If there is something that I can’t get enough of, it’s Nexon. Every single MMO I have ever played from this publisher (Dungeon Fighter Online, Mabinogi, Maple Story, and a brief foray into Combat Arms) hasn’t disappointed in the quality of game. But let’s rewind this story a bit. Before I waylaid myself with another incursion into the World of Warcraft, I was cruisin’ the intertubes for my next review. It was shaping up to be a look at the Lord of the Rings Online Free to Play experience, but it was actually an ad on Blistered Thumbs that drew me to my next review. Vindictus is an interesting one, as it is probably the first MMO that I have seen developed in the Source engine, but is this MMO an invisible hit, run of the mill MMO, or destined for failure?

Vindictus, created by devCAT, an internal studio of Nexon, is actually a prequel MMO to the ever popular Mabinogi, nicknamed in Korea as Mabinogi Heroes. This MMORPG is a hack and slash title, akin to the God of War style of combat, in which you, a newbie in the Crimson Blades mercenary army, assist the people against the evils of the world, in helping the legend of the black winged goddess to come true. There is an abundance of content available for this MMO for the North American audience, even though it is less than a year old. I have probably spent about over thirty hours playing through the content and I have just reached the current content update released at the beginning of December.

But, geez, listen to me gush. On with the review!

As stated before, the backstory to the game isn’t a stretch of the imagination. Long ago, Two deities of the world once did battle, for one was aiming to claim the world in darkness, while the other sought to defend it. The dark one fell in combat, cursed to sleep until the denizens of the world who sought peace and happiness were removed from the mortal coil. With that, the dark one bred the Fomors, an race of monstrous creatures bent on destruction and to end the deity of the pure’s curse by eliminating every living thing. The forces of light, however, are given a prophecy from their deity, promising them that it will send them to the promised land of Erinn, a place of no suffering or war, if the Fomors are wiped out.

This little war has been going on for about a few centuries now, with no end in sight. The Fomors are relentless in their bid for conquest, while the forces of good are slowly but surely waning, not knowing peace for generations. This is where your story begins. As a new recruit into the mercenary band known as the Crimson Blades, you are tasked with protecting the important port town of Colhen, your HUB city, from the various evils the Fomor’s will attempt to throw at the world. The game starts off slow, but your role as one of the heroes of this village quickly culminates, as your quest dives into the multitudes of baddies ready to tear your face off.

You have three different classes to choose from, all with their own style of gameplay. You can choose Evie, the gifted mage who can control the powers of alchemy to destroy enemies, mend allies, or create golems to do her bidding; Fiona, the stalwart soldier equipped with a sword and shield to deal damage via counterattacks, or combos that will increase the range of her attacks; and Lann, the fan favorite, the agile rogue who wields dual blades and can whirlwind spin like a madman. The three different classes do not have their own extensive background, but they all serve as a new recruit into the Crimson Blades.