RF Online is one of the most awesome and exciting MMORPGs that I have ever played. RF or Rising Force Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by South Korea for Windows-based PCs, which is a combination of classic science fiction and fantasy. The story of the game revolves around the distant world of Novus. It centers on the gripping three-way conflict among three races namely the Bellato Federation, Accrecia and Cora in a beautifully rendered 3D environment.
About The Characters
The Bellato race are dwarf-sized but has the ability to wield magic, swords, staves, guns, bows and technologically advanced weapons like the MAU or Massive Armor Unit. What I loved about the Bellato is their ability to ride the MAU. A MAU is a huge robot that can only be piloted by a Bellato. There are two kinds of MAUs available in the game. One is Goliath, which is a MAU that specializes in melee attacks. The other is Catapult, which has a long range attack capability. A MAU has a high maintenance because it cannot be healed and its life can only be recharged in a Bellato NPC shop at an expensive price. However, they can destroy other races with just a few attacks and they are effective tanks in battle.
On the other hand, the Cora are elf-like creatures who possess strong affinity with nature. Although they can wield staves, swords, guns and bows, they are more effective using magic. They also have the ability to summon an Animus to aid them in battle. I am not much of a fan of a magic wielding character but a powerful Cora mage with a summoned Animus can destroy a MAU provided with the right strategy.
About The Characters
The Bellato race are dwarf-sized but has the ability to wield magic, swords, staves, guns, bows and technologically advanced weapons like the MAU or Massive Armor Unit. What I loved about the Bellato is their ability to ride the MAU. A MAU is a huge robot that can only be piloted by a Bellato. There are two kinds of MAUs available in the game. One is Goliath, which is a MAU that specializes in melee attacks. The other is Catapult, which has a long range attack capability. A MAU has a high maintenance because it cannot be healed and its life can only be recharged in a Bellato NPC shop at an expensive price. However, they can destroy other races with just a few attacks and they are effective tanks in battle.
On the other hand, the Cora are elf-like creatures who possess strong affinity with nature. Although they can wield staves, swords, guns and bows, they are more effective using magic. They also have the ability to summon an Animus to aid them in battle. I am not much of a fan of a magic wielding character but a powerful Cora mage with a summoned Animus can destroy a MAU provided with the right strategy.
The third are the Accretia, who are technologically advanced race who replaced their whole body with cybernetic parts. They are able to hold swords, bows, guns and launchers. Although they don't have the ability to ride the MAU like the Bellato or summon an Animus like the Cora, the Accretian gunners are forces to be reckoned with. Accretian gunners with powerful launchers can take on other players with just one or two hits and they can take out a MAU from a distance.
Features
Leveling is achieved by killing monsters and skills are developed by using certain kinds of weapons or attacks. Equipping special armors or weapons also improve the status of a character.
There are plenty of jobs available for each character depending on their race. The different jobs offer various skills that are unique to each other like invisibility, special melee attacks, special long range attacks, ability to ride the MAU or summon an Animus.
Another distinct feature of this game is the election of an archon every week and council members who will be responsible in protecting the race. Each player elected is granted special abilities that range from increase in status points to increase in attack or defense.
In addition, each race has their respective currencies that can only be used in each race's NPC. This somehow limits greatly the progress of other players who keep on switching races since they have to start over again if they do.
Every certain time of the day, all races gather in a map to participate in the Chip Wars led by each race's archon. The result of the war determines which race has the right to mine for resources that can be used to manufacture special items and equipments. It determines the race who will have control over the Holystone Keeper too, which is the guardian of the mines. The race who wins the war also receives race buffs, increasing the race's attack and defense, which gives it supremacy for a certain period. The loser gets a debuff or lowering of status and will not be able to operate in the mines.
Opposing races can attack each other any time. However, players of the same race can't attack each other unless they take a Chaos Potion or they are in a Guild Scramble, which is a guild vs. guild match.
Review
I find this game addicting and fun because of the full customization available for each character and the unpredictability of battles brought about by its player kill or PK system. The PK system keeps you awake even if you are just leveling on regular monsters because any race can just invade your field and attack you. The only safe place to stay is at the base of each race where invaders can't attack you. The leveling system and character status customization are unique. The politics involved in the election of an archon or council is also a good point in the game as it adds a bit of realism to its world. On top of that, the Chip Wars are breathtaking! Going into a Chip War is like going into a world war wherein only the strong survives. Although the availability of a nuclear arsenal turns the tide in a blink of an eye during the war, it is still great and adrenaline pumping because you just never know what to expect. The music is superb as well.
Unfortunately, the game suffered a downside in its economy due to players who used item duplicators. Also, the use of fly hack tools boosted the leveling of many characters. Basically, a fly hack program enables a player to maximize his experience by attacking a monster from above without the monster damaging him due to their distance and the inability of the monster to reach a flying character. The imbalance in the game eventually made me quit playing because I was left behind by players who used these cheats and I found it hard to go toe-to-toe with them even if I regularly played the game. Another low point of this game is the very basic low-level characters. Moreover, travelling to reach a certain point in the field is quite hard and slow. Apparently, the developers lost interest in the development of the game because of they have ceased adding new features in it.
The game is awesome, but given the lack of interest of the developers in enhancing it further and its vulnerability to hacking tools, I give it only a Satisfactory rating.