Free-to-play; a business model that has seemingly swept the PC gaming world over the last year -- more specifically the MMORPG market. A market dominated solely by one game in the United States: The World of Warcraft. As competitors have tried to put a dent into the gaming behemoth, most – quite frankly all – have fallen under what seems to be an impenetrable wall created by the giant. As the hopeful would be contenders have fallen, some have changed their business models away from the monthly user fee, that the king of the genre induces to hoard it’s never ending supply of cash, to that of the more Asian-centric model of free-to-play.

 

 

For a long time though, the free-to-play genre was synonymous with poor quality – games that felt unfinished. In the struggle to find a place amongst the WOW centric MMO world, many competitors – i.e. Age of Conan, Star Trek Online, and most recently DC Universe – have dropped the monthly user fee and joined the ranks of the free-to-play market. How are the games that have always made bed in this genre supposed to compete with titles that once sold box copies at retail and backed by million dollar marketing campaigns? Well the obvious answer is by providing gameplay that rivals the quality of a boxed retail game. Free-to-play publisher Perfect World appears set to do such and after spending quite a bit of time with their recently released Rusty Hearts I’m heavily inclined to believe them.

 

Rusty Hearts isn’t your typical MMORPG. In fact I would compare it more with my favorite online game of all time, Phantasy Star Online. Like PSO, it’s a four-player romp where the action is always fast and frantic and the loot collecting is plentiful. While Rusty Heart shares its online style with PSO, the actual combat system is a little more on par with combo-centric action games such as Devil May Cry and the most recent Castlevania Lords of Shadow. Rusty Heart’s setting and atmosphere should also be compared with the above mentioned games as it is chip off the gothic block. A familiar setting in the gaming world, but one that has been under utilized in the online multiplayer market.  

 

 

Rusty Hearts continues differentiating itself from its inspirers by incorporating a sleek, cell-shaded anime inspired look. A style that works well for the games Gothic toned hack-and-slash gameplay. From the four main characters to some of the most creepy and clever enemy designs to grace the genre, players of all powered computers can enjoy what Rusty Hearts has to offer thanks to games relatively low entry specs to play. Further proving just how much more important great art design is over having the latest, processor pounding graphics engine behind a game. As charming as the games esthetics is, perhaps the most entrancing aspect of Rusty Heart’s world is its music. Reminiscent of the rock infused remixes of classic Castlevania music – where can a download the OST? – many of the games tracks had me banging my head as a laid my best combos into the hoards of mutated creatures Rusty Hearts has to offer.

 

As mentioned before Rusty Hearts' gameplay is similar to its combo-centric console cousins and like those games best played with a controller. I did dabble slightly with the keyboard, but it just feels out of place when it comes to a game of this nature. Using the twin-stick setup of a 360 controller to cast magic to launch enemies in the air then roll under them with the flick of the right stick to chain a sword attack felt as fluid and responsive as it should be. Really my only complaint is that the keyboard can’t truly be cast aside – due to the amount of items that need to be available at a moment’s whim – because this game is first and foremost a PC MMO experience. It’s slightly clunky to take a hand off the controller just to use a healing item in an action game. Why the controller layout cannot be adjusted – which makes no sense in this gaming age – is anyone’s guess. That being said, the combat mechanics in Rusty Hearts are some of the most satisfying to play when one has a hankering to lay the smack-down.

 

 

As a single-player experience, something that is usually unspoken of for an online-focused multiplayer experience, Rusty Hearts holds its own. While the game basically boils down to accepting quests from the various townsfolk, entering a dungeon, and completing thus quest by either finding an item or defeating something, the plethora of pillage gathered serves as the perfect fix for the loot amassing addict. Each area in the game offers up to four difficulties for all levels of players and more lucrative loot for their success. What I really liked about the stage structure is the ease in which they can be completed. Only have five to ten minutes, well that’s all it takes to run a quick dungeon, but for those who like the longer treks, staying around and replaying areas consecutively presents some extra opportunities for rare items.

 

As I mentioned before free-to-play games – I don’t feel I’m in the minority here – have been synonymous with poor quality and while Rusty Hearts may not be the first in this gaming market to break that perception, it’s the first for me. The gameplay is fun, frantic and constantly rewarding. The art style and music are easily some of the most immersing attributes I have found in a game in quite some time and to think this game is free. I’m not sure how Perfect World plans to make any money with Rusty Hearts – I’ll let them worry about that – but if you're fan of combo-driven gameplay set in a unique Gothic world then you can’t really do any wrong by giving this game a go.