MythWalker PAX West Impression
I really enjoyed playing it, and there is a lot more substance to this game besides just walking around in your neighborhood.
MythWalker is a mobile geolocation action RPG tied to world mythology and folklore from developer and publisher NantGames. It is set in a parallel planet to Earth — Mytherra — whose people and creatures have infiltrated the dreams of humans. However, the world has come under attack, which also poses a risk to Earth as well, and a being called the Child has reached into our world seeking help. The game implores the player, or MythWalker, to uncover the truth of the attackers and lead a defense of Mytherra. Using real locations, the player can also learn the stories of Earth’s myths and legends. A closed beta currently offers three playable species and three classes. The Annu are feathered birdlike people, the Wulven are small dog-folk, and finally there humans. The three playable classes are the classic Warrior, the healing Priest, and the ranged dual wand-wielding Spellslinger.
It’s hard to do too much in a demo for a geolocation mobile game, but I did get to try it downtown Seattle covering about a third of a mile from the press room. The character creation offered many color options for the Annu, with different kinds of feathers to having multiple colors of the feathers, as well as options for the head and body type. The Wulven also had many options, including corgi and husky-like selection. I am always a magic user, so I chose to play as a Annu Spellslinger, as the classes are more tied to the specific species that are best suited for each one. There were three character slots that shared gear, so I could delve into being Wulven or a human as well.
Starting the game, there were a few enemies located near me. They were color-coded with green, yellow, or red to indicate whether I would have a fair shot of beating it or not. Combat enters auto-attack mode with special abilities appearing on the right side for players to use at as they wish. There are more than 70 different enemies to encounter on your journey, with the rewards received after the fight allow you to buy and craft items. Meanwhile, mini-games involving mining and wood chopping are other places to gain resources to craft or to upgrade equipment. Businesses for this and more are available in Hyport, the main city in Mytherra.
There are a few other elements that I was not able to check out, but are forthcoming in its release. Reforge is the place to go for skill tree updates for characters, and a Navigator — or spirit guide — to helps players out on their journey. A personality quiz can be done to find out which spirit guide is best. The game uses an energy system, with energy for quests refilled every 24 hours. As a free-to-play RPG, it does have micro-transactions, including to refill energy before the timer, though purchases are not forced to progress.
The other geolocation games I’ve played are Ingress and Pokémon Go, and this one feels on par with them. I really enjoyed playing it, and there is a lot more substance to this game besides just walking around in your neighborhood. I love the folklore, and during the demo, the developers mentioned how deep they went in creating their different species. The Annu, for example, is derived from the Mayan culture. I could see myself playing this at home for awhile, and also out with friends with it’three-player co-op feature. Currently playable in closed beta on iOS and Android, players can sign up for MythWalker on the game’s official website.
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