Fractured Online
" Dynamic MMORPG with unique skill system and player-owned towns but plagued by bugs and clunky combat "
Fractured Online Review
Fractured Online is a sandbox MMORPG with a unique skill system and player-driven economy, drawing inspiration from classics like Ultima Online. Players appreciate its extensive crafting, flexible character builds, and the option to toggle PvP, which caters to different playstyles. The game features player-owned towns, open-world exploration, and a complex resource system that encourages trading and cooperation.
However, the game struggles with numerous issues including a tiny inventory grid that hampers gameplay, tedious manual labor mechanics, and repetitive grinding required for progression. The world design is often described as lifeless and uninspired, with slow travel and scarce resource nodes. PvP balance problems, exploit abuse, and server instability further frustrate players. Communication from developers and community management have been criticized, with some players reporting account wipes and unaddressed bugs. Despite these flaws, recent updates and developer responsiveness have improved the experience somewhat, though the player base remains small and the game is considered niche and unfinished by many.
Highlights
Players praise Fractured Online's deep crafting system, flexible skill-based character customization, and player-driven economy. The game offers a vast open world with diverse flora and fauna, fostering exploration. The PvP system allows opting in for combat, accommodating both casual and hardcore players. Player-owned towns and building mechanics add to the sandbox appeal. The game's slow-paced, strategic gameplay and community-driven development are appreciated by fans of old-school MMORPGs. Recent patches have improved stability and added content, enhancing overall enjoyment.
Criticisms
Common criticisms include an overly restrictive and tiny inventory grid that limits item collection and trading. Many find the resource gathering and building mechanics tedious and time-consuming. The game world is described as dull, with poor map design and slow movement. PvP balance issues favor casters overwhelmingly, and exploits remain a problem. Server instability, account wipes, and poor developer communication frustrate players. The community is small and sometimes toxic, with limited social features like no friends or ignore lists. Overall polish and user interface require significant improvements.
Pros
- • Unique skill system allowing extensive character customization and build variety.
- • Deep, player-driven crafting and economy with meaningful resource gathering.
- • Player-owned towns and open-world building enhance sandbox gameplay.
- • Option to toggle PvP provides risk-reward choice for players.
- • Large, diverse flora and fauna enrich the exploration experience.
- • Slow-paced combat rewarding strategic play and skill combinations.
- • Recent updates show developer responsiveness and community engagement.
Cons
- • Inventory grid is too small, severely limiting item management and trade.
- • Resource gathering and building are tedious and require excessive manual effort.
- • World design is uninspired, with slow travel and repetitive environments.
- • PvP balance heavily favors magic builds, marginalizing melee classes.
- • Frequent bugs, exploits, and server instability disrupt gameplay.
- • Poor developer communication and community management frustrate players.
- • Account wipes and lost progress have damaged player trust.
Rating Criteria
Define your own destiny in this dynamic, open-world sandbox MMORPG. Explore vast fantasy worlds, fight monsters and other players in dynamic PvE and PvP battles, gather resources, set up a trade empire, grow your virtual home to a major city or conquer others. Chose your own way!