XOCIETY

Xociety is an MMOTPS developed by Ndus Interactive and is currently in playtesting. It is in the early beta stage and features three activities, including exploring the main hub, playing PvP modes, and a PvE mode where players fight against multiple bosses in WoW-style raids.

The game is currently available only on PC and is in closed access. The hardware specifications require medium-level components, with some parts of the game being graphically intensive.

Xociety currently has limited lore that explains that humans went into cold dormancy, and two main characters, Red and Ndus, recently woke up. They are now trying to explore the world that exists post-cold dormancy.

Gameplay

When the player enters the game for the first time, they are prompted to customize their character. The range of options available to the player is vast, ranging from headwear to even the shoes that the character wears.

Once the player has created their character, they are spawned into the main hub, which features a central room and side rooms that allow the player to enter the PvP modes. To enter the PvE mode, there is a portal in the middle of the main hub that players can go through.

In my playtest, there was only a free-for-all mode available in the PvP section of the game. This section featured different kinds of weapons that could be picked up by the player inside the arena. To enjoy a team deathmatch-style game, we split our teams into white and black clothing and then counted up the scores manually.

The highlight of the playtest for me was the PvE mode where approximately 16 of us entered an icy world that featured a plethora of weapons, small, medium, and large beasts, as well as a final world boss called Thor. Each player could equip different weapons ranging from SMGs to rifles while also having special abilities they could use to defeat the monsters. When it came to the final world boss, this creature used various abilities such as jumping on players and calling asteroids from the sky, which were fatal if they hit a player.

A tip when fighting the world boss: headshots and shots into the backside dealt the most damage!

Review

Xociety presented a very fun and stable playtest in their late alpha stage that left all participants wanting more.

In terms of graphics, they were well-delivered, and each player could explore the PvE world in great detail. There is little to critique here, with the only issue being the long-range view making characters appear slightly blurred, which could be part of the game design.

When it comes to the sound design of the game, each weapon had a distinct sound effect as well as a special ability. The main critique here would be to have an ambient soundtrack playing while in the main hub, as well as including the sound effects of character movement and interaction to deliver a well-rounded experience.

Analyzing the gameplay, this is where the game excels. Not only was the playtest stable for an early build, but other critical areas such as hit registration were very well done. From character customization to a range of weapons available in both of the main modes of the game, there was little to complain about. The only improvements that could be recommended here are to have multiple modes readily available for PvP as well as multiple worlds available to try out in the PvE mode.

Considering the stage of development the game is currently in, this has been one of the most fun game experiences I've personally had in the gaming ecosystem, and I look forward to the future development of the game. Ndus has yet to build out the MMO side of the game, such as crafting and trading, but this is expected to come with their next playtests.