Do we really need another free-to-play ARPG?
Don’t we have enough games full of pay-to-win microtransactions?
Is this going to be another Diablo Immortal fiasco?
Those were some things I wondered when I first decided to try out Undecember.
Even though I was very skeptical about this game at first, it actually blew me away how good Undecember really is.
So if you’re wondering whether Undecember is worth playing? The short answer is it’s definitely worth trying out.
Let’s look at the good and bad of this new ARPG to figure out what you can expect from this game.
What Is Undecember?
Undecember is a new free-to-play action role-playing game that was released on Steam in October 2022.
This game comes from a Korean developer and it was initially released in South Korea a while back. After months of development, the game was officially released globally in late 2022. Undecember was released on both PC and mobile simultaneously.
Immediately after its release, the game was review bombed on Steam. Most reviews pointed out the heavy pay-to-win (P2W) elements of the game and the expensive prices of the cash shop.
Other than the P2W aspect, Undecember is actually a really good game. It has a 10-act story campaign with fun missions. And the potential for experimenting with different builds.
Is Undecember Pay-To-Win?
Much like any other free-to-play Korean game, Undecember is also a heavily monetized game.
You can buy resources and items from the cash shop to upgrade your gear. And it has lots of “convenience” microtransactions as well. For example, the game has pets but if you want pets to auto-loot items, you need to buy a pass. Which could cost around $9 a month.
There are also lots of cosmetic items such as character skins, weapon skins, and other customizations in the cash shop.
But, one thing that’s worth noting is that you can play the game without buying anything from the cash shop. If you’re the type of player who enjoys grinding for resources, this game will reward you well with high-quality resources.
The Classless System Is Fun
Unlike Diablo Immortal and Path of Exile, Undecember uses a classless system for your characters. This means you can use any weapon, skill, or ability in the game whenever you like.
This opens up lots of possibilities for you to craft your own unique builds. Like playing an archer who can also blast lightning bolts. Or playing a mage that can also do ground slams.
Better Loot Drops
As I mentioned earlier, Undecember is very generous with its loot drops. You don’t have to grind hours to get enough resources to upgrade your skill runes. Or find a better gear item.
You’ll earn lots of high-quality and rare resources just by replaying a level or beating a couple of level bosses.
I’m not sure if the developers have temporarily buffed loot drops to make the game look more fun or if they’ll nerf this in the future. But so far, every play session feels very rewarding.
Stunning Graphics
Even though Undecember is made as a mobile game, it looks and runs really smooth on PC. The level of detail, skill effects, and animations look amazing on the big screen.
The mobile version of the game does look a bit pixelated on my Samsung S10. But it’s still playable.
You might need a newer device if you want to play the mobile version at a higher quality.
Lots of Multiplayer Elements
Similar to Diablo Immortal, Undecember also has MMO-like elements. You will see other players running around in the town hub areas but not in other mission levels.
You can also join guilds, group up to do raids, and play with friends, just like any other MMO.
Crossplay & Cross-save with Mobile
Undecember support crossplay and cross-save between mobile and PC.
This means you can play on PC and pick up your game on mobile from where you left off.
I’ve been playing 2 characters on PC and made another to play on mobile. It’s now my go-to game on my phone whenever I’m bored.
Should You Play Undecember?
The main campaign and the missions in Undecember are really fun. The dialogs are all voice acted too. The campaign has 10 acts that will give you hours of gameplay to enjoy before you hit endgame.
You get all of this for free. And no, you don’t have to spend any money to level your character or upgrade gear. You can earn them all by playing the game.
So yes, if you enjoy ARPGs, it’s definitely worth giving Undecember a try. It’s a really fun game.
Path of Exile is still my top choice when it comes to ARPGs, but Undecember is a good alternative to try when you’re bored.