Here we have it: Allods Online (Theres a TL;DR at the end in case you are lazy)

Back in 2009/2010, among the huge pile of crappy MMOs, this wonderful game emerged. With a big budget, nice graphics and an interesting storyline it promised to be a great and riveting adventure. And so it was, but only during the 1.0 version of the game (as I like to call it "vanilla" allods) because at first there was no cash shop. It got introduced later into the beta, but it didn't upset the balance that much, yet.
Then comes the first big expansion which forced quite a lot of cash shop stuff into the game making it borderling unplayable for non paying players. Even if you decided to be supportive, and buy the cash shop currency from time to time, you usually found yourself wondering if its worth it. Cash shop aside, at least the content was fun during this phase! But that was quick to change.
Soon further expansions arrived, making the game more and more into a unfun tedious grind which required even more money invested than before to play properly, or nerves of steel if you were a free player (farming is not fun I tell you).

In my opinion the game is now a shell of its former self and not worth getting into. Yes it is true, many people spent thousands - some even 10 thousands of euros/dollars/whatever currency on this game.

If you are a new player looking for a fun temporary MMO then I can recommend this game to you. Download it and play it (but don't bother paying). Levels 1-40 will probably be the most fun, and then you'll feel the fun gradually drop off as you climb towards the max level, and then you quit. That's the only thing this MMO got to offer.

I guess the original devs leaving early on did make an impact after all...

TL;DR - Pay2win concept taken to the extreme, probably one of - if not the worst example of pay2win (or should i say pay2lottery and pray4win?) ruining a good game which had a lot of potential

A small review for english-talking players (if you manage to get here somehow), cus every russian already knows what cancer this game is. Ask anyone of them you know, or just trust me with this purely honest opinion.
It is pay 2 win. That's it, the most iconic and terrible example of such business model. Anti-control PvP buffs? Check. Increasing your damage output and protection with real money? Check. Cash-only mounts and food for them, to just make them move(!)? Check. This list goes on an on, but i think you got the point.
On the other hand, it has a unique art style and absolutely amasing music, both made in russian and soviet folklore style and looking/sounding just wonderful. But if you somehow manage to get futher starting zones - pay 2 win waving his hand to get your attention. And it will, no doubt.
I honestly DO NOT recommend this game to any person who still in friends with his mind. Though you can try it just to get a glimpse of a music and art. After that - "RUN, YOU FOOLS!"
I rate this game 9 runes out of 40 billion donated "crystals".

I played this in alpha/beta.
So far whats been written is true. The game was really fun, good music, good characters and classes.
When they introduced the cash shop, everyone recieved a nerf. You were pretty much 40% less powerful then the day before, and the only way to get back to 100% was to go with cash shop items. And they were on a time limit.
Most people bailed at that point and some stuck around to see if it would be rebalanced. But I left when it was pretty certain not to happen.
Seems like it was put on steam to try and milk a few more dollars from people who aren't aware.

I'm not rich enough to FREE play Allods Online

[UPD] I should be honest with self and you. Well, I updated my review:
+ story (+references in game on russian history).
+ graphic (it looks really nice).
+ gameplay (it comfortable and practical).
+ race (I just love only gibberlings from all races).

- donations (this ♥♥♥♥ is killing all game, because if you want to rise in PvE/PvP you need waste money, if you want anything you need buy it for real money, other people doing it and you need to be competitive in game; it's a trap, where there is one exit - delete game).
- content (content is really small and you cant enjoy this: all you have are raid(including old with skills for you), astral (local main element), solo dungeon (if you dont have friends(joke)) and battlegrounds (as in any mmorpg) and it is all, no anymore).
- system requirements (you can have lags on strong machine).

In general, game is not bad, but I can say honest,your play without real money will not interesting absolutely, but now, when server started few days ago, you can play without hard problems with other people. Just wait, when people will start to donation in game.
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[My story in this game, it is my way.]

I'm old player in this game. I started to play since 2010, when was OBT.

It was perfect, I wasted so much hours, that I cant calculate it. So many people I saw, so many events was in game and it was amazing.
I cant fargot world PvP on locations (it was funny, very funny), where now you cant meet people, because people not playing anymore.
I had guild, where I rose, where I met people, who came in my life and became friends.

I really lived in this world, but MONEY. Money killed all, that I appreciated in game.
Now, I have character with good donat things, but game is rip for me. I'm not playing anymore in this game, but I really tryed to return so many times.
As I see, you cant return if you want, because you havent so much money, you havent people with this, you havent time for this and wish.

I really hope, that you will not play in this game. Today game is not good for players, you need to have 50 000 dollars, if you want to be someone in this world.

P.S. Good luck, if you want to live in game, but remember, that gold times were in 2010-2011 years.

running hidden application in system

It was an excellent MMO in 2009. Completely obsolete by now. Still love to login from time to time.

WARNING: the fremium version of the game is the PAY2WIN type. Initial content for the first 2-3 months of playing requires at least ~$20. Futher price of playing grows quadratically to outraging totals.

Симулятор доната.

A decent World of Warcraft clone but has some Jiggly boobs.

In the very beginning it was an awesome game. Rich soviet-flavored storyline, nice mechanics, funny, well balanced etc. Then devs sold it.
Now it's a dumpster. Almost all players up and left cause of pay2win. Original story is still there but couple of weeks is enough to walk it through. And there's that.
Good bye, great game. You will be missed. You won't be played.