So much to do and nothing to get excited about - Traha Global Quick Review

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When I reviewed Ys Online: The Ark of Napishtim in September (read it here), I mentioned a term that I had started using in reference to a certain type of mobile MMO that’s all about throwing tons of things at its players. That term is “busy-maxing.” The busy-maxing philosophy is that the best way to keep players in your game (and hopefully trick them into spending money) is to just give them so many things to do that they probably can’t keep on top of it all, especially if they’re just playing casually throughout the day.
Traha Global, the new worldwide launch of the previously Korean-only Traha, is a busy-maxing game. From the moment they start, players are inundated with things to click, not to mention a user interface that is just...overwhelming, to say the least. Now busy-maxing doesn’t necessarily make a game bad, but it’s often a red flag. In the case of Traha Global, it’s a massive crimson banner warning those who value their time and money to stay away.
THE STORY
As a player-versus-player-heavy game, Traha Global’s story focuses on the conflict between two factions on the continent of Listania: the established rulers of the realm in the Naiads, and the persecuted underdogs trying to eke out a living in the Vulcans. This is supposed to be a shades-of-gray conflict rather than strict good-versus-evil, but for my part the Vulcans sure seem like the good guys and the Naiads sure come across as jerks. Whatever faction you choose, you take on the role of a Traha, a goofy acronym that stands for “Transcend Human Ability.” in other words, you’re a super-powerful badass who has the ability to help swing the war toward one side or the other.
PLATFORMS
In addition to being available on Android and iOS, Traha Global also has a PC version via Steam. However, it’s very clearly designed for mobile, with the PC port having serious control issues and lots of leftovers telling players to “TAP THE SCREEN” and so on. I stuck with the Android version.
TIME PLAYED
I played around three or four hours of Traha Global. This was enough to get my character leveled to the double digits, mess around with a few different weapon types, finish the first zone full of quests and run the first solo dungeon, and subsequently hit a progress wall where I had to grind before I could progress.
WHAT’S AWESOME
• Combat. I don’t have a lot of nice things to say about Traha Global, but I’ll give it this much: The game’s action-packed combat feels pretty good. And as a bonus, it doesn’t feature auto-combat like most other similar titles of this style. The game will auto-run your character to quest locations, but once you encounter an enemy, you need to actually pay attention and tap buttons to succeed.
• “Infinity Class.” Traha Global has a unique approach to classes, which is to say that it has none. Dubbed “Infinity Class,” players can essentially swap between classes as desired simply by swapping between any of the game’s seven different weapon types. The weapon chosen will determine your playstyle in logical ways; for example, a greatsword wielder will be tanky, a staff user will toss magic spells from afar, a dual blade expert will commit to flurries of big damage and so on. It’s a clever system that offers a lot of freedom, and I wish there was a game I liked more built around it.
WHAT SUCKS
• A world of hallways. Traha Global boasts “an enormous open world,” but I’d be shocked if any of its players noticed. Since the game shuttled me from quest to quest (or side objectives like dungeons, world bosses, etc.), I never got a sense for the actual layout of zones. Even if I’d been forced to navigate on my own, the world design is bland and linear, and there isn’t nearly enough character to make for memorable areas.
• Progress gating. As I mentioned earlier, a few hours into my time with Traha Global, I hit a big brick wall: I could not continue the main story quest until I had reached a Combat Power (CP) level of 4,210. As far as I could tell, my only means of increasing my CP was grinding out levels and rare gear drops through daily quests and running the one solo dungeon available to me over and over again. Or, haha, of course, I could pay up. Which brings me to…
• A nightmare mess of microtransactions. If you want to spend money for power, Traha Global is happy to help. The game allows you to summon spirits and pets using a premium currency, and said summons can then be equipped for CP boosts. On top of that, Traha Global sports no less than three separate subscription/battle pass options—one for the season generally, one focused on player-versus-environment questing, and one that’s all about player-versus-player content. And there’s starter packs, cosmetics, the ability to directly trade premium currency for gold that can be spent on tons of stuff in-game, etc., etc., etc. It’s pay-to-win at its most blatant, and in a game that’s expressly focused on competitive multiplayer battles to boot.
SHOULD YOU PLAY IT?
I feel like I can give a definitive no on this one. Traha Global scratches that mobile MMO itch if you’re desperate for a hit, but there’s really nothing redeeming here to make up for its many sins. And within a month or two, player-versus-player content—which you’re essentially forced to participate in, as the game sends you to PvP-active zones for story quests—will be overwhelmed by the handful of whales who paid a ton to power up early. I can’t imagine the game lasting long after that, so it’s probably best to just stay out from the start.
💬 How many battle passes is too many for you in a multiplayer game? Personally, I think more than one is silly, but I’m curious how others feel. Let me know what you think down below!
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Suyash Agarwal
Suyash Agarwal
1
any good mobile mmorpg that doesn't have this busy maxing issue? came across way too many with such issues
01/12/2023
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Kef
Kef
TapTap Editor
Kef
Author
I'm still looking as well!
01/12/2023
Omskie
Omskie
4
I'm disappointed with the traveling system. if you don't do the auto path surely you will be lost in the game.
11/04/2022
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Kef
Kef
TapTap Editor
Kef
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3
agreed! There's just not enough unique stuff in the zone design to help players learn the layout and navigate on their own
11/04/2022
GOD
GOD
6
Level caps are one of the worst gaming designs ever, this game is designed around that, way to slow at unlocking better gears.
11/04/2022
Author liked
matthewjc93
matthewjc93
3
nah i just installed , this game is really p2w
11/05/2022
Author liked
PetrickStarr
PetrickStarr
2
what is traha? is that a game? what a weird name
11/05/2022
Author liked
Entropy
Entropy
Where s the new ver dev? the maintenance was done 4 hours ago. Please update the lastest ver (1.3.37)
12/21/2022
Gie
Gie
how play this game? i can't play cz dont new version? how can i get update new version?
11/20/2022
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