Warframe Review: No mercy

[SeoV]

I'm posting my review here as I think that this game has amazing potential, revolutionary even, but it's being swallowed by numerous flaws. Unless the game is properly revised and redone (and I don't mean a little update that adds guns, I mean properly upgrade this game) it is going to follow many other games like it to this special pit also known as the graveyard of so-called F2P games.

Lets look at some of the problems, and please for the love of this amazing game: DEVS TAKE NOTE.

NOT JUST MY POST BUT ALL THESE REVIEW POSTS.

As is the goal of a closed beta, isn't it?

There is literally 0 replyability.

- Missions and maps are exactly the same

- Same enemies

- That "dyanmic" map mechanic only emphasizes the even more generic cookie-cutter level system.

That map system sure would be useful or interesting if there was some sort of difference in the levels. Instead all we have is pretty navigation between cookie-cutter levels.

Ever consider open world? Or at the very least, an Actually interesting world?

There is nothing to explore, no secrets to reap. Now this doesn't mean add a secret room under the staircase by the way, this means give us a refreshing and breath-taking world to play in! Not a bunch of closed off rooms that can imbue claustrophobia into the players.

Not only could an open-world do good for replaybility and exploration, it would surely increase the lore!

MORE MAPS = BETTER LORE

And I don't know about you guys but lore is sexy, guys. Sexy.

Oh lord, not to mention that god-awful matchmaking system.

I've never seen a game THIS bad with servers.

So far I've played ONE.

ONE.

One game with other people.

DO NOT WANT.

So yes, consider open world. The general direction that most online games are going towards, not because it's not special but because it works!

And yes, the devs are 'working on it' and I fully understand that this is in 'closed beta' but even as a 'closed beta' it seems that not enough thought has gone into the game. If anything, so far this game is less of a co-op multiplayer game and more of an arcade game, heck it even eats money just as efficiently. Leading onto the next section:

This game follows the model of: Pay to win Pay or grind endlessly without joy ha!

Perhaps take a look at some other F2P games devs, some good examples? Hawken, Mechwarrior, Firefall, Blacklight: Retribution etc.

These games make money by selling COSMETICS for money!

And again, I understand Devs need to eat and put food on the table:

But charge real life money for COLOURS?

Seems a little greedy doesn't it?

That's okay though, let us play for it! This game can be so much fun, and with rewards like extra cosmetics that we can pay for with hard-earned credits! If you charged 500 credits for each colour, I'd pay so hard i'd crash your servers.

Next: THAT 500MB DOWNLOAD WAS NOT A BLESSING.

Yes, it was a fast download

Yes, I could get right into the game

BUT WAS IT WORTH IT?

NUR.

It only shows how little content I would get, and as predicted, it wasn't much.

A clear example of this are the frames.

There is nothing that special about the frames.

Four skills.

This was extremely frustrating actually, the game is called "Warframes" is it not? The main focus should be the frames, being able to customize each piece perhaps, forge components, switch out ash arms for excalibur arms. Maybe for faster rate of attack but less armor, significance people, SIGNIFICANCE! But instead we're left with 4 skills, near zero customization (Don't even get me started on the upgrading of equipment...) and a empty feeling inside us. Now I'd hate to tell you how to build your game, (surprise me! In a good way, oh god please in a good way.) but just by watching the customization trailer for Firefall has me so much more excited than Warframes.

Also, how can you be a stealth frame....without a stealth system?

Why are there caster frames...when their only source of energy is from enemies and lockers that are completely random by the way. What's that? I can use my volt's lightning attack (whose name escapes me at the moment...zap?) 6 times if I fully upgrade? Nope! Go pro!

PRO = NO GOOD.

I feel like DE is letting me play a demo because I'm poor.

Not cool guys, not cool.

The comparison?

Firefall:

- Sexy sexy UI

- In-depth customization

- Significance!

- Completely F2P gameplay, money for COSMETICS ONLY.

Warframes:

- A lacking upgrade tree

- Customization whut?

- Money for everything! YAAAAY (Sarcasm. In case it was misinterpreted as joy, that wasn't joy.)

In a manner of speaking, I feel as if you're selling as the same old cheese with a new wrapping. Which works well until we rip away the wrapper and are met with familiar disappointment.

That's about as unique as it gets.

Oh no wait sorry I meant 3 skills. It must be understood by the devs that not everyone can pay with real cash, I have to count each dollar and cent just to cover university fees, so let us earn it by enjoying your game!

LET US ENJOY YOUR GAME.

I feel that, as I explored the game more and more, eeverywhere I looked was a wall of disappointments.

Now this isn't a "rage quit" post. I want to love this game, devs, I really do!

In the end however, this game is the very concept of an arcade game.

Play the same thing over and over, and then leave empty handed.

Revise and upgrade the game!

Because if this is how it's going to be, well it might as well be marketed to those 5 Dollar arcades out there.

EDIT: And that teleporting mechanic, I've just bought the new snipetron and tend to have a distance from my targets, (kinda why i bought a sniper) but then i get teleported into the battle and surrounded by Grineer. Not even a freak accident...it's happened on so many occasions it's painful.

Edited January 5, 2013 by Kreiss

[MJ12]

Frankly if you don't like the Skinner Box mechanics of "kill S#&$ with overpowered guns-loot-repeat" this game is going to be extremely boring to you.

I do. There's a fair amount of people who do, and they have the Skinner Box set just right for us lab rats. I just realized I burned 40 hours on this beta. I'm not particularly exceptional as far as Skinner Box loot-em-ups go. The core mechanics are solid and that's literally 90% of a game right there. "Is doing what you spend most of the game doing fun?" (in this case, killing things and taking their stuff) If that works the game is likely going to work out pretty well. Yes it's not ready for release yes it's got its bugs but that's the point of closed beta.

The other point is that your good suggestions (remove or drastically rework Pro, more differentiation between Warframes, more cosmetic items, more enemy and environment variety) have already been discussed endlessly and at least three of them are definitely in the pipe (Cosmetics, enemy variety, different environments). That leaves your suggestion of "open world" stuff. Which would require a complete retooling of the game design. Honestly I think there's this core of Skinner Box loot-em-up gameplay that you don't like (i.e. grinding through environments and killing tons of dudes for level-ups and loot) but is the core of Warframe that a lot of people like, which is the problem here. Because that's a core game mechanic.

Also, Digital Extremes, "has a history of making mediocre (Or less than even) F2P online games"? Seriously?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Extremes

Games Developed/Co-Developed:

• Solar Winds – PC (1992)
  
• Epic Pinball – PC (1993)
  
• Silverball – PC (1993)
  
• Extreme Pinball – PC (1995)
  
• Unreal – PC (1998)
  
• Unreal Tournament – PC (1999), PS2 (2000)
  
• Adventure Pinball: Forgotten Island – PC (2001)
  
• Unreal Championship – Xbox (2002)
  
• Unreal Tournament 2003 – PC (2002)
  
• Unreal Tournament 2004 – PC (2004)
  
• Pariah – PC/Xbox (2005)
  
• Warpath – PC/Xbox (2006)
  
• Dark Sector – PS3/Xbox 360 (2008), PC (2009)
  
• BioShock – PS3 (2008)
  
• BioShock 2 - PC/PS3/Xbox 360 (Multiplayer component, 2010)
  
• Homefront – PC (2011)
  
• The Darkness II – PC/PS3/Xbox 360 (2012)^[16]
  
• Star Trek – PC/PS3/Xbox 360 In development
  
• Warframe – PC In development
  
• Halo 4 – Xbox 360 {2012}
  

Literally none of these are "F2P" games except Warframe, and of these... Bioshock 2 MP was good, UT/UT2k3/UT2k4 are still some of the best FPSes I've ever played, Darkness II was good, and you know, Halo 4 was pretty good too. Yeah they have Homefront in their list and Pariah but you can't bat 100% of the time. Warframe is their first ever foray into F2P and their teething mistakes are literally because of that.

[Etakon]

i have to agree with the op though. except his f2p games list was wrong

[Chief117]

I find it ironic that the OP is furious about buying colours yet we at MechWarrior:Online are praying for it every day :D

Anyway, it seems that this game is just not for you OP, most of the points you have are about your personal preferences.

p.s. Download size says nothing. MW:O also has around 500mb (fix: now it has 1.5gig but it is open beta) and it is a GREAT game, on the other hand World of Warplanes has 10 gigs and in my opinion has WAY less content that either MW:O or Warframe

Edited January 5, 2013 by Chief117

[SeoV]

I find it ironic that the OP is furious about buying colours yet we at MechWarrior:Online are praying for it every day :D

Anyway, it seems that this game is just not for you OP, most of the points you have are about your personal preferences.

p.s. Download size says nothing. MW:O also has around 500mb (fix: now it has 1.5gig but it is open beta) and it is a GREAT game, on the other hand World of Warplanes has 10 gigs and in my opinion has WAY less content that either MW:O or Warframe

Don't get me wrong, I love the game, I'm playing it as we speak. But it can do so much more that's all.

[SeoV]

In order to avoid wall of text followed by wall of text:

"Everything you said"

Yes, some of my suggestions have been discussed, but I never said it was a review that speaks for everyone, these are just my thoughts. You could go on everyone's review and say that they've said what has been said before, and yet people will keep writing. Suggestions become reality the more weight there is behind it, yes?

Oh that may be my bad, I didn't mean F2P, but online games in general.

Also, no need for that attitude, this is a discussion is it not? There's no need for a sort of "Go play another game nub" tone.

As for a lot of those MP games. They are basically the same, practically all the UTs are carbon copies. All the Halos were carbon copies (and to be honest, big fan of Halo in everyway except gameplay.) Also I'm not sure why you listed games that weren't even online, I'm not sure how extreme pinball really factors into your argument.

I don't think so, I very much enjoy a fast paced shooter, Unreal was great! Halo Multiplayer, well, generic shooter but hey, still great! Homefront multiplayer, still generic shooter but hey! Great! And it's not like this is the first Grind-Loot-Repeat routine I've had, going through countless MMOs that routine is firmly rooted in my brain. All i'm saying is that it can be done much better. As it is in closed beta, a retooling or rework is kind of the point isn't it? By golly if this is the final game it's going to be quite unfinished.

As for the whole loot grind rinse repeat thing, I don't mind grinding, but how about in new environments, different enemies, different fighting tactics. And I suggest open world because if you're going to make me grind, let me grind continously, not through the same maps, loading screens, cinematics and game by game. This routine just needs a bit more of a spark to make it fun as we grind!

[SeoV]

i have to agree with the op though. except his f2p games list was wrong

Wait, what? What list? D:

[DeadlyShadow]

This guy only wants to turn the game in another open- world mediocre and generic mmo, the game is excellent in every aspect, I've playded the beta since the very first day and there's a lot of tings that changed, I don't wanna see any newbie trying tho cange this game, open world? PVP? seriously? if you don't like the game then it's fine, but don't try to ruin it for those who love this game

[SeoV]

This guy only wants to turn the game in another open- world mediocre and generic mmo, the game is excellent in every aspect, I've playded the beta since the very first day and there's a lot of tings that changed, I don't wanna see any newbie trying tho cange this game, open world? PVP? seriously? if you don't like the game then it's fine, but don't try to ruin it for those who love this game

Did I say, "Make an open-world for sure."? No, I simply suggested another idea, as a matter of fact if you read my post carefully and without that elitist attitude you'd realise I even suggested more maps if we wanted it this way. Did I say PVP? Where in my post did I say PVP? Did I say I don't like it? And really, there's a concise reason for calling me a noobie for making a review on my personal feelings?

Maybe you read a different thread and posted here, because it seems as if you barely read mine at all.

Please keep your aggressive insults to yourself, how about actually reading the post before you post? Thanks.

[Ecchi-Bunny]

Dont change the game, new environments, different enemies dude do you think before you say?

Closed beta is to test the game to get rid of bugs and in the end make it work.

New environments, different enemies are not needed they will come later on as the game updates and gets bigger but for the start it needs to be tested bug free and released with content its sure that will get it people who will want to play.

Open world in a shooter is hard to pull off i love firefall but its not doing too well there are alot of bad parts.

PvP?, dude let them make a good PvE than so so PvE and PvP.

Game needs to be stable to be able to accept new content into itself.

I like the game i like the feel i like the grind i realy hope this game hits big i realy do.

Its a fun game if you have a nice team.

It lacks a Allchat so people can agree to meet up and play but that will come, it has no matchmaking!

It lacks people so half the maps are deserted and when you hit a map that has 1 person in game its going to add you to them thats how it works.

Look i put in more than 20 hours into it and i'm liking all of them. You just need to play a bit more and not be &!$$ed off about colors for gods sake are you a girly girl that needs to look preaty while shooting and KILLING every living thing in game your crazy.

Its a shooter not a barbe game, and its early beta i think so it will have alot more updates and the download will be much bigger than 500mb in open beta and bigger when it goes live.

[FanaticGamer]

I like this game a lot, however as far as longivity, this game needs some sort of PvP mechanic, I'm not sure if it's planned or not though.

[[DE]jaywalker]

This guy only wants to turn the game in another open- world mediocre and generic mmo, the game is excellent in every aspect, I've playded the beta since the very first day and there's a lot of tings that changed, I don't wanna see any newbie trying tho cange this game, open world? PVP? seriously? if you don't like the game then it's fine, but don't try to ruin it for those who love this game

Did I say, "Make an open-world for sure."? No, I simply suggested another idea, as a matter of fact if you read my post carefully and without that elitist attitude you'd realise I even suggested more maps if we wanted it this way. Did I say PVP? Where in my post did I say PVP? Did I say I don't like it? And really, there's a concise reason for calling me a noobie for making a review on my personal feelings?

Maybe you read a different thread and posted here, because it seems as if you barely read mine at all.

Please keep your aggressive insults to yourself, how about actually reading the post before you post? Thanks.

Don't worry guys, we're reading all the opinions in the forums and want to hear all of them...good and bad. We also like seeing the discussions of different opinions but try not to be insulting to each other because then we don't accomplish much but a bunch of bad mojo. No bad mojo! hmmm...may have to add that to the Rules of Conduct :D Carry on...

[SeoV]

Dont change the game, new environments, different enemies dude do you think before you say?

Closed beta is to test the game to get rid of bugs and in the end make it work.

New environments, different enemies are not needed they will come later on as the game updates and gets bigger but for the start it needs to be tested bug free and released with content its sure that will get it people who will want to play.

Open world in a shooter is hard to pull off i love firefall but its not doing too well there are alot of bad parts.

PvP?, dude let them make a good PvE than so so PvE and PvP.

Game needs to be stable to be able to accept new content into itself.

I like the game i like the feel i like the grind i realy hope this game hits big i realy do.

Its a fun game if you have a nice team.

It lacks a Allchat so people can agree to meet up and play but that will come, it has no matchmaking!

It lacks people so half the maps are deserted and when you hit a map that has 1 person in game its going to add you to them thats how it works.

Look i put in more than 20 hours into it and i'm liking all of them. You just need to play a bit more and not be &!$$ed off about colors for gods sake are you a girly girl that needs to look preaty while shooting and KILLING every living thing in game your crazy.

Its a shooter not a barbe game, and its early beta i think so it will have alot more updates and the download will be much bigger than 500mb in open beta and bigger when it goes live.

Again, a need for an insult? So you're saying that you want to play on the same ship forever? You can have the same game with different maps. My god people listen to yourselves. And where in the hell did I ever say PVP!?! WHERE. NEVER.

And excuse me, you've sunk more than 20? I've been playing for about 2 and a half weeks straight so please don't insult me for no good reason. I LIKE PVE. I NEVER SAID IMPLEMENT PVP. And I bet it could be a fun game, but I don't have a team because the networking isn't stable! How about you guys read my post carefully before ou blatantly insult me and call me a barbie?

[SeoV]

I like this game a lot, however as far as longivity, this game needs some sort of PvP mechanic, I'm not sure if it's planned or not though.

Thank you for not insulting me.

[Antharax]

Please no open world. It might work but I don't want to risk it because of how arse it was with Global Agenda. If you are to have open world, so be it but make it worthwhile. I beg you pweese pweese pweese.

[dagudman]

They would have to spend months to make an open world, and it would not be worth it since it would mean that there would not be any update in that time, so there is most probably not going to be open world and it doesn't matter, the game does not need an open world to make it better.

Also I do want more maps and I posted about it on the map and level design where things about the map should be posted, but here is a little preview of what I posted. Missions on asteroids, missons on the outside of ships, missions underwater, mission on planets with living things on them, missions live save the planet from the comet, missions like make a planet be able to sustain life etc.

I don't have any problem with the colour restrictions, they already have enough colours for me to costumise my frame.

I agree with everything else Kreiss said in his post.

[SeoV]

They would have to spend months to make an open world, and it would not be worth it since it would mean that there would not be any update in that time, so there is most probably not going to be open world and it doesn't matter, the game does not need an open world to make it better.

Also I do want more maps and I posted about it on the map and level design where things about the map should be posted, but here is a little preview of what I posted. Missions on asteroids, missons on the outside of ships, missions underwater, mission on planets with living things on them, missions live save the planet from the comet, missions like make a planet be able to sustain life etc.

I don't have any problem with the colour restrictions, they already have enough colours for me to costumise my frame.

I agree with everything else Kreiss said in his post.

Thanks! Yea i was throwing out the idea of open world, but yes youre right more maps would be great! In outer space would be fascinating, no sound and such? Thanks for your reply!

[SeoV]

Please no open world. It might work but I don't want to risk it because of how arse it was with Global Agenda. If you are to have open world, so be it but make it worthwhile. I beg you pweese pweese pweese.

That is true, I take it back (:

[Yitani]

Let me say my opinion on your that is invalid about firefall:

1- the UI is horrendous garbage that is very generic looking and they couldn't put more time into polishing it? loading menu is old fashion and not 2012/2013

2- leveling in Firefall is just one massive grind without a point

3- it's in alpha why do I say that? there literaly 10 quest and you saw the whole game in the first 10 minutes

4- Warframe optimisation > firefall all day

5-Firefall isn't open world it's instanced see 6 why

6-Firefall open world limits players to a certain limit of populatio below 100 if I recon might be abit more

7-customisation where?I played it yesterday and it was barebones even the skill tree is laughtable at best grinding exp for hours to get the next "tree"

8- Firefall wants to do everything but fails at everything .There world might not be generator like us but replayability in firefall is even worse. The dynamic events don't even do much in the actual world like rift or even Guild wars 2 and the quest well there quest/mission are just as worse /generic like warframe.The world is pretty generic and what I mean is when you get out of city/village and see the world well you saw the world at 100% .

Open world dosn't make a game better in the case of firefall right now it's make it worse .Warframe is cattered to the lobby-based missions with others players and that how it build around.Yes we can have more missions but this is a beta and firefall is in a much worse situation than warframe and yet you didn't mention all the optimisation problems unbalanced classes in pvp and the overall lack of anything that makes you go forward.Global Agenda is just firefall but better when it was actually good .

That is true, I take it back (:

about global agenda it wasn't open world at all

Edited January 5, 2013 by Cryroth

[Antharax]

Sandstorm updates, and the northern desert. They sucked back then, and they suck forever. And they must be forgotten like a coward who died from a silent fart.

Edit: But enough about FireFall and GA. This is warframe.

Edited January 5, 2013 by Antharax

[hovsep159]

so hold up i read somewhere at one of the replies that content comes AFTER its open beta so does it mean we have to do aaaaaaaaal the ship levels again till we reach the new area? cause as im looking at the planets there are ALOT of ship levels heck what am i saying every level is a ship area so you reach the new content when your uuuh rank 50 or something? if yes then no thanks i'd rather play a grindy mediocre mmo than doing that

Edited January 6, 2013 by hovsep159

[Utah]

From what I gather every mission is on the "ship", this is because it’s easier to generate lots of levels with not a lot of assets. However, from what I've seen the lighting and color pallets do very from faction to faction making it feel fresh, so although familiar I don't have the feeling I'm walking around the same ship every level. I doubt we will see any change from this until beta is over but it’s not necessarily a bad thing.

[Harazard]

The creator of this thread appearntly has never played a Beta game has he? If you can't play beta games then don't play them Mr.Smartypants

Don't expect much from an Beta game they aren't finished but there is time for new exicting features to be added in time.Also Do come back after few weeks or 1-2 months and you will see this game to be never the same as it is at the moment

[Humor]

You know, I don't know why people bother replying to "Reviews", They're meant for the devs to get good suggestions, and find out what is terrible about the game. No opinion, insult, or anything you can say is going to change the original posters opinion about Warframe.

I agree with him, why do we only have one area (1 ship diff corridors), on all nine planets? This kind of defeats the entire purpose for exploration, and you never end up finding anything new at all. Yes, it's closed beta that's correct, but what are we doing? Testing one map on all the nine planets, this was definitely a poor Closed Beta design idea, and many, such as myself, and the original poster have seen this, scratch our heads, and say, "Huh... This is kind of boring". And it's true for many players. And just because he/she states this, you're saying they don't like the game... "Shoot Em Up" games, what...? How does this at all imply he/she hates shooters? It doesn't, you're simply looking for reasons to degrade his/her post, with your nonsense. Everyone has their own review, and opinions about the game.

Closed Beta by no means is intended for just "Cleaning up bugs", that would be just stupid. And there would be no reason for a "Gameplay Feedback" forum, rather they'd simply have the only forum unlocked as "Bugs", and nothing else. Everything a game company does revolves around it's community, for if they don't like the game, chances are, it's not a great game, and it's not going to succeed. The devs have to take every single suggestion, complaint, compliment, into consideration. It only takes one person to ruin a game. Look at "TotalBiscuit's" WarZ review. Right after that review, or his look at the game was done, WarZ was removed from steam. So remember that it only takes one person to give a game the wrong impression. (Not by any means saying WarZ sucks, but in all honesty, to me, it sucked, and I played it before his "Review").

The game so far from what I can tell, has some what of a "Fair" cash shop, and doesn't seem ridiculously over priced. But some of the things you have to pay for to have a little more enjoyment in Warframe seems a bit silly. As the original poster stated, why pay for colors? It's probably something that should just be there... Or an item you find like "Dye" that can be obtained by doing missions, rare drops, etc. Of course, I personally would pay for colors, it seemed fair to me. However, it too many others dislike it. Simply don't do it that way, because not only do you not make money, you lose players.

I also kind of agree with being able to customize your Frames a little more. But, I'm sure skins and such are coming on their way soon, hopefully, they're not only a "Cash Shop" Item, and turned into more of a rare drop, or you have the option to purchase the new skins. The way in which DE has done their cash shop is well done. Almost everything can be built, and bought using in game currency, or platinum (cash shop currency), which in my eyes is one of the better decisions. I can't say all items should have this option thouhg, as we're seeing with the HEK which can only be built which is a good thing. Because the game seems more less a "Loot @#&*(" game. This isn't bad, but if you're able to purchase too much from using platinum, it kind of defeats the purpose of finding rare loot. Already bought all the guns, and frames, and I just get that "Bored" feeling from time to time, knowing I'm not really working towards anything now, or no suspsense of finding guns/Frame blueprints. A little disappointed I bought everything.

As for making the game open world, I have to disagree with that as well. While it does make players just jump in, and play with other and such. It would be difficult to do so, with just about any shooter. You could argue Firefall is doing this, but... Sometimes that alone creates a "Cluter-F". I believe this game should have better connection issues, or a better way to "Party" up though. Maybe using a lobby system such as Vindictus, or PSO2, where a buncha players are in one lobby (Giant Spaceship or whatever), and simply form parties, and or groups within the lobby before being off on their mission. This allows for players who "Need" certain levels to be done, or finished, an option to find parties who choose similar levels. Definitely wouldn't mind something like this, which is more open, but I don't think an open world would really be too effective. At least not in a game like this.

[SeoV]

The creator of this thread appearntly has never played a Beta game has he? If you can't play beta games then don't play them Mr.Smartypants

Don't expect much from an Beta game they aren't finished but there is time for new exicting features to be added in time.Also Do come back after few weeks or 1-2 months and you will see this game to be never the same as it is at the moment

Not my first closed beta, thanks for making an assumption based on your wrongly interpreted understanding. And I don't expect much, a review is so that in the future the devs understand what people want to be expected. THe name calling is not necessary.