Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes In-Depth Preview
By M. Hauschel
Offering players more action, less wait time, and intense matches, Bioware Mythic Studio distilled the best parts playing an MMORPG and MOBA style game and created Warhammer Online: Wrath of Heroes. “Fast, fierce, and fun” is the motto of the Wrath of Heroes. Taking the best of Warhammer and making it accessible to a wide range of players. I was given a chance to preview the upcoming free-to-play MMORPG, visit the studio, and chat with the creators behind the game.
WOH is a unique MMO that is ultimately hard to place into just one category. It does not follow the existing RPG, MOBA, or DOTA model. If you extract the best qualities of each existing style, you’ll get Wrath of Heroes as the result.
Using a 6v6v6 pvp model, players are provided with more fast action and less time wasted on waiting for matches to start. During gameplay, whatever heroes you have unlocked can be used interchangeably during matches. Say you started as a mage, but nobody on your team chose a healer, after you die in the match you can choose to change your hero before you respawn. Giving players the option to have an ever-changing strategy during gameplay. Because of the complexity of this, it makes gameplay unpredictable. If one team is dominating at the start of the match, another team can change strategy and quickly become the top team. Which means less resignation happening during gameplay. Following MOBA, matches are fast, lasting just 15 minutes. Not only is the gameplay fast, so is the download. Making WOH accessible to the general public, the download is under a GB. The studio plans on keeping it under one GB to allow quick access to players.
Mentioned earlier, Wrath of Heroes has some qualities of a RPG, but is not entirely a RPG. While there is no character progression within a match, what you gain with each match are mastery points. Rather than focus on gaining experience with individual heroes, you gain an overall account experience. With these mastery points you can unlock certain perks in the hero’s mastery tree. Perks are additional abilities or add-ons onto the character that can be switched and if compatible with other heroes, used interchangeably among heroes. These perks can be added onto your character to make them more powerful. For example, there is a perk called Terrible Transformation; attached to hero, once activated your hero turns into a huge Rat Ogre, smashing everything in sight. Perks can be a game changer if used strategically. With the lack of items or equipment for characters in game, these perks are essential to make your collection of heroes as powerful as they can be.
There are three map styles to choose from, arena, capture the flag, and rune. Arena is a battle dome of a fast action. A close quarter with the two other rival teams, where you just wail on each until the time runs out. Capture the flag is a classic take on the teamwork game, where you work to capture the most flags. For each flag captured, it works as a multiplier for you team’s overall score. The more flags you capture, the more points you’ll receive for every kill you make. With one flag under your control, you’re able to head to the map’s center and secure the artifact. With a secure artifact, your team is able to gain more points over time. If you lose any of the flags you capture with a secured artifact in place, that artifact will be lost. The rune map, works similarly as a capture the flag, but with runes that can be picked up and moved around by individual players. Each team has a building that can house the runes. With each rune captured, it works as a point multiplier.
The Bioware Mythic Studio had the press play with, and against the staff. While the QA testers often outmatched us, having the 6v6v6 made the matches more playable and less of a complete slaughter. I decided to play with the Bright Wizard, Felicia, for the most of duration. If I had one criticism, the screen would often become overwhelming cluttered with animations during the battles. Having a mage standing back behind the action of the animations allowed clear and visible gameplay.
Mentioned earlier, Wrath of Heroes has some qualities of a RPG, but is not entirely a RPG. While there is no character progression within a match, what you gain with each match are mastery points. Rather than focus on gain experience with individual heroes, you gain an overall account experience. With these mastery points you can unlock certain perks in the hero’s mastery tree. Perks are additional abilities or add-ons onto the character that can be switched and if compatible with other heroes, used interchangeably among heroes. These perks can be added onto your character to make them more powerful. For example, there is a perk called Terrible Transformation; attached to hero, once activated you turn into a huge Rat Ogre, smashing everything in sight until you are killed. Perks can be a game changer if used strategically enough. With the lack of items or equipment for characters in game, these perks are essential to make your collection of heroes as powerful as they can be.
For the casual gamer, if you have a limited amount to time to dedicate to a game, and don’t want to focus on leveling up a character, WOH is a right fit for you. The focus is fast gameplay, packed with action. Following the Warhammer lore, and expanding the world, WOH offers exciting Heroes with complex characteristics. Join the fierce competitive action as WOH is currently in open beta.