1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (24 votes, average: 2.71 / 5)
Loading...

Archlord 2

Archlord 2 is a PvP-centric, 3D-fantasy MMORPG set in the world of Chantra, and is the spiritual successor to the original Archlord game. Fight for either the Azuni or Crunn in epic 200 vs 200 battles in this Brutal PVP MMORPG!

Publisher: Webzen
Type: MMORPG
Release Date: July 8, 2014 (NA/EU)
Shut Down Date: November 24, 2015
PvP: Open World / Duels / Battlegrounds / Arena
Pros: +Up to 200 vs 200 PvP Battles. +No set classes. +Great soundtrack.
Cons: -Uninspiring Story. -Cash shop has pay to win elements.

Archlord Shut Down on November 24, 2015

Overview

Archlord 2 Overview

Archlord 2 is a 3D-Fantasy MMORPG released in 2014. The setting of the game is Chantra, a parallel-world based on the setting of the original Archlord. The game has a strong emphasis on PvP, which players can participate in starting at level 40. Players join either the Azuni or the Crunn, which will determine what races they can play. While there are no set classes, players initially choose between four different archetypes:

Archlord 2 Key Features:

  • Unique Class System – players don't select a class, but rather gain access to different skills based on which weapons they have equipepd (2H Swords, 1H Swords, Pistols, Crossbows, and Staves).
  • Base + Weapon progression two tiers of experience - base levels and weapon levels. Players can control their characters growth by distributing stat points each base level (Str, Int, Agi, Sta, and Spr) while gaining skill points with weapon levels.
  • Faction based PvP – fight for either the Azuni or Crunn factions. Fight to be the Archlord in this PvP heavy MMO (Up to 200 vs 200 battles)
  • High production value – solid soundtrack, great visuals, and a solid interface.

Archlord 2 Screenshots

Archlord 2 Featured Video

Archlord 2 Gameplay First Look HD - MMOs.com

Classes

Archlord 2 Classes

While Archlord 2 has no traditional classes, the game does have some basic archetypes, and they are:

  • Tanks are able to take the most damage, as well as dish it out. They use their higher defense to protect the rest of the group. Humans use a sword and shield, while Orcs use lances and shields.
  • Melee DPS use large, two-handed swords to cut their foes in half. They deal enormous damage and focus on having strong attack skills, in addition to higher health pools.
  • The Ranged DPS attacks from a distance; Humans with crossbows and Orcs with bows. They are one of the more versatile archetypes, incorporating traps into their skillset to hinder their enemies while keeping them at a distance.
  • Mages can go down two paths. Those using the staff or wand are mainly healers with some offensive spells. For those using orbs or pistols, their magic is primarily utilized to deal damage from a distance.

Full Review

Archlord 2 Review

By Dimitri Jordan

Archlord 2 is a 3D Fantasy MMORPG developed and published by Webzen, and was released July 8th, 2014. It focuses on PvP, and has a unique class system that allows players to switch between roles on the fly. It also has beautiful graphics that aim for gritty realism, and a soundtrack by Cris Velasco, whose work can be heard in the God of War franchise and Mass Effect 3.

Starting Up

When first starting Archlord 2, players may be pleasantly surprised by their options. While there are only two races per faction, players are able to change their character’s height, body shape, face, and eye color with a variety of options, and these go a long way in making characters feel unique. Initially there was one race per faction, and players became faction-locked after choosing; but the Eternal Strife expansion (released December 15th, 2014) added the Moonelf and Dragonscion races, as well as the ability to create characters in both factions on one server.

The 3D graphics and realistic art style of Archlord 2 is reminiscent of the recent Souls series, with many grotesque monsters and plenty of blood. Players can move by clicking the ground or using the WASD keys, which most will likely be used to from other games. When it comes to quests, players are able to click their next objective and have the game will automatically walk them there.

The First Few Levels

Once players start, they are thrown into the world with little to guide them besides quests that lead from one grinding area to the next. One of the saving-graces is the fantastic, fluid class system. Players level their class and weapons independently. Gaining levels allows players to allocate stat points to one of five stats, while gaining weapon levels allows players to choose new weapon abilities. In the early levels players can play around with different weapons to find what abilities they enjoy most, but this will impact them later on as stat points cannot be redistributed without paying money in the cash shop. So, if a player starts using magic, all those stat points put into the Intelligence stat won’t count for much if they switch to a two-handed sword. With a level cap of 60 (as of this review), players only have so much wiggle-room before these misplaced stat points affect performance in PvP. Webzen increased the game's level cap to 60 with the latest Stardust land update on June 16, 2015.

That said, some classes have more of a synergy. For example, having high Strength is beneficial to both Tanks and Melee DPS, allowing the player to more easily switch between them. Archlord 2 allows players to assign weapons to the Z and X keys, making weapon-swapping just a simple press of a button. Skills for each weapon switch accordingly, allowing players to change roles on the fly. This can be especially important to fulfilling the role needed, such as switching between a damage-dealing or healing mage, or between a tank and melee-DPS. This system is remarkable in its ability to let players find their own path without choosing a single class to adhere to. While players can max every weapon skill, there are benefits to focusing on classes that use similar stats.

Each weapon features a unique set of skills, and players have access to extra skills for the weapon they chose during character creation. In addition, those weapons will gain two skill points per level, while the secondary weapons only gain one.

PvP

PvP is meant to be the focus of Archlord 2, and that’s where the game truly shines. It has several different methods of engaging in PvP: duels, contested areas, skirmishes, and battlegrounds. Duels are conducted like in other MMORPGs, where two players from the same faction battle each other.

Contested areas are similar to World of Warcraft, where two factions are able to undertake quests in these areas, as well as openly attack players of the other faction. Webzen helps to stop higher level players from preying on the weak by making these areas level-locked. The first zone is from level 5-10, the next from 15-20, then 25-30, while the final zone is level 35-41. Once players reach the level-cap, they are unable to enter these areas. It works pretty well in curbing absolute domination by higher-level players.

Skirmishes become available at level 30, and are the first major offering in PvP. Skirmishes involve 5 vs. 5, and take place in one of three arenas, each with a different objective. In the Aquila Arena, players race to reach a specified number of kills before the other team. In Land of Red Tears, players must destroy the enemy Sentry before theirs is destroyed; this is a twist on the type of gameplay in MMOs like League of Legends. Finally, in Valley of Cries, players capture relic zones to gain points faster than the other team in a king-of-the-hill style of game mode.

Battlegrounds are where Archlord 2 excels. Not only are there seven different game modes, one for each day of the week, but some of these massive battles are 200 vs. 200; all-out wars to prove faction supremacy. Monday is Relic Capture (the king-of-the-hill mode) with five capture points. Tuesday is Heroic Match, where teams battle to reach a certain number of kills first. Wednesdays are Assassination Battle, where teams work to kill the other faction’s leader NPC. Thursday is Relic Destruction, where teams fight to destroy each other’s relics. Friday is City Siege, and consists of two battles: In the first, the Azuni defend the city while the Crunn attack, while the second battle has the Crunn defending. Saturday ends with Total War, where teams simply kill each other to reach a target number of points.

Sundays have special rules for the battleground. While participating throughout the week, players are rewarded points in the battlegrounds. On Sundays, the Top 60 players are invited to a free-for-all, and the last man standing is declared the Archlord for the server. This comes with a perk of special armor, a dragon mount, Archlord abilities and stat boosts, and being listed in the Archlords hall of fame, which names every Archlord the server has had. It’s a special kind of honor that’s difficult to achieve, but incentive enough to keep players embroiled in the week-long battlegrounds to achieve this higher status.

Cash Shop

Players have access to a cash shop, where armors, potions, and other items are available. Some of the more important items in the shop are those that let players reset their attributes and weapon skill-points. With the Eternal Strife expansion, it’s now also possible to reset a character’s main weapon, applying the bonus skills and extra points on leveling to a different weapon. The fact that players can purchase some gear outright for cash does create a bit of a pay-to-win feel, which this reviewer sees as a hugely negative mark on an otherwise good game. There are also mounts, crafting components, gold, experience, and item drop rate bonuses available.

Final Verdict - Great

Archlord 2 has some trouble early-on in living up to its “intense PvP” boasts, but absolutely dominates in endgame PvP content. There are plenty of different game modes for players to try, and the opportunity to become the server-wide Archlord is enough to keep even the least-inclined PvPer to try for the honors. Combine this with the fluid class system, solid graphics, and phenomenal soundtrack, and Archlord 2 becomes a perfect game for players who want to reach endgame PvP content without slogging through 90 levels of story quests. I highly recommend it, and give it four stars out of five.

Screenshots

Archlord 2 Screenshots

Videos

Archlord 2 Videos

Playlist: Archlord 2

Links

Archlord2 Links

Archlord 2 Official Site
Archlord 2 Wikia (Database / Guides)

System Requirements

Archlord 2 System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows XP, 7, 8
CPU: Intel Pentium Dual Core E6600 3 GHz / AMD: Phenom 2 X2 560
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 8800 GTS with 512MB or ATI Radeon HD 4770 with 512 MB
RAM: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space: 8GB

Recommended Requirements:

Operating System: Windows XP, 7, 8
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4 GHz / AMD Phenom 9750 Quad Core
Video Card: nVidia GeForce GTX 560 with 1024 MB / ATI Radeon HD 6950 with 1204 MB
RAM: 4 GB
Hard Disk Space: 8GB

Music

Archlord 2 Music & Soundtrack

Additional Info

Archlord 2 Additional Information

Developer: Webzen
Composer: Cris Velasco
Closed Beta Date: April 15, 2014 - May 15 - 2014
Open Beta Date: July 8 2014

Foreign Release:

South Korea: October 17, 2013

Development History:

Archlord 2 is the sequel to the original Archlord game that released in 2 005. While NHN and Codemasters developed the first game, Webzen is credited with developing Archlord 2. Keep in mind though, Webzen acquired NHN Games, so many of the same people who worked on the first game were involved in the second. Development for Archlord 2 began as early as January, 2010 when Archlord was known internally as "Project A2". The first Archlord title launched as pay to play with a subscription and later went free to play, but Archlord 2 was designed as a free to play game from the start. Webzen used the Gamebryo 3D Engine for Archlord 2, the same engine that powers Warhammer Online, Atlantica Online, and many other titles.

Archlord 2 shut down for good on the Webzen portal on November 24, 2015.