Navyfield Review: Boom Go the Cannons
By Vincent Haoson, OnRPG Journalist
Out of the various titles I’ve played since I started out playing videogames there has been one game theme that has been my favorite and has been on top of my priority list of things to “look out for” in the MMO scene.
That’s why when I heard there’s a ship-themed battle MMO out I jumped at it and wanted to experience it immediately.
Ships Ahoy!
Navyfield is an online game that puts you in the captain’s chair of your own battle ship. You start off with the smallest ship available and a decent amount of crew. You then move along the ranks through various battles and can then upgrade your ship to different classes and types that suit your fighting style.
Gameplay
The game plays a lot like an RTSMMO. The interchange between players is fast and spontaneous. This interplay between real-time action and battle ships really bodes well to the game’s overall appeal.
It’s like you are in an actual sea battle and instead of being just a spectator your smack dab in the middle of the action, well, that is until your ship gets sunk.
Controls
The game’s controls are slow and awkward. Normally, this does not bode well for an action game however it is excusable for Navyfield. The game tries to simulate actual battleship battles and the controls complete that feel.
The game’s controls make you feel like your steering a big chunk of metal and that’s what you are actually steering. This is one of the game’s finer points because I believe if Navyfield had more arcade-like controls this game would go down the drain fast.
Ships
Navyfield has a huge library of ships you can use. Also, the types of ships you can upgrade to in Navyfield are actual ships from the different navies present in the game. I liked the variation and the use of actual in the game. The use of actual ships can really fill in the cravings of any battleship fan.
The varying types of ships in the game also add to the game’s challenging nature because it pushes you to be able to prepare for the battles ahead. Each ship has its own strengths and weaknesses and suits almost any kind of fighting style a player may want to use.
The game also has a very intricate ship tree system where you can see how you ship branches out, allowing you to plan ahead. This gives you the proper encouragement and allows you to set goals in your game which would lead you to keep on coming back.
The ships you use in Navyfield are also customizable in terms of armor, targeting system and the engine it uses. I liked the customization system because everything is reliant on how much your ship can hold. This serves as a logical limiting factor that promotes critical thinking for players on how to maximize their ships capabilities.
Sailors
Of course what would a battleship be without its crew? Navyfield also gives you the choice as to what kind of sailors you can choose for your ship. The sailors you get have their own stats and level, which improves in every battle you participate in.
You can also have sailors from the different countries that are part of the game, having a sailor for one nation allows you to enter the port of that country and provides you with upgrades and armaments that are exclusive to that country.
Ship’s Crew
Sailors are not permanent however and they could disappear if you don’t pay attention. This happened to me after I participated in a battle and I found my shipyard empty of my sailors and had to get a new crew.
Nations
Navyfield has the Japan, U.S., U.K., Germany and Neutral navies in their disposal. They are part of the overall game in terms of the ships and sailors and choosing which side to be affiliated with determines your overall battle plan.
Each nation has its own strengths and weakness that you can use to your advantage in battle. Think of it as race specialty in other games. However, what I liked about the nation system in the game is there is no such thing as an overpowered nation. One weakness or another often offsets the nation bonuses and the only way for players to get over such things is through the mix of skill and proper pre-battle planning.
Battles
Navyfield is first and foremost a PVP centered game. Its quests are there to guide you along the game’s basics and that’s that. After getting through the basics it’s one battle after another.
I liked Navyfield’s way of fostering huge battles and eliminates the trouble of going through various quests just to be able to play decently in the game. Of course the problem with this is that the game would be really boring if you are of the single player type.
Armor upgrades for larger opponents
The battles in Navyfield feel like those naval battle scenes in the war movies you watch on the big screen. The more participants there are the bigger and better the battles are. You have to actually lower the volume on your speakers or headset in cases like this because the explosions really hurt your ears, but then this is the good type of hurting because the explosions help you feel the damage you inflict on other ships.
I must say that the battles in Navyfield are the core essence of the game. It would be pointless in my opinion if you have a battleship game that does not promote battles. Personally I like blowing things up and Navyfield has enough to last me for a while.
Conclusion
Navyfield has met my expectations down to the dot. The gameplay is solid, the controls simulate perfectly how a ship has to move through the water and the battles are big enough to fulfill my battleship blasting cravings.
The game’s graphics are also good enough to be at par with other battleship themed games out there, plus it has enough people within it ranks to allow epic sea battles to happen. If you’re a person who is a fan of battleships and wants to be at the helm of one, Navyfield is the game for you.
Pros:
– The controls simulate perfectly how a ship moves over water
– The battles are epic
– The game has a huge library in terms of the ships
Cons:
– Not enough quests for solo gaming
– You can get overwhelmed in battles easily if you don’t know what your doing
– The sounds have to be turned down if the battles get too intense
