TERA

 PC
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 799 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 447 out of 799
  2. Mixed: 168 out of 799
  3. Negative: 184 out of 799
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  1. Brawndo109
    May 2, 2012
    10
    I wasnt sure what to expect from this game it looked good but i am coming from eve online which is a hard core pvp game. i always wanted something to satisfy my needs for pvp but not flying space ships around. i tried TERA and the pvp is exactly what i have been looking for. this game is amazing. i personally see my self playing this for at least 2 years. im hooked!!
  2. Isengard
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Honest review ... Played since closed beta 3. North America -Tera is as a modified Korean-Tera. The graphics are outstanding and mesmerizing. Character creation is detailed and fluid. The game holds a prologue that starts your character at lvl 20 in a pre story line state lasting about 15 minutes of game play as this toon. Once you complete it you are then returned to lvl 1 and the mainHonest review ... Played since closed beta 3. North America -Tera is as a modified Korean-Tera. The graphics are outstanding and mesmerizing. Character creation is detailed and fluid. The game holds a prologue that starts your character at lvl 20 in a pre story line state lasting about 15 minutes of game play as this toon. Once you complete it you are then returned to lvl 1 and the main game begins. This is outstanding for getting a look at some armors, skill animations/abilities and over all game-play of that toon. The combat is not stcky tab target, mash some buttons and get bored in 5 minutes, nor is it a "Korean grinder". En Masse, the publisher has taken steps to add quests and balance gameplay to a more comfortable NA style of game-play. Yes the interface and combat style is totally different from previous mmos. Combat, tanking and even healing are engaging. The "in the works" portions of the game I think is where the negative press comes in. The pvp battle grounds are not in game yet and open world pvp is based on guild vs guild and politics. PVP servers exist and are rather chaotic at the moment, sadly not my stronger game-play exp.

    I personally love the fresh and new innovations Blue Hole has designed and added to Tera. The whole things runs really well with decent settings on a lower PC but above minimal requirements. My personal view, after playing mmos since UO in 1997, is that this is a diamond in the rough, that is being over looked due to much bigger names and franchises releasing near same time. New ppl logging in are amazed at the community and the over all experience within minutes. I hope this helps!    … Expand
  3. DreyDrey
    May 2, 2012
    9
    I will be upfront and admit that I have been following Tera excitedly for a few years now. I was evry excited about this game and very scared as well. What I had seen and read made it look too good to be true and I was prepared to be disappointed with it - the track record of recent MMOs like Aion, Rift, FFXIV and SW:TOR made me sure that this game would let me down as well. Well itI will be upfront and admit that I have been following Tera excitedly for a few years now. I was evry excited about this game and very scared as well. What I had seen and read made it look too good to be true and I was prepared to be disappointed with it - the track record of recent MMOs like Aion, Rift, FFXIV and SW:TOR made me sure that this game would let me down as well. Well it absolutely hasn't much to my surprise.

    Combat:
    Combat is action based. Depending on your class you may have a few target lock spells, but 90% are aimed. Characters are stuck in their animations while performing an action in order to assist with balance (how OP would a mage that could cast and run be?). The animations are incredibly fluid as well, that was one of the things I noticed the first time I played. The combat sounds are distinct and solid, you /know/ when you have hit something. Something other MMOs lack. This is the first MMO where combat positioning is incredibly important for all classes - even healers. Admittedly the first 20 levels are a bit slow, once you hit around level 23 you really start to understand why this game is so much fun to play.

    Questing:
    There are 4 types of quests; Storyline, Normal, Repeatable and Guild. While the Storyline quests are interesting and give some great rewards and XP, the rest are pretty boring and should be done while doing the Storyline quests imo.

    I can't comment on the end game, but so far there are 2 things to do - Politics and Hard Mode dungeons (5 man) the hardmode dungeon mechanics look like raid mechanics from videos I have watched and politics look very intriguing. It will be interesting to see how that all works out in the end.

    There are a few bugs at the moment, but nothing too unexpected from a brand new MMO, certainly not enough bugs to detract more than a point or two.

    It's fairly obvious that the negative reviews here are coming from people that either haven't played the game, do not understand how latency affects gameplay or have played to a very low level (sub 14).    … Expand
  4. pfungstadt
    May 2, 2012
    10
    I love this game. The questing is familiar but the innovations that it brings are truly positive. I don't see anything controversial about vastly improving combat mechanics over previous mmo's.
  5. WolfpackCasey
    May 2, 2012
    8
    Beautiful game that shows what the Unreal Engine can pull off in an MMO. Great combat that brings something new to the table. Quests, though, ugh. Boring, and badly written. Very few voice overs. Playing the game is very fun, despite the questing system; just wish they would have done more with them. Patiently waiting on an mmo with this style of combat + the story telling of SWTOR +Beautiful game that shows what the Unreal Engine can pull off in an MMO. Great combat that brings something new to the table. Quests, though, ugh. Boring, and badly written. Very few voice overs. Playing the game is very fun, despite the questing system; just wish they would have done more with them. Patiently waiting on an mmo with this style of combat + the story telling of SWTOR + the questing of GW2.… Expand
  6. mkultra55
    May 2, 2012
    9
    A nice change of pace to the usual Tab Target style MMO's. Fun combat and beautiful graphics and art.
    I was pleasantly surprised. Once you get past some of the very asian flavor early on it's a blast to play.
  7. Rusko
    May 2, 2012
    9
    I haven't played this game enough yet to quite give a 10, but for graphics alone I would give it that. The toons look great, quests are your basic mmo quests. No surprise there really. If you are looking for an mmo for your kids, I don't know if this would be the one, I mean the game is rated M for fairly good reasons. The guys who voted this less than 7 are, 1. Either working for aI haven't played this game enough yet to quite give a 10, but for graphics alone I would give it that. The toons look great, quests are your basic mmo quests. No surprise there really. If you are looking for an mmo for your kids, I don't know if this would be the one, I mean the game is rated M for fairly good reasons. The guys who voted this less than 7 are, 1. Either working for a competing game company that has an mmo coming out soon, or 2. Their comps don't even meet the bare minimums to play this game and don't realize it.
    Game play is a bit different from WoW, I admit to being a clicker in WoW. This game is actually helping me move away from that a bit, due to the fact you really need to be comfortable using the keys on your keyboard, to your full advantage. This is actually a good thing for me. I admit I didn't want to like this game as much as I am, I have a full plate of games already that I'm playing ( KoA) or am going to be playing (Diablo 3 ). This game is already making it tough for me to consider that I might have to put it down one down, if I can at that.    … Expand
  8. ImprovV
    May 2, 2012
    10
    This is my new favorite MMO. Been playing since the beta weekends and it's superb. The graphics are easily some of the best in the genre; textures are fantastic, colors are gorgeous, and animations are wonderfully done. The combat system is the best out of any MMO, going back to tab targeting is going to be impossible. It's not only fast but you need to be smart as well and time everythingThis is my new favorite MMO. Been playing since the beta weekends and it's superb. The graphics are easily some of the best in the genre; textures are fantastic, colors are gorgeous, and animations are wonderfully done. The combat system is the best out of any MMO, going back to tab targeting is going to be impossible. It's not only fast but you need to be smart as well and time everything perfectly. The combat system makes the dungeons so, so fun and playing a healer is a blast. My favorite aspect though is the world. It's one huge world with vast areas to travel and explore. I definitely recommend this!… Expand
  9. GMan
    May 2, 2012
    8
    TERA really brings a fresh combat style and look to the MMO genre. The environments, landscape, models and animations are the best to date in this genre. The combat feels much better than anything I have ever played, which encompasses every MMO to date. Not to mention almost every annoyance and limitation imposed by other MMOs are addressed here. You can train and level up ALL of the tradeTERA really brings a fresh combat style and look to the MMO genre. The environments, landscape, models and animations are the best to date in this genre. The combat feels much better than anything I have ever played, which encompasses every MMO to date. Not to mention almost every annoyance and limitation imposed by other MMOs are addressed here. You can train and level up ALL of the trade skills. They even added costuming to the mix. The quest system is nice and organized. Basically fool proof. Things really move along nicely. Finding guilds and instance groups is easy as pie.

    I gave it an 8 though because it's not perfect. There are still a couple things that I dislike. I prefer a WOW style 30 minute hearthstone over the town portal scrolls in TERA. They are hard to come by and expensive at low levels. Also I find myself having money problems for a large part of the early game. This could be because it's so new and the auction system isn't booming yet. I also feel they re-use some enemy textures a little too much and add a little bit of a different feature, but they still look the same.

    Overall it's worth the money if you are looking for an MMO to play like I was.    … Expand
  10. sea206
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Combat is definitely amazing, enough to where I won't be able to play another standard mmo. The questing is a bit lacking, very typical and nothing revolutionary. For a day 0 launch the game is incredibly polished and the action combat is very smooth. BAM's are INCREDIBLE, so much fun, so interactive, keeps you on your toes. I have high hopes for the game and can't wait to see end game.
  11. Rhyden
    May 2, 2012
    9
    Lacks in quest variety but more than makes up for it with exciting combat. I tried going back to SWTOR after TERA's CBTs but just couldn't do it. The beginning is a bit slow but after you get to 20 (takes a few hours) game totally opens up. I'm still waiting to see what endgame is like but based on the first 30-40 levels i'm pumped.
    Can't believe people lying here about graphics. YES    Lacks in quest variety but more than makes up for it with exciting combat. I tried going back to SWTOR after TERA's CBTs but just couldn't do it. The beginning is a bit slow but after you get to 20 (takes a few hours) game totally opens up. I'm still waiting to see what endgame is like but based on the first 30-40 levels i'm pumped.
    Can't believe people lying here about graphics. YES sliders work to increase draw distance, and the game runs awesome on my 2 year old rig, even on almost max settings. Support is also super on top of things. Live chat and phone on day 1. Yes please.    … Expand
  12. Sarpedon
    May 2, 2012
    10
    All I want to do is PvP so I bought Tera just for that. The combat is fantastic, and although BG's arent in the game yet, the world pvp and guild vs guild pvp is amazing. If you like PvP you should check it out.
  13. ATX151
    May 2, 2012
    10
    I am really enjoying the combat in TERA. It's a nice change of pace from what I'm used to. The questing isn't revolutionary but I find myself really enjoying killing stuff. The boss fights are epic!
  14. macofthemiac
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Great combat, lots of wizards, really fun to play. I'm interested to see how the political system plays out. It has all of the standard MMO features, but feels more like a console game. TERA could probably use 10% more wizards, but that's my only complaint.
  15. BMWatSavALot
    May 2, 2012
    10
    I am really enjoying the game. The graphics are amazing and the world feels like it fits. The character creation is better than I've seen in any MMO I've played over the years, and the characters look nice. Perhaps, sometimes, a little overtly sexy, but you won't hear me complain. The questing is fun, the classes are fun to play -- personally speaking. The prologue before you startI am really enjoying the game. The graphics are amazing and the world feels like it fits. The character creation is better than I've seen in any MMO I've played over the years, and the characters look nice. Perhaps, sometimes, a little overtly sexy, but you won't hear me complain. The questing is fun, the classes are fun to play -- personally speaking. The prologue before you start leveling lets you try any class before you commit to playing it for 60 levels. The crafting is challenging and costly, but rewards you very well later on. The enchanting system is fun, and the extraction system is useful.

    The Bad? I can't really think of anything that warrants reducing the rating -- I don't play on PVP servers but I hear that the camping is pretty ridiculous. If you're a fan of MMORPGs, especially WoW, Lineage II, and even more PVP based MMORPGs I think you'll find that Tera is very fun and rewarding.    … Expand
  16. Rooster7102
    May 2, 2012
    9
    The graphics are great. The questing is the same as any other MMO currently out, but I honestly haven't felt like I have been grinding as the combat system is so much fun. I haven't noticed any issues with frame rate or distance. I look forward to playing this game for some time to come.
  17. Nairbog
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Tera is the best MMO I've played since WoW vanilla, and the only one since my first (Asheron's Call) to get me truly addicted. Since other reviewers mentioned the excellent combat, I'll address some of the inaccuracies and common misconceptions in the negative reviews.

    1) Tera is not a "typical Korea grinder" MMO. Leveling is about the pace of WoW vanilla (probably faster) and there are    Tera is the best MMO I've played since WoW vanilla, and the only one since my first (Asheron's Call) to get me truly addicted. Since other reviewers mentioned the excellent combat, I'll address some of the inaccuracies and common misconceptions in the negative reviews.

    1) Tera is not a "typical Korea grinder" MMO. Leveling is about the pace of WoW vanilla (probably faster) and there are more quests than needed to level to cap.

    2) The combat is skill-based. Don't believe the trolls saying it's a gimmick, everything about the system emphasizes player skill and rewards you for being attentive to what's happening on the screen (rather than staring at your skill CDs). BAMs have a variety of unique attacks all with specific "tells" which allow the observant/experienced player to do what is needed to avoid the attack. It might be easy to hit the BAMs, but you are rewarded for back shots and unlike other MMOs, are a much smaller region on the mob (~45 deg rather than 180 deg). Besides, aiming your attacks is most certainly not "the entire point of the action combat" it's just one small facet of it.

    3) The engine and net-code are superb, the reviewer who said otherwise is either a troll or a shill. The game runs amazingly well for how good it looks, and unlike most MMOs, can actually handle large crowds of players without becoming a slideshow.

    and finally, the criticism I've heard most often, mostly from fanboys of other games who are jumping on a talking point to criticize Tera:

    "Animation lock makes the combat slow and unexciting."

    Anyone who has actually played the game for more than an hour or two knows how wrong this is. First off, "animation lock" is describing how many skills root your character's movement until the animation is finished. It certainly exists in the game, but it is essential to making combat strategic and does nothing to take away from the action. Even with the lock on some skills, all classes are still incredibly mobile in combat for two reasons:

    1) As you level up, many of your most important skills lose the animation lock entirely. You also get skills that can break animations mid-way.

    2) Every class has a plethora of skills that allow you to dodge, run, strafe, or charge WHILE dishing out damage.

    WIthout the animation rooting on some skills, the game would devolve into Quake with swords and sorcery. Having certain attacks restrict your movement gives various skills differing amounts of risk v. reward. Every fight requires a delicate balance of damaging your opponent while still avoiding its attacks. It is also huge in balancing melee vs. ranged in PvP and making positioning and tactics matter more than raw twitch skill. "Animation lock" is critical to preserving strategy and preventing the combat from devolving into a spaz-fest. It's a feature, not a flaw.

    Since I don't want this review to look like a marketing pamphlet, I'll outline some of the most glaring flaws. They aren't near enough to detract from all the awesomeness in the game, but they're worth pointing out nonetheless:

    1) Doesn't pick up till the 20s. This is why you have negative reviews that make no sense whatsoever to Tera players. It's very easy to get a skewed perception of the game by only playing a few hours. The big draw for most people is the combat, and it doesn't really get a chance to shine until you start fighting BAMs in your 20s. However, leveling is so quick it should only take you a day at most to get to this point.

    2) Overly sexualized characters: Yes, Tera has its fair share of pandering to horny males. It also has a short, nubile race with provocative outfits. While they're not exactly sexualized children (since their proportions are completely unrealistic) like some might have you believe, it is a little weird. I choose to ignore it since the rest of the game is so good. Tera also has armor skins so you can have your character wear a less revealing armor set while still keeping the stats of the armor that bothered you.

    3) Quests are fairly bland. They're not worse than vanilla WoW, but people expect more now. Luckily, the fun combat and beautiful environments make me not even notice this for the most part. Combat is what you're doing 95% of the time in an MMO, so making that activity FUN matters more than anything else. It doesn't matter how revolutionary your quest system is if the combat is the same ol' boring tab-target combat.

    As I'm approaching 5000 characters, I'll stop :). Hope this review was helpful for those not sure what to believe.    … Expand
  18. CptTroll
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Constant action, thoughtful combat, epic graphics and smart systems. Even quests are smartly and conveniently placed. I have nothing negative to say about this game.
  19. shinjuo
    May 2, 2012
    10
    I have played quite a few MMO's. That being said I have not put in the amount of time most people have. I have played WOW the most out of all and this game to me is at least on par with WOW and in my opinion better. The combat is fantastic. That so far, is the best part. Yes the quests are grind and find most of the time, but aren't most MMO's, espcially WOW? The combat makes the questingI have played quite a few MMO's. That being said I have not put in the amount of time most people have. I have played WOW the most out of all and this game to me is at least on par with WOW and in my opinion better. The combat is fantastic. That so far, is the best part. Yes the quests are grind and find most of the time, but aren't most MMO's, espcially WOW? The combat makes the questing much more tolerable. The graphics are beautiful as well. I run it on a laptop with a decent video card and I have not had any of the drawing issues others are complaining about. I have also not had any server issues. The only downfall like 99% of most MMO's but a select few like SWTOR, the story is not great.… Expand
  20. Kraf
    May 2, 2012
    10
    If your tired of the usual tab target system in MMOs give this a try. I've been thoroughly,enjoying it. Beautiful game with awesome combat system. As far as draw distances concerned I have not had that problem. I see enemies clear across the battlefield. People giving 0-4 are just trolls, and they ruin the validity of customer reviews.
  21. fa1lcak3
    May 2, 2012
    8
    Okay so, first of all, this game really doesn't deserve anything lower than a 7. I laughed when I read some of the poorly scored reviews because it seems that people have missed the point entirely and commented on things that don't reflect the game, but rather their shoddy graphics cards. I've been playing for a few days now, and I've yet to come across a single bug, or have issues withOkay so, first of all, this game really doesn't deserve anything lower than a 7. I laughed when I read some of the poorly scored reviews because it seems that people have missed the point entirely and commented on things that don't reflect the game, but rather their shoddy graphics cards. I've been playing for a few days now, and I've yet to come across a single bug, or have issues with draw distance. Iâ… Expand
  22. MMotjee
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Love this game:) if you think about buying this game don't read any of the crap reviews here most, not all are just gw2 fan boys who are just trying to take this game down like StanleyWoosMom who gifs the game a 10 and talks about pay2win cash shop system and gear-based PvP.....the game is noting like wow just google tera pvp. wait for real reviews.

    all i can say i just love the game!
  23. Mrfrog
    May 2, 2012
    10
    Very pretty game and enjoyable combat Lvling is fast and fun but i tink the game starts from lvl 20 i just love the dungeons and bosses :)

    (funny how ppl can hate on stuff that is fixt a long time back you all do know you where playing the BETA all the time dont you ?) also no 1 can talk about endgame no max lvl in the beta. also no its not the same as the korean version. That crap    Very pretty game and enjoyable combat Lvling is fast and fun but i tink the game starts from lvl 20 i just love the dungeons and bosses :)

    (funny how ppl can hate on stuff that is fixt a long time back you all do know you where playing the BETA all the time dont you ?) also no 1 can talk about endgame no max lvl in the beta. also no its not the same as the korean version.

    That crap about the draw distance is ***** If you compare it to WoW/rift or GW2 its good.    … Expand
  24. Samcr0
    May 2, 2012
    10
    I was not expecting this game to be this good, incredible visuals, and more importantly amazing fun gameplay. I have not played an mmo like this where the combat was actually fun , exciting and skill based. The story and lore is lacking however like most mmo's but it is not a big deal. I have been having a blast doing open world pvp alone and have had some really intese fights. It alsoI was not expecting this game to be this good, incredible visuals, and more importantly amazing fun gameplay. I have not played an mmo like this where the combat was actually fun , exciting and skill based. The story and lore is lacking however like most mmo's but it is not a big deal. I have been having a blast doing open world pvp alone and have had some really intese fights. It also seems to be one of the most balanced mmo's i have played, i highly reccomend it.… Expand
  25. Hitmaker
    May 2, 2012
    10
    First, don't believe a word the trolls in this user review section - the graphics are amazing and draw distance is not an issue if you aren't playing on a netbook. Tera is the most fun MMO I have ever played, it's fun for MMO gamers, but it's also fun for guys like my brother who prefer to play action games on consoles. The classes are really cool, playing an archer is like playing a thirdFirst, don't believe a word the trolls in this user review section - the graphics are amazing and draw distance is not an issue if you aren't playing on a netbook. Tera is the most fun MMO I have ever played, it's fun for MMO gamers, but it's also fun for guys like my brother who prefer to play action games on consoles. The classes are really cool, playing an archer is like playing a third person shooter melee classes feel like Fable or Zelda. I couldn't STOP playing. The action combat is the real deal - after playing Tera you won't be able to play another MMO with tab targeting - it's that good. I also really enjoy the depth of the game, leveling my character, upgrading my gear, the awesome dungeons, and just getting better at my class - the lancer. Since Tera actually requires skill, it motivates me to be good at my class so when I play in groups I can be an awesome tank. I really can't say enough good things about the game - I hope anyone who reads this gives it a try, you won't be disappointed.… Expand
  26. Mazena
    May 1, 2012
    9
    First of all, TERA isn't perfect. It can't ever achieve that great action combat you can expect from games like Diablo III or Skyrim. However it gives you a combat that's well worth the effort, great visuals for a MMO and a huge world to roam about. No more people practically sleeping on the instance runs or raids! Now everyone has to be awake and constantly reposition themselves and aimFirst of all, TERA isn't perfect. It can't ever achieve that great action combat you can expect from games like Diablo III or Skyrim. However it gives you a combat that's well worth the effort, great visuals for a MMO and a huge world to roam about. No more people practically sleeping on the instance runs or raids! Now everyone has to be awake and constantly reposition themselves and aim their skills.

    While the true action combat is awesome, it is also more taxing. I found myself getting tired in a few hours because in every fight (soloing) I had to constantly evade and pop appropriate skills. Also, this game has a somewhat steeper learning curve than your average MMO. I've seen tanks that do tanking worse than some healers and some healers who don't know that they're supposed to heal instead of DPS. While they're annoying, they will be weeded out once you get to higher levels and team up with a guild.

    The graphics of TERA are amazing, if you got the hardware to run it properly. The characters look very detailed and every weapon and armor looks pretty awesome. Which is only appropriate as you are awesome as well. Still, there's some issues with the draw distance and some textures on characters load pretty slow. These will be fixed though, I hope.

    When it comes to classes, TERA has the usual lineup. DPS, healer, tank, support. DPS having both melee and ranged versions. As you level you get new skills and spells, but also after level 20 you can buy glyphs to enhance the skills/spells of your choice. You might enjoy doing a spinning attack as a berserker, so why not invest in a glyph that gives you a 25% faster charge time? Or a healer will greatly benefit from a glyph that allows him to choose more targets for a targeted healing spell. You will have a limited amount of points for glyphs per level though, and every glyph has a value from about 1 to 5.

    TERA has enough new in an old formula that it keeps the MMO gameplay fresh. Once the game has been available for everyone the elections for vanarchs (mayors pretty much) start. Vanarchs will be able to choose what things to develop in his region and set tax rates etc. It will be interesting to see how it will affect the gameplay. In the headstart many features and NPCs have been unavailable because of missing vanarchs. So, I feel like I can't give a permanent score 'till I know how much they will add to the game.

    Overall I'm enjoying my time in TERA more than in any MMO since the old school EverQuest in the 90s. Since it has it flaws (that will be fixed I hope), I would give TERA a solid 8.5 for now, but I'll round it up to 9 since metacritic won't let me give such a number. I recommend people to at least try TERA. It's not for the lazy or timid, however.    … Expand
  27. sonderkrabbe
    May 1, 2012
    10
    The game is simply amazing. It's terrific. Don't let a bunch of internet trolls troll you. I played in the closed beta, and all the problems in the beta are fixed. I would give this an 11/10 but the character customization on some races held it back, so it only gets 10/10
  28. Dianoia
    May 1, 2012
    9
    In the past few years, there have been a lot of MMOs pop up following the same basic formula played out by EQ2, WoW, WAR and the like. There's a lot here that is similar. Questing follows the three basic paths (play postman, kill x number of x, pick up x number of x), and it's one of the dull points of the game. You have your equipment and enchants and stat itemization, just like thoseIn the past few years, there have been a lot of MMOs pop up following the same basic formula played out by EQ2, WoW, WAR and the like. There's a lot here that is similar. Questing follows the three basic paths (play postman, kill x number of x, pick up x number of x), and it's one of the dull points of the game. You have your equipment and enchants and stat itemization, just like those other games. The story is good at best, boring at worst. Crafting is uninventive and derivative. Also, the K-RPG lineage pops up from time to time as a distraction (big-busted female models showing too much skin, ridiculous cut scenes, failing to gather a resource node).

    But, after an extended play of the game, you quickly realize that Tera is not about questing or exploring a storyline or crafting. What Tera is about is team combat, and once you walk down some long, dangerous, monster filled paths to get to that big bad boss with some friends, the game hooks you. It's about combat and exploration, and in those two regards it succeeds marvelously.

    Think Monster Hunter or Phantasy Star Online, not WoW or SWToR. The combat is refreshing, though it takes a lot of getting used to at first, particularly if you're used to playing other MMOs. Instead of standing in spot and trading blows, you're dodging, looking for enemy context clues, and building up combos to deal monsterous damage or stagger the enemy. It feels nearly Devil May Cry or God of War in execution, and it's wonderful. You can mouse & keyboard or controller it up; both feel great.

    In some bizarre, masochistic design decision, the game starts off incredibly easy. Easy as in extremely boring and dull easy. The starting zone is this cookie-cutter, happy island that one commenter in Area chat referred to as "Disneyland minus the fun." The devs clearly knew this, as there's a prologue that lets you experience level 20 combat from the get-go. It's dark, ominous, full of baddies, and is a total blast. Then, you get dumped into snoozeville. Fortunately, once you get past the 2nd zone, the game ramps up the excitement and the difficulty. This is when it truly starts to shine. As zones open up and enemies become more challenging, what you get is a huge exploration from boss fight to boss fight, with some thrown in for gear and experience. And even though it can take a while to get from one place to another, you won't mind, because travel is painless with all the eye candy.

    This game is utterly breathtaking. To say it runs graphical circles around its competition is actually demeaning the beauty of it. Light effects and shadows add depth and ambience, colors explode off the screen, and animations are fluid and smooth like a AAA action game. At one point, I found myself stopping to just stare at a priest's spells, only to find myself squashed by a gigantic boss for not paying attention. It's MMO eye candy you've never seen before.

    If someone says it's "just like WoW" or a "WoW clone," shut them down and stop listening. This game is about as similar to WoW as a Hummer is to a Corolla. Sure, they both have four wheels, an engine and a transmission, but the goal is totally different. This is an open-world dungeon crawl of the lineage of Diablo or Gauntlet with the combat genes from a fast-paced action game like Ninja Gaiden.

    That said, it won't be for everyone. Those put off by K-RPG elements are going to find this game nauseating, If you're looking for a deep and complex MMO where you can theorycraft, this isn't it,

    However, if you're a big fan of action games and dungeon crawls, give it a shot.    … Expand
  29. moarx
    May 1, 2012
    0
    For every good idea, TERA has several bad ones. They attempt to create more action-based combat and while you don't lock onto targets, combat is slower than traditional MMOs due to long attack animations which can't be cancelled and lock your character in place until they finish. They boast about how different the core game is thanks to the politics system even though the majority of theFor every good idea, TERA has several bad ones. They attempt to create more action-based combat and while you don't lock onto targets, combat is slower than traditional MMOs due to long attack animations which can't be cancelled and lock your character in place until they finish. They boast about how different the core game is thanks to the politics system even though the majority of the game's content consists of generic kill/fetch quests with the same time consuming end-game raiding as other MMOs.

    TERA also caters to pedophiles with their Elin race which are effectively extremely sexualized little girls.    … Expand
  30. djgLXXII
    May 1, 2012
    10
    This game does NOT deserve a score below 6. Thus, I am giving it a 10 in an attempt to balance some of the ridiculous opinions. Anyway, the game is very fun. As others have said, the questing is very generic "Fed-Ex" fetch or kill, but the combat makes it quite enjoyable. It truly is like playing a classic Japanese-style action game with combos. Your attacks "feel" like they areThis game does NOT deserve a score below 6. Thus, I am giving it a 10 in an attempt to balance some of the ridiculous opinions. Anyway, the game is very fun. As others have said, the questing is very generic "Fed-Ex" fetch or kill, but the combat makes it quite enjoyable. It truly is like playing a classic Japanese-style action game with combos. Your attacks "feel" like they are connecting which is a detail that many MMOs outside of WoW often lack. The graphics are beautiful as well as the animations. LOTS of attention to detail. Some people will undoubtedly be put off by the cutesy graphics, but they are some bad ass looking races and mobs. Again, the animations and weapon/armor models are superb. In the very least, TERA is worth the box price. Two--thumps-up.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

77
#77 Best PC Game of 2012
25
#25 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
12
#12 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 41 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 41
  3. Negative: 0 out of 41
  1. DarkZero
    Aug 23, 2012
    70
    Tera sure makes promise on the "true action combat" that it so advertises, but that change alone to the MMORPG formula isn't enough to flip the genre on its head, especially when you've forgotten about other aspects of it.
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  2. GameCritics
    Aug 22, 2012
    75
    That being said, Tera is in surprisingly good shape for a game so early in its life cycle. The journey to level cap is mostly entertaining, endgame content is available, and the core gameplay elements are solid.
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  3. Gamers' Temple
    Aug 13, 2012
    68
    Action-oriented combat and interesting graphics aren't enough to overcome what is overall a rather bland experience.
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