Warframe is a free-to-play action RPG third-person shooter, where you play as the Tenno, a race of warriors that have found themselves in the middle of a war between the three factions of the galactic system. The Tenno use Warframes to fight; biomechanical machines of war that have various abilities and powers.
Warframe Vs. Destiny 2: Which Game Is Better?
Destiny 2 seems to be competing heavily against Warframe especially when the core game became free to play last year. Which is better?There are hundreds of Warframes and weapons to build, missions to complete, and enemies to kill. If you're interested in Warframe, but unsure if you should give it a shot, we've got you covered. Below, we'll take a look at some key points about the game, and if it's worth it to get started.
Updated January 15, 2024: With the recent release of the cross-save system, you can now play and share your Warframe account across any platform you own; whether you're chilling on the couch or on the go with the Switch. If you're a returning player wondering if Warframe is worth getting back into, here's everything you need to know.
Review
Warframe is a session-based, action RPG shooter. Missions take place on one of the galaxy's several planets, with each planet featuring several different locations and mission types, such as survival, excavation, and capture.
In each mission, you are presented with a set of objectives to complete before finishing the mission and heading back to your ship. Everything besides the main story missions can be played in groups of up to four players.
Warframe has cross-save and cross-play systems, meaning you can play on one account on any platform you have access to. Additionally, all versions of the game, no matter the platform, are the same, so players on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch can all participate in the same mission together.
Currently, there are over 50 Warframes to build and fight with, each with its own set of powers and abilities. Most of the Warframes also have "Prime" versions; these are powered-up versions with increased capabilities. Warframes must be built in your ship's Foundry using resources and blueprints sourced from various bosses, missions, and quests.
The game is incredibly fast-paced, with each Warframe feeling unique and powerful in its own way. For example, Excalibur, one of the first Warframes you get, has various melee-based abilities and is able to summon a sword of energy to slash through enemies with.
On the other hand, Ember can control fire to immolate foes, Saryn unleashes a deadly plague that spreads on its own, Mesa can rapidly shoot down enemies with her dual Regulator pistols, and so on.
Despite the large number of Warframes, none of them feel too similar to play, each with its own advantages and disadvantages, encouraging players to try out as many as they want to.
In addition, there are a plethora of movement options to maneuver around the map, swiftly eliminating enemies as you proceed through objectives. Our esteemed writer, Sean Murray, describes the satisfying, fast-paced action through its multitude of movement options: jumping, sprinting, aim-gliding, and more.
You can bullet-jump: a leap so fast and explosive that it has the word “bullet” in it. And you can chain all of these things together to go anywhere you want at any time.
These movement abilities make controlling your Warframe extremely satisfying, and missions never feel like they are dragging on.
Time Expenditure
Warframe is a nearly endless game, with thousands of hours of content. There are main quests to proceed through, unlocking the game's main locations, but the majority of the time spent in the game will be farming resources and items in its various missions.
HowLongToBeat presents a range of completion times, with some players taking around 600 hours to beat the main story, while others spend upwards of 5,000 hours in the game.
Warframe is the type of game you can play for a long time and still not run out of things to do, meaning how long you spend in the game is entirely up to you.
Warframe is constantly being updated with new content, including story missions, maps and planets, weapons, and of course, Warframes. Additionally, the Nightwave system acts as a free battle pass, allowing you to complete daily and weekly quests for limited-time rewards like cosmetics and upgrade items.
Cost
Warframe is entirely free-to-play. You can download and play the entire game for free, right now. There are microtransactions present in the game, purchased through the premium currency, Platinum, which can be purchased for real money, or earned by trading items with other players.
There are a variety of items you can purchase with Platinum, ranging from Warframe and Weapon Slots for storing your new stuff, speeding up the crafting timer at the Foundry, buying skins for your equipment, or outright purchasing Warframes, weapons, and materials.
However, none of this is necessary, and the entirety of the game can be enjoyed and completed without ever spending money. This is mainly possible through Warframe Market, a robust, player-driven marketplace where you can buy and sell items to other players for Platinum.
By utilizing Warframe Markey and having a bit of patience, you'll never feel like Platinum is barring you from progressing. This makes Warframe one of the most free-to-play-friendly games out there.
Warframe and Weapon Slots are two of the most recommended items to purchase with Platinum, as they are very limited otherwise.
What Players Are Saying
Worth The Free Pricetag - Jacob Whaling
Because Warframe is completely free, there's no real reason not to at least try it, if you're interested. There is a nearly endless amount of content to see, and every Warframe is unique and fun to play, making the grind to obtain them worth it. The game is great solo or with others, with enough variation in missions that grinding never feels monotonous or repetitive. There is a depth of content to experience, and virtually nothing holding you back from doing so, making it more than worth it to try out.
The Best Free Experience - Jacqueline Zalace
Warframe is 100 percent worth it, especially considering it's entirely free. Sure, you can spend real money to unlock stuff, but Warframe Market lets you trade pretty much every item with other players. Price aside, Warframe has a borderline overwhelming amount of content. At no point will you think, "I've done all there is to do". There's always a new relic to obtain, new items to farm, and a new Warframe to build. It's definitely the type of game that requires you to have a wiki open so you know what's going on.
A Universe Of Content At Your Fingertips - Sachi Go
When you first get into Warframe, it can be a lot to take in. There's so much to do and the information overload is real. But that flood of expansive lore and activity is exactly what makes the game so endlessly replayable. The actual scale of Warframe's universe isn't even that big, considering your playing ground is just a single star system, and yet it still manages to feel vast and packed with content. Whether you're grinding for months on end or jumping in and out of the game inconsistently, there's always something to do and you don't even need to spend a single penny.
Fast-Paced Fun - Sharnelle Earle
My favourite part of this game is that it's free, there's customization, and the movement and gameplay are unique to it and very enjoyable. If you like fast-paced combat, ninjas, and space themes, it's a must-try. I mean it's free and there's multiplayer!
Be A Space Ninja In The Solar System! - Santi Lequiza
The thing about Warframe is that you will never guess where the game will go next, even after 10 years. Outer space arenas where you can pilot a galleon ship, alternate dimensions with roguelike gameplay, and even missions where you can jump into a mecha, you can play this game however you want, and its adaptability to every player’s tastes make it the best online multiplayer game right now.
Download It Right Now - Charles Burgar
Warframe takes kitchen sink design to the extreme. This game has space ninjas, mech suits, customizable spaceships and dojos, playable instruments, a 2.5D fighting mode, PvP (that no one plays), futuristic skateboards you can perform tricks on... it'd be quicker to list the things Warframe doesn't have. There's something here for everyone.
The sheer number of systems in this game make it tough to break into, but if you can get past the new-player experience, you'll find a third-person shooter that's truly special. The combat is exhilarating, the storyline tugs at your heartstrings, and it receives frequent content updates. It also has the fairest free-to-play business model I've ever seen, allowing players to earn the game's paid currency without spending a penny. It's criminal that Warframe doesn't get talked about more in the gaming industry. It's free-to-play done right.
