Age of Water
Release Date: January 16, 2025
Steam
Age of Water is an MMO game taking place in a world flooded by water - we explore it using our own boat, which we gradually develop. The game was developed by Three Whales Studio.
Age of Water is a MMO game, which takes place in a postapocalyptic world almost completely flooded with water (you can see here a clear inspiration from the famous film of Kevin Reynolds from 1995, with Kevin Costner in the main role - Waterworld). The game was developed by Three Whales Studio. The publisher is Gaijin Entertainment.
Plot
Age of Water takes place in the distant future, where the Earth has become a world almost completely flooded by water. People have survived by building new cities and settlements based on existing structures that emerge from the sea - such as roofs of skyscrapers or huge monuments.
Mechanics
Age of Water is quite typical MMO game. We explore the vast open world (we look at it from the TPP), fight our enemies, perform various tasks, collect resources and discover the relics of old civilisation. A special feature of Three Whales Studios game is the fact that we move around the game world mainly by boat.
In Age of Water we will find content prepared for one player, as well as one that requires a team to complete. Between adventures we can develop our ship and improve it with better components (including those we create through a crafting system) - e.g. by adding a turret with a machine gun or strengthening the armour. Players can also trade with each other.
Game modes
We can only play with other players in the Age of Water. The main game mode is online multiplayer.
Technical aspects
Age of Water has an interesting, 3D graphics, which has original location designs - both the sea depth and the structures that emerge from it can make an impression on the player. It is worth noting that the developers have decided to focus on a slightly cartoon-like artistic style bringing to mind Fortnite.
Videos and Screens
[1:59] Age of Water Age of Water - Early Access Launch Trailer
[0:18] Age of Water Age of Water — Console Announcement Trailer
The main pros of the game
- Unique Concept: The game offers a fresh take on the MMO genre with its post-apocalyptic water world setting, reminiscent of "Waterworld."
- Ship Customization: Players enjoy the extensive ship-building mechanics, allowing for a high degree of customization based on different play styles and strategies.
- Engaging Combat: Many users find the ship combat satisfying and engaging, with opportunities for both PvE and PvP interactions.
- Crafting System: The crafting mechanics are appreciated, with players able to create weapons and ship parts from resources gathered throughout the game.
- Open World Exploration: The game allows players to explore a vast, open world and tackle quests in any order, which many find appealing.
- No Pay-to-Win: Players appreciate that the game does not include pay-to-win mechanics, with all items obtainable through gameplay.
The main cons of the game
- Balancing Issues: Many users report significant balancing problems, especially regarding enemy strength relative to player capabilities, making solo play particularly challenging.
- Grindiness: The game is often described as overly grindy, with players needing to invest excessive time to gather resources for crafting and repairs.
- Bugs and Technical Issues: Numerous reviews mention bugs, crashes, and latency problems that hinder gameplay.
- Poor Quest Design: Players criticize the quest system for being repetitive and lacking clarity, with many quests involving tedious backtracking or unclear objectives.
- AI and NPC Issues: The AI behavior is often described as frustrating, with enemies spawning unexpectedly and exhibiting poor pathfinding.
- Limited Content: Some users feel that the game lacks sufficient content, particularly for higher-tier gameplay, leading to a sense of staleness after a certain point.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Better Quest Guidance: Players desire clearer instructions and guidance on quest difficulty and progression, including level recommendations for missions.
- Enhanced Solo Play Options: There is a call for better support for solo players, as many missions are reportedly unmanageable without a group.
- Improved UI/UX: Several reviews mention that the user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and gameplay more cumbersome.
- More Diverse Gameplay Elements: Users suggest adding more gameplay variety, such as different ship classes (e.g., submarines) and more engaging mini-games.
- In-Game Help and Tutorials: There is a need for comprehensive tutorials or in-game resources to help players understand the mechanics and systems better.
- Server Improvements: Suggestions include better server stability and options for private servers to allow for a more controlled gameplay environment.
Summary
- Overall, "Age of Water" presents a mix of enjoyable gameplay and significant challenges, with room for improvement in balancing, content, and technical performance.
Summary generated on:
Age of Water Summary
Early Access:April 25, 2024
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
Developer: Three Whales Studio
Publisher: Gaijin Entertainment
Age restrictions: 16+
Age of Water System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i3-560 3.3 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 945 3.0 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 960 / Radeon R7 370 or better, 15 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i5-2500K 3.3 GHz / AMD FX-8120 3.1 GHz, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 3 GB GeForce GTX 1060 / 4 GB Radeon RX 580 or better, 15 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit