New World Aeternum ~ the same, but not. 🤷‍♀

The long-awaited update to New World has arrived... the game is now available on console, there is cross-play available between the two consoles and PC, there are new servers, there seems to be a graphics overhaul, a quest overhaul, a story overhaul, mounts,... SWIMMING, finally.

...and while that's all well and good, there's something that I'm absolutely hating.

Cinematics for interacting with questgivers.
Cinematics for interacting with the main story.
They're horrendously "cartoony."
Fully voiced.
With the worst voice actors I've ever heard in my life.

I love a good cutscene. I love a good cinematic.
These? I cannot skip them fast enough.

HURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR DURRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

 
Amazon could've done so much better.

I'm playing the same amazing New World, with its fantastic crafting and housing and exploration and combat systems. But then I interact with an NPC and die inside because I've gone from A+ game to something I wouldn't even consider B grade.

So, I made me a new character.

There are a lot more options than the last time I created a character, which is nice. I decided to go for a 'wild mage' look.

When you go to make a character now, you get to choose a starting 'class' of sorts which allows you to start the game with a weapon set already in hand and proficiency in a few tradeskills. Which is really nice. I chose fire staff/ice gauntlet and was given intermediate knowledge of mining, jewelry crafting... and something else. Yep. I pay attention.

Check this out. I CAN SWIM.

No longer do we walk through water like Principal Skinner following Bart Simpson when he's skipping school. We can actually SWIM.

Gameplay is much the same.

i.e; start doing quests, see resource node, forget quests exist and collect resources for the next two hours.

People have some funky-arse looking camps these days!

No longer are there simple tents and campfires. Nope. This person had a full on fairy home. Another had a mongolian-inspired tower thing. Another person had a fancy arabian-styled tent.

Cool.

I bet I have to pay more money for them. I'll just have my campfire and shack made of straw, thanks.

While I was questing, it seemed that there are a few timed events in some areas now! Which is pretty spiffy.

I was just here, killing a few pirates, looting their supplies, when suddenly I was warned of a pirate ship approaching the dock! Me and some dude killed the pirates as they jumped off the ship, then killed the captain, and then blew up the pirate ship with their own cannon on the dock.

Noice.

That definitely wasn't in the game before. xD

Overall, combat feels a lot more responsive. It's smoother to switch weapons. Abilities actually activate when you tell them to, no longer do I need to spam 'Q' hoping my damned fire staff will unleash its damned fireball.

There are a few new weapons in the game now, although I'm still disappointed to find that they still don't have daggers in game. I just want to dual wield some stabby stabbies! Is that too much to ask?

So at the moment I'm rocking the fire staff and a great sword. My plan is to set the enemy on fire, cast down a rain of fireballs AoE, then wail on them with my self-healing greatsword attacks. Once the weapon skills are levelled up, of course. I can't do that straight off the bat, haha.

Man, I'm enjoying the game.

It's New World! I loved it before, I love it now. Just. Dear God. Did they really have to hire such pathetic voice actors? I've played no-budget indie games with better voice actors. It's just... astounding how bad they are.

Either way, this is something to help pass the time while I'm waiting for the new Dragon Age in a couple of weeks. I'll farm all the resources, sell all the shyte, and decorate a beautiful mansion that I will conveniently abandon when the Veilguard calls.

If you hated New World before and want to know if you'll like it now: the answer is 'probably not.'
It's the same game, just with a few upgrades and downgraded cutscenes.

If you loved New World before and want to know if you'll still like it now: the answer is 'probably yes!'
It's the same game. xD Just... improved. Minus the downgraded cutscenes.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have iron nodes to reach before other players can reach them.

Seriously. I love farming resources in this game. To the extent I get rather bitchy when it comes to other people. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM THAT NODE!" I screech "THAT'S MINE BEYATCH!" I yell as I stumble before the node mere milliseconds before someone else.

Good thing I don't have voice chat on.

 

Until next time! ⚔️🔥

 

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_{All screenshots in this post are courtesy of me, @kaelci and are from the game: New World Aeternum.}