One of the most hyped MMOs of 2023 appears to be a major let down

Following an onslaught of impressions of the Throne and Liberty beta, MMO fans are dunking on the MMORPG, which was held up as one of the years biggest releases in the genre this year.

It's an interesting time in the world of MMOs right now. Both World of Warcraft and Final Fantasy 14 are in great shape, but there's still a serious hunger for the next massive MMO launch. Throne and Liberty, a game that's been in development for several years now, was meant to be that next big release. However following some early impressions, this all seems to have gone down the sink.

THRONE AND LIBERTY Announce Trailer

But why? It all comes down to the combat. In trailers and early marketing material, Throne and Liberty appeared to be a fast-paced and dynamic action game. Seeing this material, would-be fans were expecting a free-flowing combat system like you'd see in World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy 14, Black Desert Online, and the vast majority of MMORPGs. It turns out this isn't the case! Throne and Liberty is a tab target MMO, which means your can't attack while moving.

This is quite a dated approach, and one that crashes into what many modern MMO players are used to. Throne and Liberty, which years ago began its life as a new Lineage game (thanks Engadget), follows that series legacy by using the combat system. It appears that despite the decision to develop Throne and Liberty as its own new property, the game remains linked to the once-popular MMO franchise.

Problem is, Lineage 2 released back in 2003. With roughly two decades of work invested into MMOs, modern games in the genre feel a lot better now than they used to. Unless they're someone with a taste for the nostalgic, the stop and start combat is sticking out as a sore spot for many early testers.

This is reflected in numerous videos from some of the biggest MMO influencers in the space. Force Gaming released a video titled "Throne and Liberty is a Disaster", pointing to both the clunky combat and ability to toggle auto play as indicators of the game's shaky quality. TheLazyPeon recently recapped many of the most prominant reactions in a short video simply called "Throne & Liberty KEKW", slamming it for similar reasons.

Does this mean Throne and Liberty is a total wash? No. It still looks great of course, and you can play it on your phone. Also, it's worth noting that a lot of this frustration seems to be coming from some clever marketing and hype train that went off the rails a bit. If you're aware of the Lienage-style of gameplay Throne and Liberty has at its core and are okay with that, Throne and Liberty may still be the MMO for you!

But for many, it's a heartbreaking revelation. Are you still planning on trying out Throne and Liberty, or is it striken of your list of anticipated games? Let us know! Throne and Liberty is getting a technical test soon, so you can sign up if you want to make up your own mind!