The Secret World (Windows)

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Description

The Secret World is an MMORPG set in a modern day environment, but with elements from urban legends, myths, magic and conspiracies. There are real cities such as Seoul, New York and London, but also completely fictional locations. The three cities represent the home base of the three secret societies (factions) that are available: Dragon, Illuminati and Templars respectively. Players work together, or against each other in PvP combat, with a larger story of monsters threatening the world.

Character building through experience is entirely skill based; there are no levels or classes. Instead skills trees and abilities provide customization options for clothing, weapons and supernatural powers. Classes are replaced by decks, pre-suggested templates of complementing abilities that forms 11 types for each faction, but these can still be fully customized. Crafting is also supported, through a process of assembly and disassembly to create new items or break them down to their base components. The game puts very few restrictions on combinations, allowing the player to create a very specific playing style. There is much focus on combat defeating monsters to solve quests.

Next to the main story with sidequests there are investigation missions that introduce puzzles to the game with elements of ARGs and social networking to look up clues, also on the internet outside the game, to find clues and complete the quests. Other missions involve stealth, sabotage or hunting. Missions are interspersed with rendered cinematics.

Screenshots

Promo Images

Alternate Titles

• "The World Online" -- Working title
• "Cabal" -- Working title

Part of the Following Groups

• Middleware: Scaleform GFx SDK
• Middleware: SpeedTree
• Middleware: Umbra 3
• Physics Engine: PhysX
• Setting: City - London
• Setting: City - New York
• The Secret World series

User Reviews

There are no reviews for this game.

Critic Reviews

Gaming Nexus	Sep 14, 2012	9 out of 10	90
Games Finder	Nov 01, 2014	9 out of 10	90
GameStar (Germany)	Jul 03, 2012	81 out of 100	81
Game Watcher	Jul 18, 2012	8 out of 10	80
Common Sense Media	2012		80
Jeuxvideo.com	Jul 03, 2012	16 out of 20	80
4Players.de	Sep 14, 2012	76 out of 100	76
GamersNET	Jul 20, 2012	7.5 out of 10	75
GameSpy	Jul 18, 2012		70
PC Gamer	Aug 01, 2012	69 out of 100	69

Forums

Topic	# Posts	Last Post
No monthly fees required.	1	Patrick Bregger (248569) Dec 15, 2012

Trivia

Business model change

As of December 12, 2012 the game changed its business model: similar to Guild Wars, after buying the game once there are no monthly payments required anymore. However, an optionally subscription offers advantages like monthly points which can be redeemed in the store, e.g. for DLCs (so-called "issues" which continue the story and add other content). The first four updates are free for every buyer and update five is free for everyone registered in 2012.

Awards

• 4Players
  • 2009 – #6 Best Trailer of the Year
• GameStar (Germany) / GamePro (Germany)
  • 2012 - #5 Best Online Game of the Year (Readers' Vote)

Related Web Sites

• IGCD Internet Game Cars Database (Game page on IGCD, a database that tries to archive vehicles found in video games.)
• thesecretworld.com (official game website (English/German/French))