Otherland
Otherland is a sci-fi MMORPG built around the idea of jumping between multiple simulated worlds, each with its own visual identity. You create an avatar, pick one of four combat roles, and then tackle action-based encounters where positioning and ability timing matter. Outside of fights, the game leans heavily into crafting and personalization, letting you gather materials, build up a customizable home space, and participate in clan-driven conflicts.
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Publisher: otherland co-production GmbH Type: MMORPG PvP: Clan Wars Release Date: September 10, 2015 Shut Down: September 23, 2021 Pros: +Flexible player housing and decoration. +Unusual crafting that includes NPC creation. -Fast, aim-based combat focus. Cons: -Only four playable classes. -Onboarding does not explain systems well. |
Otherland Shut Down on September 23, 2021
Otherland Overview
Otherland is a science fiction MMORPG inspired by Tad Williams’ Otherland novels, built around the concept of life inside layered virtual realities. Character creation offers plenty of cosmetic room to make your avatar stand out, and gameplay is structured around four clear-cut roles: Warrior, Assassin, Marksman, and Energizer. Each class is meant to fill a party niche, so team play tends to feel more purposeful than in classless sandboxes, even if the roster is limited.
Because the game is set in a digital space, its crafting fiction revolves around eDNA, essentially the code that makes up everything you encounter. Instead of only producing gear, you can also unlock recipes by analyzing this code and then use it to assemble a wider range of creations, including crafted NPCs. That crafting system ties directly into housing: every player receives a personal virtual home in Uspace that can be decorated and developed, and it functions as a production hub for Soma, the game’s key resource.
PvP is closely linked to those player homes and clan politics. Bases can be targeted, which creates a risk-reward loop around how much you invest and how well you defend. Protection comes from preparation, whether that means producing defensive creatures via eDNA cloning or grouping up with a clan to share resources and coordinate territorial pressure. The result is an MMO with a strong “build, protect, raid” thread running alongside its instanced combat and exploration.
Otherland Key Features:
- 4 Classes – pick from four defined combat roles: Warrior, Assassin, Marksman, or Energizer.
- Player Housing – each account gets a home in Uspace that you can customize, and it also acts as a major PvP touchpoint.
- Clan Warfare – organize with other players to pool clones and resources, then contest space against rival clans.
- Action Combat – movement and aiming are hands-on (WASD plus mouse aiming), with skill usage and timing shaping your damage and survival.
- Distinct Crafting – crafting goes beyond gear, letting you create NPCs from eDNA for utility and home defense.
Otherland Screenshots
Otherland Featured Video
Otherland Review
Otherland is an MMO with a memorable premise, a world-hopping structure, and a crafting and housing loop that is more ambitious than many games in the genre. At its best, it captures the feeling of adventuring through constructed realities while building up a personal corner of Uspace that actually matters to your progression. The moment-to-moment flow generally alternates between combat-heavy outings for materials and code, then returning home to convert those gains into Soma, upgrades, and defensive options.
Combat is clearly designed to be more direct than tab-target MMOs. You are expected to move actively, aim attacks, and manage a small set of abilities with cooldowns and situational value. That style can feel snappy when everything clicks, but it can also put pressure on encounter readability and class balance, especially since the class list is capped at four roles. If you prefer broad class variety or deep specialization trees, the limited lineup can make the game feel narrower than its setting suggests.
The crafting angle is where Otherland separates itself. The eDNA concept is not just lore dressing, it shapes how you think about progression, because learning and producing extends into NPC creation, not only equipment. That ties nicely into the housing system, which is more than a cosmetic apartment. Your home is a functional workshop and resource engine, and the threat of raids gives those upgrades a practical edge. Players who enjoy base-building with a strategic purpose will likely find the home loop more compelling than the main questing cadence.
PvP, framed around clan wars and player housing, encourages organization and long-term planning rather than random duels. However, the game does not always do a great job explaining its systems early, so new players can bounce off before they understand how eDNA, Soma, and home defense fit together. Overall, Otherland feels like an MMO with strong ideas and a distinctive identity, but also one that asks players to be patient with its learning curve and its limited class variety.
Otherland Links
Otherland Official Site
Otherland Steam Page
Otherland Wikipedia Page [Main Page for Novels]
Otherland Reddit
Otherland Wikia [Database/Guides]
Otherland Gamepedia [Database/Guides]
Otherland System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz
Video Card: Intel HD4000
RAM: 4 GB
Hard Disk Space: 16 GB
Recommended Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7 SP1
CPU: Intel i5 or equivalent
Video Card: Nvidia 750Ti or equivalent
RAM: 8 GB
Hard Disk Space: 16 GB
Otherland Music & Soundtrack
Coming Soon…
Otherland Additional Information
Developer: Drago Entertainment
Game Engine: Unreal Engine 3
Story Lead/Game Mechanics Designer: Łukasz “Havock” Błaszczyk
Announcement Date: October 01, 2008
Closed Beta: Novemeber 24, 2014
Release Date (Early Access): September 10, 2015
Shut Down: September 23, 2021
Development History / Background:
Otherland was developed by Drago Entertainment using Unreal Engine 3. It was first revealed on October 01, 2008 under RealU and dtp Entertainment, with an original target release window set for 2012. After delays, the Singapore-based RealU ultimately ended the project about a year after that intended launch period. Development later continued under Drago Entertainment, which assumed responsibility on October 9, 2014 and brought the game to Steam Early Access on September 10, 2015. The project draws its setting and core concept from Tad Williams’ Otherland novels (released from 1996 to 2001). Warner Bros. acquired film rights in 2012, with a movie planned at an unspecified future date. The game remained online until it was shut down on September 23, 2021.