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. Bravo4
    Sep 7, 2012
    6
    Perhaps I didn't give this game enough of a chance but I simply could not get into it. The premise and concepts are right up my alley but the delivery just doesn't seem to be there. I think it does a lot of things well...but when it comes right down to it, it feels like just another MMO. The combat was fun at first but got fairly repetitive quick. The graphics, design and overallPerhaps I didn't give this game enough of a chance but I simply could not get into it. The premise and concepts are right up my alley but the delivery just doesn't seem to be there. I think it does a lot of things well...but when it comes right down to it, it feels like just another MMO. The combat was fun at first but got fairly repetitive quick. The graphics, design and overall atmosphere are definitely a plus. I was disappointed with the supposedly loads of conspiracy theory material. Most of it seemed very derived and boring and just didn't seem to make much sense in a lot of instances and I am normally a fan of this stuff. That said, I can certainly see why some people are thoroughly enjoying the game. For my part, it started off great but got stale very quickly.… Expand
  2. Warfist
    Aug 30, 2012
    5
    TSW has a few things going for it, namely it's storyline, investigation and sabotage missions and the skill wheel is a pretty nice addition (although there are many repetitive skills in there). The problem is, once you have completed the excellent storyline and missions you are left with the same old loot treadmill and absolutely terrible PvP. Combat itself lacks polish, skills often shareTSW has a few things going for it, namely it's storyline, investigation and sabotage missions and the skill wheel is a pretty nice addition (although there are many repetitive skills in there). The problem is, once you have completed the excellent storyline and missions you are left with the same old loot treadmill and absolutely terrible PvP. Combat itself lacks polish, skills often share animations and don't "blend" well, the sounds for combat are very repetitive (ex: all pistols sound exactly the same) and it lacks that visceral "feel" to it. Hopefully these are things Funcom can work on.

    Overall, you'd probably get your $50 worth from playing through the story, but in it's current state, it's just not worth paying a monthly subscription for. If it makes the change to F2P then it's definitely worth picking up.    … Expand
  3. Ticklefist
    Aug 20, 2012
    5
    I believe the "professional" critics have got this one about right. For all it does differently in the narrative department, The Secret World is still an MMO at its core. The game has all the regular genre staples such as guided progression via solo and group questing, group dungeons, and loot grinding. If you enjoy daily quests and daily quest hubs then consider The Secret World one bigI believe the "professional" critics have got this one about right. For all it does differently in the narrative department, The Secret World is still an MMO at its core. The game has all the regular genre staples such as guided progression via solo and group questing, group dungeons, and loot grinding. If you enjoy daily quests and daily quest hubs then consider The Secret World one big hub because virtually every quest is repeatable. The combat is simple enough that anyone willing to learn it can but it may not have the depth that others desire. Overall it's a decent game that's got everything people have come to expect from MMOs, both good and bad, except for the raiding. That's fine with me.… Expand
  4. darkcerb
    Jul 7, 2012
    7
    Offers a different spin on the formula that does just enough to excite this mmo old hand into writing a review. The story is both terrific and terrible in pieces some quests and environments will have you on the edge of your seat to see what's next others will have you cringing (The secret world must be a secret to a hermet living in a cave with fingers in his ears singing loudly becauseOffers a different spin on the formula that does just enough to excite this mmo old hand into writing a review. The story is both terrific and terrible in pieces some quests and environments will have you on the edge of your seat to see what's next others will have you cringing (The secret world must be a secret to a hermet living in a cave with fingers in his ears singing loudly because everyone else in game is well aware of it's existence) The combat is the standard combo point affair we all associate with rogues. Where the game really shines is it's deck system which allows you to make your own class out of a dizzying selection of weapon classes. In short if you like the trinity game play of healer, tank, dps with dungeons, pvp and end game content you'll probably love this as it does enough different to hold your interest. If you were hoping for a re-invented wheel then I'd wait until someone combines swtor's story telling teras combat and guild wars. Until then this is an excellent way to spend your time.… Expand
  5. heerobya
    Aug 3, 2012
    5
    Though the setting is new, the aesthetics are great, and there are SOME interesting ideas like the Skill Wheel - as usual for Funcom the execution doesn't live up to the expectations. Investigation Missions aren't enough to save this game from clunky combat and animations, tacked-on gear-based PvP, repetitive content, and the same "end-game" model of instanced PvP and dungeons we've seenThough the setting is new, the aesthetics are great, and there are SOME interesting ideas like the Skill Wheel - as usual for Funcom the execution doesn't live up to the expectations. Investigation Missions aren't enough to save this game from clunky combat and animations, tacked-on gear-based PvP, repetitive content, and the same "end-game" model of instanced PvP and dungeons we've seen since 2004.… Expand
  6. AgainstLazyDevs
    Aug 4, 2012
    5
    The game improves on the Theme Park model in several ways and I find the free form skill structure in the place of traditional levels and classes refreshing. However, there isn't a lot outside of that which is truly innovative. The combat and is pretty bland in comparison to Funcom's other MMO Age of Conan and the quest structure is still a pretty standard "Kill 10 Rats" despite someThe game improves on the Theme Park model in several ways and I find the free form skill structure in the place of traditional levels and classes refreshing. However, there isn't a lot outside of that which is truly innovative. The combat and is pretty bland in comparison to Funcom's other MMO Age of Conan and the quest structure is still a pretty standard "Kill 10 Rats" despite some minor improvements on the model save for Espionage and Investigation type missions where you'll spend a good deal of your time using the in game web browser to do research in order to complete some of these missions which is something I found quite tedious and unfun at times.

    TSW is certainly not a bad game but not great either.    … Expand
  7. Vaelen
    Aug 22, 2012
    10
    Finally, a game that does not treat it`s player base as dumb monkeys, a more mature player base and most important, a monthly update to content. I do not think any other game out there does this.

    Yes, it does have its small errors as in minor bugs and some other nuisances, but such is every MMO out there, especially those that were just released. And if you can look past those, and just    Finally, a game that does not treat it`s player base as dumb monkeys, a more mature player base and most important, a monthly update to content. I do not think any other game out there does this.

    Yes, it does have its small errors as in minor bugs and some other nuisances, but such is every MMO out there, especially those that were just released. And if you can look past those, and just enjoy the gameplay until they get fixed, you will have a ton of fun and joy in TSW.

    Some complain that it    … Expand
  8. Jaz
    Feb 23, 2013
    7
    TSW is different than most MMOs thats a fact. Some things are good, some not though. The settings, environment, sound are great, especially at first areas. But Look of characters and animations arent good. Combat is nothing special. Quests can be good or very frustrating. End game below average. PvP is bad. Zones are few and small compared to other MMOs. Overal its saving grace are theTSW is different than most MMOs thats a fact. Some things are good, some not though. The settings, environment, sound are great, especially at first areas. But Look of characters and animations arent good. Combat is nothing special. Quests can be good or very frustrating. End game below average. PvP is bad. Zones are few and small compared to other MMOs. Overal its saving grace are the 3 first areas, they are amazing and you forget the negative parts. But then the magic slowly fades. Still i d play it just for those beginning areas.… Expand
  9. SenshudoTV
    Oct 16, 2013
    9
    The game hasn’t released without some bugs.

    I have seen some reviewers bash on the fact only three or four main areas have been described. However, this leaves plenty of room for expansion. Maine (traditional home of Cthuhlu mythos), Egypt, and Transylvania are detailed in multiple zones each. This leaves so many other places available. Another person has reviewed the game and said    The game hasn’t released without some bugs.

    I have seen some reviewers bash on the fact only three or four main areas have been described. However, this leaves plenty of room for expansion. Maine (traditional home of Cthuhlu mythos), Egypt, and Transylvania are detailed in multiple zones each. This leaves so many other places available.

    Another person has reviewed the game and said the 3-3-3 tiered system of melee, ranged, and magic looks limited. This, though, is another area of expansion potential. Martial arts and weapons, ranged weapons like submachine guns, and other arenas of magic can all be added down the line, expanding the game.    … Expand
  10. SIPPIO
    Feb 16, 2016
    10
    HELPING THE UNDECIDED = DEICDE
    --Take 5 seconds and click my name for proof that I review ALL games I play. pos & neg.
    ---I'm BRAND NEW to PC GAMING(again) after a 8 year hiatus. -Saw this on Steam Sale for $12 and the story setting of Cryptozoological,paranormal,divine, illumintai,Templars & Dragon(evil bad faction) --This idea had me excited and I dove in without knowing what to    HELPING THE UNDECIDED = DEICDE
    --Take 5 seconds and click my name for proof that I review ALL games I play. pos & neg.
    ---I'm BRAND NEW to PC GAMING(again) after a 8 year hiatus.

    -Saw this on Steam Sale for $12 and the story setting of Cryptozoological,paranormal,divine,
    illumintai,Templars & Dragon(evil bad faction)
    --This idea had me excited and I dove in without knowing what to expect..
    3 days later(today) I paid the $15 monthly to be a member because I expect to play it ALOT this month..
    -I played all 3 sessions SOLO so far.
    -I choose my faction & everything on my own as the game is VERY noob friendly..
    -I leveled quite quickly and I finally hit enemies that killed me. some sea monster baddies..
    --You pick TWO powers out of 9.
    3 guns,3 melee,3 magical
    I went with Shotgun & Electricity magic(forget name of magic)
    ---I spent a hour testing ALL the powers and weapons. as the arean was set up perfect for testing.
    they have the picture of said weapon, you click it & now its equipped. no add-dropping or equipping..all auto..awesome!!!
    --Almost picked Handguns(two pistols) and almost selected sword & blood magic & healer magic...
    --Faction--I selected the illuminati...
    each faction has a sweet intro video explaining what they are. watch them b4 you decide=I DID AND THE ILLUMINATI seem to be the A-Moral-out for self NEUTRAL faction...
    Knights Templar is the heroic good guys & the other "Dragon" are chaotic evil.. I went Neutral..
    --and I suspect the 1st missions are for every class & faction. stop zombies in some middle America Twin Peaks type of middle American suburbia town with a 1% minority %. just a observation of town type. probably coulda worded that better(don't be offended by it)

    -----Combat--I felt IN-CONTROL. All other MMO's I feel nervous in early game. but I had confidence early..
    --Graphics-pretty good BUT not gonna make any magazines under graphics..i have every setting on MAX.
    my PC is brand new but middle tier with a 750 card & i5 with 8gb ram. SO most people can enjoy jacked settings if I can..i suffered -0- lag. I thought id have to turn off something or lower resolution but I didn't..

    --Funfactor & last words--I found myself thinking of The Secret World..i was mad because I wanted to think about other games but whatevs.. I have Metal Gear & Jedi Starfighter going on PS4 & Wasteland going on XBOX1 but those game have taken the backseat..i mention this because only a fun good game can have us thinking bout it while we are away.....

    I bought my PC for StarWars The Old Republic because I'm a SW fan who read books and I played StarWars Galaxies MMO. that was actually my last good PC. so I am supposed to be playing The Old Republic. I subscribed to that and played 1 session & liked it ALOT. yes I paid the $15..wish id waited...I like the game,,but The Secret World has got me...whatevs... and that's mmy honest review so far...
    ---I cant say more cause this is a NOOB review..as all reviews should be.. hope someone on the fence goes for it.....    … Expand
  11. georgoi123
    Jan 26, 2014
    4
    Great game Idea, very poor execution. The concept and setting are fascinating, but the actual game play leaves a lot to be desired. Quests are buggy in spite of 1.5 years of complaints, the difficulty is very inconsistent and there is no in-game play/build guidance of any sort. I’ve noted that players who have written some of the most used guides have quit the game out of frustration. TheGreat game Idea, very poor execution. The concept and setting are fascinating, but the actual game play leaves a lot to be desired. Quests are buggy in spite of 1.5 years of complaints, the difficulty is very inconsistent and there is no in-game play/build guidance of any sort. I’ve noted that players who have written some of the most used guides have quit the game out of frustration. The emptiness of the zones outside of endgame and start up are highly indicative of a game that causes most players to quit before they get too far. Overall, a real shame, this could have been the next great thing. Instead, its best just to leave it alone.… Expand
  12. JoeCool
    Jul 28, 2012
    7
    Starts out great, nice world, investigation missions are really interesting, not your, 13 a dozen typical MMO-quests, kill this, fetch that boring kinda stuff. After a while though, it becomes more and more same ole same ole. The skill wheel offers a lot of flexibility, but overall longevity is real concern with a P2P model. Still really good game for at least a while. It will see strongStarts out great, nice world, investigation missions are really interesting, not your, 13 a dozen typical MMO-quests, kill this, fetch that boring kinda stuff. After a while though, it becomes more and more same ole same ole. The skill wheel offers a lot of flexibility, but overall longevity is real concern with a P2P model. Still really good game for at least a while. It will see strong competition next month from a certain Buy To Play game that is, fortunately for TSW, situated in a Fantasy setting.
    So many 10 's are being given by new accounts. The User Rating is probably a bit too high to be close to what it really is, but whatever.    … Expand
  13. MrBigMugs
    Dec 29, 2012
    0
    After shelling out 25 bucks for the game on steam and playing it for 30 minutes, I decided never to play the game again. It sucks that bad ! I got suckered into buying this game because of all the good reviews on here. Now I either think these people are personally insane that gave it a good rating or these are company employees posting. LOL Now after the game is supposedly free to playAfter shelling out 25 bucks for the game on steam and playing it for 30 minutes, I decided never to play the game again. It sucks that bad ! I got suckered into buying this game because of all the good reviews on here. Now I either think these people are personally insane that gave it a good rating or these are company employees posting. LOL Now after the game is supposedly free to play now with no monthly dues they still charged my credit card after I took the billing details off their website. Hands down one of the worst experiences I have had. Now I have to contest the charges on my card and all that jazz. Such a waste of time and resources for me on my end. Save yourself some time and money and DONT buy this crappy game !… Expand
  14. KeineEngel
    Aug 15, 2012
    5
    really disappointed with this game. This game is mediocre at best, disappointing considering the development time it took it was suppose to be free to play i guess at the last minute they decided to slap a monthly few on it but judging by the couple of hours i spent in game it will probably be free to play or bankrupt in the next couple of months. combat was very disappointing reallyreally disappointed with this game. This game is mediocre at best, disappointing considering the development time it took it was suppose to be free to play i guess at the last minute they decided to slap a monthly few on it but judging by the couple of hours i spent in game it will probably be free to play or bankrupt in the next couple of months. combat was very disappointing really boring. the visuals in this game are nice and the premise is cool but over all this game isnt worth the price or the monthly fee wish i waited for reviews before throwing money down the drain :(. save your money or wait for a sale dont buy full price… Expand
  15. Orc
    Mar 11, 2013
    1
    Unlike others below, this game convinced me to give up on Funcom. It's incredibly buggy, incredibly exploited, crashes...often...Did I say that it's heavily exploited? A few minutes in the battle grounds and you will understand ;)

    What does it have? Nice graphics and character customization options...but that doesn't make a game. The battle grounds are hit and miss on whether you    Unlike others below, this game convinced me to give up on Funcom. It's incredibly buggy, incredibly exploited, crashes...often...Did I say that it's heavily exploited? A few minutes in the battle grounds and you will understand ;)

    What does it have? Nice graphics and character customization options...but that doesn't make a game. The battle grounds are hit and miss on whether you will enjoy them, or fall asleep. As I learned, falling asleep with your head on the keyboard will get you banned...roflmao. Other games solved that problem eons ago.

    Issues after months of "fixes":

    Dragging items in your inventory takes a graduate degree. It's perhaps the sloppiest code ever written. The possible results range from it moves where you wanted it, it moves somewhere completely different. the game tries to (or succeeds) at destroying it, or (for consumables) sorry sucker you just drank it.

    It's also a massive grind fest. In standard Funcom tradition, they are incapable of either creating in-depth content, or scaling the availability to their desired investment...you will grind and grind, and grind. But don't worry, almost every quest is repeatable (brings back memories of Age of Conan back). Yes, you will need to repeat them...forever. Good luck on new content. They fired most of their programmers months ago.

    As for the story. Nice idea, very badly implemented. Despite a plethora of cut scenes, they just did a poor job of developing their story. It was a great disappointment after Age of Conan's beautiful lead in (AoC died late in the leveling scale but at least made it through a few levels of play prior to that).

    Ah yes, let's not forget that this is really AoC with a new skin. Yes kiddies, its the same crappy resource hungy, unstable, gaming engine. Indeed some of the oldest bugs are still there. Just crank up the details and especially the shadow details, and you will see large patches of the world that don't quite work right. Indeed, even on low settings, I found an entire region that became unstable (as in most of it disappeared and I was left staring at the subterrain) during one of the quests.

    Can it be enjoyable. Yes. Can you have fun? Yes. Is it worthwhile to play given the many alternatives? Given a choice between TSW and WoW, I would go read a book, watch a movie, or perhaps watch the birds as they fly past my house going where ever birds go this time of year.

    Other issues,    … Expand
  16. babylon
    Oct 31, 2013
    0
    The scores of 10 have to have been written by what was left of the Funcom staff before they all got fired, as there is no way this game should score more than a 5 pity vote. The combat is the worst thing about this game, it's full of bugs which never get fixed (and are built into the Dreamworld Engine since Anarchy Online days and will never be fixed, because lazy devs). Now they've allThe scores of 10 have to have been written by what was left of the Funcom staff before they all got fired, as there is no way this game should score more than a 5 pity vote. The combat is the worst thing about this game, it's full of bugs which never get fixed (and are built into the Dreamworld Engine since Anarchy Online days and will never be fixed, because lazy devs). Now they've all been fired (and rightly so) there is no way this game will be anything more than on life support. GG Funcom for another disaster. Giving a 0 for balance with all the lying 10s written by staff under threat of the chopping block.… Expand
  17. AikiNoodles
    Aug 14, 2012
    6
    This is a very nice game, good gameplay and level mechanics and the whole quest system is really well set : mysteries, enigmas and stuff that will make your brain work (once in a while, that's good).
    The dark side of all this ? The PVP system.
    Two maps where you'll probably never go, a giant map where it gets boring after 20 minutes but still good for fast xp. Battles can't last for long    This is a very nice game, good gameplay and level mechanics and the whole quest system is really well set : mysteries, enigmas and stuff that will make your brain work (once in a while, that's good).
    The dark side of all this ? The PVP system.
    Two maps where you'll probably never go, a giant map where it gets boring after 20 minutes but still good for fast xp. Battles can't last for long because you'll get blown to pieces in split seconds and that's the sad part, really. A better PVP system and real good maps could give this game a 8 instead of 6 (for me). I guess this game can easily create his own fans and stand still with the arrival of GW2 but players who want some more action and epic battles will go to GW2, i can bet it.    … Expand
  18. Ryha2000
    May 29, 2013
    10
    It's easy to jump into a MMO, form an impression love it or hate it and state your opinion. I was so very tempted to do that. I had waited for this game for years, I was primed to love it, and as I started playing I found a lot to like. Great visuals, dynamic combat, gripping stories, creepy mood, beautiful ambient sound and sweeping score, fun well designed instances, insanely dificultIt's easy to jump into a MMO, form an impression love it or hate it and state your opinion. I was so very tempted to do that. I had waited for this game for years, I was primed to love it, and as I started playing I found a lot to like. Great visuals, dynamic combat, gripping stories, creepy mood, beautiful ambient sound and sweeping score, fun well designed instances, insanely dificult investigation missions... But will it last... will I want to wait for the proposed 7 years of story updates by the time I have 'finished' the launch content?

    Ok, so here I am a year later. I have finished the story campaign, and all of the side missions and caught up with the 'monthly' Issues that move the story forward and... YES! I still want more.

    I don't love the PvP, but that has never been my thing. I hear it has gotten better since launch and they have some interesting open world PvP in the pipe. I haven't advanced to the end of the instance nightmare instance lair raid progression... but working on that has been fun.

    Sure at this point I plan on scaling my playing back a bit as I wait for new Issues to come out. I'll log on to run instances with my friends or catch a player run show at the Albion or attend guild RP events... and that is great. If I had to play at full bore for 7 years... that would be too much. But given that the game is free to play now it's perfect for my pattern of play!

    This game would be worth many times it's purchase price even if you just play the story line mission and then never log on again... give it a try and my bet is that you will still be playing at the end of the 7 year story arc.    … Expand
  19. TerrymcG
    Jun 21, 2013
    6
    Ahh, The Secret World. What a curious game. I was really looking forward to this. I enjoyed other Funcom games, like The Longest Journey and Age of Conan. The subject matter in SW is really right up my alley too; Conspiracies, horror, Lovecraftian themes and a modern day world. What could go wrong?

    Secret world does a lot of things really well. I like the look of the game. The writing    Ahh, The Secret World. What a curious game. I was really looking forward to this. I enjoyed other Funcom games, like The Longest Journey and Age of Conan. The subject matter in SW is really right up my alley too; Conspiracies, horror, Lovecraftian themes and a modern day world. What could go wrong?

    Secret world does a lot of things really well. I like the look of the game. The writing is just excellent. NPC characters are characters with a big "C". I like how you can find quests as you explore the world. The investigation and sabotage missions are a lot of fun. Secret World also tries to innovate the MMO genre by removing levels and pre-set roles. You are not stuck with being a Tank, dps or healer, if you don't want to. You can always switch later.

    But... This doesn't change the fact that you still need to have healers, dps and tanks to complete dungeons. Your level is also basically your gear. The better the gear, the higher your level is. So the question that comes to mind is: -Is this true innovation or a clever camouflage for the traditional MMO way of running things? Are they in fact just throwng things out the front door (levels, roles), and then merely sneaking said things back in, from the back door?

    While Guild Wars 2 is happy to speed things up, Secret World goes the other way around and slows things down. In other words, SW is a very time consuming game. It involves theory crafting, sitting down and trying to figure out puzzles (as you would in an adventure game) and even combat takes longer. Someof the puzzles require you to browse the web (while half a dozen hungry zombies are trying to chew on your butt). Interesting gameplay mechanics to say the least.

    While the investigation missions and sabotage missions are breath of fresh air, most of the time playing SW is about fighting mobs, a lot of mobs. While there aren't that many trash mobs inside dungeons, there are plenty outside them. The monsters tend to have a lot of hp. The areas are densly populated and the mobs usually have some sort of attack that you have to dodge. This leads to some annoying things; While dodging attacks you have a risk of aggroing more than 2 or 3 mobs and after that you are as good as dead, since they have a lot of hp.

    Combat it self feels a bit dry. The animations are nothing special and most of the attacks feel and look underwhelming. There is no stealth skill, so you can't usually sneak past the mobs either.

    The PvP..Well Im not going there.... Inventory system needs some work. Crafting is nothing special. Conspiracies and factions barely exsist. There is lack of polish almost everywhere except for the dialogue and voice acting.

    They also gave your character no voice. You can't even respond to any of the npc's. You can't interact with them. You just silently listen to their monologues.

    At the end of the day, this is another Themepark MMO, with all the shortcomings and highpoints of that genre. The endgame tends to be another gear-grind and I personally have no desire to experience that again.

    But still, the game is Buy to play. It does challenge you. It wont hold hands with you, like most other games out there. If that's your thing, then the Secret World is definetly worth cheking out.    … Expand
  20. ThommyH
    Jan 15, 2014
    9
    I absolutely love this game, it's wonderfully unusual when compared to other MMO's. Admittedly its style may not be for everyone as there's a significant emphasis placed on research and puzzle-solving rather than straight up kill-everything-that-gets-in-the-way. I love the atmosphere, Funcom pulls off the 'dark fantasy' theme and world exceptionally well. The abilities and powers availableI absolutely love this game, it's wonderfully unusual when compared to other MMO's. Admittedly its style may not be for everyone as there's a significant emphasis placed on research and puzzle-solving rather than straight up kill-everything-that-gets-in-the-way. I love the atmosphere, Funcom pulls off the 'dark fantasy' theme and world exceptionally well. The abilities and powers available to the characters are diverse and interesting, and the potential combinations between them are fun to explore. The voice acting is also exceptional, and in my honest opinion the quality of writing is worlds better than any other MMO I've played.

    My only gripe with the game is that there are a number of small bugs that seem to have avoided the dev-hammer and while they're nothing truly gamebreaking, at least not for me, they are noticeable. For example, when using the sitting down function, it doesn't visually display for other players that were not present when the emote was used and so to them you're still standing. As I said before however the bug issue is relatively minor and has very little impact on the brilliance of the game. It's a definite must-buy for dark fantasy fans and those who are looking for an MMO experience beyond the straightforward World of Warcraft-esque grab n' grind.    … Expand
  21. kalv
    Mar 17, 2013
    10
    Very under rated game. It's one of those games you can put endless amount of hours into it. There is so much to do and explore. Quests are fun and they don't feel repetitive. Developer is active and always adding new free content. I would have never tried this game if there was a monthly subscription and I'm glad. My only complaint is some of the riddles are too difficult but you canVery under rated game. It's one of those games you can put endless amount of hours into it. There is so much to do and explore. Quests are fun and they don't feel repetitive. Developer is active and always adding new free content. I would have never tried this game if there was a monthly subscription and I'm glad. My only complaint is some of the riddles are too difficult but you can always cheat. Highly recommend it for anyone looking for a new game to get into, riddle fans or RPG fans.… Expand
  22. CiaranJ
    Jan 6, 2014
    9
    The reason I gave this game a 9/10 was because of its unique aspect. On the surface The Secret World looks different straightaway. However, after experiencing the lore, the quests, conspiracies and the world itself, it is clear that Funcom has spent a huge amount of time and effort in creating this MMO.

    Brief bullet reasons why you should play; and why it gets a 9/10. 1. Unique    The reason I gave this game a 9/10 was because of its unique aspect. On the surface The Secret World looks different straightaway. However, after experiencing the lore, the quests, conspiracies and the world itself, it is clear that Funcom has spent a huge amount of time and effort in creating this MMO.

    Brief bullet reasons why you should play; and why it gets a 9/10.

    1. Unique modern setting. Featuring: New York, London and Venice,
    2. Highly thought out missions, quests and conspiracies that are inspired by the works of: H.P Lovecraft, Stephen King and our world today.
    3. Pay once; play forever. Expansion packs, or known in The Secret World as Issues, are purchasable)
    4. Classless system. Play and be the character YOU WANT TO BE.
    5. Interesting story.
    6. Also, I believe if you bought the game before January 2013 you get the first 4 'Issues' expansion packs) FREE.
    7. Regular updates.    … Expand
  23. VisceralVIcar
    Dec 30, 2012
    5
    This game was a wonderful game for the first two areas to the middle of the third area. I was surprised by the game, I liked the model of the monsters, but not the character models (no matter how much you try it seems impossible to either make a good looking female character or a tough looking male character) - they all look weird and off. The game was intriguing and fun until BlueThis game was a wonderful game for the first two areas to the middle of the third area. I was surprised by the game, I liked the model of the monsters, but not the character models (no matter how much you try it seems impossible to either make a good looking female character or a tough looking male character) - they all look weird and off. The game was intriguing and fun until Blue Mountain. The game soon became annoying. Your build begins to fall apart and even trying to take on two individuals on a mission labeled Very Easy becomes tedious and almost annoying. I can understand difficulty in a game, many of the investigation missions were fun and enjoyable until they become more of a problem than their worth. The investigation missions go from using wit, and intelligence to say "hey, this sounds like I should go to city hall to complete this quest" to "match the symbols". Mobs go from minor problems and quite fun play toys to annoying pests that make trying to walk on roads on a problem. Trying to flee will turn from an easy escape when you are overwhelmed to getting a small dose of hope before you essentially commit suicide because you know that when three regular mobs are on you... you are screwed. The Savage Coast was the most fun of the entire game I had. The mobs were diverse and fun except for the charging bug creatures. Blue mountain soon becomes cluttered and traversing an area without being attacked by any mob means you are lucky. The game has this idea that there are no level system but your level is basically determined by the quality level of your items. In the same sense that a level 1 will be devastated by a level 10 in other MMOs, a player with quality level 1 gear will be devastated by a mob designed to be attacked by a player in quality level 10 gear. I may have bashed the game severely, but do not get me wrong... I loved the game for a large portion of it and made me addicted to it. However, I have never played a game that made me so frustrated that I impulsively uninstalled the game and there have been games that have had me consider breaking my computer at the infuriating aspects.… Expand
  24. Velnon
    Sep 29, 2013
    8
    The Secret World is a Fantastic MMORPG. The story and plot are just enough for a MMORPG. Gameplay is fun, without levels or classes you are free to try any skill composition you want. The theme of the game is fun and while it lacks any true horror, at best it is slightly disturbing, the idea is really unique and well executed. This game however is somewhat frustrating for beginners as theThe Secret World is a Fantastic MMORPG. The story and plot are just enough for a MMORPG. Gameplay is fun, without levels or classes you are free to try any skill composition you want. The theme of the game is fun and while it lacks any true horror, at best it is slightly disturbing, the idea is really unique and well executed. This game however is somewhat frustrating for beginners as the skill building system, the crafting, and some of the quests will have you looking at a guide just to figure out what to do. That being said TSW also has something that I personally believe a lot of MMO's lack, difficulty, it's a hard game sometimes especially the Investigation missions where you have to be able to riddle out problems and use internet resources to find where you're going next. This brings me to my next topic, the missions have variety and are interesting for the most part. Dungeons are particularly good in TSW especially Polaris, the first dungeon, they focus mostly on boss fights with very few trash mobs in between. It is definitely worth a try for MMORPG fans especially considering it's only $30 up front.… Expand
  25. drwebs
    Aug 25, 2012
    10
    I have no clue why this game got so low of scores. It is a solid game with a fresh take on all the mmo worlds You also get tons of fun conspiratorial view points.
  26. Kracket
    Apr 14, 2013
    4
    The combat in this game is quite possibly the worst experience you could have in a game. If you are looking to buy this game for it's combat, buy something else. The environments and detective quests are surprisingly enjoyable, but still I always find myself asking the same question; why couldn't they have put more effort into the combat? In my honest opinion, there are better games toThe combat in this game is quite possibly the worst experience you could have in a game. If you are looking to buy this game for it's combat, buy something else. The environments and detective quests are surprisingly enjoyable, but still I always find myself asking the same question; why couldn't they have put more effort into the combat? In my honest opinion, there are better games to waste your time on.… Expand
  27. wardenwells
    Jan 2, 2013
    3
    I didn't expect much from this game, and that's what I got. Stiff animations, boring story, and cooldowns on shotguns? Really? TSW tries, but fails to entertain me. A game can't survive on cut scenes and dull combat.
  28. DemonWriter
    Jul 16, 2013
    10
    I enjoyed this game a great deal in Alpha and Beta. I got caught up in other games for a long while and I decided what the hell and bought it. I had forgotten how fun overall this game is. the story telling in it is fabulous.
    The mythos is spot on which just makes this game more for my style the quests are not just go collect X you HAVE to use your brain. the in game browser helps with    I enjoyed this game a great deal in Alpha and Beta. I got caught up in other games for a long while and I decided what the hell and bought it. I had forgotten how fun overall this game is. the story telling in it is fabulous.
    The mythos is spot on which just makes this game more for my style the quests are not just go collect X you HAVE to use your brain. the in game browser helps with that if you have issues though. I try to stay away form the sights that solve the puzzles for you though.

    If you want a challenge buy this game.
    If you love horror BUY THIS GAME!
    Also there is no longer a subscription needed to play so buy once and play forever. DLC is extra and they have a cosmetic cash shop which keeps the game alive.    … Expand
  29. darthgumby
    Jan 5, 2013
    3
    This game definitely is different in all the right ways, but the same in all the wrong ways to other MMORPGs out there. The mobs in this game are repetitive and annoying. While you do get different weapons and equipment than a standard MMO, it plays out the same. So you get a book instead of a staff or a gun instead of a bow, but you're still mashing the same attacks and doing the sameThis game definitely is different in all the right ways, but the same in all the wrong ways to other MMORPGs out there. The mobs in this game are repetitive and annoying. While you do get different weapons and equipment than a standard MMO, it plays out the same. So you get a book instead of a staff or a gun instead of a bow, but you're still mashing the same attacks and doing the same damage. The UI is not intuitive is hard to customize and there are still quite a few glitches in the game. The community is hard to get involved with. One thing I hate about this game is the zones. Everyone is segregated into whatever zone they are in at the time, and it really makes it hard to have any lasting friendships made in-game and social aspects are not there like in other games. Zones can take hours to go through and have many quests, but once you move on, odds are you won't want to go back.

    I did like the story, and the cut scenes, and the voice overs and the environments. But I could get much better stories, cut scenes, voice overs, and environments playing a solo RPG. The reason I wanted an MMORPG was so I could have social interaction. Since I didn't feel this community in The Secret World, the game boils down to a lackluster and glitchy low-end RPG game with mechanics that do not do well for solo play.    … Expand
  30. Elii
    Oct 26, 2013
    10
    This game is an absolutely unique game and has a brilliant atmosphere. This world is so brilliant. The characters has a really good style too, IMHO this is the best looking in any of the MMOs. And the quests are so epic and various, it's amazing! The skills are also great, and has great effects, and the UI is cool, it's number one. So overall it's a great game and by the way, you don'tThis game is an absolutely unique game and has a brilliant atmosphere. This world is so brilliant. The characters has a really good style too, IMHO this is the best looking in any of the MMOs. And the quests are so epic and various, it's amazing! The skills are also great, and has great effects, and the UI is cool, it's number one. So overall it's a great game and by the way, you don't need to pay a monthly fee, so it's definitely worth it's price! … 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

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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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