Now that the official preview event has arrived for Amazon's new MMORPG New World, players are expressing positive reactions to the game. That's good news for Amazon Game Studios, whose previous game Crucible was so unpopular that it went back to closed beta after release for further tweaking. New World has engaging combat and a beautiful world to explore, and people can't help but notice how much it resembles Dark Souls. However, those resemblances can really give New World an advantage.
Amazon's gaming division has stumbled several times along the way, but it looks to be getting back on track with New World. Set on the island of Aeturnum, New World is an MMORPG inspired by 16th-century exploration and features fantasy elements like magic alongside historically accurate weapons. Three separate factions are attempting to settle this new territory and compete for resources, all while fighting off hordes of monsters.
Although the survival MMO was originally supposed to be strictly PvP, New World's new focus of combining PvP with PvE gameplay seems to be paying off. In both style and tone, New World borrows a lot from Dark Souls. Just looking at screenshots of New World could be enough to make someone think they're finally seeing footage of Dark Souls 4. The dark fantasy tone, combined with fantahistorical elements and world-building, are clearly inspired by FromSoftware games like Dark Souls. However, the similarities don't stop there.
Dark Souls Influences In Amazon's New World
Aesthetically, New World feels a lot like Dark Souls. Character designs, armor, and weapons adhere closely to the Middle Ages, and monster designs resemble the demons and hollows found in Dark Souls. But it's more than just appearances that make New World feel like a Dark Souls MMO.
The combat of New World feels very similar to how it does in Dark Souls, since perfectly-timed dodges, blocks, and attacks are the key to surviving on the island of Aeturnum. It's that kind of precision combat, which requires real strategy and planning ahead, that makes New World feel so much like a Souls game. Although the combat in New World isn't as well-defined and intricate as fighting in Dark Souls, it's apparent that FromSoftware was a major influence on Amazon Game Studios.
Although Crucible was a bit of a blunder for the company, Amazon's gaming division seems to be making promising improvements on the upcoming New World. With its dark tone, thoughtful combat, and medieval setting, New World might be the closest players ever get to having a Dark Souls MMO.