Online game "Karos"

The beta version of Karos Online was launched the decade before last, in 2009, and in Russia the game was released in the fall of 2010. That is, she - one of the veterans, one of the most experienced and well-known representative of the subgenre of "Asian MMOs". That is, if you have played Lineage, you will immediately understand a lot about Karos Online - there is also an abundance of classes, items, challenges and bosses, opportunities to pump character and his equipment, plus beautiful costumes, mounts and compulsory guild wars. So on the one hand, everyone who loves and knows these games, will find in Karos Online a lot of familiar and well-implemented things. On the other hand, there is a place for their own interesting ideas. Read more about all this in our review.

Let's say at once - Karos Online does not claim the laurels of the Oscars for the plot and acting, but quite a passing story can not be called. At first glance, everything is quite expected. The forces of light and darkness have been at war with each other for centuries on the continent of Brokion, on the planet Azmara. The dark want to resurrect their master, Maleks the Almighty, and the light, respectively, are trying to prevent this. In reality, however, the situation is not so simple. First, both sides desperately collect and accumulate fletta - this is a special mystical substance, which is in living beings, and therefore participates in many important processes, allocates the magical energy and in general is the main physical, chemical and spiritual element. It is obtained from crystals, concentrates, fragments and by special recipes.

So it was with the help of the Fletta that the forces of darkness planned to resurrect Maleks the Almighty. And the emperor of their opponents, Hass, was in turn hoarding it to protect Reta, heir to the throne of light and good. Such a confrontation led to the sources of this magical substance beginning to disappear all over the world. The Dark Ones then went to extreme measures - especially as they learned that if they further delayed their triumphant return, Maleks the Almighty would simply turn to ash. They began sacrificing living beings, including their own kin, to draw the fleetta out of them. And the Light responded by creating a united Federation of Caffernel. However, due to the lack of magical substance there were internal conflicts, which forced the newly formed alliance to act in a more rigid and disciplined manner.

The player, in the midst of all that is going on here, is assigned the role of the very savior, who will become the mythical warrior Karos and finally destroy the soul of Maleks, being rewarded with the position of commander-in-chief of the Federation army.

The savior of the world, as usual, is first offered a choice of race and class. Archer, swordsman, paladin, brigand, witch doctor, sorceress and gunner - the names themselves tell about the specializations of the characters. Although there are some peculiarities. For example, the witch, unlike the sorceress, is able not only to hit enemies with her spells, but also to heal allies. And the cannoneer relies on both firearms and traps. He is also a master craftsman of all trades.

Somewhat ironically, we can say that in the world of Karos Online reigns racial intolerance in terms of what nation and what class is allowed to play. Only sexy girls of the seroin race can become witches and archers, only humans and only males can be swordsmen and human women - paladins. Men of blue-skinned shadow race (such local dark elves) become vagabonds and brigands, and weak half of this people can learn witchcraft. Well, and the cannoneer class is designed exclusively for Vanisian guys, who in this case serve as an analogue of gnomes.

At level 10 you get the first opportunity to choose an additional class specialization. Wizards, for example, can further focus on inflicting remote damage with magic or healing allies, and vagabonds choose between assassins armed with daggers and duelists, excellent with swords. Then when you reach level 55 will be another choice of specialization - the same killers can become rippers, especially strong in battles with other players, or night wanderers, who can become invisible and attack multiple targets. And witches, turned into combat mages, will further choose between archimage, hitting the square, or spellcaster, strong in one-on-one duels. And so on - all have their own interesting alternative branches of development.

Also of great importance in the role system is the previously mentioned magic substance. By killing enemies, we accumulate Fletta points, with which we then need to develop unique abilities. And those are divided into seven schools, each of which pumps a certain parameter - so, the school of earth increases the defense, and fire - the attack. There is also a division into yin and yang, where the first increases the recovery of magical energy, and yang - health.

You can also spend Fletta points to make particularly powerful epic equipment. Such equipment will also evolve as you use it.

Naturally, mainly in Karos Online we perform quests, fight and level up. And, in the tradition of all "Asian MMOs", to do it a lot, to become stronger and get cooler equipment. And also to develop their sacred sled animal, which, as usual, and helps in battle, and the role of walking inventory.

Yes, again, it takes a lot of time, but the result is worth it. This is largely the essence of such games. Fortunately, in Karos Online this process is furnished quite conveniently and comfortably - for example, with one click of the "mouse" the hero himself will go to the place of the task, to the right character or monster.

Just as convenient to deal with crafting, that is, making equipment and supplies - it can do for us special characters. But to enchant items and their "sharpening", which increases the characteristics of damage, protection, and so on, you have to do a lot and personally - but those are nice things that really make you stronger. And to reduce the likelihood of weapon breakage during enchantment and sharpening and increase the chance of success, you need to use special consumables. This is also important because until you're really stronger, not pumped up enough, in many quest locations you simply will not be allowed.

In addition to various quests, both those that lead you around the world, and daily - to pump up and collect resources, the main place of application of our heroic forces are labyrinths, test rooms and dungeons. In this case, catacombs can be ordinary, where all are allowed, and difficult, where you need a special pass - you can buy it or get it as trophies for the murder of monsters in the usual casemates. But complex dungeons are created only for you and your group, that is, they are not open to all comers and do not turn into a thoroughfare.

This is all the more important because those who specialize in killing other players may well look into such a "passing yard". In Karos Online there are a lot of them, some people like this fact, some people don't, but in any case it is an interesting feature of the game. To start hunting for users, you can, starting from level 10. True, the opponent must agree to duel. The winner of this gets the reward of flying points. After level 36, if you turn on PK (Player Killer), you can attack everyone who is not below your level without warning, regardless of his consent or disagreement.

However, the life of such a killer in Karos Online is not sweet. Aggressive status is visible to everyone and for many is a red rag. Besides, the more often you kill other players, the more your character's morale decreases - and when it is in minus they will start to fine you. And you'll be hunted by everyone, including the city guards. Plus, those users who purposely become hunters for "player killers" - and that's just what they're not scolded for, but, on the contrary, only praised. If you want to become good again, you'll have to kill a lot of regular monsters or other scoundrels with negative karma to get your morale back in the plus side. All of this keeps the uncontrolled violence between players in check.

Unpunished killing of other users is allowed and even encouraged during guild wars (permanent associations of players), which are fought over the right to own a large castle or a profitable mine. The former will allow you to tax any trade in the area and make money from it, while owning a mine will allow you to get craft resources for free and again tax outsiders who come here for them. Such wars are held regularly, and they are really large-scale - six guilds participate in the battle for the castle, five guilds for the mine, and the battle itself lasts an hour of real time.

Karos Online does not offer any special discoveries and heaps of unique mechanics, but the mandatory traditional program is implemented here at a really decent level. A large world, many quests, challenges, dungeons with bosses, a rich class system, various options for improving equipment, unique fletta abilities and fletta equipment, the ability to both hunt other players and defend them, large-scale guild wars, finally, frequent updates that expand the story or add new features, such as, for example, black market - all this makes Karos Online today one of the most notable and really popular in the genre.

Zarium, September 2020