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Shaiya is a free to play MMORPG game set in a mythical world filled with humans, elves, and other supernatural creatures. It is a classic story between the forces of Good vs. Evil and you have the option at the start of the game to play either side.
Just like most other games in its genre, before you venture out on your epic quest, you need to create the look of your main character. You have the option to create a human or elf main character. Creation options are pretty limited, but at least you can change the hairstyle, skin tone, and gender of the main character you choose.
As with most other RPGs, there are different classes to choose from that specialize in specific areas of combat. You have the option to choose classes that are adept at magic, archery, and swordplay, just to name a few. Once you’ve done all of that, you’re ready to enter the world of Shaiya.
Even though the game world is displayed in full 3D, I was surprised (and delighted) to learn that load times weren’t that long. The last time I played a game like this on my PC it was called Combat Arms. That game took several minutes just to load a map.
Once the game loads, you are immediately immersed in this fantasy world. The tutorial is quite simple to follow as the controls are easy to master. I love the way you can control the camera using the mouse and then using the keyboard to navigate around your character. Other PC games I’ve played had all controls mapped to the keyboard, making it difficult for my fingers.
It’s great to know that you are in full control of your character at all times in Shaiya. The game plays similar to other RPGs like Final Fantasy XII and even the mighty World of Warcraft. This is because all the enemies are loaded on the game map and you can choose whether to face them or not. All you have to do is highlight your chosen enemy, click the right mouse button, and your character will immediately start fighting them. It’s always nice to see the game actually liven up combat – I’ve played too many games recently where combat is simulated and all you see is a boring stats screen…
Combat is not only simple, but you can also evade attacks by jumping or walking to the side. I prefer this fighting style as opposed to turn based systems where you are forced to take hits all the time. The other useful thing in this game is that your health bar automatically recovers after each battle. This makes the game a lot less frustrating and you’re not forced to use your hard-earned money to buy health potions all the time.
The game world is beautifully animated for a free-to-play title. It is quite large and players will be a bit overwhelmed by the size of their actions. Luckily, there’s a map you can always refer to and a very helpful chat system at the bottom left of the screen to call for help if you ever get stuck. There is even a weather system in this title. One time you might be looking at the beautiful sun, while other times it might be pouring rain.
Accepting quests is the majority of the game in Shaiya. Most of the tasks require you to defeat certain monsters. You can choose to do all of this alone or you can meet other players and do quests as a group. It’s cool how you can see other players walking around the game world as you play and you can also choose to trade gear with them. You can even challenge other players to a duel, if you feel like it. It is advisable to do this to prepare yourself for the many difficult tasks that await you in Shaiya.
The other big advantage of Shaiya is that you can set the difficulty of the game. If you have never played an MMORPG game before, you can play it relatively easily at your own pace in Easy mode. However, if you are a veteran player, there is the Ultimate mode that allows you to access all the skills and items in the entire game. You can only play this mode if you are at a very high level in the game!
Character progression and leveling are the keys to success in Shaiya. If you want to enjoy hours of fun in the game, you better accept and complete as many quests as you can and buy the latest weapons, skills and equipment. If you don’t, your character will be very weak and insignificant.
Shaiya is an amazing free to play MMO RPG. The graphics are great and the gameplay was pretty easy to pick up. Shaiya is even better than the games you’ll have to pay full price for. If you are a fan of games like Final Fantasy XII or World of Warcraft, Shaiya is definitely a game you should try.