It is hard to predict where MapleStory 2 will go Cheap Maplestory Mesos, whether it is going to capture the exact same dedicated crowd as its predecessor, or if it is going to fall into the same traps that resulted in its demise. A few of the things which plagued the first game, like DDOS attacks during a winter and random lag, are a consequence of age and outdated infrastructure. The game also includes a limited amount of purposeful end-game content, which can bore veteran players who burned through the primary story.

Worst of all, the older MapleStory had a pay-to-win series by means of a feature aptly called the Cash Shop. I was guilty of spending nearly $4,000 on this game over the span of a year playing my character Mercedes, an elf queen who wields dual bowguns. Each seemingly minor update to my wardrobe and battle stats added up over time, leading in that hefty sum. And I wasn't alone. Players who invest actual money in the sport are at an extreme advantage compared to unfunded players. Challenging bosses like Lotus, that will shoot lasers from all possible angles, while rocks fall from the sky, require numerous players with funding to team up and defeat. (Luckily, I managed to re-sell a lot of that gear, recouping near half of what I spent from the sport.)

Lee admits that this is an issue with the original game. "We've rightfully earned a reputation for publishing pay-to-win games," he says. "With our upcoming record of names developed specifically for the Western crowd, we are trying to turn over a new leaf, producing games which are truly free to perform."

MapleStory M and MapleStory 2 will still have certain features that are eased by superior money, such as getting special haircuts and eyes, quicker transportation across towns, and additional skill pages. But players aren't at any substantial disadvantage if they don't pay for those features. People have debated Nexon forums if the Korean version of MapleStory 2 is pay-to-win and they haven't come to any genuine consensus.

There's also a chance for significant changes that Nexon can present in its mobile and 3D iterations of MapleStory. The developers for MapleStory M also have stated that, although the game currently does not let you marry different players, if union is added there will be support for LGBTQ weddings. That's a step up from the original Maple, which did not allow same-sex union, paralleling South Korea's real life refusal to legally recognize homosexual marriage. Similarly, particular jobs and classes are no longer gender bound, even though the game only offers two genders. These changes are as significant as updated images, helping maneuver a 15-year-old game to the modern day.

Recently, I log onto MS2 Mesos's most important town, Tria, and the square appears so bustling with life, it lags each time a individual jumps. Nonetheless, it's the good kind of lag which shows the server is living. From that vantage point, MapleStory is looking the furthest from lifeless that it's been since 2009.