MIST

Overview

Mist is an open-world MMORPG set in the vast, mystical land of Dunia, where ancient forests, ruined cities, and faction wars shape the game's deep lore. Players take on the role of adventurers aligned with one of two factions—The Broken Order or The Clan—each with unique races, abilities, and ideologies. The world of Dunia was once harmonious, but a dark force has corrupted creatures, leading to ongoing conflict.

The game draws clear inspiration from classic MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and Aion, offering a mix of quest-driven progression, faction-based storytelling, and open-world exploration. Despite its Web3 integration, Mist maintains a traditional MMO experience, ensuring accessibility for both crypto and non-crypto players. Mist’s latest version comes with a dedicated launcher for Windows and Mac, featuring low system requirements so that even older PCs can run the game smoothly. Over time, the developers have expanded the world, introducing new zones, dungeons, and boss fights to enhance the player experience.

Gameplay

Mist offers eight races and nine distinct classes, each tied to one of the two factions:

• The Clan (Mousekin, Rhinokin, Elves, Orcs)
• The Broken Order (Leonin, Fallen, Dwarfs, Humans)

Each race comes with unique abilities that can influence combat, crafting, and exploration. Players then pick a class from two main categories:

• Melee Classes – Adventurer (Free to Play), Berserker, Crusader, Witch Hunter, Shapeshifter
• Ranged Classes – Bard, Enchanter, Priest (Free to Play), Ranger, Shapeshifter

The Shapeshifter class stands out as it can switch between melee and ranged attacks, giving it added flexibility.

Mist follows a standard MMORPG quest system, where players start in their faction’s territory, taking on small tasks like hunting creatures and collecting items before moving on to larger story-driven missions. Early quests introduce players to Dunia’s mechanics, leading them into faction-specific storylines that converge in shared PvE areas.

Combat has received several updates since the early builds, with improved hit detection, smoother animations, and better responsiveness. While the melee system still has occasional issues with attack ranges, it’s noticeably better than before. The game also features dungeons, world bosses, and PvP zones, making it more than just a basic quest-driven experience.

Another major change is the addition of dynamic events, where players must team up to fight powerful enemies or participate in large-scale battles between factions. These events provide better rewards, including rare items, crafting materials, and MIST tokens.

Earning and Web3 Elements

Mist incorporates Web3 mechanics, but unlike older blockchain games that felt more like NFT marketplaces rather than actual games, Mist puts gameplay first. Instead of forcing tokenized assets on players, it blends traditional MMORPG progression with optional Web3 elements, ensuring that both casual and competitive players can enjoy the experience.

The MIST token serves as the in-game currency, earned through quests, dungeons, and trading. While NFT-based gear and mounts exist, they are entirely optional, meaning players can still acquire powerful equipment through regular gameplay. The game’s economy revolves around crafting and trading, allowing for a player-driven marketplace where rare materials and crafted items have real value. PvP rewards and faction-based battles also contribute to the economy, giving competitive players more ways to earn.

Mist has also transitioned from testnet to mainnet integration, making in-game earnings and assets have real-world value. However, none of these blockchain features are mandatory, keeping the game accessible to both Web2 and Web3 audiences. Whether a player wants to engage in NFT trading or simply play as a traditional MMORPG, Mist offers a flexible experience that doesn’t alienate non-crypto users.

Review

Mist is shaping up to be a decent MMORPG with optional Web3 integration, but it’s not quite there yet. While it captures the nostalgic feeling of old-school MMOs, it still struggles with clunky combat, substandard graphics, and slow-paced gameplay. The world of Dunia is expansive, but many areas lack detailed textures, and character models feel outdated compared to modern MMORPGs. The UI remains unintuitive, and the lack of essential features like a mini-map and responsive hotkeys makes navigation and quest tracking frustrating.

For Web3 gamers, Mist offers a play-to-earn experience that doesn’t feel forced or gimmicky, but for traditional MMORPG fans, it may feel underwhelming compared to other Free to Play MMOs. Combat still needs significant refinement, as melee attacks feel sluggish and unresponsive, while enemy hitboxes remain inconsistent. Additionally, movement and animations lack fluidity, making exploration and combat less engaging than in mainstream MMORPGs.

The game's audio, specifically the music, suits the gameplay and remains enjoyable over extended periods. However, the lack of music changes during combat or NPC conversations dampens excitement. The vast terrain invites exploration, but the graphics only become clear up close, leaving room for improvement.