The Secret World

 PC
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1304 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,029 out of 1304
  2. Mixed: 117 out of 1304
  3. Negative: 158 out of 1304
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  1. Ectogamut
    Jul 7, 2012
    9
    As an admitted Blizzard fanboy I can honestly say that TSW has effectively pulled me away from the monotony of Diablo 3. Developers should pay close attention to what Funcom has done with this game as it is a stroke of genius. The story is immersive, the graphics are top notch for an MMO of such scale, and the combat is action-packed. If you want a game in which the developer dictates theAs an admitted Blizzard fanboy I can honestly say that TSW has effectively pulled me away from the monotony of Diablo 3. Developers should pay close attention to what Funcom has done with this game as it is a stroke of genius. The story is immersive, the graphics are top notch for an MMO of such scale, and the combat is action-packed. If you want a game in which the developer dictates the manner in which you play, by all means D3 is for you; if you want something vastly different than a never ending loot grind then you should definitely try TSW. Even if you decide not to subscribe, you will find the game worthy of a $50 investment.… Expand
  2. beladrim
    Jul 9, 2012
    8
    I purchased this game without knowing much about it. And now i must say : i am a happy customer. The Secret world takes questing to a whole new level by introducing investigation for the first time in a MMo. Forget the typical kill 5 wolves quest. This game will not take you by the hand as it forces you to think. It's a clever game and other developers should learn from this quest system.I purchased this game without knowing much about it. And now i must say : i am a happy customer. The Secret world takes questing to a whole new level by introducing investigation for the first time in a MMo. Forget the typical kill 5 wolves quest. This game will not take you by the hand as it forces you to think. It's a clever game and other developers should learn from this quest system. The ability system is also well though and allows you to customise your play-style to create a unique character. Dungeons look nice and also offer a good challenge with proper rewards. My only complains are the poor character animations and PvP. PvP at this point is not the backbone of this game as it offers nothing new to the table, and is rather unstable at the moment. If you are looking for an MMo to do quests and dungeons, the secret world is the game you're looking for. If PvP is the only thing you are after, don't bother, GW2 is just around the corner and they are other games such as EvE online that offer a much better PvP experience than TSW.… Expand
  3. Hotchick
    Jul 5, 2012
    10
    Look at the few vidiots giving this game a zero. Dated graphics my ass, these graphics are state of the art. It appears to me it's the WoW fanboys, they complain because they cant just go out and zerg easymode quests by the dozen. This is the best mmo on the market right now. **** idiots.
  4. jmo195
    Jul 30, 2012
    6
    Equal parts enjoyable and frustrating, but at the end of the day the questing and combat system made me move on.

    The first few hours of the Secret World are so distinct from anything else I've played in the MMORPG world that it kept my attention for a while. Unfortunately, the punishing combat system, frustrating questing and limited gear options lost my interest over time. The game    Equal parts enjoyable and frustrating, but at the end of the day the questing and combat system made me move on.

    The first few hours of the Secret World are so distinct from anything else I've played in the MMORPG world that it kept my attention for a while. Unfortunately, the punishing combat system, frustrating questing and limited gear options lost my interest over time.

    The game itself is not as open ended or "level-less" as advertised. You will follow quest chains that send you across zones, and while you do have a diverse amount of options for what weapons you invest in, the abilities are still broken down into the traditional MMO categories (tanking, damage, healing, CC and hybrid). I created three characters and did not feel I developed a competent character until my third. While you are "free" to invest in anything, if you choose not to focus on a particular skill set early on you will find it difficult to push past your current zone. So really, at least initially, you need to pick a skill set and stay with it, or you will be forced to redo quests gaining back experience to compensate for your lack of focus. This is made easier by having "decks" which you can choose from, which provide general (although not necessarily the best for early leveling) guidelines.

    The quests are intriguing, especially initially. The voice acting is fine, the writing is fine, no real complaints there. The quests can be tricky and the puzzles will often force you to use Google, unless you want to punish yourself for hours attempting to figure it out. They provide an in game browser for such purposes.

    The instances are very linear, involve little trash, and can be cleared relatively quickly. I had a few wipes here and there, but usually could clear the instances in under half an hour. They were enjoyable the first time through, but became increasingly repetitive with each subsequent run through. There was nothing really fun or dynamic about them, but nothing fundamentally flawed either.

    As for PvP, I did not try it, which is odd since I almost always play games for PvP over anything else. This is a testament to the interesting world created in TSW.

    All that said, I did not continue my subscription and I don't see myself playing TSW any longer, and here is why:

    The combat is not very fun to me. As you progress through zones, even if you chose to focus on a deck, you're likely to find yourself having to intently focus on every battle or risk death. I don't mind a challenge, but TSW makes it frustrating, not challenging. This is coupled with the frustration of the questing system, which while narrated well, has mechanics that require mundane and repetitious tasks. So, you have mobs that can take a good thirty seconds or more to kill and involve either significant kiting or downtime between fights, and quests that will send you across half the map, with hundreds of said enemies, all so you can grab something. You're basically faced with running and hoping nothing catches you, or investing a tremendous amount of time into fighting everything. Once you get there, even if you turn in the quest via the mobile turn-in, you will have to make the run back to get the rest of the quest givers' tasks.

    Also, several quests are broken. I will say that Funcom GM's have been terrific about responding and fixing problems, but they are broken nonetheless. It ruins the immersion and frankly I don't like having to petition a GM multiple times to complete a zones quests, especially since there are so few of them in a zone. While there is an open ended style to the investment of skill points, the skills themselves are starkly similar to one another and share much of the same mechanics. This makes the variety of abilities feel less diverse. Granted there are differences between each tree, but they are not distinct ability sets so much as part of a mold that is reused across all the skills. The voice acting is done well, but I do feel they used the same three actors to voice each character. That does not diminish their acting ability, but when the Templar quest giver voices are the same as the Dragon quest giver voices, it once again ruins the immersion. Also, while the story aspect is well done, I can see it becoming repetitive, especially if you plan on playing the game for months or years. Overall, TSW is a fun diversion for a couple weeks, but the ultimate failure by Funcom is that while they made an interesting world paired with intriguing game mechanics, the game does not remain fun past the first few zones. Unnecessarily tedious combat scaling and poorly designed quests sucked the fun out of it for me, and I eventually lost interest.    … Expand
  5. Zhiroc
    Sep 18, 2012
    3
    If I had to choose one word to describe this game, it would be "bipolar". While it has clear aspirations to be one thing, the implementation of game often seems to be quite the opposite. Starting with the story, the setting and the tone it sets, it felt like a breath of fresh air in the MMO landscape. But then it chose to give your character no voice, literally or figuratively. In all theIf I had to choose one word to describe this game, it would be "bipolar". While it has clear aspirations to be one thing, the implementation of game often seems to be quite the opposite. Starting with the story, the setting and the tone it sets, it felt like a breath of fresh air in the MMO landscape. But then it chose to give your character no voice, literally or figuratively. In all the quests and cut-scenes, there is almost no input from you, or even your character, who stands mute and emotionless during the monologues of the quest giver (or dialogues, in the few cases where the giver is more than one person). I felt less involvement and immersion with my character, than I have in most FPS games, much less one that is supposed to be an RPG. (Even the characters you play in Left4Dead have more personality.) At the end of the first chapter, I was afforded a choice, which took me aback. But even here, I felt I lacked the information I needed to make it, and afterwards, I felt little repercussions from it. Also, I found that contrary to the setting and premise, there's very little exploration of the conflict between the secret societies. For the most part, it's filled with "monster-of-the-moment" quests, with little flexibility as to achieving the goal--and after you do so, the lack of interacting with the quest giver again often feels like there is a lack of closure to the mini-story. After finishing the first chapter, looking back it just didn't feel like a cohesive and engrossing plot line--just a string of connected events. The "subterfuge" type quests promised different gameplay, and in one sense it does as you try to avoid combat, but without any stealth mechanics in the game (not even the ability to crouch behind things ala Deus Ex: HR), "sneaking around" means just staying out of aggro range. You cross open areas with enemies in plain sight, but just not close enough for them to engage. I guess they are all very nearsighted and lack glasses.... The investigation-type quests also had potential, but since this takes up a slot as your one allowed main mission, you feel "frozen" as you have it, and instead of keeping it in the back of your mind as you explore, I found myself getting very impatient with them. The game touts itself as "leveless", but it only meets that literally. You have to buy abilities with AP and some skills with SP. Tied with bonuses due to gear, this means that the game has a very definite progression, perhaps less than in some leveled systems, but still very pronounced. Plus, the ability system seems to reach "plateaus" of effectiveness, meaning that there are often huge stair-steps in your progression. Eventually, about 2/3 of the way through the first chapter, I found that I had pretty much max'ed out a build, and that to try to achieve something better would mean trashing and reformulating my build, all the while not getting any "better". Gameplay itself, while promising to be fresh, plays that way to begin, but then devolves into monotony, as with only 7 active abilities at one time there's very little tactical selection when playing solo. You end up using the same rotations over and over. As a final comment, since this game uses a subscription model, you are constantly reminded of the fun-vs-cost ratio that must be maintained for your own satisfaction. In my opinion, it doesn't come close to meeting my bar for such. If you are looking for a story experience, SW:TOR delivers far better. If you are looking for gameplay, many others are more entertaining.… Expand
  6. Jonas1976
    Jul 31, 2012
    4
    Much like StarWars: the old republic the game is more like singleplayer with benefits than a real MMO. With all the problems. The story missions are really nice for an MMO, but i wondered regularly how great the experience could have been if the developers had focused purely on this part in a standard singleplayer rpg. The MMO part on the other hand feels shallow and dilutes the story withMuch like StarWars: the old republic the game is more like singleplayer with benefits than a real MMO. With all the problems. The story missions are really nice for an MMO, but i wondered regularly how great the experience could have been if the developers had focused purely on this part in a standard singleplayer rpg. The MMO part on the other hand feels shallow and dilutes the story with unnerving grind in order to be ready for the next region. In the end, the games neither real fun as a story driven experience nor as a progress driven MMO. Two halves don´t always make a whole.… Expand
  7. Cell1e
    Jul 16, 2012
    3
    Okay people check this game out thorughly BEFORE you buy it. Watch videos on youtube about gameplay and character creation. I took a bit of a risk buying this game, it did not pay off.
    First issue for me is the CC. I think modern day mmos should have excellent chartacter creators, the one in SW is poor. The hairstyles for females are a joke, plenty of mohawks, short boy cuts and some very    Okay people check this game out thorughly BEFORE you buy it. Watch videos on youtube about gameplay and character creation. I took a bit of a risk buying this game, it did not pay off.
    First issue for me is the CC. I think modern day mmos should have excellent chartacter creators, the one in SW is poor. The hairstyles for females are a joke, plenty of mohawks, short boy cuts and some very messy looking bobs and mid length hair styles (about 3) NO LONG HAIR AT ALL. That stinks. The hair colours are weird and dont match the palette, the make-up otions are awful, two badly done ordinary blush and lip colour selections the rest of the make-up choices are horrendous tattoos and clown faces. The slider selections are limited to face selection, jaw, eye shape (not size) lip shape and nose shape. No sizing for body or face at all. ALL BODIES ARE EXACTLY SAME SIZE AND SHAPE. You get to choose some start off clothes, big thrill (NOT) Only accessory choices are glasses, no hats or any other type of accessory.
    I found the graphics appallingly clunky and chunky, it looks and feels like a game made ten years ago, no details, the clothes are the same, badly drawn and low quality textures. My husband tweaked graphics as much as he could but game is still very poor to look at.
    First taste of fighting was some ridiculous dream sequence, awful fighting mechanics, my character felt heavy and difficult to manage. So far I am nearly hating this game. It feels like a chore and I feel very badly about the money I wasted on it. Am trying to play some more to see if there are any good points. Will come back and add more if I find any.
    PLEASE PLEASE dont believe all the hype you read here, check this game out VERY carefully before you buy.    … Expand
  8. Falrinth
    Jul 8, 2012
    5
    Ok time for review number 2. After playing a bit longer:
    Quests and atmoshpere are nice, but the engine is so unoptimised its hard to enjoy FPS choppiness in this game's multiplayer aspects... PvP is a lagfest beyond timing controll. The particles seems to give my GPU a heart attack there. Maybe its due to 1920x1200 resolution with v-sync on, but hey... why should it not be playable on    Ok time for review number 2. After playing a bit longer:
    Quests and atmoshpere are nice, but the engine is so unoptimised its hard to enjoy FPS choppiness in this game's multiplayer aspects... PvP is a lagfest beyond timing controll. The particles seems to give my GPU a heart attack there. Maybe its due to 1920x1200 resolution with v-sync on, but hey... why should it not be playable on gaming rigs? Plenty of players uses monitors bigger than 720p native nowadays so it should be optimised for them aswell. Son in sum...
    With computer like mine:

    - 1920x1200 res with v-sync ON (to get rid of tearing)
    - gtx 480 video card (better than gtx 570 bear in mind)
    - i5 2500K 3,3Ghz overclocked to higher rates by motherboard when its stressed
    - 8 gigs of fast ram

    you will be able to play smoothly only while questing, only with advanced visuals options set to "1" (right next to "0" out of "5"), and light details totally turned off (so no shadows). Seems game is really made for 720p small resolutions and non-demanding players who are satisfied with mediocre FPS and only some pve in a game.    … Expand
  9. Poisonthemonkey
    Jul 4, 2012
    0
    Overhyped, and oversold. Funcom has a history of creating mediocre games, and ultimately, as an MMO, that is what The Secret World is.

    As a single player game, TSW would shine like a beacon. The decision to make it a massively multiplayer game--and one that runs off of both subscriptions and a cash shop--should strike any player as a profit-dominated choice, not a design choice. Every    Overhyped, and oversold. Funcom has a history of creating mediocre games, and ultimately, as an MMO, that is what The Secret World is.

    As a single player game, TSW would shine like a beacon. The decision to make it a massively multiplayer game--and one that runs off of both subscriptions and a cash shop--should strike any player as a profit-dominated choice, not a design choice. Every MMO aspect in this game only worsens it. So let's get down to what "it" is:

    Like Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines, TSW introduces you to a "secret world", and provides a compelling setting and story in which gameplay mechanics come secondary. When it comes to the setting and story, TSW does swell. Not as well as the fanboys may want you to think, but still very nicely. The trouble comes when MMO mechanics and realities are tossed in the mix. Do you like a little "Kill 5 zombies? Great, now kill 5 zombies!"? No? That's right, nobody does. And for all it sells itself as a puzzle game, the puzzles in TSW are far and few between. At their best, the puzzles require a quick Google search (provided in-game) and a click on the very first hit. At their worst, they're completely obvious (cue bad poetry in which each of the puzzle pieces is mentioned explicitly in order: "First, the Skull..."). And then you have "kill 5 zombies" quests disguised as puzzles. Absolutely unfun, and there's a lot of this sort of fluff designed to keep you around long enough to pay $15 a month.

    Trouble is, TSW just doesn't have the content to keep anyone sticking around for a few months. Nobody finds the combat fun, and after the story is consumed, what else is left? A weakly designed crafting system? Repeating WoW-esque quests? Spending in the cash shop?

    Spend your money elsewhere. This game will go F2P fast, and Funcom is just charging you for being impatient. There are plenty of other MMORPGs coming out (most notably Guild Wars 2) which don't charge you for the privilege of wasting your time, and have something beyond a good story and setting to offer you in the long run.    … Expand
  10. lypse
    Jul 4, 2012
    2
    The theme of the game is very nice, but a few things really takes away from the enjoyment. Very few character options. But the glaring problem (for me) is that you so often have to search Google for walk-troughs to quests.. it just ruins the immersion that the game otherwise succeed to provide. Bottom line, if your not a native language is not English and/or have excellent puzzle solvingThe theme of the game is very nice, but a few things really takes away from the enjoyment. Very few character options. But the glaring problem (for me) is that you so often have to search Google for walk-troughs to quests.. it just ruins the immersion that the game otherwise succeed to provide. Bottom line, if your not a native language is not English and/or have excellent puzzle solving skills.. the game gets boring fast.… Expand
  11. raidet
    Jul 7, 2012
    2
    Far too much focus has been placed on the storytelling aspect of this game, which is, after all is said & done, a standard combat MMO. Once the story has been experienced once, it's no longer important, no? So why all the focus on this in a subscription based game we're supposed to play for years? The biggest problem as a result of this mis-focus is unsatisfying combat. Since the playerFar too much focus has been placed on the storytelling aspect of this game, which is, after all is said & done, a standard combat MMO. Once the story has been experienced once, it's no longer important, no? So why all the focus on this in a subscription based game we're supposed to play for years? The biggest problem as a result of this mis-focus is unsatisfying combat. Since the player will spend the majority of his time fighting in a game like this, it's crucial that combat be well thought through. Instead, it appears that no thought whatsoever has been given to this front & centre aspect. As a result, a child could predict that this game will fail. I've given a very low score due to the fact that I know the developers have been aware of the combat issue for a very long time now, but opted for the usual bone-idle denial rather than making corrections that could have easily made the game a success. Such roaring stupidity does not deserve mercy.… Expand
  12. Zenren
    May 17, 2015
    4
    This game had such great potential, but the designers decided to make the focus clickies, rather than actually deepening the mechanics. What started out as a strong MMO petered out to a mediocre MMO with shoddy cheap attempts at progression. Look elsewhere for a deep engrossing MMO, at least if you plan on going beyond Issue 8, because everything after 9 is focused on a very specific buildThis game had such great potential, but the designers decided to make the focus clickies, rather than actually deepening the mechanics. What started out as a strong MMO petered out to a mediocre MMO with shoddy cheap attempts at progression. Look elsewhere for a deep engrossing MMO, at least if you plan on going beyond Issue 8, because everything after 9 is focused on a very specific build to progress.… Expand
  13. kvast
    Sep 3, 2012
    10
    If you like good story - you should play this game. Unlike childish SW:TOR, plot is written to interest mature people. Cut scenes are directed so well, that you don
  14. vgwizardx
    Sep 3, 2012
    10
    I have to say one of the best MMOs I have played. No, its not perfect if I'm trying to pick it apart. However, this is a perfect release. I expect changes after the first few months to balance things out. But Overall this is great twist to a diluted genre.
  15. ames
    Sep 4, 2012
    10
    I'm playing TSW since release now, and am still motivated enough to play it almost every day, unlike SWTOR, where I lost all interest after my character finished the story and reached max. lvl. I sort of stumbled over the beta-weekends and after reaching Kingsmouth the atmosphere of the game sucked me in. The story, the well-crafted quests (especially the adventure-like InvestigativeI'm playing TSW since release now, and am still motivated enough to play it almost every day, unlike SWTOR, where I lost all interest after my character finished the story and reached max. lvl. I sort of stumbled over the beta-weekends and after reaching Kingsmouth the atmosphere of the game sucked me in. The story, the well-crafted quests (especially the adventure-like Investigative Missions) and the great characters and dialogue turn The Secret World into something special. And while the skill system seemed really chaotic to me in the beginning, I got used to it pretty fast. Graphics and sounds are well done although the characters are pretty low-polygon, which really shows in close-ups. Lighting and shadows are great, especially under DX11. Conclusion: The Secret World is my favorite MMORPG in 2012.… Expand
  16. ViharTancos
    Apr 18, 2016
    9
    Best story telling in a whole MMO industry. Its most of single player games as well. Mature and complicated characters and dialogs. The world is amazing lot classical horror refence from Love Craft, Clive Barker etc..
    The TRON disc fighting system is difficult for the new comers but get pretty handy and flexiblefor veterans.
  17. xellis
    Jul 18, 2016
    10
    I'll start by saying this game is underrated. It's a spectacularly well done game that you should definitely try if you like either RPG's, or MMORPG's. It has a really epic, mature narrative where you play a character in the modern-day joining a secret society and exploring the urban legends and myths of the world through out history from ancient to present. The storytelling, the voiceI'll start by saying this game is underrated. It's a spectacularly well done game that you should definitely try if you like either RPG's, or MMORPG's. It has a really epic, mature narrative where you play a character in the modern-day joining a secret society and exploring the urban legends and myths of the world through out history from ancient to present. The storytelling, the voice acting, and overall presentation is phenomenal and holds up to what we've seen from other RPG's since it's release almost 4 years ago. The game also holds up graphically, they keep the graphical fidelity up to par with newer titles (and honestly in many cases better). The world is huge, it encourages non-linear exploration behind every nook, cranny, corner, alleyway, there's something to be discovered that can lead you on a huge variety of sub-plots all with their own epic narratives. They've updated the combat from back when I played it in beta, it's now more action oriented with dodging and quick skill reaction. The progression is some of the deepest I have seen in an MMO, and even many modern RPG's, allowing you to build and customize your character to play exactly how you want, with a huge variety of weapon and skill types you can mix, and match to your hearts content. This is a very atmospheric game, so I would recommend playing it with the sound settings for ambiance, and music maxed out, you will go on many missions that can be downright creepy and befitting of the horror genre. When I think of comparisons it's hard to come up with one in the gaming-sphere, as The Secret World is truly unique, and the closest thing I can think of is if you mixed Fallout 4 with Life Is Strange. If you've ever seen the tv show's "Supernatural", "Grim", or "Sanctuary" the game can remind me of those as well.

    If you're like me, and are there feeling like the games on the market, and the RPG, or MMO genres are at a stale point, you should definitely try this game, you will be surprised, and you will love it.    … Expand
  18. Tobwa
    Nov 10, 2015
    9
    Like others have mentioned, this game is outstanding.

    I don't like MMOs. It is my general opinion they are broken. They aren't REALLY multiplayer. In that regard, this one makes no difference. You might be able to team up and take a raid, but any story bits will never be about you all as a group. They only are about you as an individual. But, that is where this game shines. You are    Like others have mentioned, this game is outstanding.

    I don't like MMOs. It is my general opinion they are broken. They aren't REALLY multiplayer. In that regard, this one makes no difference. You might be able to team up and take a raid, but any story bits will never be about you all as a group. They only are about you as an individual.

    But, that is where this game shines. You are intertwined in outstanding atmosphere and engrossing writing. Being a part of that, even if it is only kind of with friends, is absolutely the best part of the game. I WANT to see every quest, every twist, every turn. Every creepy detail strewn about this beautifully created world.

    And are you big? Are you bad? There is always something mysterious and deadly that is larger and bigger. It feels fantastic. And I need to end on that note and play just a little more.

    It feels fantastic.    … Expand
  19. megabear
    Apr 12, 2016
    10
    I heard about TSW a few times but not enough to get me interested. Then I finally decided to give it a try because well, there weren't any "better" options I thought. Turns out, this is the best MMO I've ever played, and I've been playing MMO's since Everquest, WoW and such. So happy that I decided to give it a try.
  20. Aurkayne
    Sep 28, 2012
    9
    I've been playing this game since beta. This is not your average MMO. This is not the game for your if you don't enjoy THINKING as well as fighting. I've seen people complain here about having to use google. There's an in-game browser for research missions. (Again, they are also optional.) The three societies are great, each one has its own unique story. I have been lucky enough toI've been playing this game since beta. This is not your average MMO. This is not the game for your if you don't enjoy THINKING as well as fighting. I've seen people complain here about having to use google. There's an in-game browser for research missions. (Again, they are also optional.) The three societies are great, each one has its own unique story. I have been lucky enough to play with a lot of people from around the world and the social experience once you've joined a cabal(guild) is fantastic. No, it's not perfect but the developers are dedicated to delivering original content and an original experience. Right now, the game is even on sale. It's worth it, I'm a lifetime sub owner.… Expand
  21. Seryin
    May 26, 2013
    7
    Quick Review: Probably the only mmorpg I have played after leaving WoW that does not feel like a game that copied or aspired to be something like WoW. It is just its own game.
    Pros: Excellent world, story, art and theme.
    Cons: Lame, though intuitive, combat system.
    Loses points for having a box price. Any mmo like this should be F2P, especially when there is a micro transaction store in-game.
  22. Andresitooo
    Jul 11, 2013
    8
    Very cool game could've been done better. I like the sound and gameplay mechanics even thought a bit out dated. Loved the class system seemed balanced and very deep. Equipment could have had more added to it i think. Otherwise very cool story and lore. give it an 8.
  23. Chafouin
    Dec 19, 2012
    10
    I am totally in love of the game. I had not tried early because of the monthly subscription payments (I am pretty busy and did not want to pay for months that I may not even login once), but with the new one time payment and DLC models, it's was hard not to give it a try. And I absolutely addicted to it. Whoever likes the kind of modern/science fiction/horror universe should definitely goI am totally in love of the game. I had not tried early because of the monthly subscription payments (I am pretty busy and did not want to pay for months that I may not even login once), but with the new one time payment and DLC models, it's was hard not to give it a try. And I absolutely addicted to it. Whoever likes the kind of modern/science fiction/horror universe should definitely go for it.
    I feel for this game the same way as when I read a great book and watch an awesome moive: I just want other people to experience it too.    … Expand
  24. Misjah
    Sep 2, 2012
    10
    10/10... The adventurers and theorycrafters wet dream!

    TSW is the best MMO i have played since the first year of WoW, it is different, challenging and beautiful. The mission system is really awesome and simple, but can be very hard to understand if you expect another hub quest system... You do the missions YOU want to do, and there are lot's of them, in all different types and    10/10... The adventurers and theorycrafters wet dream!

    TSW is the best MMO i have played since the first year of WoW, it is different, challenging and beautiful.
    The mission system is really awesome and simple, but can be very hard to understand if you expect another hub quest system... You do the missions YOU want to do, and there are lot's of them, in all different types and difficulty! Investigation missions are absolutely amazing and i have not enjoyed a puzzle as much since the old Lucasarts games...
    The puzzles are completely voluntary and gives the same xp as doing pvp, dungeons or mob grinding would do, this really makes you able to have the fun YOU want, with the exception of the main story and faction story.
    The main story is coupled with a faction specific mission chain of which there are 3 different, one for each faction, they were much more exciting then the SWToR class stories or any other mmorpg story i have ever played.
    The DX11 engine is BRILLIANT, the atmosphere and styled theme this thing can pull off left me absolutely breathless, my 460gtx does medium settings at 60fps and there is no input lag or any other kind of lag. The characters are normal humans but the ability to customize your looks and clothing as you see fit is awesome, the gear you have to wear no longer decide your looks, YOU DO!
    The Dungeons in TSW are the best i have EVER played, there is zero trash and the stories and replayability is awesome, bosses are open to be beaten in various different ways which makes the encounters fresh and appealing kill after kill. There are 3 different dungeon difficulties, Normal mode that starts at the end of the first area, Elite which takes over where Normal left off as an intro to endgame which is Nightmare Dungeons. Every difficulty adds new mechanics and tools that both Tank, healer and dps need to use to beat bosses.
    There are tons of achievements, lore and rare boss collections that can unlock new and rare clothing for those that wish to do that, there is also open world Lair bosses which is for players that can't or don't want to do elite/nightmare dungeons.
    The launch was flawless and the bugs that were present were not game breaking and are steadily being fixed in weekly patch updates.
    Funcom are releasing monthly content updates of which the first one contained a bunch of Investigation missions that people have been asking for and 2 new Nightmare dungeons.
    The next content patch has the same PLUS a new type of weapon that will add depth to combat, this time it was a Rocket Launcher and rumors tells of a chainsaw coming next month.
    October will bring a raid in the middle of New York and in 2013 we will get downtown Tokyo as a completely new mission/story zone.
    There have been alot of Funcom bashing going on, TSW is nothing like the disaster Age of Conan, but have some great roots in Funcom's Anarchy Online which is their first mmo, still running after 11 years!

    TSW is by far the most underhyped mmo i have ever played and they have me hooked!    … Expand
  25. elron
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    I have problem understanding why people would rate this game low. Yes, there have been some initial release bugs and yes, they can be frustrating. But find me an MMO that didn't suffer from this. Any other World or Warcraft initial release players out there??? I didn't think so. But let's take a look at the entire game, not just the problems they've had on launch. Being a "real"I have problem understanding why people would rate this game low. Yes, there have been some initial release bugs and yes, they can be frustrating. But find me an MMO that didn't suffer from this. Any other World or Warcraft initial release players out there??? I didn't think so. But let's take a look at the entire game, not just the problems they've had on launch. Being a "real" adult (48-years-old), I've played my share of WoW, LOTRO, Eve Online, Star Trek Online, etc., and I must admit that this is the FIRST MMO that I felt was written and created for adults. I'm not talking about swearing and nudity, I'm talking about an incredibly written storyline, and first-rate voice acting. The game immerses you in the story, and regardless what you think of the combat system or leveling system, the game is a masterpiece. I played for the free month and then bought a lifetime subscription. I play most evenings and have NEVER been disappointed with content or originality. The first FREE content release provided not only some upper-level quests, but added to the lower-level quests as well which is unprecedented in MMO content releases. If they continue this schedule (which they promise to do), this game will continue to improve. The investigation quests are amazing (although, the in-game web browser now brings up walkthroughs for game searches rather than intended content :(), the stealth missions are a lot of fun, and the "found" missions add an extra level of adventure to the game.

    I don't mean to be a TSW cheerleader, but I've found little to complain about in the game. If I had to make some complaints, it would be that I think I have the best dual-weapons combinations and actions and now I don't know how to spend my ability points. A small complaint for all the enjoyment I've gotten from this game.

    I hope Funcom continues to update the game on multiple levels, and I hope they don't feel the need to go F2P before it's time. This is a fantastic game made for adults and those with a more mature sense of what a MMO should do.    … Expand
  26. paaskeegget
    Aug 28, 2012
    10
    Love the graphics, but do get yourself a Nividia GTX670 or better, or you can't run the game in all its beauty and glory. Love the world, the missions, the skill system. It's all very well designed.
  27. Morbox
    Aug 31, 2012
    10
    In short: This is the only MMORPG that I have ever found worth playing, and not for lack of trying. The quest design is impeccable (a lot of SP RPGs aren't as good!), the system is fresh and interesting, and the setting and atmosphere is absolutely great. So far, the game is absolutely worth its retail price. For me, it remains to be seen if I'll keep playing, as I am not usually an MMOIn short: This is the only MMORPG that I have ever found worth playing, and not for lack of trying. The quest design is impeccable (a lot of SP RPGs aren't as good!), the system is fresh and interesting, and the setting and atmosphere is absolutely great. So far, the game is absolutely worth its retail price. For me, it remains to be seen if I'll keep playing, as I am not usually an MMO player, but I am confident. The Raids are interesting (especially with the mutable skill sets - your group doesn't succeed with a boss? Change your tactics on the fly! Hell, change your CLASS on the fly!). PVP is a bit chaotic as of yet, but remedy seems to be underway. Also, I find a bit of chaos more to my liking than having static battles that all work the same. While the graphics are mostly okay, the animations are a bit awkward. The design of the world is beautiful and adds a lot to the fantastic atmosphere. There are likable characters throughout the story, which are all completely voiced by good voice actors. All in all it's a 9/10, corrected to 10 to offset some of the ridiculously low ratings.… Expand
  28. Mcwalco
    Sep 5, 2012
    10
    A new approach to MMO genre and a step forward for the gaming community .Everything about TSW is new and innovative .Yes it has a few rough edges but with 7 years of planned content with monthly updates .i have no doubt this game will do very well.
  29. cyberqat
    Sep 5, 2012
    10
    While it is true that Funcom has not solved the "play alone together" problem all MMORPGs seem to face, the number of other MMORPG problems Funcom has addressed is remarkable.

    The class-less/level-less system allows for both more character individualization and alt-less play ala guildwars. Any character can learn any build at any time. The environment is creepy and foreboding. The    While it is true that Funcom has not solved the "play alone together" problem all MMORPGs seem to face, the number of other MMORPG problems Funcom has addressed is remarkable.

    The class-less/level-less system allows for both more character individualization and alt-less play ala guildwars. Any character can learn any build at any time.

    The environment is creepy and foreboding. The modern day setting makes it feel familiar... but only familiar in the way an HP lovecraft story is familiar. The horror element and continual suprises always keep you on edge and engaged.

    The gameplay, story elements and puzzles are remarkably well integrated. Unless you read and think about the story, you wont succeed. This will likely turn off grind-oriented players but for those of us who were turned off by the grind, this is a breath of fresh air. You are always learning something new *and significant* about the world around you and how to deal with it.

    This is not a mass market game. Its a thinkers game. And a game for those who prefer "street level" heroes to world-shaking power-fantasies. But its a big breath of fresh air and depth in a market that has been on a steady march to bland and shallow crowd pleasers for a long time now.    … Expand
  30. KeyserSozeNZ
    Jan 21, 2013
    9
    The Secret World is a hidden gem in the MMO landscape. The quests are brilliant and very few are simply fetch X of this and kill Y of that. They have a lot of thought put into them and the resulting questing experience is really enjoyable and has a lot of flow. Some of the investigation quests are down right devious and you'll be finding yourself using the ingame web browser to help solveThe Secret World is a hidden gem in the MMO landscape. The quests are brilliant and very few are simply fetch X of this and kill Y of that. They have a lot of thought put into them and the resulting questing experience is really enjoyable and has a lot of flow. Some of the investigation quests are down right devious and you'll be finding yourself using the ingame web browser to help solve them, or if you are up for a bigger challenge, spending a couple of hours trying to crack the code yourself. For instance, one quest involves deciphering morse code to figure out a location to go to. Not so hard if it was written down, but the morse code is audio. Of course the answer is freely available on the internet if you wish to go that way, or decipher yourself if you're really up for a challenge.

    The dungeons are also well paced and thought out and offer a good challenge, very minimal trash so the action really flows.

    There are no "levels" as such but you'll need to complete quests to gain XP to allow you to wear better armour and gain access to better skills.

    Given that this game has dropped the monthly subscription (I'd be surprised to see any major MMOs launch with a monthly subscription in the future btw - I think the micro transaction model is the way of the future) it is well worth the purchase up front for hours and hours of gameplay.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
29
#29 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 55
  3. Negative: 1 out of 55
  1. Armchair Empire
    Oct 22, 2013
    90
    The Secret World delivers an MMO experience that's distinctly different from its competitors, and it's likely going to remain the standard for future games in the horror/supernatural genre.
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  2. GameStar
    Dec 17, 2012
    81
    I am really looking forward to the next mission, the next dialog, the next puzzle. As in a solo role-playing game flat. And this is not an error but a boon.
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  3. 4P.de
    Sep 18, 2012
    76
    I like the open character development where I don't have to wear a class straitjacket as well as the quiet discovery of mysterious dangers. But more often that it wants to, The Secret World is "just" an ordinary MMO.
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