Generic questing aside, Tera is a well-executed game: it's easy on the eyes, smooth under the fingers, and remarkably stable.

TERA fixes the very worst aspect of WoW-the lame combat-while making some improvements to other features and doing a good job of emulating the basics. If you're looking for a new MMO, TERA is an excellent choice.

Pushed to the extremes of an MMORPG, even the commendable highs of its unrelenting focus on combat run out of steam long before you even reach the level cap, and that's a terrible fate for a game that otherwise shows so much promise.

Overall, Tera is extremely fun; the real time battle system makes the game very unique among the MMO genre. The use of the Unreal Engine and the beautiful soundtrack does a wonderful job of immersing players into the world. The promise of the Vanarchs sounds like a great attempt at giving players the ability to really influence the world, though the questing system is somewhat disappointing in the sense that it makes the game feel like a standard MMO. And finally the battle system makes the game stand out against a slew of MMO games that have already made a name for themselves.

What the game does well it does very well, the action combat system being the foremost example of that. There's no shortage of small missteps that interfered with my total satisfaction with the game, made even more annoying by the fact that most of them could have had simple fixes. But the good does significantly outweigh the bad, and if you're looking for an MMO that plays very dynamically and differently from most of the pack, Tera is right up your alley.

With a fresh take on combat that forgoes a targeting system in favor of a simple crosshair, the game shines in both the visual and gameplay department.

Looks fantastic, with interesting combat mechanics, but dull quests ruin the party. [Aug 2012, p.83]

Tera features a truely great combat system but it actually hides cumbersome mechanics and repetitive quest grinding with poor endgame contents and a shallow PvP system. Next updates should provide a decent amount of content but in the meanwhile TERA is just a mediocre MMO with sexy ladies and cool gear.

A more than noteworthy MMORPG with a phenomenal combat system. We are sure future MMORPG will take good note of TERA's combat mechanics and once you try it you will be convinced. Despite this great combat system, the game is too traditional in other aspects. Every fan of the genre should give it at least a try.

TERA is beautiful to see and explore, and exciting to play. It may stick too close to some of the generic conceits of MMO gameplay, but it most definitely offers a unique and enjoyable experience.

Heavy grind will rightly put people off, but make it to grouping and its combat shines. Some of the races are still creepy though.

TERA may not offer enough to dethrone World of Warcraft, but it is a wonderful game with a thrilling story and loads of action. Above all else the combat mechanics are a great innovation.

If simply taken as the sum of its parts, TERA might not seem all that impressive. But considering just how excellent its combat is and just how gorgeous everything in-game looks, it's impossible to dismiss the game as just another run-of-the-mill MMO.

Action-oriented combat and interesting graphics aren't enough to overcome what is overall a rather bland experience.

I enjoyed my time with Tera and it did leave me wanting to play more. If you can get past the occasional lag and easy starting area, it's a nice alternative to WoW. Whether or not it'll survive against WoW remains to be seen, but I think Tera will stick around for quite some time.

The fact is that TERA has an incredible amount going for it as an MMO. It forges ahead of most other offerings in terms of graphics, it presents a style of combat that not only sets itself apart from most options but manages to be a major selling point for the game, it comes with a diverse array of fun classes to play as, and it does it all with style and grace.

On its loftiest promise of redefining massively multiplayer combat for good, Tera delivers a stunning new model of action that can't be ignored. Its only flaw is keeping the focus of its ambitions narrow, choosing to play it safe in almost every other regard with the form and function of an otherwise conventional MMO.

The world of Tera is one that most gamers have seen a lot: monsters, heroes with a lot of equipment and heroines with huge, erm… skills. It's hard to blame people for leaving Tera for what it is after having taken a quick glance at it. But that would be a shame because Tera has a few refreshing game mechanics. The real-time battles are about skill instead of statistics and many different monsters make every fight exhilarating. It's too bad though that it has a terribly boring questing system.

Is TERA worth your time? It depends. Can you handle an endless barrage of generic quests? If the answer is 'yes', you'll find yourself emmerged in a fantastic world. Even though TERA follows a path that is well known in the MMO-handbook, it manages to lift the genre to a higher level in some ways. One of of those ways is the nearly perfect combat system, Also, fans of PvP elements will find a heavenly experience in this absolute pearl of an MMO.

TERA is faithful to the Korean tradition. However, while devoted to grinding, TERA introduces interesting new features such as the political system. The lack of appropriate endgame content, and the mismanagement by Frogster and Blue Hole are emptying the servers.

With its fun and entertaining PvE and PvP, TERA proves to be a title with great potential. If you are bored with what you are playing now, we suggest you to give it a try.

That being said, Tera is in surprisingly good shape for a game so early in its life cycle. The journey to level cap is mostly entertaining, endgame content is available, and the core gameplay elements are solid.

Tera will be remembered for two things: art and its implementation of a combat experience unique to the genre. But the use of familiar MMO tropes feels somewhat uninspired. From the beginning, taking down monsters and levelling up is easy and only after the player leaves the Island of Dawn do monsters pose more of a challenge, but the biggest enemy you'll have to contend with is boredom. While Tera has a strong focus on community and PvP and the combat certainly is an innovation that I'd like to see implemented in more MMOs, I've had a difficult time breaking through the monotony of the non-community experience.

Fantastic combat system and impressive graphics. TERA is a joy for the senses and an adventure that will fill the player with light, colour, rich landscapes and imaginative monsters. However, the quest design is a bit poor and predictable.

Highly addictive new MMORPG thanks to its fantastic environment and sophisticated combat system. Main story and quest lines deserve some improvements. [July 2012]

Quotation forthcoming.

Too light to really capture PvE fans in the long run, Tera offers, on the other hand, a new level of challenge for those who like player versus player battles, thanks to its manual "true" targeting combat. Even though there's still some major things missing (like the battlegrounds), Tera remains a solid MMO, blessed with top-notch visuals. It's only true weakness: serious competitors coming in 2012.

Tera sure makes promise on the "true action combat" that it so advertises, but that change alone to the MMORPG formula isn't enough to flip the genre on its head, especially when you've forgotten about other aspects of it.