Over the past week, there has been a significant amount of new information, and we have just concluded the server slam, which was the final beta test before the game's official release. This allowed us to play the game and form our impressions.
Overall, the reception to the event appears to be generally positive, although somewhat subdued compared to the previous Open beta. Anecdotally, it seems that fewer people participated this time, possibly due to reduced marketing efforts or because the beta featured the same content as the previous one. Many players had already experienced it and didn't feel the need to replay it before the official release.
Our impressions of playing the Fractured Peaks again were mostly positive. The developers have made noticeable improvements. However, there were some issues that the community brought up over the weekend, which we kept seeing discussed online. One of the main changes that stood out was the significant adjustments made to every class.
Without going into specific details and numbers, it's worth noting that there were nerfs to certain classes and abilities deemed too powerful, as well as buffs to underperforming aspects. Each class underwent changes to their skills, talents, and passives, some for the better and some for the worse. However, these changes resulted in buffs for the Druid and Barbarian, and nerfs for the Sorcerer, Rogue, and Necro.
Even with the nerfs, I still believe that those three classes remain very strong. The buffs did help the Druid and Barbarian, although there seems to be a general consensus that the Druid is still lagging behind.
It's important to remember that these balance adjustments are based on a level 20 beta, which ultimately won't matter much because players will quickly surpass that level upon the game's full release.
The true test of class balance will come in the endgame when players have access to the paragon boards, skill points, higher-tier gear, and the ability to synergize their builds with legendary aspects. That's where class balance will have the most impact.
However, it's crucial for the classes to be reasonably balanced while leveling up, so that one class doesn't feel significantly weaker than the other four. Unfortunately, the Druid still seems to be struggling in terms of balance, and I hope that improves because I personally love the class fantasy of the Druid, and it's one of my favorite archetypes. Regardless, I'll probably still play Druid regardless of its position on the power scale.
Overall, I appreciate the significant changes the developers made between these beta tests in an effort to address class imbalances. While it may not be perfect, it's encouraging to see them actively working on tweaking and improving the classes.
