The MORPG Leafling is in Early Access on Steam and is an indie project that is free to play. It is being developed by a small team and is aimed at fans of nostalgic 2D looks from old Nintendo and Sega RPGs.
What kind of game is this? Leafling is a free Theme Park MORPG in Early Access on Steam developed by a small team. MORPG with an M because the developers don’t call it “massive”. In it, you take on the role of explorers who have arrived on a new continent that one day appeared out of the ocean.
Leafling provides its players with a 2D pixel look reminiscent of old Nintendo RPGs like Secret of Evermore or RPG Maker titles like Unterwegs in Düsterburg and Vampire’s Dawn. Games that will be familiar to many of you from youth and childhood.
Classic 2D RPG in multiplayer
This is the world of Leafling: Artemia is divided into different areas, which are somewhat reminiscent of Super Mario World in terms of structure. You start on a beach map and then move across the world map to the next area, which is a city.
In order to be able to enter new areas, one must first have reached the appropriate level. Along the way you will encounter other players who can be found both in the areas and on the world map.
In the areas you will then find cities, grasslands, beaches, mountains, deserts and everything that a classic RPG usually has to offer in terms of terrain. This also includes dungeons that you can tackle in normal and “challenging” difficulty. You can already complete the first at level 10.
This is how the gameplay works: At the start of the game you choose one of 4 basic classes, adapt your character a little and are thrown straight into the world of Artemia. You start on the beach and have to work your way slowly through the different areas.
This is done by playing through Leafling’s main quest. It introduces you to the gameplay basics, explains individual mechanics and also tells a story that is not overly complex or exciting.
The gameplay is simple and offers all the basic mechanics of a classic RPG. You do quests, knock down monsters, collect EXP for your levels and equipment for your character. You don’t have to stay with your starter class, but can try out a whole range of different and sometimes unusual classes. Including an “Aquamancer”, a “Miner” and even a Time Weaver.
The combat system is action-oriented and you have to aim to hit the opponents. The skills you can bind to your hotbar are learned through the gear you equip. For example, weapons give you offensive abilities and armor gives you defensive skills.
For crafting enthusiasts, Leafling also offers a gathering and crafting system where you can farm materials that the local blacksmith then uses to create useful items. It can be classic weapons and armor. Or you can cook your own food around the campfire, which gives you various bonuses in battle.
The classes in Leafling are divided into tanks, support and DDs. Then there are the collectors.
Leafling also offers open-world PvP, but this can only be done by mutual consent. So you don’t have to worry about getting punched over by a griefer as a newcomer.
How Leafling finances itself: The game is also free2play in Early Access and can be tried out by anyone at any time. It does, however, have a cash shop where you can buy premium currency, Crystals, and Elite Status, a one-time package that includes a title, an aura, and access to the VIP lounge.
The crystals can be used to buy cosmetic items and “little conveniences”. The team emphasizes that they are strictly against Pay2Win and their shop will not offer any gameplay advantages. The premium currency can also be bought by other players for in-game currency.
Relaxed grind with lousy server stability
What previous reviews say: The little MORPG seems to be doing quite well on Steam. Of the slightly more than 600 reviews, 72% are positive. The quiet atmosphere of the game, which allows relaxed grinding, is praised. The optics are also positively emphasized because they are based on classic RPGs from the Super Nintendo era.
But you have to keep in mind that the game is still in Early Access. So you will encounter bugs and problems, as well as content that is not finished yet. Some NPC dialogue will lead you nowhere or certain features will not work properly.
The stability of the servers is particularly problematic, and the positive Steam reviews also warn of this. Crashes and “rubber banding” occur again and again, i.e. erratic teleportation of the character backwards to an earlier position. So if you want to try the game, be prepared that not everything will work perfectly.
According to reviews, there is also the problem that Leafling’s endgame content is designed for 20 players. However, according to the Steamcharts, it is currently only actively played by 14, which is not surprising for a small, less well-known indie game. Endgame fans in MMORPGs will therefore not get their money’s worth here.
How does Leafling sound to you so far? Will you try it or is it not really your thing? Or have you maybe even tested the game? Tell us in the comments.
In a perfect world, the biggest MMORPG today would be World of Warhammer