Mabinogi is a game that has been in service for over 20 years. How do you remember a game that has endured for two decades? Even comparing memories from just a year ago, everyone's recollection is bound to differ, and indeed, no two people remember it quite the same way. Mabinogi is precisely that kind of game. The memories people hold and how they picture the game naturally vary from person to person.
Even so, there are unchanging elements that everyone shares in common—things like the game's atmosphere, the feel of its visuals, and its background music. The aspects that players loved or found memorable linger on as a distinct sentiment. Mabinogi Eternity accurately captures that essence, faithfully preserving its signature feel.
🧚 Powered by Unreal Engine! Graphics and atmosphere faithful to the original's feel
Right from the start, things were a bit bewildering. I expected to see the early story, but suddenly Elves and Giants appeared beside me, while the goddess who used to whisper "Can you hear me?" with her eyes closed was nowhere to be found. However, Nao was right there in the Soul Stream, welcoming the Milletian just as before.
The graphics are, of course, noticeably different and improved thanks to the engine upgrade. Yet, the distinct visual style Mabinogi has always pursued remains intact despite using a modern engine. While clearly upgraded, it felt as though care was taken not to turn it into an entirely unrecognizable game.
The color palette feels noticeably brighter than the original. While it doesn't ruin the overall atmosphere, it occasionally appears somewhat hazy, which might divide player opinions. Since this could easily be addressed with adjustable graphics settings, it doesn't seem like a major concern. In conclusion, the atmosphere easily earns a passing grade.
While it may be too early to judge aspects like staging and cutscenes, the cutscenes shown in the alpha build were not unnatural or off-putting in any way. Personally, seeing the NPCs accompanied by nostalgic illustrations felt great, especially since the improved modeling drastically reduced the visual disconnect.
There are clear improvements as well. Characters' fingers move individually, clothing objects sway independently, and previously clumpy hair has been broken down into finer strands that sway smoothly. As a result, the characters feel much more lively, and the rendering of clothing is vastly improved.
Overall, in terms of graphics and atmosphere, adopting a modern engine has resolved limitations that were difficult to overcome on the old engine, while intentionally holding back on overly flashy features of modern engines. It preserves the sentiment that Milletians love without disrupting the game's atmosphere.
✨ Familiar combat and progression systems, with a few improvements...?
To be honest, it is impossible to properly judge the combat based on this build alone. For starters, as an alpha build perk, full hit-stagger resistance was applied, so actions aren't interrupted, and your character won't knock down even if a wolf leaps at you with a bite or Smash attack. It was impossible to experience the rock-paper-scissors style combat of classic Mabinogi. Progression was also extremely fast, allowing players to reach near the level cap of 200 within just an hour or two after Rebirthing.
Even so, the core progression system does not stray far from traditional Mabinogi mechanics. This time, I focused on magic, testing Bolt spells, Ice Spear, Thunder, Fireball, and eventually Meteor Strike. Here, too, the original's charm remains fully intact, and the controls feel virtually unchanged.
The feel of Fireball zooming through the air, dropping into place, and exploding with a heavy "boom", as well as the lightning strikes of Thunder, were all very similar to the original. One addition worth noting is the dash skill. Pressing the spacebar allows for a fast emergency dodge and dash, which seemed to grant brief invincibility frames. It was quite useful in battle, and being available across all Talents seems like a great feature.
Monsters encountered in dungeons have also received graphical upgrades. Perhaps because it was a test server, even the highest-difficulty dungeons were tuned to be easily cleared solo. Thus, rather than allowing players to analyze combat dynamics and flow, it felt more like a brief showcase of "this is how it feels," which was somewhat disappointing.
Additionally, a target-based aggro display system was added, allowing players to see who a monster is targeting—a feature that should prove quite useful in party play. The Succubus Queen in Rabbie Phantasm was limited to simple attack patterns, and with Nao revivals available, the dungeon could be cleared solo without knowing mechanics at all, making it impossible to evaluate actual combat difficulty.
Skill rank-ups still require training, though the required training count was set extremely low for the test. Advancing skills still costs AP. Talents were similarly presented at a basic preview level. Additionally, pets could not be summoned inside dungeons, and Mimics could not be revealed using Windmill. Come to think of it, monster ratings based on character combat power were not clearly displayed, reduced to simple icons and colors.
🍃 The classic 'Life Skill grinding' remains, but with quality-of-life additions...?
Life skills are an indispensable part of Mabinogi, and Eternity offers a brief taste of them. For starters, almost all life skills were granted at Rank 1. In this test, crafting via life skills was mandatory to enter high-difficulty dungeons, forcing players to engage with them whether they wanted to or not.
Higher ranks in gathering skills offered benefits such as increased yield and faster gathering speeds. Material crafting skills like Refining and Weaving allowed players to craft items all at once or automatically process multiple items. The process of reaching near-completion before finishing was identical, though the finishing step was executed automatically in this build.
Overall, life skills are likely to involve repetitive grinding. However, the developers did attempt to minimize the monotony by providing various quality-of-life features. Life skills offered no bonus stats, and performing them required equipping the corresponding Gathering Tool or Kit. However, paired with the redesigned inventory UI, locating these items proved somewhat inconvenient. A clearer visual distinction or shading would have made them easier to find.
The inventory system has also been revamped so that each item occupies a single slot. Veterans of old Mabinogi who remember stuffing endless bags inside their inventory will find that system gone, replaced by a weight mechanic. While weight was hardly an issue during the test, some players might be quite disappointed upon first seeing this change.
Crafted equipment was categorized into quality tiers, though crafting outcomes currently rely on luck. The highest tier was Master grade. In the test version, crafting a lower-grade item was cushioned by a system that allowed token exchanges. In practice, the performance gap between tiers was larger than expected, even for identical items.
The dyeing system could also be previewed briefly, and surprisingly, players could directly specify their desired color. Milletians who have memorized their favorite RGB values could immediately enter their signature colors to dye equipment. However, selecting 1 out of 5 slots or picking maximum slots still required completing the mini-game manually. In this test build, dyeing was possible using the cloth palette regardless of material type, such as silk or metal.
Even in life skills, there is a clear attempt to preserve Mabinogi's unique feel while introducing convenient features to lessen frustration. However, player reactions to the life skill system are likely to be sharply divided. While it is hard to gauge fully from this brief preview, future tests are bound to generate significant feedback. On a side note, Simon's shoulder sway animation is gone.
🌱 20 years of memories and romance: A game worth keeping an eye on
Before concluding, one more thing to add is that this 'alpha' test felt closer to a traditional playtest. Lately, testing in most games has leaned heavily into promotional marketing rather than genuine testing, abandoning the traditional progression of alpha, closed beta, and open beta. Mabinogi Eternity staying true to the traditional concept of an alpha test was actually quite refreshing.
Even on day two, several features were added that weren't present yesterday, alongside live bug fixes. Furthermore, the developers held a live broadcast on day one to converse with players in real time and clarify the direction of development. This makes the feedback and play data provided by current testers vital—it marks the period where the development team reviews this input to solidify their vision and momentum.
Reactions to this game will inevitably be polarized depending on how one views it: either as a 'remake' trying to recapture the charm of classic Mabinogi, or as a completely new title built on a modern engine by contemporary standards.
From the latter perspective, most players would likely conclude that it falls short. However, considering the original intent and purpose of this project, such a critique is somewhat unreasonable. That said, optimization was slightly disappointing even in this test build. Running the game at 4K resolution on ultra settings with a 9800X3D, 4080S, and 32GB RAM ran without major strain, but it felt as though it couldn't quite hold a steady 60 FPS.
From the former perspective, however, I would give it high marks. As a test build designed to establish and validate the development team's direction, it performed admirably. That does not mean the game was flawless; rather, presenting a test build of this scale at this stage was impressive. It was essentially asking players, "This is our vision—what do you think?" While Mabinogi's unique sentiment is well preserved, player feedback will be crucial regarding how systems are modernized.
This game represents a romantic endeavor. It is more costly, complex, and filled with potential pitfalls, but it stems from a commitment to deliver the graphic overhaul Milletians desire while reproducing that distinct atmosphere and gameplay on a new engine. Overall, this alpha test successfully captured Mabinogi's signature sentiment, and even included the option to play classic versions of the background music, providing thoughtful touches to evoke nostalgia.
Based on this test, I hope Mabinogi Eternity continues to develop into a project that lives up to Milletians' expectations. It promises to be an exciting journey to watch.
