, FFXI or other MMOs, but it certainly has potential depending on Trion's future plans with it.

The game asks you to explore and to experiment, be it where you are questing or with the character you are building. If the idea of another MMO levelling grind sends shivers down your spine, Rift may not be something to invest your time in, but if you are in the market for a new world to explore that is at once both recognisable and original then Rift may just be for you.

Rift is a quite brilliant MMORPG, perfect if you've never played a persistent online game before, and really interesting if you're a staunch fan of the genre.

Trion's ad campaigns promised a revolution; Rift itself merely delivers commendable refinement.

Despite of being a World of Warcraft clone, RIFT is definetly a good and recommended MMORPG for those looking for a "themepark" experiencie. It is filled with plenty of content, and it is almost bug-free, so Trion has definetly achieved what they were trying to: a good, complete and polite massive online game.

If you hanker for a new world – one that feels familiar yet fresh, with an atmosphere of discovery and experimentation – then Rift stands proudly, ready to greet you with open arms.

Rift needs to prove it can offer far more beyond 50. Trion's baby already shows some promise of being the most successful MMO release since World of Warcraft, but the endgame currently stands as a looming question mark that overshadows everything else.

The launch of an MMO, even a well-crafted and solid one like Rift, is but a doorway to the land of perpetual development, with as many chances to succeed than to fail. This is probably why Trion chose to deliver a game that feels comfortable, and functional, with only light touches of innovation - a solid foundation upon which to build. While I'm awaiting to discover what they will propose during the upcoming year, I'm savoring the arrival of a new big MMO on the market, and the pleasures of playing with it.

Great for players new to MMOs, veterans may want to look elsewhere (or wait a bit longer).

Rift is a good game but also a perfect example of this problem – and here's to hoping that it either grows into an answer to that plight or a marker for the end of an era.

Rift's potential is what's most impressive about it. Here's a game that's already accomplished more than half of what all those "WoW-killers" ever did, and it's still in its infancy. Does it have its issues? Of course. Would I rather play WoW? Right now, yes I would. But Blizzard's had over seven years to develop its product, and Trion's just getting started.

Solid MMO attracts players with vast and detailed game world and tested game mechanics but lacks really interesting quests and experiments. [Issue#203]

Rift is probably the most stable and solid MMO ever to launch, and includes most of the functions you've grown accustomed to during the evolution of World of Warcraft. It's polished, has a lot of content and rich lore, but yet doesn't manage to feel unique or for lack of a better term, good.