As Lineage 2 hits its 21st anniversary, boasting more than 19 million characters created and a fresh wave of in-game events, it stands as a living archive of a design era where friction wasn’t a flaw but a feature. Where most modern titles soften the edges, Lineage 2 sharpened them, and that’s part of why it still matters.
Its staying power rests not just on its few content updates or brand recognition, but on a deeply ingrained philosophy: high risk, high reward. The MMORPG’s gear-enchanting system, open-world PvP, and intricate player economies were stories waiting to happen.
Compare that to Throne & Liberty, NCSoft’s latest attempt at recapturing the old spark. Billed early on as a spiritual successor, it came out with similar ambitions: open-world warfare, massive sieges, alliance identity. But in practice, it’s struggled to strike the same chord. Core players cite excessive number of systems, shallow crafting, and a monetization model which seems to be more about frustration than player interest.
High-Stakes Enchanting
At the heart of Lineage 2 beats a cruel mechanic: gear enchanting. It’s not safe. It’s not forgiving. But that’s the point. You can push a weapon beyond +3, knowing full well each additional level brings you closer to destruction than success. Past +3, you’re looking at 70% odds, and those odds compound fast. Hitting +16 isn’t just unlikely; it’s a small statistical miracle!
And yet, people try. Again and again. Because when it lands, the result is not only a better weapon, but pretty much a status symbol – a badge of determination (or derangement). This system fuels a thriving player economy, drives rare material markets, and gives successes real weight.
Contrast that with Throne & Liberty, where gear upgrades feel… streamlined. Safe. But yet, grindy. Monetized. The sharp thrill of gambling with something valuable is replaced with tidy trait improvements and credit card shortcuts. There’s no mythos in that. No campfire stories about the time someone shattered their +13 in a midnight gamble.
Unscripted PvP
In Lineage 2, PvP isn’t an extra, it’s the ecosystem. Every field, open dungeon, and world boss is a contested space. The karma system penalizes reckless murder, sure, but it also rewards tactical aggression (to take over a resource, grind spot, boss etc.). Every PK, skirmish or siege have actual stakes. Guilds in Lineage 2 shaped the entire social landscape. They owned zones, controlled economies, and waged vendettas that lasted years.
Meanwhile, Throne & Liberty lets players opt into PvP, mostly within fenced-off battlegrounds. Even world bosses are instanced now… The world feels static, I would even go so far as to say sterile. It’s orderly, but it’s not alive. And without that forced friction, the tension drains out. Conflict doesn’t emerge, it has to be scheduled.
Depth Over Convenience
The original Lineage 2 launched with a crafting system where dwarves quite literally ran the show. High-end gear production was about specialization, interdependence, and a knowledge of your server’s economy.
Even after later patches made crafting more accessible, the system retained its intricacy. Resources mattered. Failures mattered. Markets fluctuated based on player behavior, not dev intent.
Throne & Liberty, on the other hand, trims that all down to the bone. Crafting exists, but there’s nothing exclusive into it.
Design Philosophy
What we’re seeing in the differences between Lineage 2 and Throne & Liberty is a question of what kind of stories we want our MMOs to tell.
Lineage 2 challenged. It punished. It rewarded. It demanded time, attention, and emotional investment. And in return, it gave memories and rivalries that lasted years.
Throne & Liberty trades that away for convenience. Maybe that’s what the market demands now. But if engagement numbers are anything to go by, I think that players still crave a world that bites back.
