MapleStory Adventures on Facebook: Clicking cute creatures cheers us up

That's about all that you'll do in MapleStory Adventures for Facebook, and it's far more entertaining than it sounds. This social adaptation of the Korean MMO (massively multi-player online game) by Nexon has dumbed down what was once a deceivingly complex game into something that evokes a single feeling: cheer. This game will relax you so much that, like me, you'll forget that minutes are actually passing. If you're having a bad day at work or what have you, just click around at the adorable monsters for a few minutes and we can almost guarantee you'll feel better for it. However, remember those words "a few minutes," because that's about all you'll get out of a single play session in MapleStory Adventures.

The game, which is in closed beta testing as of this writing, simplifies the whole experience and lowers the barrier to entry so far that even the least-experienced MMO player can understand it. You have a choice between two classes, Magician and Warrior, and a small selection of avatar features. Regardless of whether you choose Magician or Warrior, the general hook of the game is unchanged: clicking to get things done. There is no keyboard movement in MapleStory Adventures despite its Mario-esque platformer appearance.

Gallery: MapleStory Adventures on Facebook

All you need to do is click on where you want your little fellow to go, and they'll figure out exactly how to get there. Click on an enemy, and your avatar will pummel it until it goes poof. Click on a character, and you'll receive his or her quest (which almost always leads to more clicking). Click on a portal, and your tiny friend will head there and teleport to the next area. Even travel between regions has been reduced to a single click through the in-game map system--visit an area in person, and you can one-click travel there via the map as much as you like. We think you get the idea.

Combat is pretty straightforward. In fact, it might a bit too direct for one's complex tastes. You do have access to new abilities as you level up, but they generally boil down to simple clicking. There's little to no strategy to fighting in MapleStory Adventures, but it's doubtful that tact was a goal in this version of the game. Nor is there much variety in this version of Nexon's flagship game. Every quest you will encounter for some time appears to either involve bashing so many monsters, or bashing them in hopes that they'll drop a collectible.

While some might consider its lack of depth or complexity a drawback, what truly might turn out to be a major turn-off for players is its current Energy system. (Side note: Last time I checked, most folks like their social games as simple and direct as possible. At least most of us do in the office.) Since each enemy has a certain amount of hit points, and each of your attacks can only do so much damage that improves with Power Rating increases through skills and equipment, monsters take a few hits to go down. However, each and every strike your avatar makes costs one Energy.

This will almost certainly lead to you running dry in less than five minutes, considering every monster will take three to five whacks on average, it seems. Luckily, the friend system in MapleStory Adventures allows players to hire their friends--asynchronously, of course--to help them out with a few extra whacks before they disappear for a few hours.

So, like all Facebook games, it pays to have lots of friends in MapleStory Adventures. However, that doesn't exactly lend itself well to self sufficient play. Regardless, this Facebook adaptation of the Nexon mega hit looks seriously impressive already in both its adorable anime-style visuals and its laid-back, super simple gameplay. Once the game goes live, you'll see that a cheery smile just might be a few clicks away (perhaps too few).

Click here to play MapleStory Adventures (when it goes live) Now >

Are you lucky enough to be in Nexon's closed beta for MapleStory Adventures? Based on what you've heard, are you excited to finally play the game on Facebook? Share with us in the comments.


Source: http://blog.games.com

Posted in: Adventures,Facebook,games