Today I’m going to talk about Wakfu. It’s a Strategy MMORPG made by French company Amanka. The game reminds me of games such as Final Fantasy Tactics. With it’s artistic stylization and unique approach to a truly player driven world Amanka has made a gem that once fully polished will really shine in the never ending MMORPG industry.
Wakfu at it’s core is a strategy game. Your actions in combat dictate your success. Everything from the amount of spaces you move to your facing could ultimately be the difference between victory or defeat in future turns. Combat abilities use three types of resources Movement Points, Action Points, and Wakfu Points. Every ability pulls from one of these resources. Movement Points and Action Points are returned to you every time it is your turn, but Wakfu points have a limited number per battle. Once used they do not regenerate until the battle is over. Wakfu Points are used for your more powerful abilities which is why they are a limited resource.
The game currently contains 12 classes and a maximum of 100 levels. Each class is unique in play-style and feel. You have everything from your standard warrior who beats things over the head to more unique Enutrof who’s Dweller pet will help you find underground mines that amplify your dmg. The game also has two other classes which are currently slated to be released in the future. Each class has three different element trees you can choose from. These trees have different abilities that make your choice in picking them unique. For example a Water Enu is all about increasing your chance at getting more loot from mobs while an Earth Enu will merge with it’s Dweller to make himself literally a beast in combat.
When you level up you are given 5 stat points and 5 ability points. The Stat points can be put into the many different options while ability points are used on your classes special abilities that only make you stronger. Your abilities level as you use them. After combat is over you gain experience not only to progress your level, but also your abilities. This means that specializing in an element tree and then even more so on a few abilities is far more rewarding then being a jack-of-all. Honestly even leveling feels strategic as the points you place into your stats/special abilities are permanent and cannot be respecced for in the future.
The world of the Twelve is broken into four major island nations and one central neutral nation. It also has minor islands which are the contention of the games PvP due to the unique resources they have. Each nation is unique in both feel and the mobs it has to offer. As a new player you are forced to decide which of these four nations you will join as each one has it’s own political body that rules over it.
Politics in the game are completely player driven. Every two weeks elections go up for Governor and although the Governor can re-run for as many turns as they wish it is the players votes who decide who gets into office. As a Governor you have the power to apply rules to your nation, set the tax rate, pick your cabinet, declare alliances/war with other nations, and of course wear a crown. Each nation is broken into multiple territory which are run by an NPC, but the nation itself is run by the players.
Territories have specific mobs/plants that are unique to them and must be maintained by the players. For example a resource like an Ash tree could potentially go extinct if it’s was hacked down until none were left. This risk of extinction really drives the idea of a player driven world because for example poachers from another nation might come into yours and try to mess with your ecosystem. To curb the risk of extinction players can harvest seeds of the resource and plant them to repopulate the territory. This includes for monsters who each have their own type of seeds.
Another unique aspect of the game is that monsters do not drop the games currency Kama. Kama must be made by iron ore veins. Ores are the only resource in the game that naturally re-spawns on it’s own. Because Kama are made by the players this means currency is somewhat rare and extremely valuable. This has promoted a trade bartering system and also one where items can be found for a relatively low cost.
Currently the game is pay to play, although you can play for free in the neutral nation up to level 15 with very limited restrictions. The game cost is around $6 which is very reasonable for the game and what it has to offer currently and will offer in the future. Amanka is dedicated not only to it’s game, but also the community. Having taken suggestions and successfully run Wakfu’s predecessor Dofus for several years Amanka has made a strong name for itself even if it’s one not well known.
Overall the game is enjoyable and easy to learn to play. It has something for everyone and with it’s unique style of strategy combat not often found in an MMO it is a game that should be tried by everyone who loves the genre, because why not it’s free.
