Key Takeaways
1. Chief Rebel, formed by veterans from major studios, introduces a new game genre called Multiplayer Online Dungeon Adventures (MODA).
2. The game focuses on quick, cooperative dungeon expeditions without open-world quests or traditional MMO elements.
3. Players can choose pre-made heroes, enhance equipment, and face dynamically adjusting challenges in randomly generated dungeons.
4. A free playtest for Fellowship will be available from February 24 to March 3 as part of Steam Next Fest.
5. Community reactions are cautiously positive, emphasizing the lack of subscriptions and grinding, but raising concerns about customization options and the use of pre-made heroes.
Fellowship marks the first release from Chief Rebel, a game studio established by experienced professionals from Avalanche Studios, Ubisoft, Blizzard, and Rockstar. The team has combined features from MMOs, MOBAs, and ARPGs to invent a fresh genre they call Multiplayer Online Dungeon Adventures (MODA). This game emphasizes quick, cooperative dungeon expeditions, drawing inspiration from the Mythic+ system in World of Warcraft, but it does not include open-world quests, storylines, or other common MMO characteristics. In terms of visuals, it strongly resembles World of Warcraft.
Gameplay Elements
Players can choose from various pre-made heroes, enhance their equipment, and face increasingly tough challenges within randomly generated dungeons—similar to aspects of roguelikes and ARPGs. Each successful dungeon run grants players valuable rewards, while the strength of enemies adjusts dynamically. Fans of World of Warcraft’s Mythic+ dungeons will likely find themselves at home here, especially since Fellowship will not demand a paid subscription. A gameplay overview trailer, released on February 19, showcases the action-packed experience:
Release and Community Reaction
It remains uncertain if Fellowship will be available in 2025, but players won’t have to wait too long for a taste of it. As part of the upcoming Steam Next Fest, Chief Rebel is offering a free playtest. From February 24 to March 3, gamers can immerse themselves in Fellowship without any cost.
The Reddit community seems to be cautiously positive about Fellowship. The concept of MMO-style dungeons, free from level grinding or daily tasks, has been welcomed. The business approach—without subscriptions or gacha systems—is also favored, provided that the always-online requirement doesn’t turn problematic. Yet, some issues linger. The user interface, which draws heavily from WoW add-ons, seems to provide fewer options for customization, which might complicate the tracking of buffs and cooldowns. Moreover, the reliance on pre-made heroes has elicited mixed feelings, with some gamers desiring a character creation feature for greater personalization.
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