#kartyr

A good friend of mine kept asking me to play this with him and I always told him no. He eventually brings up that it’s free and I finally think to myself “ok, what’s the harm now? You can try it and then if you don’t like it you never have to play again”.

Those early days flicker in the back of my mind like distant stars, learning about this ancient group of warriors before the game gives me my first choice. Knowing nothing else, I picked Excalibur. Running around with a cool sword seemed the most compelling to me.

Immediately after the quest when I was set free, I remember joining that same friend as we headed to a level well above my reach. While I wouldn’t have the slightest idea what was going on as sights and sounds flashed & blared and whizzed past my ears, with my weaponry doing the same as they levelled up multiple times a minute, I would much later recognize this as a typical run on Hydron.

I worked my way through the star chart, fighting new enemies, getting new weapons, and following the threads of what would eventually become the most finely-woven tapestry of a story I’ve EVER experienced. Around the beginning of mid-game (yes, THAT quest), my entire perception of this game shattered. It rocked my soul and my jaw fell under my desk. The single best moment in any story, masterfully served to me on a silver platter, a main course meal when I was expecting to just try a sample.

The story continued to blow me away from then on, plot twists, raised stakes, and more always had me on the edge of my seat.

Fast forward to this year and I was already ecstatic for 1999 and finishing up a personal goal (maxing out all the Kuva and tenet weapons). I was fully set to bear this task alone while counting down the days but to my immense surprise, two of my best friends picked up the game, and the joy I’ve had in teaching them how to play the game was incredible. Not only did they pick it up, they are fully caught up with the story and ready to dive into the next chapter on day one.

I could keep yapping but the things I want to end this with are:

- PLEASE give warframe a try. It’s free and not at all graphically-demanding. Find someone experienced in the game and have them on standby. Warframe has made immense strides in the past 11 years but in the beginning it trips over its long legs, and without external guidance it can be daunting for newer players.

- Digital Extremes, thank you from the very bottom of my heart for making the coolest game I’ve ever played.