I’ve now logged into Warframe for 16 consecutive days. I know this because you get a daily reward for logging in. Cool eh?
I genuinely couldn’t tell you the last time I played a console game that frequently. Now, here’s the kicker…..sometimes I only played for a few minutes to get some resources or open up more of a planet. So for barely any effort, I was being rewarded.
Yep, I’m being drip-fed rewards at all times, and even though they’re mostly materials for making gear, it’s nice to feel wanted. Warframe wants you to play and to have a good time, no matter how long you play for.
The good
Straight off the bat, this game is free. So at zero pounds entry, you can’t complain, even if it wasn’t any good. Truth is though, it is good, like really good.
You’re a space ninja, sliding, bullet jumping, slashing, shooting and wall running everywhere. Fast-paced third-person action with a real flow and solid feel. Everything is deliberate, you can be this elegant Warframe, sliding and diving about and not get touched. Or you can stand and shoot your way through an area. It’s up to you.
You have a selection of abilities, unique to each Warframe. I’ve been using Mag (nearly got all the parts for Rhino and Excalibur!), and using the basic “pull” is so satisfying, as you see groups of enemies just ragdoll across a room towards you at your whim. The frames can work to complement each other’s abilities, and they can be better suited to different mission types.
So much to learn and to experiment with. All at zero cost!
Progress is nicely handled, once you get your head a round it. Any weapon or Warframe that you’re using accrues xp, and all of that xp goes towards your “master rank” which is kind of your overall level. This means that you’re always best to max out an item, then start a new one to keep that xp gain towards your overall rank.
Between the xp and the mission rewards, you’re never wasting your time, always working towards improving something. You can get blueprints, which enable you to craft weapons and items on your ship (providing you have the parts), so there’s always something on the horizon, ready to be taken out for a spin!
Warframe is give give give, and it’s just good fun. What more could you ask for??
The bad
There are a few niggles here and there, but for the most part this game is excellent, and by all accounts how it stands now, this is a massive improvement on how it was upon release.
Still, I have to be honest.
First things first, there’s just so much to learn, and I think you have to willingly seek it all out. How to get new Warframes, where to get certain materials, what do you need to do next, what the hell is a fissure?
It can be a little overwhelming to start off, and if you didn’t actively want to learn, I’m not sure how well you’d get on.
Thankfully the community seems pretty decent, the online resources that exist are exceptional, and you can learn anything with a few quick searches. It’s a shame that you can’t pick it all up in-game, and it can definitely seem a bit much to begin with.
My other gripe is the bit that involves actual money……..Don’t get me wrong, you get this full game for free, and I’m happy to contribute towards it, but damn, those prices are steep! Buying the in-game premium currency (platinum) is fair enough, but you don’t get a lot for your money.
When you HAVE to buy extra slots for more weapons and Warframes, they’re not too expensive, but buying new Warframes and Prime gear is ridiculous. That and the cost of a colour palette is a little steep.
I get that customisation has nothing to do with game play, so colours etc are superfluous to the experience, and you should absolutely pay, but the cost seems a little high to me (about £3.99 for 1 set of new colours).
I’m not sure if you can get the palettes in-game without buying them, but I know there are ways to trade in-game for Warframe parts and you can even sell them if you want (walking into a bazaar and seeing all these people with their hands raised to let you know they want to trade, is fascinating the first time you see it!), but that doesn’t justify the initial costs.
It’s a strange psychology knowing I’d spend more overall, if the prices were lower. Feeling like you get value for money is tough (despite playing the whole damn game for free….).
Perspective
Whilst I think the cost is a little high on something like a prime Warframe, it doesn’t stop me playing the whole game, nor does it stop my enjoyment. Hell, if I had the money, I’d be all over it.
You’re getting a near AAA game, that you can play with friends, at no cost, apart from your time.
Playing through the same boss over and over to drop the right blueprints gave me that feeling of running Destiny strikes. Loads of fun and a little grind to get that reward.
I’m always learning, always reading and watching videos about it. This is what I did with Destiny when I got started, and it feels great. I have this whole new world to explore and understand.
The satisfaction of building your own gear is fantastic. Having your own ship, where you perform all of your Tenno admin is genius. You can invite your friends to your ship. You can build a bloody clan dojo if you want!
There’s so much left to learn and understand, and I’m doing my best to get others involved, too. This is a wonderful game, and I think everyone should give it some time.