Lost Ark is an MMORPG announced in November 2014 at the Korean exhibition G-Star 2014, making a splash. Only a handful of Korean projects were able to gain media attention outside of this Asian country so quickly.

Lost Ark: Introduction

So what is Lost Ark? Lost Ark is an open-world MMORPG with action combat and a so-called isometric 2.5D (Quarter View) camera. The Tripod studio created the game, owned by the prominent publisher Smilegate (Crossfire). The scale of development is impressive - more than 150 people worked on the game, which is an impressive figure by any measure. The good old Unreal Engine 3 beats in the chest of Lost Ark, a well-known and time-tested engine. Not the newest, but its graphical (and other) features are more than enough.

Lost Ark: Classes and Skills

The developers are incredibly proud of the number of classes, of which eighteen are already announced. The game mechanics for different classes are fundamentally different - each of them has its interface, unique weapons, the type of energy used, and ways to accumulate it. The Tripod system is used to develop skills, which allows you to pump them in various directions, such as elements, effects, areas of effect, and so on. The same ability can radically differ depending on the build, which brings the hero's development to a decent level. Are all changes displayed visually?

Concluding the conversation about classes, one more important point should be noted. While other developers are trying to get away from the "trinity" scheme (healer, tank, and damage dealer), most often covering their unwillingness to make a quality group game in this way, the creators of Lost Ark, on the contrary, took it as a basis. This, according to MMO13, is a big plus since many new projects suffer from a lack of meaningful group play, even if there is such content in the game.

Lost Ark: Peaceful Professions

Lost Ark also has peaceful professions with complementary skills. There are very unusual ones, such as archaeologists and astronomers. Skills associated with peaceful professions are called crafts. They have a pumping tree, while all changes are displayed visually. For example, upgrading your pickaxe to dynamite or changing your fishing rod to the net will see it in-game, not just +2 fishing speed. The crafting chips don't end there. The fact is that many of the skills are designed so that players can cooperate and help each other.

Lost Ark: Gameworld

The developers have implemented a huge world with many secrets and mysteries that can only be found in certain conditions that are met. The world is not static - it is filled with dynamic events, such as the accidental opening of the gates of chaos. There are tons of interactive objects such as creepers, ropes, and gondolas that can be integral to your adventure. In some locations, puzzles and difficult navigation await. In such cases, players from all the surroundings will have to gather to go into the demon world and close them. It's worth noting that in most cases, the world does not consist of instances, as is done in Action / MO, such as Vindictus or C9. However, the so-called "phasing" is often used during quests, which temporarily makes the location or part of it an instance. You may have seen this in Guild Wars 2.

Lost Ark: Plot

The plot of Lost Ark tells the story of the search for an ark that can stop the hordes of demons that have invaded the world. The main plot of Lost Ark is revealed in dungeon instances and these very phasing zones. Stories and events have a real impact on the game world, but only within the dungeon. As for standard quests, you can't do without them. However, the developers were smart and introduced hidden and humorous tasks into the game even here. To find them, you will have to be very attentive and pay attention to what is happening. Moreover, the game has a system of relations with NPCs, which is somewhat reminiscent of the one in Black Desert, but with its characteristics. You can improve relationships by playing a musical instrument, completing a task, showing emotion, or giving gifts.

Lost Ark: Bosses

Bosses are one of the main attractions of Lost Ark. In addition to the magnificent visual component, the battle process itself is extremely exciting. Were they fighting on the ice with a sea monster? Bang! And you are already in the water because it has broken through the ice under your feet, and only faithful comrades can save your skin. Such a push for interaction is observed in everything that cannot but rejoice.
Moreover, in fights with bosses, you will have to use interactive objects of the environment, whether a lever or a cannon. The bosses themselves are divided into three types. The first is world bosses of varying difficulty, scattered across locations in the game world, and which can be killed by nearby players. The second type is hardcore bosses, the so-called Guardians. They also vary in difficulty. Guards are usually located in dungeons and require more complex tactics, teamwork, and sometimes more people. The third type is story bosses, also located in dungeons.

Lost Ark: PvP

The PvP system of Lost Ark is based on guilds that can declare war on each other and destroy opponents in an open field. Those who do not like such fun will have fun in the arenas and battlefields. The developers are hinting at other types of PvP, but the matter has not progressed further than hints. Perhaps soon.

Lost Ark: Marine Content

The development of this Lost Ark gold vein was taken specifically. Talking about Lost Ark, one cannot ignore the marine content. This is fishing and treasure hunting, secret locations, and sea bosses. In Lost Ark, you can even discover and take control of new islands, visit sunken ships, and dive for treasure. Cool? Undoubtedly! In general, marine content is a separate, impressive layer with many interesting activities.

To sum it up: Lost Ark's payment model and launch timeline
There are many other nice little things in the game, such as mini-games, crafting, equipment upgrades, survival dungeons, infinity tower, extensive customization, mounts and pets, and much more.

Initially, the game was launched in Korea. Then the project entered the Russian market on October 27, 2019, under the wing of Mail.ru. When the global release is expected is still unknown. As for the business model, the Smilegate product is completely free. Of the in-game goods, it contains various costumes with characteristics, mounts, pets, as well as all kinds of consumables that help in battles.