Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen [Early Access]

Gorgeous Night Sky Box

Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is a game that has been LONG in the works, and it's finally in Early Access. My initial look at this game had me feeling very hopeful for a new MMO to beat out those World of Warcraft cravings. I have to tell you though, this is not WoW level. Not even Classic WoW.

But this isn't just an MMO. It's a return to roots. The developers seem to believe that modern MMOs have lost something—a sense of danger, mystery, and reliance on a community. Pantheon isn't about chasing the next piece of loot or rushing to endgame; it's about earning every step and forming real connections in a shared world.

This is a return to the days where leveling-up was an achievement, getting lost was a part of the journey, and community wasn't just a chat-box.

Community-Focused

As I said, Pantheon is made to be played with others. The difficulty of the game sees to it that you must find people to help you with your quests. Doing it alone is seldom an option, unless you want to grind levels and come back later when you've outpaced the quest.

That being said, the community is very friendly so far. I don't know if that toxic vein of modern gaming will seep into Pantheon as we move out of Early Access, but I don't suspect it will last long. The kind of Gamers that desire instant gratification in MMOs won't be content with this game. They wont understand it. And I would know. Ya girl Rageheals is a toxic WoW Gamer in recovery.

One such example of the need for community is when you die (which you should plan for strategically in advance lol). Your body will hold all of your gear and money. You will have to run back to your body. If your body is stuck in enemy territory, you can reach out to chat to help you get it back.

No Hand-Holding

You will not see sparkling UI that tells you to pick something up. You will not see question-marks over NPC heads, and you will not see any icons on a mini-map letting you know where to go. Reader, there is no mini-map. The developers do not want to give you anything.

This is arguably one of the hardest parts of the game. It's immersion. You're expected to go talk to townsfolk to find quests, but all you have to do is look for the [. . .] chat icon. That chat icon will tell you without wasting time talking that this NPC has a quest.

This [...] icon lets you know that the NPC has a quest.

There has been some chatter on the possibilities of add-ons for this game, but I wouldn't hold your breath. Many of the players are not in favor of this. But there are online resources that will help guide you (link).

Exploration & Class Fantasy

This game is packed with endless things to do and I am happy to say it perfectly nails the exploration side of MMOs. Hidden treasures can be discovered across the vast, open world that you can actually get lost in. Just around the corner from town, you’ll encounter enemies that are far stronger than you. Dungeons beckon, filled with valuable loot for those daring enough to explore. Throughout the many zones, rare enemies lurk, dropping powerful gear for those who can rally enough people to defeat them.

And not to mention, Pantheon has a total of fourteen classes to play. If you can't find a class that entices you from this list, I will be shocked. You can lean into whatever class fantasy suits your tastes. You can be a creepy skellie-raiser, an edgy rogue, or even a charismatic bard—which you don't see enough of in MMOs. Even in WoW the first (technically) buff class only just came out in the form of the Evoker.

Look at ALL those classes.

I will say the old art style along with the missing quality of life elements makes this a hard game to stick with. But if you go into this game with an open mind, and you ignore what's missing from your favorite modern game, you may actually find that Pantheon has a unique charm.

If you decide to give the game a try, let me know down below! I'm immensely curious to see if this early review helps anyone.

Until next time, gamers!