Since launch I don’t think The Secret World has ever disappointed me. The story is incredible, the game is challenging without being stupidly hard, the voice acting cutscenes are some of the best that I have ever seen in a game, and the world is engaging and immersive. I don’t do nightmare modes or endgame content, but have been content with just doing quests, playing through new issue content and generally enjoying the world. I usually play solo, and have soloed through all content in the game without much trouble.
Scenarios are the first thing that has really disappointed me. I’d been so excited about Issue 8 and new content, but after playing the the one scenario that was available to me prior to being able to purchase the content, I’ve decided not to buy this issue. And that is something that I never thought I’d say about this game.
My gear isn’t the best – mostly green QL10 stuff with a nice neck from doing dailies in Transylvania. I have a fair amount of room to play with builds, as I have 46% completion on the ability wheel. I don’t play consistently, but I have a few builds that I am satisfied with and can play decently with. I don’t think I suck…but perhaps I do.
I get slaughtered on Hotel solo normal mode. I haven’t finished successfully even once. I’ve switched builds, I’ve researched and tried builds from the forums (I think the one that I presently have active is one of those frankenbuilds – normally I go with a solo/survival AR/fist build that I am comfortable with). Nothing works. As the encounter ramps up, I can’t take the roving packs down quickly enough, people start dying off, and the whole thing turns into a huge monsterfest. Not a hope.
I don’t want easy games, I do like challenge…but I would expect that a “normal” setting could be accomplised by any reasonably capable player in normal gear. I’m not loaded with purplez, I don’t raid or run nightmare modes…am I no longer the type of player that base-level challenges are tuned for? Very disheartening, as I genuinely love this game.
The worst thing is that successfully running the scenarios is a prerequisite for having access to Tokyo, and I very much wanted to experience that content – and with that, I move from disappointment to outright pissed-offness. I really, truly hope that the TSW devs re-think and re-tune at least the normal mode for scenarios. I would hate to be locked out of the rest of the game because I simply cannot get past this gate.
Fingers crossed…