Pandum
Pandum is a free-to-play dark fantasy MMORPG that drops you into a hostile underground realm crawling with demons and undead. You progress by taking quests, earning experience, improving your character, and surviving encounters with both monsters and other players in largely open PvP spaces.
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Publisher: Electronic Experience Playerbase: Low Type: MMORPG Release Date: September 16, 2016 Pros: +Oppressive dark fantasy atmosphere and setting. +Open-world PvP creates constant tension. +Free-to-play entry point. Cons: +Visuals feel dated for a 2016 release. -Controls can feel awkward and imprecise. -Combat balance needs more tuning. -New players get little guidance due to a thin tutorial. |
Pandum Overview
Pandum is set beneath the surface in a grim, demon-haunted world where danger is meant to feel constant. It is a free-to-play MMORPG built around questing, character growth, and frequent conflict, with hostile mobs that can be punishing and other players who may be even less forgiving. Outside of designated safe areas used for trading, the game leans into a player-killing ruleset, so travel and grinding carry real risk.
Character creation is straightforward, you choose male or female and then pick from a small set of cosmetic options such as skins. Instead of locking you into traditional classes, Pandum focuses on flexible development, you earn skill points as you level and can invest them toward the specialties you prefer. The result is a build system that encourages experimentation, even if it also means players can run into uneven matchups.
Loot and equipment are a core part of the loop. Enemies and activities reward gear like weapons and armor, and progression often involves replacing older items with improved, refined equipment as you continue to farm and quest. On the social side, you can upload a custom avatar for use in-game, join a clan, and take part in organized competitive play through ranked team battles. Communication is supported through voice chat, which fits the game’s emphasis on coordination and rivalry in contested zones.
Pandum Key Features:
- Dark Fantasy – explore a bleak subterranean realm packed with demons, zombies, and other threats.
- Open-World PvP – most of the world allows player killing, with trade zones acting as the main exceptions.
- Characters Unrestricted by Class – spend skill points in the directions you choose rather than following rigid class trees.
- Join a Clan – team up with others and compete together in ranked battles.
- Free-To-Play – jump in without an upfront purchase and start progressing immediately.
Pandum Screenshots
Pandum Featured Video
Pandum Review
Pandum aims for a harsh, old-school vibe where the environment is oppressive and other players are part of the threat landscape. The strongest first impression is its setting, the subterranean dark fantasy theme is consistent, and the game clearly wants you to feel like you are surviving in a place that is not meant to be comfortable. That tone pairs naturally with the open-world PvP structure, since you are rarely far from a situation that can turn into a fight.
Moment-to-moment gameplay revolves around questing and combat, with leveling tied to experience gained through typical MMORPG tasks. Enemies are not designed to be pushovers, and the game’s overall difficulty can be higher than what many modern theme-park MMOs deliver, particularly when you are undergeared or wandering into contested areas. When PvP enters the equation, the pacing becomes even more volatile, because you can lose time and momentum simply due to being caught out by another player while you are already engaged with mobs.
The classless skill-point approach is one of Pandum’s most defining ideas. In practice, it gives you freedom to shape your character without being forced down a preset path, which can be refreshing if you enjoy tinkering with builds. The downside is that balance becomes harder to maintain, and fights can feel uneven depending on how optimized someone’s allocation is compared to yours. This also makes the early learning curve steeper, especially since the game does not do much to explain the best ways to build, gear, or approach PvP-heavy zones.
Controls are another sticking point. Movement and combat inputs can feel rough, and that has a bigger impact here than it would in a purely PvE game. In open PvP, responsiveness matters, and when the interface or control feel gets in the way, defeats can feel less like a lesson and more like friction. The visuals also show their age relative to the game’s 2016 release, with an overall presentation that may appeal to players who prioritize atmosphere over fidelity, but will likely disappoint anyone expecting a more modern look.
Where Pandum does succeed is in creating a constant sense of stakes. Safe areas exist, but much of your time is spent in spaces where other players can interfere, which naturally creates stories, rivalries, and cautious play. Clan participation and ranked team battles provide a more structured outlet for competitive players, and voice chat support helps groups coordinate without relying entirely on external tools.
Pandum is best approached with realistic expectations. It is a small-scale MMO with a low playerbase and a rougher feel in several core areas, but it offers a distinct niche: a grim underground world, classless character growth, and open-world PvP that keeps the tension high. If you are looking for polished combat and extensive onboarding, it will be a difficult recommendation. If you want a free-to-play PvP-leaning MMORPG with a dark tone and are willing to tolerate jank, it can still be worth a look.
Pandum System Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: Windows 7
CPU: AMD Sempron or equivalent
Video Card: ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4200 or equivalent
RAM: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space: 200 MB
Pandum Music & Soundtrack
Coming soon!
Pandum Additional Information
Developer(s): Electronic Experience
Publisher(s): Electronic Experience
Language(s): English, French, Spanish
Platform(s): PC
Steam Greenlight Post Date: February 2, 2014
Open Beta Release Date: April 30, 2016
Steam Greenlight Award Date: June 2016
Early Access Release Date: July 2016
Full Release Date: September 16, 2016
Development History / Background:
Pandum is an MMORPG developed and published by Electronic Experience. Its first public push came through Valve’s Steam Greenlight in February 2014. After a lengthy wait, the game entered open beta in April 2016, received its Greenlight approval in June 2016, moved into Early Access in July 2016, and ultimately reached full release on September 16, 2016.