Throne and Liberty review: an old-school, beautiful, and divisive MMORPG

Throne and Liberty is a new free-to-play massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) from Korean developer NCSoft, a dev team that’s been well-known previously for such classics as the Lineage series. To date, the game has already been out - and relatively well received - in the Korean domestic market but the developer has teamed up with Amazon Games Studio to bring the game to the West.

Throne and Liberty is the publishers' third attempt to crack the Western MMO market after Lost Ark and New World - two games that have looked to refresh the genre’s stagnant popularity in recent years. Throne and Liberty is a decidedly classic take on the genre, however, with a massive focus on group player-versus-player (PvP) conflict, world content, and a relatively basic tab-target combat system. It’s the spiritual successor to the Lineage games of old and one that looks to induct itself within the ranks of the best MMORPGs by harkening back to the genre’s glory days.

Having a whale of a time 

I’ve played my fair share of MMOs over the years, and I’ll say it right off the bat - Throne of Liberty is hands-down one of the most beautifully presented MMORPGs yet. Graphically, the game pushes the genre forward with thoughtfully crafted environments that emphasize both scale and verticality across sweeping vistas. As soon as you load in you’ll be impressed at the ambitious scale and beauty of this game, and there’s rarely a zone that disappoints in this regard.

There’s nothing radical about Throne and Liberty’s world - it’s a fairly standard high-fantasy fare. But, it executes it exceptionally well on a relatively grounded aesthetic that plays well with the brutality present in the world of Solisium. You’re going to be scrambling across vast deserts, descending into dimly-lit vampire crypts, and soaring high across the map on a massive flying whale called Gigantrite - easily the coolest thing in the entire game world.

Adding to the coolness factor is the game's excellent mount system. I don’t usually get excited about MMORPG mount systems but in Throne, all players have access to druid-style shapeshifting powers from the offset. Alongside a ground-based wolf/cat travel form, players can also transform into a bird-in-flight mode and an aquatic swim mode, which makes traversing the world engaging and enjoyable. 

The story, for the most part, is standard RPG fare. You’re part of a chosen few blessed with celestial powers trying to stop an evil king from exploiting said powers and dominating the world. It’s a mostly forgettable string of RPG tropes but the main quest does ground you in the world nicely, offer decent set-piece events, and serve as a good introduction to the various systems in the game - of which there are many.  

Mix and match

One such system that may throw MMO veterans in Throne of Liberty is the game's class system - or rather, lack thereof. Throne does away with the usual ‘pick your class’ at character creation for a more flexible system based on weapons. Every player picks two of seven weapons to carry; which include a flexible range of melee, ranged, and spell-casting options.

It’s not uncommon to see myriad ‘hybrid’ roles in Throne since the system encourages players to experiment and synergize between the various combinations. Not only can you pick and choose between weapon combinations, but the deep skill specialization system means that every weapon can tweaked toward specific build goals like elemental damage, increased threat, or greater area of effect. 

During my playthrough I gravitated toward a dagger and wand combo; an awkward mix of an archetypal rogue who also happens to heal like a priest. It wasn’t the most elegant combo but I like how Throne’s non-traditional class system encourages players to think creatively about which weapons to pair up with each other. The game's upgrade system favors that you choose a role and stick to it, however, so be prepared to do your homework and plan out your build accordingly.

Combat for the most part is handled with a mix of a tab-target system and a more 'active' action combat style that includes elements like parrying, blocking, and an emphasis on ground effect spells. The tab targeting system is more reminiscent of classic MMORPGs like World of Warcraft but lacks the latter’s refinement, depth, and overall weight. The active elements for the most part do add something, however, as both player-versus-player and player-versus-elite encounters utilize parry windows and defensive abilities to mix up the gameplay.

Overall, Throne’s combat isn’t bad - the game feels fine to play, but it does suffer from being a compromise between two distinct types of systems. You’re essentially left with combat that doesn’t quite feel as engaging as the gorgeous graphics, world design, and interesting class system warrant. There’s room for a high-skill ceiling, sure, but you’ll never quite find yourself wanting to grind through hundreds of monsters like with Black Desert Online.

World up

The world of Solisium is, however, chock-full of stuff to do. As previously mentioned, the main quest will effectively take you on a full world tour of this game’s breadth of content and encourage you to spread your wings as you go.

When you’re leveling up, you’ll be introduced to world exploration quests, contract quests, group dungeons, and open-world dungeons. For the most part, your quests outside of the main storyline will consist of killing boars, goblins, and gathering resources - you know, MMO stuff. Where this game really shines is with the sheer variety of content on offer and how this content is placed within the greater world.

For example, world quests are sometimes cooperative, sometimes competitive, and sometimes complete and utter open warfare. Often, these game modes depend on the day-night cycle or specific timing, which can make the world feel alive and unpredictable if you’re not paying attention. It’s not uncommon for your quest objectives to intersect with an area that’s currently being battled over by dozens of guilds jostling to contend a local world quest, for example. 

I, for one, particularly loved the open-world dungeons that are scattered across the world. These dungeons aren’t instanced in the traditional sense so everyone is welcome to rock up and stake their claim to the loot. 

In the daytime, these dungeons can operate like traditional questing hubs. In the night-time, however, the doors close behind you, and suddenly the whole area turns into one giant player-versus-player arena. Since players are effectively locked out on death, the dungeons turn into one giant Battle Royale game with increasingly higher stakes. It’s a superb concept and one that’s not commonly found among other modern MMOs.

Guild wars

I think you’re already sensing a theme here - Throne and Liberty is a player-versus-player MMO through and through. In this game, PvP is everywhere if you’re willing to look for it. This is a game designed from the ground up with PvP - and particularly group PvP - in mind. 

At around level 30 the world quickly opens up into areas where, depending on various criteria like world time or weather, open PvP is in session. While it’s entirely possible to wait it out on the sidelines until peace is declared once again, you always need to be on your guard for prowling enemies. 

If you’re a fan of the true wild-west element of old-school MMORPGs you’ll be at home here. It’s a kill-or-be-killed world that’s often enjoyable but potentially frustrating. During my initial leveling, for example, there were several instances of high-level players camping world quest hand-in zones. While power discrepancies are smoothed by Throne and Liberty’s stat squishing system, you’ll frequently encounter experienced players looking to rack up kills. 

Solisium is a harsh world, and to survive, you’re going to have to join a guild. Unlike more casual-friendly titles on the market, this game emphasizes guilds above nearly all else. This is a super old-school MMO approach and one that actively encourages players to band together into massive 70-person guilds.

While it’s possible to progress outside of a guild, to properly get the most out of this game you must at least join some kind of guild. Doing so, for example, unlocks a new vendor, currency, and various exclusive quests. You’ll also be able to tag along with your guild to the massive one-thousand-player-plus castle siege events that are the mainstay of Throne and Liberty’s end-game content. 

While it’s refreshing to see such an emphasis on group content in a modern MMO, I’m struggling to recommend Throne and Liberty for a casual player here; the kind of player who likes to jump on for an hour or two, use the group finder tool, and generally go with the flow. If you’re looking for a pick-up-and-play MMO, then you’ll likely find the game too punishing unless you find a guild that fits your playstyle.

I haven’t even mentioned the cash shop either, which enables players to essentially trade real money for in-game currency. Yes - currency that can be used in the auction house to buy high-end gear. In theory, players can skip out on the grind by simply pulling out the credit card; something which will no doubt set off alarm bells for seasoned MMO veterans. 

In my time with the game, I wasn’t able to fully grasp whether this will in effect descend into a ‘pay to win’ model, but I’m absolutely sure this setup will prove divisive for a Western audience. It’s entirely possible to earn all gear without paying a penny, but it sure seems that the game is catering to players with deep pockets.

It's a shame this potential 'pay to win' stigma surrounds Throne of Liberty as the game genuinely has a lot going for it in terms of world-building and content. The question is, will it appeal to a wider audience than a select few hard-core individuals?

Accessibility

I’m pleased to note that Throne and Liberty features an extensive suite of accessibility features. These include multiple colorblind modes, settings for photosensitivity, and multiple text and UI scaling options. All these options are easy to find in the 'Accessibility' menu within the games settings menu. 

Should I play Throne and Liberty?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

How I reviewed Throne and Liberty

I played Throne and Liberty for 30 hours before writing this review, which was enough in-game time to finish the main story quest and comfortably get up to the maximum level. I made sure to sample most of the game's content, including both daily and world quests as well as the instanced and open dungeons.

I've played many MMORPGs over the years including World of Warcraft, Guild Wars 2, Black Desert Online, Lost Ark, Eve Online, ESO, and many others. During this review, I drew upon over two decades of experience playing these games to get a feel of how Throne and Liberty stacks up and how I think it'll be received. 

The peripherals I used during this review include the Logitech G Pro wireless gaming mouse, the Logitech Pro Tenkeyless gaming keyboard, and the Logitech G735 wireless gaming headset. My monitor is the 27-inch LG 27GP850-B, which runs at 1440p/185Hz. 

First reviewed September/October 2024.