New World Review: Is It Worth Visiting Aeternum in 2023?

New World is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Amazon Games Orange County and published by Amazon Games, set in the mid-seventeenth century. Players colonize a fictional land modeled after the Americas, joining one of three factions, gathering resources, crafting items, and battling both monsters and other players.

In 2023, New World saw the release of its much-anticipated expansion, the Brimstone Sands. This expansion introduced an entirely new zone filled with never-before-seen creatures, dangerous dungeons, and a rich lore that only deepens the enigmatic history of Aeternum. Players can now venture into the scorched deserts, explore forgotten ruins, and uncover the secrets of the ancient civilization that once thrived in the Brimstone Sands.

Since its release in 2021, New World has come a long way, thanks to a dedicated development team and an engaged player community. The developers at Amazon Game Studios have been actively listening to player feedback and implementing improvements to address issues and enhance the gameplay experience. New content, such as the Brimstone Sands expansion,

In this review we will take a look at New World in 2023:

Gameplay

New World breaks away from the traditional MMO mold with its classless, real-time action combat system that requires a steady hand at aiming. As players progress, they level up personal attribute skills and both weapon and trade skills.

PvE gameplay is an essential aspect of New World, where players can team up with friends or go solo to explore the lush forests, mountain ranges, and eerie swamps of Aeternum. The game features a variety of quests, including story-driven main quests, side quests, and faction missions that allow players to dive deeper into the world’s lore. As players progress, they will encounter various challenging creatures, such as the vengeful spirits known as The Lost, the elemental beings called The Angry Earth, and the ancient, powerful guardians called The Ancients. The PvE aspect also includes instanced dungeons called Expeditions, which require teamwork and strategy to conquer.

Travel in New World is limited to foot travel or teleportation between shrines. While there are no fast speed mounts, players can use skills to intermittently boost forward speed. The game also features an in-depth player-driven economy centered around gold coins.

Players can purchase personal housing and erect furnishings for aesthetic and utility bonuses. PvP combat is available with and without questing, and players can set their “flagged state” to engage in PvP encounters.

Crafting and gathering are integral parts of New World’s gameplay, allowing players to create powerful weapons, armor, and various other items to aid them in their journey. The game features a deep crafting system with numerous trade skills, including weapon smithing, armoring, jewel crafting, and more.

Players can gather resources such as wood, stone, ore, and fibers by exploring the vast world of Aeternum. These resources can then be refined and used to craft items of different tiers, with higher-tier items offering more significant bonuses and attributes.

PvP in New World is an exhilarating experience that offers players the chance to test their skills against others in large-scale battles for territorial control. Players can join one of three factions – the Marauders, the Syndicate, or the Covenant – each with its own unique goals and ideologies.

By participating in PvP, players can help their faction gain control over territories, granting various benefits to their allies. New World also features Outpost Rush, a 20-versus-20 battle mode where two teams compete to control resources and strategic points on the map.

New World’s diverse gameplay elements, including PvE, PvP, crafting, gathering, and the immersive world of Aeternum, come together to provide players with a rich, unforgettable gaming experience. Players can choose their own paths, whether they want to become mighty warriors, cunning strategists, or skilled craftsmen, and shape their own destiny.

New World expertly blends elements of survival games and traditional MMOs, creating an experience that appeals to a wide range of players. The game incorporates survival mechanics, such as gathering resources, crafting essential tools and weapons which adds a layer of depth and immersion to the gameplay.

At the same time, New World delivers the expansive world, engaging questlines, and social aspects that fans of MMOs have come to love. The combination of these two genres results in a unique, hybrid gaming experience that offers the best of both worlds. Players can enjoy the sense of accomplishment and self-reliance found in survival games while still benefiting from the rich content, player interactions, and sense of progression that define MMOs.

Graphics

New World boasts a visually impressive world, with detailed environments and character models. The game’s rich color palette and variety of settings, from lush forests to ancient ruins, create an immersive and engaging experience.

The world of Aeternum is a sprawling, visually stunning landscape with diverse biomes, each featuring its unique flora, fauna, and challenges. The dynamic weather system and day-night cycle add to the immersive atmosphere, making Aeternum a living, breathing world that constantly evolves.

Sound

he sound and music in New World have been widely praised for their immersive qualities, drawing players further into the mysterious land of Aeternum.

The team worked diligently to create sound effects that would blend seamlessly with the music and the game world, even going so far as to record Civil War reenactments to authentically capture the sounds of musket fire and cannon blasts.

For the soundtrack, the New World team collaborated with renowned composers Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, Westworld) and Brandon Campbell (Westworld), which resulted in a truly captivating sountrack that helps immerse you in Aeternum.

Population

New World experienced a rollercoaster journey in terms of its player population. After its initial launch, the game boasted over 900k active players, but this number saw a drastic decrease in 2022, falling to less than 20k. The introduction of the Brimstone Sands expansion, however, breathed new life into the game, resulting in a resurgence of players eager to explore the additional content.

As with many MMOs, New World now follows a pattern of gaining players around updates, with a subsequent drop-off after some time. Despite these fluctuations, the overall population remains healthy, consistently maintaining around 20k players on Steam at any given moment according to Steam Charts. This resilience demonstrates the appeal of New World’s unique gameplay and the dedication of its player community.

Pay-to-Win or Free-to-Play?

While New World was initially planned as a free-to-play game, after launch it transitioned into a buy-to-play game, but now in 2023, New World has returned to its original plan as a free-to-play game with an optional premium battlepass and an in-game shop.

Although the battlepass introduced changes that can be seen as pay-to-win, as the premium rewards in the battlepass are a lot better than the free ones. It won’t give players any huge advantages in the game though.

The in-game store has no pay-to-win items but has skins and a limited selection of both decorative and functional items for player housing.

Conclusion

In conclusion, New World has come a long way since its initial release in 2021, with numerous updates and improvements that have addressed player feedback and concerns.

The game’s unique blend of survival and MMO elements, coupled with the rich world of Aeternum, offers a refreshing and immersive gaming experience. With its ever-evolving gameplay, the Brimstone Sands expansion, and a dedicated player base, New World has truly established itself as a title worth exploring in 2023.

Whether you are a returning player or new to the game, New World offers a captivating adventure that continues to grow and improve, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to dive into an engaging MMO experience.