December 01, 2006 - MapleStory, which officially launched in North America this week, is a 2D side-scrolling online world that has already attracted some 50 million registered users internationally. From developer Wizet and publisher Nexon, it's free to play, employing the cash shop revenue model; the selection of optional purchases includes items, enhancements, cosmetic avatar customizations, pets and more.

Commendations
The game is highly accessible, with a solid tutorial, a gentle learning curve, easily understood systems for attributes and advancement, and undemanding hardware requirements. The art direction is charmingly familiar, with a large, colorful, platform-style world containing varied locations to explore plus a diverse range of monsters to fight. There are lots of quests, which allows for a continuous sense of direction and purpose, and helps to support short play sessions. The four base character classes, called jobs, are Warrior, Magician, Bowman and Thief. They reflect the most popular play styles, and each offers either two or three possible specializations. If you decide to shop, you'll find the virtual shelves stocked with many different choices.

Reservations
Some gamers will undoubtedly refuse to try MapleStory's because of its side-scrolling design or graphical style, while others will take issue with its age; it initially launched in 2002. Although they can't be confirmed or disputed after only a few hours of play, there are reports that advancement slows substantially past the early levels, and also that the quests are rather repetitive. It appears the in-game currency, Nexon Cash, can only be purchased via PayPal, with cash cards coming soon.

The Bottom Line
Despite limited promotion, MapleStory has apparently accumulated up two million registered North American users. This doesn't guarantee long-term success, but does seem a pretty positive indicator. The title obviously has appeal; we'll be watching with great interest to see how much, especially to the offline and relatively casual gamer segments.

Screenshots





[Minute Views are so named for their size and the approximate amount of time it takes to read them. They are intended to provide initial impressions only; they may be based on limited play, and do not require the use of different characters and strategies. - Ed.]