Perfect World

Game overview

Perfect World is a stunning MMORPG which is heavily influenced by Chinese mythology; casting players into an immersive, spiritual world of magic and intrigue. Some predictable RPG elements are present, including character customization and XP building, but that in no way hinders the enjoy-ability of the game.

With countless PVE quests, items to collect and character skills to learn, this game is more than capable of stealing hours off your life with its huge variety and captivating game play.

Perfect World is an in-depth, mystical experience well worth your time and dedication if fantasy RPGs are your thing!

➔ Main points:

• Visually stunning and immersive environments to explore.
• Huge array of items, quests and character skills to acquire.
• Active online community further enhances game play opportunities.
• Totally free to play, but cash shop is available for rare items etc.

Trailer

Full review

In the Beginning There Was Chaos

Characters are beautifully designed and can be customized.

The premise behind Perfect World is certainly intriguing. Players take the form of a character, from one of 6 races, to pursue spiritual enlightenment and to complete quests in order to progress along a PVE campaign. If that sounds pretty standard for an RPG then you would be correct in saying so! If, however, you look beyond the predictable model upon which Perfect World is built, then you will discover a richly diverse world, steeped in Chinese mythology and magic.

You begin your journey of self-discovery as a keen student, striving to cultivate your spirit and become a reputable warrior who can restore peace to the world. Unfortunately, as with most things in life, you must learn to crawl before you can walk... and Perfect World is no exception to this rule.

You will discover a richly diverse world, steeped in Chinese mythology and magic.

Players will find themselves spending their first few hours getting to grips with the rather basic tutorial, which teaches the fundamentals such as movement, navigation and the multitude of on-screen menus, which are found in abundance! There is a pretty steep learning curve away from the tutorial, as players are pretty much left to "figure it out for themselves" when it comes to some of the more obscure controls and features.

Fortunately the controls are simplistic and the on-screen menus are very clear and user-friendly. The majority of player input is done through mouse clicks and the developers have kindly included keyboard shortcuts for the most frequently used screens. The only problem is trying to learn them all! There are frequent on-screen tips and help options available to those players who get a little lost and it shouldn't be too long before you are ready to accept your first quest.

Exploring the Perfect World

The perfect world is visually pleasing and immerses players in a spiritual world.

Game play in Perfect World is very typical for an online RPG, in fact if you stripped away the unique aspects of the game it would almost be identical to Gameforge's Runes of Magic. The aim is to complete quests, gain XP, level up and acquire new skills / powerful attacks. Whilst not the most imaginative or original system, it is well tried and tested and will be more than familiar to dedicated RPG fans.

Quests are obtained from named NPCs, details of which can be found in your "Quest" menu. Since some NPCs are separated by considerable distances, the game features a handy "auto route" feature whereby you click on the name of an NPC and your character will attempt to walk to the relevant location! In theory this is great because it frees up your hands and removes the need to constantly press "W" as you traverse the eye catching terrain.

In practice however, the auto routing feature is rather buggy! The AI behind the system seems completely incapable of determining a simple route and will often lead you straight through a lake or will attempt to defy the laws of physics and make you run straight through a mountain!

Strike Down your Foes

Combat in Perfect World is a rather simple affair thanks again to the familiar RPG mechanics. Upon encountering a hostile foe players simply select their weapon of choice and click the on the enemy NPC, the cursor changes to a sword icon to indicate the option to attack is available... all it then takes is a single click to initiate combat.

See that big pointy sword? You're going to need it!

Your character will automatically move to engage the selected target and proceed to exchange blows until they are defeated (hopefully!) or you succumb to their counter attacks. During combat you can select additional attacks from your action bar and use items to heal yourself or boost your attack / defense stats.

The whole process of combat is simple yet effective, however at times it would be nice to have some manual control of the fighting. The lack of any "attack" or "block" keys leaves you feeling like a mere spectator during combat, completely at the mercy of the AI which determines the overall outcome.

There are times when your character's "auto-route" fails to engage the chosen target, whereupon you will stand next to the enemy and simply stare at them incessantly. This is especially noticeable when trying to fight flying creatures, which quite sensibly choose to hover beyond your striking range!

Community Spirit

As you explore and complete quests in Perfect World you can't help but notice the bustling presence of other players. Characters of can be seen running to and fro, completing their own quests and engaging with each other in conversation via the on-screen chat window. There is no denying that the online community is alive and well in Perfect World and that is always a good thing to bear in mind when playing MMO games... nobody wants to be wandering around an empty server.

Players can join Guilds, which open up even more gameplay options, such as PVP faction wars to capture territories. You can find Guild directories online via the game's Wiki or by a simple web search. There are MANY active factions to be found and it won't be hard for players to find one that suits their style of play.

There is no denying that the online community is alive and well in Perfect World.

Whilst it is encouraging to see such an active community it is disappointing to notice that some players abuse the in-game chat. You frequently come across players posting inappropriate messages, usually of a sexual nature, and it can be distracting when you get a barrage of emojis popping up every few seconds! If you can ignore it then it shouldn't be a problem, however it is always something to be mindful of, particularly when youngsters are playing.

Conclusion

Any game that lets you ride a fire dragon has got to be epic!

In terms of gameplay and sheer visual excellence, Perfect World is a cracking MMORPG to get involved with. The options available to players are immense for a free to play title and you can easily get by without ever having to resort to spending real world money.

The community is welcoming to new players and you won't be shunned for being a noob when you join a server. Although there are one or two bugs and minor annoyances to be found, they do not take away from the overall enjoyment that can be had from this game.

If fantasy themed RPGs are your cup of tea then you will surely not be disappointed with Perfect World. For the sake of a reasonable download and no financial commitment, what have you got to lose? The Perfect World awaits you brave student.