ive played this game for a bit and it is very enjoyable. the closest thing i can compare it to is patrician 4. you buy stuff in one port and you sell it in other ports to make money. you can also complete quests and fight against players for their stuff. later on you can explore uncharted area’s in the new world to get more exotic items to sell.

I’ve played this game on and off for a few years now and am glad it’s come to Steam, if a bit late. Comparing it to other mmorpgs, I’d say the difficulty level is a little more challenging than most. KOEI is known for making historically accurate games and this one is no exception. While it was released to asian markets only for the first several years, it has been available for the rest of the world for the past several. It’s as old as Word of Warcraft, but is free-to-play. Also something to note, it is *not* pay-to-win, like some f2p games are. Some of the best items/ships are potentially/statistically superior, it isn’t such a noticable difference, unless in the hands of an unskilled/inexperienced player. And there are a LOT of ships to suit your playstyle.

Concerning playstyles, there are 3 major ways to play the game, and you can change it up as you see fit without too much hassle. Adventuring, Trading, and Battling. Adventurers have probably the closest to a single-player experience as you can get on an mmo, and won’t be disappointed with the historical discoveries, locations and treasures that come from diligence. Trading is probably one of the easiest tasks, and is practiced by every player-type. Many different trade goods from various regions of the world and a very deep economic structure that changes prices of goods depending on supply/demand and trading tendencies of other players. Maritime (sea battles) is one of the more appealing features to newcomers and seasoned players alike, and UWO has probably the best sea-battle gameplay around.

PVP exists in the majority of sea zones throughout the world but only the truly skilled maritimers can benefit from a life of piracy on the high seas. I’ve been pirated only a handful of times in the years I’ve played and it should be noted that it isn’t something to deter you from going where you want to go. There is a healthy balance to all things.

As for the community of players, some of the nicest and most helpful players abound here! There are so many intricacies to the gameplay, I still learn something new daily, and nearly everyone has an answer or an idea to help you along. We’re really all in it together! Instead of “guilds” like other mmorpgs of a historical era, there are Companies. Each is a maximum of 50 players. This is a great way to keep the members tight with each other, and promotes a feeling of having an ‘extended family’ instead of just other gamers.

If you are a fan of ridiculous amounts of loot and items, then you will be disappointed. There are a ton of items in the game, but space is always your enemy.. or friend? You gotta know what to keep and what to sell/discard. It’s good to keep that greed in check.

Pros: Great community of players. Deep and challenging gameplay. Developers did their homework when it comes to history and facts. Educational and relaxing, solid variety in all things, in-game achievements (memorial album/challenge missions). Prioritization is an optional skill you involuntarily acquire that is helpful in life. :D. Locations, player models/outfits, ships, sailing, and even the music(which I mute to listen to radio) still has a unique charm.

Cons: Grinds (it’s a game created by Asians!). Somewhat frustrating interfaces that seems to have a higher learning curve. Only 1 message window for all information in game, be it chat, announcements, crafting, battle…everything. I still gripe about wanting another window to keep conversations separate from everything else. Graphics are a bit dated, if that is important to you.

I could go into much more detail about specifics, but this is already longer than I intended. So, as far as free-to-play mmorpgs go, and even comparing it to subscription mmorpgs and the multitude of games I’ve played throughout my existence on this planet, I’m going to rate it a solid 7/10.

I hope to see some of you there.