After reading this article I actually downloaded the game to try it out. It is definitely something different and I think there are some things the larger more mainstream games/companies could learn from Dofus.
I actually ended up paying for one month and grinding away for a while before quitting simply because it got a bit too grindy for my taste, but a fun experience nonetheless.
Dofus: One of the Few Truly Fun MMOs Around
ZAM checks out Dofus, one of the most popular MMORPGs in the world - and it comes from France!
Another unique aspect of Dofus is its subscription-based business model. Where most MMORPGs tend to open up robust cash shops for players to spend hundreds of dollars to get ahead, Dofus simply makes its money by being one of the cheapest subscription-based MMORPGs in the market. Players can play Dofus for free, but they'll quickly find that they'll be restricted to a very limited portion of the game - in other words, while Dofus is, technically, a free-to-play MMORPG, its free to play aspect is more of a free trial, if anything. Trying out all of Dofus, however, is an incredible bargain, as it only costs $7.99 for a month's subscription to the game, and each subscription comes with a few in-game goodies as a thank you for playing the game. Ankama also offers discounts for long-term players, as a year subscription costs only $74.99, which is about $6.25 per month. Finally, once you subscribe to Dofus, it's refreshing to know that you won't need to spend another $100 in cash shop items to catch up to the upper levels - just play the game!
In reality, the only problems that Dofus players may run into when trying the game is just making that transition from faster-paced games like Atlantica Online or World of Warcraft, and settling down into the tactical strategy of Dofus. As well, technology does somewhat hinder Dofus's delivery, with its generally sluggish controls, but if you just enjoy the game and immerse yourself in its enthusiastic delivery, it's quite easy to forget all about its ancient underlying code.
Ultimately, Dofus's greatest strength really lies in its ability to be innovative and refreshing in its delivery. Where other MMORPGs seem to be mired in their desire to imitate World of Warcraft, Dofus is, quite simply, a passion project created out of a love for the MMORPG genre. Ankama Games' enthusiasm for its game and the amount of fun they take from creating Dofus is apparent in every drawing, every pixel and every aspect of this uber-cute MMORPG. If you're tired of plodding along in yet another fiery dungeon of gloom, cleaving your way through hordes of evil bird-people or undead trolls, maybe you should give yourself a little break and check out the fun-filled world of Dofus.