Summoners War: Chronicles game review
Summoners War: Chronicles is a free-to-play MMORPG that builds on the ideas of the popular 2014 mobile game. In its time, that became so popular that it spawned a whole range of entertainment, including Dragon Knight, Demon Slayer, Might & Magic: Elemental Guardians and RAID: Shadow Legends, and was followed by a sequel with the subtitle "Chronicles" on PC. In fact, the Korean company Com2uS prepared a release for different platforms, but we will evaluate the PC version, published on Steam in the fall of 2022. Let's find out what fans of the genre will like in it, and what will cause questions.
Getting to know the game
Immediately after installation, Summoners War: Chronicles requires linking to an email or social network account. The easiest way to do this is to use your Google account - just check the boxes next to the information that you are willing to share with Com2uS and click "Done". But keep in mind that authorization is required each time you start the client. Then you connect to the server, and the hero selection window opens. There are three options to choose from: a paladin with healing skills named Keena, the sorceress Orbia and the warrior Clif. As you can see, the assortment of characters is not so great. But you can customize them to your liking: to change armor, skin color, hair color and face type, and collect their hair in a fashionable hairstyle. Later the closet becomes available with a huge selection of outfits that give different effects.
The game is set in a universe of parallel worlds that are linked together by spells. Students at a magic academy learn to harness these elements to summon otherworldly beings into their reality and place them at their service. But witchcraft can not only good guys - every now and then out of the rift, a kind of bridge between worlds, and break out the evil creatures. And then the guards of Rachel's kingdom step in to fight them. One day a too strong adversary crosses their path - a demon looking for an ancient artifact to defeat the forces of light. As a graduate of the academy and pupil of professor Luna you have to help the guards to defeat the fiend and return the former order to the peaceful land. Thus begins your adventure.
The gameplay basics are simple: the hero must progress from battle to battle, changing the magical helpers from the available set and at the same time improving yourself. The more powerful creatures serve you and the higher the level of your character, the more powerful enemies you can handle. The single-player part of Summoners War: Chronicles consists of wandering around the map of the kingdom, divided into separate chapters, each of which is allocated a location. But unlike many similar games, these areas are not isolated from each other and are not built in the form of a corridor. It feels as if you are traveling through an open world where you can freely choose where to go, who to communicate with, and who to attack.
The gameplay basics are simple: the hero must progress from battle to battle, changing the magical helpers from the available set and at the same time improving yourself. The more powerful creatures serve you and the higher the level of your character, the more powerful enemies you can handle. The single-player part of Summoners War: Chronicles consists of wandering around the map of the kingdom, divided into separate chapters, each of which is allocated a location. But unlike many similar games, these areas are not isolated from each other and are not built in the form of a corridor. It feels as if you are traveling through an open world where you can freely choose where to go, who to communicate with, and who to attack.
Completing the picture is a standard MMORPG control: running is assigned to the four buttons on the number of directions, dodging a blow and jerk - on the space bar, and techniques in combat - on the keys with numbers. But there are some unusual nuances like using the left mouse button for camera rotation, and the right one - for attacking, and you can't reassign these actions in the settings. Battles take place in real time, so decisions must be made quickly, without pauses for reflection.
It is also worth noting that the mobile roots of the game are noticeable at once. This is evident in the interface design and graphics, as well as the equality of the keyboard and mouse in control - in all the actions of the button presses can be replaced by clicking on the desired area of the screen, which mimics touching the display of a smartphone or tablet. At the same time, the visual style is quite interesting, as if the classic Warcraft issues were combined with anime, adding a huge number of story screensavers - both volumetric, on the engine, and two-dimensional, in the form of animation. Only one flaw spoils the whole aesthetic: the range of drawing is so negligible that the necessary characters, resources, objects and enemies often appear a couple of meters away from the hero.
It is also worth noting that the mobile roots of the game are noticeable at once. This is evident in the interface design and graphics, as well as the equality of the keyboard and mouse in control - in all the actions of the button presses can be replaced by clicking on the desired area of the screen, which mimics touching the display of a smartphone or tablet. At the same time, the visual style is quite interesting, as if the classic Warcraft issues were combined with anime, adding a huge number of story screensavers - both volumetric, on the engine, and two-dimensional, in the form of animation. Only one flaw spoils the whole aesthetic: the range of drawing is so negligible that the necessary characters, resources, objects and enemies often appear a couple of meters away from the hero.
How does pumping work?
Summoners War: Chronicles refers to the so-called gacha games - from the Japanese word "gacha" (or "gasyapon"), which stands for a vending machine that dispenses toys in plastic capsules for money. The most popular entertainment of this kind is the famous "Pokémon," where everything is based on collecting pocket monsters and then using them in the arena. The folks at Com2uS have built their MMORPG around the same rules. You summon and collect magical creatures, constantly changing the squad composition. Some helpers stay with the hero for a long time, if they initially have interesting properties and are well revealed in the course of pumping, and the others are better at once sent to the bench. Gradually a unique team is formed for battles against other players and monsters under the control of artificial intelligence.
Of course, you can't carry all the creatures with you at once. Only three helpers are available in the active squad, but you can exchange them for a monster from the collection at any time. For example, if in the upcoming battle you don't really need a fairy with her healing and support skills, and someone attacking is useful, just switch in the menu to the Champion of the Imp or something similar. The same applies to the different elements: in one situation fire decides, and in another air or earth creature. While fighting with them, the so-called "Soul Connection" is a feature that gives you quick access to the skills of your helpers. In practice, using the keyboard, it looks like this: first you press the button with the number of the creature, and then the button with the letter responsible for the necessary technique.
As there are hundreds of "pokemon" in the game, their choice becomes richer with time, and the tactics associated with them - more diverse. Scrolls can be used to summon new players, and you can also collect them from the shards scattered around the virtual world. And of course you can buy them too - either for local virtual currency, red crystals, or for real money. You can improve your personal monsters with a special essence given to you for completing tasks or sometimes just for fun - as a gift for entering the server. In general, with rewards Summoners War: Chronicles is full order, because every day in it begins with the collection of scrolls, crystals and other bonuses, put for pumping and participation in battles.
As there are hundreds of "pokemon" in the game, their choice becomes richer with time, and the tactics associated with them - more diverse. Scrolls can be used to summon new players, and you can also collect them from the shards scattered around the virtual world. And of course you can buy them too - either for local virtual currency, red crystals, or for real money. You can improve your personal monsters with a special essence given to you for completing tasks or sometimes just for fun - as a gift for entering the server. In general, with rewards Summoners War: Chronicles is full order, because every day in it begins with the collection of scrolls, crystals and other bonuses, put for pumping and participation in battles.
Along with the squad develops the hero himself. Experience for defeating enemies and completing quests gives a level increase, raising all the characteristics at once. At the same time, skill points become available, which can be distributed into four branches: invested in active skills, passive, utilitarian and exploratory. Here you should be guided by the class of the hero. If you took a warrior, you should pump up attack and defense, and with a mage it's better to focus on mental abilities. Additional enhancements are provided by equipment, consisting of weapons, armor, amulets, rings and individual items of clothing. As the single player campaign goes on your character as well as his companions develop up to level 70, and the rarity of monsters also changes - up to six stars. So even without multiplayer there is enough to do for dozens of hours, but sooner or later you will still have to cross paths with other gamers.
About player interaction
With heroes under the control of other users you meet from the first minutes of the game - they have to perform the same tasks. That's why there are always a lot of users at any location. However, they are not all visible because of the small range of drawing, and appear now and then on the left, and then just as suddenly disappear into the "fog of war". Communicate with the inhabitants of the server allows chat, available in the menu. Just be prepared for the fact that all the dialogue is in English and Korean - any additional localization in the game is not. Here, in the bowery, you can find partners for PvE-activities (people against monsters) and opponents for PvP-battles.
Like any other MMORPG, Summoners War: Chronicles features raids against bosses and dungeons made with great ingenuity - in addition to defeating enemies, they offer disarming traps and solving other attention tasks. There is also a dueling arena for those wishing to deal with someone one on one, group events, Battlefield mode, where everyone plays against everyone else, and a challenge tower, where you have to clear out the monsters floor by floor. Note that dungeons can be both group and single, but the trophies in all the same - by getting rid of the main dungeon dweller, you can take all sorts of objects, materials to improve the equipment, resources to pump assistants and other good of this sort. And if you go to Cairos, the reward will be different - here you can get new pocket monsters.
In the later stages of the game expeditions become available - another group activity for the coolest heroes. Although in the simpler challenges all actions can be put on automatic, just press one button and watch the results, in the modes for multiple users you have to fight manually and keep the process under strict control.
In the later stages of the game expeditions become available - another group activity for the coolest heroes. Although in the simpler challenges all actions can be put on automatic, just press one button and watch the results, in the modes for multiple users you have to fight manually and keep the process under strict control.
Conclusion
Summoners War: Chronicles successfully combines elements of MMORPGs and gacha games with collecting summoned creatures. Unlike most similar entertainment, it does not require you to shell out money from the doorstep and give you freedom of action in a kind of open world. Let the graphics does not grab the stars, there is no translation even in the plans of the developers, and the drawing range leaves much to be desired, the project of the Com2uS studio looks original and trendy - a similar "cartoon" style distinguishes the famous Genshin Impact. Only here there is more competition with other gamers - there are enough people on the servers. In short, there are many reasons to break into a fabulous world and test it.
Zarium. March 2023
Zarium. March 2023