It’s finally back! After a very ling hiatus, the weekly look into the world of MMO gaming returns with my all-time favorite genere choice… and once again, it’s entirely free to play.
If you didn’t catch the premiere of Mabinogi Mondays last time around, this game is the official namesake for the column that precedes this returning feature. (You’ll be able to find out why through one of the mechanisms within the game if you pay attention good enough, or just check back to the column itself for a refresher.)
Without spoiling much of the plot, here’s the basic idea of what goes down when you start: Nao, your soul stream guide, meets you before you step foot into the world of Erinn in which the game takes place. After a quick introduction, opening credits roll and tutorial missions, one of your future login procedures will send you into a cutscene in which you learn that a mysterious world called Tir Na Nog is facing a pending crisis — and it’s up to you to set things right.
You’ll face many challenges in the game from that point on, whether it be side quests (challenging monsters and wildlife from the easiest to the toughest) or general quests within the main story — one of which involves a succubs with a very familiar appearance, give or take some differences. At several points, you’ll even learn that various metals and solids with familiar-sounding names from all over pop-culture and everyday references (including one precious metal commonly associated with money and wealth, just as it is in the game itself) are being used for some rather diabolical purposes.
Completing quests and missions come with their own inherent rewards, whether it be usable equipment and/or helpful items, a new ability or three, or even progression of the overall storyline. One recent set of missions even has a Shakespearian twist… and by that I mean literally! (Again, for the sake of holding back spoilers I’m not going to say which one of the Bard’s many works is presented in this manner as of the present time.) Plus, the experience varies based on how you represent yourself in the game. All three of the different races in the game (human, elf or giant) have their own inherent limitations as to what parts of the story they can do, what locations and NPCs they can go to, and what abilities they can have. This even goes with the transformation rewards that can be obtained within the game, such as the Paladin appearance shown below.
If you wish to check out Mabinogi for yourself, be sure to head on over to the official website and let us know what you think in the comments.
