Yesterday, the Ragnarok Origin NA team posted on their socials that the game will be on Closed Beta from September 23rd to September 27th! It really feels like that the much-awaited release is just around the corner and we just can’t wait! Have you pre-registered on their official website already? If not, do so. Exciting in-game prices and a chance to win a real Tesla car are in-store for all of us Ragnarok fans!
Since we’ve been playing Ragnarok Origin on one of the Japanese servers for a few weeks now, we thought of sharing with you 20 of the things we’ve noticed about and enjoyed in this fun (and super adorable!) mobile game from Gravity. Many of the features below may bear similarities with those found in either the original Ragnarok Online PC game or Ragnarok Mobile: Eternal Love. However, there are also quite a number of features unique to Ragnarok Origin! We hope this information will make you feel all hyped up for its official release.
We tried to make this list as spoiler-free as possible, but there may be a few small hints about the main story arc of the game.
Table of Contents
1. Ragnarok Origin is set in A.W. 1002.
According to Ragnarok Wiki, the timeline of the entire Ragnarok franchise can be broken down into three eras:
- Age of Gods – a thousand-year time predating the Thousand-Year War between the Gods of Asgard and the Giants led by Ymir. I presume this is the first Ragnarok cataclysmic event mentioned in Ragnarok Origin‘s cinematic trailer.
- After War (A.W) – the years following the Thousand-Year War characterized by centuries of war. The events of the Ragnarok manhwa, the classic RO game, and Ragnarok M are set during this era.
- Age of Man (Neu Era or N.E.) – the years succeeding the second Ragnarok cataclysmic event brought about by the goddess Freya and her followers. Ragnarok Online 2 is set during this period.
From conversations with key characters involved in the main story arc, along with the events played out in these quests, it is evident that Ragnarok Origin is set in the same time period as Ragnarok Online. One of the lead characters in the story even mentions that a certain notable event occurred in A.W. 781, and in his words this “was more than 200 years ago”.
Further along the main plot, we read a news article describing the recent events that have occurred (and we’re involved in) and it clearly states that the year is A.W. 1002.
2. Because of this, many recurring characters from Ragnarok Online are present.
At the Adventurers’ Academy, we meet two characters who would be familiar to those who have played RO. These are Guide Sprakki and Combat Instructor Brade. As we progress through story quests, we meet many others. For the sake of not spoiling your playthrough, we’ll just give you a few hints. You can also just opt to scroll down to number 3!
- A particular priest involved with the Royal Family
- A powerful Lord Knight bound to his duty to his kingdom
- A female former exorcist and her singing son
- A certain wise sage who researches the Heart of Ymir
These are the ones I’ve met so far after finishing nine chapters of the main storyline. I’m certain we’ll find more familiar faces in the future!
3. Also, it has the memorable maps and BGMs from Ragnarok Online.
Nostalgia abound! As mentioned in Part 3 of our Let’s Explore Ragnarok Origin! Tutorial series, ROO has many of the same maps as RO when it first came out, with the exception of Aldebaran and a few fields in between towns. Of course, these maps are much smaller than their original counterparts since it’s a mobile game. But this still makes it easy for long-time RO fans to navigate the world and at the same time, be reminded of the memories they once had with old friends in those towns, dungeons, and fields.
We were also able to listen to some of the hit BGMs through a Jukebox in Part 1 of our adventure. That time, we realized that the tutorial area’s song sounds different from that of RO’s although they have the exact same title. We also found out that there is a different version of the “Theme of Prontera” for Ragnarok Origin.
After a few hours of playing, I noticed that there are actually two Prontera themes in this game! The first BGM is the one used in their live-action trailer and is also played the first time you arrive in this nostalgic town. It evokes a sense of grandeur and majesty, apt for the seat of power in the Rune-Midgarts Kingdom. The other BGM is a more mellow and romantic theme that sounds very similar to the original “Theme of Prontera” albeit in a different arrangement and a few odd-sounding off-pitch part toward the end of the song.
4. It has rich character customization in the form of the Closet and Mount features.
While character creation is very limited as it only allows you to change your hairstyle, hair color, and eye features, Ragnarok Origin does not disappoint with the variety of options for character customization that will make every fashion-conscious gamer’s day. The Closet feature allows you to store and wear hair, face, and back ornaments, as well as costumes. These cosmetics are available through quest rewards, created by a certain NPC in exchange for materials, and won through Costume Gacha.
Cute and cool mounts are also available once your character reaches Level 65! After doing a short quest, you will be rewarded with an animal mount which differs depending on your Job.
- Swordsman – Lion
- Acolyte – Alpaca
- Mage – Fox
- Thief – Hyena
- Merchant – Save
- Archer – Ostrich
These mounts have to be fed consumables (Cookies) to level up. Reaching Mount Level 5 allows you to ride the mount, while reaching Level 20 unlocks Mount Evolution. Every time your mount increases in level, your character also gains Stat bonuses. Another goal is for you to increase your furry friend’s personality traits by feeding them certain consumables (Kiwis). These traits are: Valor, Wisdom, Love, Activeness, and Cuteness.
More complex-looking Special Mounts are also obtainable through item exchange. From the majestic Deviruchi-drawn carriage named “Two-Seater Deviruchi” to the spooky yet silly Whisper bookworm aptly called “Dr. Whisper”, there is absolutely a mount for everyone!
5. Capture memorable moments with the Camera feature and express yourself with Emotes.
ROO’s beautiful graphics and rich character customization are two reasons to use your Camera often! Aside from these two, Ragnarok Origin is such a visually appealing game that the significance of taking pictures is made palpable in the in-game world itself. Quests make use of pictures (whether taken by a camera or derived from someone’s memory) to identify key characters in the story and to progress the plot. It feels like Gravity really encourages players to get into the habit of using the Camera feature to bask in the beauty of the game and share fun moments through pictures.
The Camera Mode allows you to choose from different emotes, facial expressions, poses and actions, as well as frames. Once you take a photo, you can choose to save it on your device or in your Photo Album.
Emotes can also be used outside of Camera Mode, much like what we’re used to in RO. This makes communication with other players more interesting and interactive!
6. Speaking of graphics, you can play it in 2.5D or 3D.
As introduced in Episode 7.5 in Ragnarok M, players also have the option to choose between 2.5D and 3D camera angles in Ragnarok Origin. The former is recommended for those who have grown accustomed to the classic RO view angle, as well as during combat. On the other hand, the latter looks great when in Camera Mode or just taking an afternoon stroll around Prontera.
7. The current level cap is 80 and Rebirth/Transcendent Jobs are available. 2-2 Job Classes are being released one at a time.
On the official Japanese Ragnarok Origin where I’m currently playing, the current level cap is 80 and will increase to 85 by the end of September. Aside from First and Second Jobs, your character can advance to Rebirth/Transcendent Jobs: Lord Knight, High Priest, High Wizard, Assassin Cross, Whitesmith, and Sniper.
On its release, none of the 2-2 Job Classes–Crusader, Monk, Sage, Rogue, Alchemist, and Bard/Dancer–were available in jROO. However, a week ago they released the Monk Job alongside its Rebirth counterpart, the Champion! They even have an on-going event to commemorate its release!
8. Like in RO, you need to take Job Change Quests.
This may sound frustrating at first, but I guarantee you this won’t be a pain in the derriere. I myself had some really tough times completing job change quests in Ragnarok Online. I really hated having to go to Father Rulbakabara all the way to the east of Prontera just to become an Acolyte because I always died of the Choco–an aggressive leader of the Yoyo pack. The Wizard job change quest without a Phen card was also equally annoying! And remember the Q&A portion of these quests? You either have to be an RO trivia genius or have your phone with you so you can access a guide site to find the answers!
Thankfully, ROO’s Job Change Quests are really short and simple. As featured in our latest video, the Archer Job Change Quest only has two main parts: improving your concentration to find and interact with a talking Smokie, and practice shooting your bow with Azmera. I’ve also tried changing into a Swordsman and a Thief with two other characters and their quests were doable within 5 minutes (2 minutes if you just skip all dialogues).
Advancing to both Second and Rebirth/Transcendent Jobs also requires passing tests. They really aren’t time-consuming nor difficult, so it shouldn’t be something to worry about!
9. There are Build Guides for various builds and you can have up to 3 builds loadouts!
For those like me who aren’t confident in their ability to make their own character builds, this feature is quite handy. Once you have advanced to your Second Job, you will have access to Multiple Build Loadouts. On the right hand area of your Character window, you will notice that there’s now a dropdown menu with the name “Default”. Tapping it will show you three options, two of which are currently locked. These are your Stat Build Loadouts.
Your first Stat Build Loadout is already unlocked because you’ve been using it all this time. The second can be unlocked for 20,000 Zennies, while the third one is unlocked with 50,000 Zennies. Tap “Recommended Distribution” to show build options and set one build for each of your loadouts. Since I’m a Hunter, I have two options: Rapid Fire and Trapper. Once set, your Status Points will be automatically allocated to the recommended Stats based on the build chosen.
This goes the same for your Skill Build Loadouts. You can have up to three build loadouts and switch between them before doing a Party Event or before going to Endless Tower! Not only that, you can also see the recommended equipment for each build!
10. It has two combat modes for ranged and AoE skills: Classic Mode and Double Wheel Mode.
If you go to the Settings window, under the Personal tab, you will see the option to choose between two modes. The Classic mode is recommended for beginners, since it allows you to choose your target area while standing still before using a Skill. On the other hand, Double Wheel Mode is for advanced players. In this mode, you can set your target area while moving your character at the same time. This is specially useful for Jobs that mainly rely on AoE skills like Wizards, particularly when faced with hordes of monsters!
11. It has a weather, temperature, and time system.
As we’ve explored in Part 3 of our Tutorial series, Ragnarok Origin‘s environment changes with the time and the weather. Tapping the small icon to the upper right of your mini-map shows you the current weather and time. Tapping the mini-map itself shows you the weather forecast for the next few hours.
Time doesn’t really change much in-world in my experience, except for the obvious–bright during daytime and dark at night. In terms of temperature, it can be pleasant, hot, scorching hot, cool… you know the rest.
The most interesting part is the weather. It can be bright and sunny one moment and then all of a sudden, it rains! And when it does, it’s so cute to see the NPCs (even the one you’re currently in conversation with) opening their umbrellas to protect themselves.
Rain also brings thunder sounds and lightning! Lightning can strike you and when it does, your hair turns afro. This may be contentious and actually makes me feel uncomfortable. I wonder if this particular feature will be removed in naROO…
12. Leveling up is quite fast… until around level 50.
If you progress through the main storyline and do some Adventure Quests, it won’t be long until you advance to your Second Job and reach level 50. I think this is attainable within a few hours, which is very cool because you actually feel like you’re getting stronger in just a short amount of time. And as you level up, new features become unlocked! These range from the Mercenary System and Endless Tower access, to Verus Cores and Mounts.
However, I noticed that when I reached level 50, doing the main Story Quests, alongside some Sub-Story Quests and the Adventure Quests, wasn’t enough anymore. I found myself having to do Daily Quests and even monster grinding to reach the level required for the next Story Quest to become available. It isn’t too frustrating yet, but I can’t imagine how it’ll be when they finally increase the level cap to 99.
13. Take note of your Combat Time.
As with Ragnarok M, Ragnarok Origin also has a Battle Stamina meter called “Combat Time” in jROO. Each day you get 120 minutes of Combat Time and when you run out, you will no longer gain Base and Job EXP nor will monsters give you item drops. You can check your combat time on the upper left hand corner of your screen, right next to your Base and Job Level display. It’s the icon with the two swords.
The column on your left shows today’s EXP bonus. This is carried on from the previous day’s combat time, if it was not fully spent.
The benefit of this, as I see it, is that it prevents players from grinding for hours on end. It helps keep them healthy, yes, but from the developers’ perspective, it also makes it difficult for players to reach the level cap within just a few days. This allows the devs time to come up with new updates that will keep ROO fresh and make it more fun for everyone.
14. The Mercenary System helps with combat, especially when playing alone.
If you’ve played Ragnarok Online, you’re surely familiar with mercenaries. This feature was added later on to aid players who prefer to level up alone, especially beginners and those whose Jobs aren’t very battle-oriented such as Acolytes/Priests and brewer-build Alchemists. Three mercenary types are available in RO–Spearman, Fencer, and Bowman–and they can be hired for a contract of 30-minutes at a time. They leave when the contract expires, they die, or the character dies.
In ROO, however, Mercenaries will be with you forever, until you choose to either dismiss them or replace them with another. But don’t worry, you can always hire them back!
In Ragnarok Origin, the Mercenary System is unlocked at Level 20. Six Mercenaries are available corresponding to each of the 6 Job classes: (Note that the names might change in the NA localization.)
- Raikin – Swordsman (available at Level 28)
- Lilira – Acolyte (available at Level 28)
- Ayumi – Mage (available at Level 42)
- Jono – Thief (available at Level 42)
- Natalie – Merchant (available at Level 42)
- Jessie – Archer (available at Level 20)
The first mercenary available to Level 20 players is Jessie. For each of the Mercenaries, a recruitment quest has to be completed in order to hire them. These are short and quite easy, and you’ll have your first ally in no time!
At level 42, you can complete a short combat quest to obtain a license that allows you to hire two mercenaries at a time. Upon completion, a window will pop up and show the recommended Mercenary pair based on your Job class. My recommended pair is Raikin and Lilira!
Mercenaries make use of the Auto-Recovery Device to automatically recover HP and SP. Don’t forget to set them! (You actually won’t because there’s a short quest to remind you of this.) Leveling up your allies require Mercenary Scrolls. They can also advance to their respective Second Job classes by completing a Job Change Quest for them when they reach Level 40.
Under the Equipment tab, you can level up their gears using Copper Coins. And finally, once they reach Level 50, you can assign them Traits which increase their Stats. You can do this at Mercenary Levels 50, 55, 60, and 70 using a scroll.
15. It has many interactive elements scattered around its world.
As with Ragnarok Online, you can sit anywhere in ROO! Aside from this, you can also sit on benches both inside towns and out in the fields. On a personal note, I never leave any of my characters standing while I am AFK or Alt-Tab for a few minutes or while waiting for someone. It just doesn’t feel right… I always have to make them sit! Do you feel the same way with your characters?
The level of interactivity in Ragnarok Origin doesn’t stop there. You can also access “secret” places by climbing ladders. Sometimes these hidden areas have Whisper-like ghosts looking down on unsuspecting people, but in my experience they’re just set design. I couldn’t interact with them no matter how many times I had tried!
16. It has the well-loved Kafra Services! And teleportation is a breeze!
What Ragnarok game would be complete without the charming and ever-so-helpful girls from Kafra Corporation? Not only are they ever present, they also offer the best services in all of Midgard!
As we know from Ragnarok Online, these lovely ladies offer three main services: Save Point, Teleportation, and Storage. One thing that’s different in ROO though is that they can also be found outside towns! This makes moving from one map to another really fast and efficient. To make things even better, you can teleport to a specific Kafra in every town with multiple Kafra employees present. For instance, if you’re out in the field and want to return to Prontera you can choose to be teleported to the North, South, West, and East Prontera Kafra employees.
Another cool thing is that when you’re doing a quest and need to move maps, you can simply tap on the Quest Box. This will make your character walk toward a Kafra and you don’t even have to select which location you want to go to. Tapping the Quest Box automatically sets the destination for you!
Not in the middle of a quest but want to teleport to another location? Tap the mini-map on your screen to access the World Map, then select your destination. A local map pops up and just tap anywhere (or choose a specific Kafra if you’re heading to a town}. The game’s auto-pathing feature will do all the work for you, including approaching the Kafra for teleportation service and entering portals.
17. NPCs give life to the game.
As you may have seen in one of our Let’s Explore Ragnarok Origin! Tutorial videos, I love talking with NPCs. Not only are the major characters a delight to speak with, the ambient NPCs also add flavor to the game. These otherwise insignificant NPCs add life to the world of ROO and also give insight to the culture of various towns, the lifestyle of their citizens, and interesting pieces of lore.
Some characters are voiced, although voice dialogues among ambient NPCs are shared by those of the same kind. For instance, multiple male Novices at the Adventurers’ Academy have the following voice line: “Oh, you’re an adventurer too! It’s nice to meet you!” Major NPCs on the other hand do not share the same voice dialogues as any other character, although they tend to repeat the same few lines every time you initiate a conversation with them.
If you’re like me and you have the urge to talk to all NPCs in a game, keep this in mind so you don’t waste your valuable time: Any character that’s standing or sitting can be interacted with, but not those who walk around a particular area (such as patrolling guards and villagers).
18. Animated and cinematic cutscenes adds excitement and humor to storytelling.
As shown in one of our previous videos, Ragnarok Origin makes use of both animated and cinematic cutscenes. The former is often employed in humorous or fast-paced, action-packed scenes, while the latter is used to portray legendary events from the past. These visually appealing elements make questing in ROO fun and exciting, instead of going for long dialogues that could potentially break the sense of urgency supposed to be evoked by its quests.
The world is in chaos, people are dying, mysterious things are happening all over Midgard… Sitting for tens of minutes listening to an NPC ramble about something that could instead be accomplished within a minute or two by a cutscene? That would break our immersion! So I’m grateful this game doesn’t do that. Ragnarok Origin‘s cutscenes are engaging and really beautiful!
19. It has a rich main questline that ties some of the most significant story quests from RO into a comprehensive story arc.
Ragnarok Origin has a well-written main story arc that will get you hooked from the very first chapter. It starts with a chance encounter with an Assassin named Rux right after you change into your First Job. She is ambushed by unknown assailants dressed in white and donning a white mask. This is the beginning of a mystery that is wrapped in even more mysteries!
I don’t want to spoil anything but here’s how I can describe the main plot in a few words: a detective adventure story with overarching plots filled with mysterious events, tragedy, illegal experiments, cults, kidnappings, a few stealth missions, and well, the heart of Ymir. It showcases the fragile relationship between the three countries that share the Midgard continent–the Kingdom of Rune-Midgarts, the Republic of Schwartzvald, and the religious Arunafeltz States.
Many elements of the main questline were clearly derived from some of the most profound quests in Ragnarok Online, so there may be some parts that won’t really be shocking to you anymore. But they were shortened and made more cohesive that every chapter can be completed within 15-20 minutes, although the later chapters tend to be much longer. These RO quests are connected and woven into one fascinating main story arc that will keep you asking questions and wanting answers at every chapter’s end.
ROO’s main story involves interesting characters with their own unique personalities that will be memorable in the long run. I’m sure you’ll develop some sort of affinity with some of them as you progress through the main questline.
Sub-Stories are also available in between some of the chapters. These are short side quests that give you a deeper look into the characters as well as a couple of events in the main story. Be sure to give them a try!
20. Adventure Quests are fun and interesting side quests, many of which are derived from RO quests.
Aside from main Story Quests and Sub-Stories, ROO also has Adventure Quests. These are short 10-15-minute quests that both a shine a light on the big events in-world and give a glimpse into the private lives and activities of some of Midgard’s citizens.
Some of these quests are totally brand new such as the silly “Baphomet’s Footprints”, while others are shorter (and easier to complete!) versions of classic RO quests such as “Eye of Helion”. My personal favorite is “Babysitting the Siblings,” which is a heartwarming quest about two children, an older sister and a younger brother, who just really miss their parents.
Lastly, I’m just going to leave it here because this really gave me goosebumps: one infamous–probably one of the most infamous quests in the history of gaming–RO quest is also available in ROO as an Adventure Quest. Hint: used to be very long and buggy.
Did these 20 things make you look forward to Ragnarok Origin‘s NA release even more? Which one of them do you like the most? There are still so much more that ROO has to offer, so watch out for our next list!