The Secret World: Ultimate Edition Review

The Secret World was originally a subscription based game that then swapped to buy to play. Where if you purchased the game once, then you owned access forever. Its story arcs are that of well told cut scenes and or sub stories that unfold before your eyes. However it was usually to most players critique the combat that was left to be desired for their tastes. Over time I got over the combats issue. Heck I find the deck building in the game to be extremely fun to farm for, but I digress.

The story itself for the Secret World branches off in three different told perspectives seen by three factions that as you are guessing it now are at war with each other with the terms of information, and at throats end with their field ops. That of course being you. The three factions are the Dragon, Templar, and Illuminati. All having their respective cultural history and folk tales among them. So picture if all of the tales you heard of vampires, HP Lovecraft, demons, and more are all real. And are cut loose on the world as we know it. It is up to the said three to investigate it. In some cases, put a end to it. TSW or The Secret World has been out for a while now. With the new bundle that was brought forward a little bit of last year we just now recently got to touch down on this massive bundle of content. If you are a older fan or maybe someone who is looking to give the game a try I am going to break down a chunk of the contents and let you know how they fare.

Before I go any deeper I would like to humbly thank Funcom for a chance to tackle the content for this review. By granting us a review code for the content to roam inside of.

So what the bundle includes is the following:

The Secret World: Ultimate Edition contains:

– The Secret World game

With 30 days of Membership included and no subscription required.

– Issue #5: The Vanishing of Tyler Freeborn

A deep and dark mystery investigation on Solomon Island.

– Issue #6: The Last Train to Cairo

An epic Indiana Jones-style adventure (including time travel!) in Egypt.

– Issue #7: A Dream to Kill

A spy thriller full of intrigue and action in the snowy mountains of Transylvania.

– Issue #8: The Venetian Agenda

Take on virtual training scenarios in Venice.

– Issue #9: The Black Signal

Discover the all new adventure zone in Tokyo.

– Issue #10: Nightmares in the Dream Palace

Learn who set off the rising tide of darkness.

– Issue #11: Reaping the Whirlwind

Reap the consequences of your choices in the main story!

– Sidestories: Further Analysis

Four Missions with Deep Mystery Box and The Inspector’s Gadget rewards.

– Sidestories: Love & Loathing

Five Missions with Deep Mystery Box and Cracked Noh mask rewards.

– Sidestories: The Last Pagan

Six Missions with Deep Mystery Box and Lorenzian Fabricator rewards.

– Issue #1 – #4

Free updates released in 2012 and fully available for you to explore.

– Beginner Weapons

A full set of nine rare and powerful starter weapons.

– AP Injection (25 cc)

Gain 25 Ability Points instantly for a flying start.

– Ability Point Boost

For three days you earn double Ability Points.

– The Zenith Core

An exclusive and epic outfit for all your characters.

So yeah. A ton to get you started. Which makes my work for me in this a whole ton to do. Off the bat for the retail price this is a pretty good deal at least from a long term standpoint. You get a nice AP injection, which are points used to put into weapons/magic skills that give you a running start. Which I just used them for my character I was running secondary for my Templar that I use for Twitch streaming. Progression through the game has two routes. One is used to advance your characters rank, which is mostly used for things like vanity and or faction equipment. The other which is the central focus is the games main story which is split off in issues. Each issue gives you more locations to visit like Egypt, and Japan(both end game-ish). The term issue is what you would guess from comic books or those daily novel services. Each having a flavor or a theme to them. That branches a bit off of the previous enemies you might have encountered. New England in the game inspires from things like from 1980s style zombie flicks and HP Lovecraft. By far my favorite of the issues. And it is only the first one you enter to begin your journey. What the game thrives off of is investigations and puzzle solving the old fashioned way, by using your old noodle. If you are not that bright or are dim like a light in Walmart parking lot. The game has a built in browser that helps you find solutions to push you along the way. Or even help you discover the answer by google searching. You then are told to hunt around for clues and or go to pin point locations for tiers of each mission, or quest if you will.

The game itself has no leveling system. So you basically grind out numbers to get points that are used to strengthen your abilities for weapons or spells. So all the game requires you to do is redo a ton of older story mission.The deck building in the game aims you in the right direction of making a character and tweaking it to suit your play style. This concept on paper is great. Plenty of leg room for players to explore, without feeling guilty of screwing up a decision on a made build. The down side is well. Most of the classes are good once constructed correctly. But usually aim towards the same concept of outliving their targets at large. Other then core roles for raids or anything else requiring teamwork. It breaks down to meta or what others players wise who are seasoned know what works best at the end of the day. I am mostly a deck builder person. Who reads off the skill set, and see how each work with one another. I found a level ground personally that worked for me for surviving beyond two or more fights and keeping up good damage output. Go me. Along with that deck building I mentioned before are outfits that are rewarded for completing the required skills from the said skill decks. Mostly vanity. As the attire you wear in the game is made for. Which I can respect. You basically build or find talismans throughout the game that build your characters stats. The game’s cash shop is covered with all sorts of vanity, from hats, to outfit sets. A few items in there for AP buffs but that is mostly optional. One thing I personally felt while playing the game is it could have been a bit more leaned towards the action side of things. With more fluid combat. Think of games like Tera. Its combat is pretty fluid and fast Tera’s story side was its weak point to me but it had a very fun combat system overall. Sure at points you can get a fast experience with the Secret World. But not so often. The combat if they plan a Secret World 2 in the future could take ideas of a much more fluid engagement system for combat. Keep the solid story telling they provide with almost all of the stuff you see in the game. Then you got a winner. I am going ahead of my self with the story department for this part of the review here but can not express enough.

The issues. No, not referring to the games actual problems but more or less the said episodes are told in depth. Each having this crisp beautiful story told before your very eyes is something I admire a great deal about the game. And feel gutted when I hit a road block when my character feels a bit weak and needs to get stronger in order to get ahead in parts got the solo story stuff within the game. That is what makes a mmo tick, get stronger, etc etc it just as a cliff hanger’s perspective leaves me excited. It is a rare thing for me to even state that when I play a mmo anymore. Sure Blade n’ Soul’s story in which I covered was decent, but still did not have a bold depth to it. And just felt like another eastern themed tale told to me without as much to it. TSW’s case it has character to it. Has a addicting page turner vibe to it. The first four issues are pretty good. A very on your door step vibe to the location, being things like new lair missions. Which are super hard locations that you and a group of others must work as a unit to even come close to completing. Trust me. Not freaking easy one bit. Quite scary to do. But fun! Issues which are effectively story arks or content packs are usually a ton of content or refinements here and there to the core game that are purchased through the game for around twenty five bucks. Which for some, that is not cheap(hence why so far I would strongly say just buy the ultimate edition). Issues soon after five through eight break into some serious overly world stuff that I am trying to bite my lip about for the sake of not ruining a “book” for a reading fans sake. All I can and will talk about is Egypt, and Transylvania. These are basically missions or bundles of a adventure of which is attached to certain spots in the game like New England, New York,  Egypt, etc. The one I get a big kick out of is for sure being Issue 6 for its Indiana Jones Nod all about it. Even the Auxiliary Weapon, being a Whip. A freaking Whip. Sorry, still got the Temple of Doom in my mind. All of the Issues were great. Full of volume and story telling depth.  If you enjoy good horror movies. With some cheese, you will perhaps miss that here. The voice acting, even down to the vibe of fear hits you at points, for the right reasons. Well if you count the character animations looking a tiny bit stiff, which is funny, and understandable for the older sides of the game. Newer content, much improved and look great.

The cosmetic item I mentioned or listed above the outfit you receive looks pretty darn awesome! Here is my second character sporting it.

The game’s PVP side is not something I was actually attracted too. And that is ok. Most MMO games I usually do not partake into it. I am the type who is far too lazy at times to look up meta builds, slap a thick coat of this and that. Then consider it a day. I am more of a story guy. I did happen to dive for a tiny bit into some of the world of PVP when I could. Because I wanted to taste everything possible for this sampling of the content of the game from top to bottom as fair as possible. If you are used to the combat for the game. If others are and you are not, you will perhaps have a heart attack with rage. I cracked up at many meta style builds across the other side. As per usual. Which is fine, whatever works.  My side did good for a while and that was that. Ended evenly. Did I feel accomplished? Just that. I thought it was good. But not a deep experience over all.

Each area as mentioned above is classified as its own  location with themed enemies all running about. This is one of the coolest aspects to the game next to the story I think that the game has going for it. The enemy and character design. What seemingly keeps the game alive is a dedicated community, and its cash shop having slightly high prices. Which in a game you only pay once for and been out as long I can see the point behind that. So I peaked at the cash shop and its insides. Mostly what you expect from the game via colorful, clever and weird looking outfits that clash with modern design down to bizarre but sick(meaning cool) looking just the same. A while back I bought a Wiccan outfit for my Dragon character who happens to be a female. So effectively I peaked between both sexes seeing that “Damn ladies in this game have it off so good for cosmetics!” Which originally was my mindset when making the character. Sure I made myself pretty darn good for a playable toon on the Templar side, but the outfits, lacked. At least for male characters. The whole point of me bringing up this cosmetic thing is for most who play the game there is a pretty interesting Roleplay community in it as well. Who go all out for it, being outfits, set up scenario with the games theater. I am all for a game that expands for a persons creativity and the game seems to land it home got it. Good on it haha!

In Closing:

Under the games hood offers a actual story worth listening too. From old content to new. If you can get past the combat. As much do mention is not their favorite thing in the world about the game. Then what you have is a hell of a gem.  I grew up personally with a ton of adventure games and having a game do HP Lovecraft right. Making you feel scared, frightened, intimidated or remotely effected by the imagery is solid gold that should be on a hallmark card. The game itself is a wonderful experience for players who love good lore based stories. Who also love to read said lore when they can sit down.  Many  things around the game itself is fantastic. The core game play aside from the puzzles and exploration is great. The combat itself is not the game’s strongest suit overall. Which is a shame due to the many combinations of classes offered. The game does grow on you over time. Hell I have gotten over my original gripe with the combat with playing the game fora while. Can I still generally see the issues others might have with it? Yes and that is why I still mention it. For the sake of those who think combat is end all and be all for MMO games. If you love Adventure games, to be challenged, and great stories that are told to you. Then this game is worth looking past its few flaws.

+ Great set of storied quests/missions

+ Fun to explore worlds

+ The atmosphere

+ The cosmetic outfits

+ Dungeons are quick, and addicting

+ The adventure game side of The Secret World.

+ Puzzles

– The Combat

– Most areas feel like a ghost town sadly

Recommended