Icarus Online, released in the West as Riders of Icarus, is a fantasy MMORPG from WeMade Entertainment, the Korean studio behind Legend of Mir 2 and 3. It opened in Korea in April 2014, came to Japan in 2015 with NHN PlayArt, and reached North America in 2016 through Nexon. Its hook is one most MMORPGs never offered: almost any creature big enough to carry you, bosses included, can be tamed, ridden and flown into battle.

Official versions have run in Korea, Japan and the West under different publishers. Fan-run private servers give players another way in, usually on a particular version of the game with their own rates, taming rules and shop policy.

Jump On, Hold On, Tame It

Taming is hands-on. You sneak up on a creature, jump onto its back and then win a timing mini-game on the movement keys while it tries to throw you off - and other monsters may join in. Succeed and the creature becomes a familiar. You can ride it, or turn it into a combat pet with a Pet Scroll, which gives up the ability to ride that creature for good, so the choice matters.

The sky is where Icarus stands out. Flying mounts such as dragons and griffins let you fight from the air, against monsters and against other players, and hunting a rare flyer to tame is a goal in itself. The five classes - Berserker, Assassin, Guardian, Priest and Wizard - cover the familiar roles, while gathering and crafting fill the time between hunts.

PvP started small in the West, with duels and an open-world PvP zone, Exarahn Basin, from level 25. Guild wars and arenas existed in the Korean version, which is worth remembering when you compare servers built on different clients.

What to Look For in an Icarus Online Private Server

Taming Rules and Rare Familiars

Taming is the heart of the game, so its rules shape everything. Check the success rates, how often rare creatures appear and whether bosses can be tamed as in the original. Above all, find out whether the best familiars come from the world or from the shop - a server that sells them has removed the game's main goal.

Version and Content

The Korean, Japanese and Western versions did not have the same content at the same time. Ask which client a server uses, which regions and level cap are in, and whether guild wars and arenas are included. That tells you how much there is to do once your stable of familiars is complete.

Aerial Combat and Performance

Fighting on flying mounts puts more strain on a server than ground combat. Test a few aerial fights and check for lag, desync and disconnects. A server that handles them smoothly is a good sign that the rest of the game will run well.

What the Shop Sells

At the Western launch the cash shop focused on convenience items, buffs and costumes. A private server should be at least as restrained. Read the shop list, and be wary of anything that sells familiars, mount power or gear outright.

Population for PvP

Open-world PvP and guild fights need people online at the same time. Check the server's community channels for activity at your hours, which language most players use, and whether PvP areas actually see fights.

Your First Familiar

Pick a class you enjoy, then make your first goal a good ground mount and your second a flyer. Think before you turn a creature into a combat pet, since you cannot ride it afterwards. Vote for the server you play on; rankings here start again every month, so the list below follows where players are now.