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RaiderZ

RaiderZ is a free to play fantasy MMORPG from MAIET Entertainment.

Publisher: Arc Games
Playerbase: Low
Type: MMORPG
Release Date: Nov, 20, 2012 (NA/EU)
Closure Date: August 07, 2015
PvP: Duels / Arenas / Guild Battles
Pros: +Unique classless system. +Superb crafting system. +Great interface. +Fun action-oriented combat.
Cons: -Feels too easy early on. -Pervasive botting.

Overview

RaiderZ Overview

RaiderZ was a fantasy MMORPG from MAIET Entertainment, the same developer behind GunZ. RaiderZ was designed for players who want action-packed monster hunting, where huge boss fights are the norm. The game drew inspiration from Capcom’s Monster Hunter, as it aimed to deliver epic boss fights. The game differentiated itself from other MMORPGs with its unique action oriented combat that felt both fun and rewarding.

There were five archetypal skill trees in RaiderZ. Players chose skills from each of them once they passed level 10. However, not all archetypes were compatible. If two archetypes shared a weapon type that they could use, then a build was viable. With no set class system in place, players were given the freedom to customize and grow their characters in anyway they wanted.

The 5 skill trees in RaiderZ are:

Defender (tank) – This archetype uses one-handed swords and one-handed maces. It is compatible with the Sorcerer and Cleric archetypes.

Berserker (melee DPS) – This archetype uses two-handed swords and two-handed maces. It is compatible with the Cleric archetype.

Cleric (healer) – This archetype uses both one-handed and two-handed maces, and staves. It is compatible with the Defender, Berserker and Sorcerer archetypes.

Sorcerer (spellcaster) – This archetype uses one handed swords and staves. It is compatible with the Defender and Cleric archetypes.

Assassin (melee DPS) – This archetype uses dual daggers. It is not compatible with any other archetype.

RaiderZ Screenshots

RaiderZ Featured Video

RaiderZ Gameplay First Look HD - MMOs.com

Full Review

RaiderZ Review

By, Dimitri Jordan

RaiderZ is a 3D fantasy MMORPG developed by MAIET Entertainment and published by Perfect World through its Arc Platform. The game was released on November 20th, 2012. You can think of RaiderZ as a combination of Monster Hunter and Tera Online, where you have a dynamic combat system combined with a ton of large monsters to kill. It's also worth mentioning that RaiderZ is developed by the same company that made GunZ: The Duel and GunZ 2: The Second Duel.

Welcome to RaiderZ

RaiderZ takes place in Rendel, a kingdom that was once both powerful and prosperous, but which is now being assaulted by marauding monsters. It is up to you, the Hero, to save this once tranquil land and restore peace to Rendel. The game has an anime styling, very similar to that of Tera Online, with vibrant colors and interesting character design.

The character creation screen is fairly solid. Players start off by choosing from one of 5 archetypes: Defender, Berserker, Cleric, Sorcerer and Assassin. After that, players have about two dozen choices for face, hair and tattoos. There's enough variety here to make characters look a bit distinct, but nowhere near the level you'd see in games like Tera or ArcheAge,

RaiderZ features an action oriented combat system and control scheme, similar to that of Tera. This means that the game feels more like you’re playing a third person “shooter” more than an MMORPG, as attacks do have to be individually aimed. You use the mouse to look around, left mouse button to attack and right mouse button to defend, with WASD for movement and the number keys for skills. Each time you want to attack you will have to click or use an ability, chaining attacks and creating combos in the process. Another very important aspect of the gameplay is the dodge mechanic. By holding Shift and pressing a direction, your character will dodge out of the way of enemy attacks. Mistime your dodge and your opponent will take a big chunk of your health. Positioning is also important, since some enemies can only be damaged from certain angles. Enemies in RaiderZ aren't just XP pinatas either. Most enemies target players and attack them automatically if they get too close and with the game's grappling system, enemies will charge, grab, push, or even try eating player characters.

No Class Game

Even though you start of by picking an archetype in the character creator, that doesn’t count that much later on. RaiderZ features a skill system, which allows players to learn any skills from any of the five available archetypes. However, there are limitations to the number of builds you can feasibly create, because certain archetype skills can only be used with certain weapons. For example, Berserker skills work only with two-handed swords and warhammers, while sorcerer skills work only with a staff or one handed sword, making the two incompatible. The Assassin is also an exception, since Assassins are the only ones that use exclusively Dual Daggers. Leveling up skills is done through classic skill trees, with a skill tree for each archetype. This unique classless system gives RaiderZ a sense of freedom in progression. I'm surprised more games don't utilize something similar.

PvB (Players vs. Bosses)

A game called RaiderZ is bound to have a ton of PvE right? Well, boss fights are one of RaiderZ’ main features. Boss fights are a part of both the leveling and the end-game experience. In the end-game, players will face off against both open-world bosses and bosses in instances. This fights will require teamwork, skill, tactics and coordination. For example, in a fight, a boss might lose parts of its shell, which players will then have to use as shields to protect against certain abilities. I personally think this is a great concept, especially when you combine it with an action oriented combat system. It makes raiding a lot more exciting and challenging, and it certainly feels like a step forward for the MMORPG genre.

PvP?

With a combat system like RaiderZ, you’d think that PvP was high up there on the list of priorities. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your preferences), PvP is limited in RaiderZ. Players can either join one of the two battlegrounds available, or duel each other. Battlegrounds are team versus team battles, which net players gear (both PvP and PvE specific), food and mounts. Even so, many players find the PvP part of the game very enjoyable, and consider it one of the main draws of RaiderZ.

Crafting

The only way players can get new gear is by crafting it. This is where the Monster Hunter side of the game kicks in. Players go out, kill bosses, loot their body parts, and then use them to create armor and weapons at certain NPCs throughout the game. Crafting requires ingredients and a recipe, which are tradable, however, the resulting items are bound to the crafter. Crafting is also the only way to get equipment in RaiderZ. What RaiderZ does really well is also it's mount system. The game has a huge variety of mounts, but like items they must be crafted. Most games sell mounts through the cash shop, so it's always good to be able to craft a huge variety of mounts without having to shell out real cash. I personally found crafting to be really fun, as so much random loot actually has a purpose in RaiderZ. It's not just vendor-trash like in most games.

Cash Shop

The Cash Shop in RaiderZ is filled with mostly cosmetic items, mounts and boosts. There are no items that can be considered game breaking or unbalanced. The boosts give extra XP, item and mat drop rate, and there are lockboxes for sale which can give a number of different mats at random when opened. There are also reskill books in the shop, but reskilling can also be done through a quest chain.

Final Verdict - Great

With its unique action oriented targeting system and dodge mechanics, RaiderZ is a great game, but it has been plagued with some problems. The game's servers in its home country of South Korea have already shut down and many players have quit due to a lack of consistent updates. However, despite its issues, RaiderZ remains a very fun and engaging game, and if you are a fan of Monster Hunter, it’s a must-play.

Screenshots

RaiderZ Screenshots

Videos

RaiderZ Videos

System Requirements

RaiderZ System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:

Operating System: Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8
CPU: Dual Core 2 GHz or better
Video Card: GeForce 6000 / ATI Radeon HD1000 series or better
RAM: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space: 5 GB

Recommended Requirements:

Operating System: Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8
CPU: Quad-Core 3 GHz or better
Video Card: DirectX 11 GPU with 1 GB Video RAM
RAM: 8 GB
Hard Disk Space: 5 GB

Video card must support Dirext X 9.0c or better. DirectX 10 or 11 preferred. RaiderZ recommends a 64 Bit OS recommended for best performance.

Music

RaiderZ Music & Soundtrack

Additional Info

RaiderZ Additional Information

Developer: MAIET Entertainment
Game Engine: Realspace 3
Closed Beta Date: August 8, 2012
Open Beta Date: October 24, 2012

Foreign Release(s):

South Korea: July, 2012 (Neowiz Games)
Europe: October, 2012 (Frogster Interactive)
Japan: December, 2012 (WeMade Japan)
Taiwan/Hong Kong/Macau: December 2012 (Cayenne Entertainment)

Several localized versions of RaiderZ are no longer available.

Development History / Background:

RaiderZ was developed by South Korean game developer MAIET Entertainment, which is best known in the West for GunZ: The Duel and GunZ 2: The Second Duel. Development for RaiderZ began in South Korea in early 2006 when the game was code-named "Project H". RaiderZ was first announced to the public by Neowiz Games in Korea on May 3, 2010. The game is named after the popular MMORPG term "raiding" but the "Z" replaced the "S" to pay homage to MAIET's "GunZ" series. The first closed beta for RaiderZ took place in South Korea in August 2010 with a second test taking place on January and a third in February. Neowiz Games launched RaiderZ into open beta on July 5, 2012. RaiderZ is powered by the Realspace 3 Engine, the same engine that powers GunZ 2. Neowiz shut down the service for RaiderZ in South Korea on September 24, 2013.