Legends of Elumia

Overview

Dive into this mysterious and magical MMORPG and become a Legend of Elumia. Legends of Elumia is currently in very early stage testing, which as can be imagined with a genre requiring a game world and lore the size of the actual universe can lead to patchy areas of content to be experienced at time of writing.

Gameplay

The first unique concept to encounter when gaining the chance to enter this world is at the point of character creation, whilst we all love to create our own characters within MMORPGs, LoE takes a different approach. Each character is completely unique, meaning each character has different abilities set to it. Before we get too carried away though, there are still classes with the characters' available abilities being drawn from that class pool. So just because you and your friend are both mages, this does not mean that you’ll have the same spells.

This intriguing concept allows for players to see spell combinations they like and seek out the right character for them. In the game's current state, there is the hub city and a portal of wonder and mystery, basically a portal to the gameplay section of Legends of Elumia, with the game loop of a dungeon crawler. Whilst this can lead to a rather large dungeon you enter, it is key to remember, you don’t have to clear the entire dungeon, all you have to do is find the exit. That might sound counterproductive, but if you are in a hurry and only care about the loot you are going to receive for completing it then you can just pass right through it.

Legends of Elumia draws inspiration from the extraction-based gameplay loop found in other genres. Everything you collect from kills, chests, and hidden secrets can only be kept if you successfully reach the exit. Combined with the random generation of dungeons, this ensures that each run offers a unique experience. However, these same mechanics can also lead to getting lost in the vast dungeon, accidentally running into swarms of enemies that spell your doom, or, if you're lucky, discovering hidden treasure tucked away in the corners and edges of the dungeon.

With the dungeon crawler extraction model, this can allow for different player styles as well, in terms of having friends or being a lone wolf. Where the group can easily pass through the portal and take on most if not all challenges they may face inside, the lone wolf can play somewhat more tactically to ensure they can get as much stuff as possible, whilst still being able to exit the dungeon with all the loot they have acquired.

Currently, there are limited options for what can be done with all the loot once you safely return to the hub city, as most gear upgrade systems commonly found in MMORPGs are not yet fully implemented in the game's current version. For the most part, you will be buying keys to open chests for useful items or purchasing those same items directly from vendors. While this system currently follows a loop of acquiring loot to buy items that help you obtain more loot, further development is expected to introduce more ways to utilize these rewards beyond simply improving your chances of survival in the next portal.

Review

Legends of Elumia has decent-to-great graphics and is already well-optimized in its current version, as even slightly older devices can run it on the highest-quality settings. The character models, weapons, dungeon maps, city environments, and skill animations look decent overall. However, some skill animations feel a bit clunky, with noticeable casting delays of a few seconds after pressing the button. There are also minor issues with collision detection and inconsistencies in attack animations when navigating height or level changes. On the other hand, the music, sound effects, and overall audio design fit well, giving the game a solid MMORPG feel.

The game blends traditional MMORPG mechanics with the "survive, loot, and extract" gameplay loop commonly found in extraction shooters, which makes for an interesting mix. Since the gameplay revolves around dungeon runs and mission-based objectives within those dungeons, it strays from the usual open-world MMORPG experience. At first, I had to adjust to this, as I’m used to open-world MMOs. I tried various classes, but the Archer and Battlemage stood out to me the most, likely because they allow for faster enemy clearing with their high damage output.

One unique aspect of Elumia is that when you acquire a Hero Character, you're locked into that character’s stats, class, and skills, rather than being able to create and customize your own character like in newer RPGs such as Lumiterra. This design choice encourages players to find the Hero that best suits their playstyle through the in-game marketplace. Personally, I find the survival and loot extraction mechanics the most enjoyable part of the game, especially when running dungeons with a full party. However, at the moment, there isn't much to do with the loot you earn, as additional upgrade and progression systems are planned for future updates. While the core gameplay loop is fun, the current version can feel repetitive, as even though the dungeons are randomly generated, they still feel very similar, with the same enemy encounters. Hopefully, future updates will introduce entirely new maps to keep things fresh. Additionally, since you can't customize your Hero’s skills, you sometimes feel restricted by the character you own.

The controls and overall playability are fine, though I had to adjust to the camera movement and lock-on mechanics, as I use a completely different button setup in other MMORPGs. Targeting enemies and collecting loot can also feel a bit clunky since attacking and looting share the same animation. On the plus side, assigning hotkeys for skills and consumables is easy and intuitive. The equipped gear and skills are also visually clear, with helpful descriptions.

The team behind Legends of Elumia has extensive experience in the MMORPG genre, so it's likely that the game will continue improving at a solid pace. Thanks to their prior work, they have a strong foundation to build upon, meaning we could see significant updates and additions sooner rather than later. Even in its current stage of development, I’ve had a great time playing—both solo and as part of GAM3S.GG's "dream team duo," George and Iana. I genuinely believe this is an MMORPG worth keeping an eye on, especially for those looking for something to scratch that WoW itch.