I actually really like the combat mechanics, other than the still-overpowered AoE (but that's more of a balance/numbers issue rather than an issue of core mechanics) and the game performs a thousand times better than it did even a couple of months ago, both in terms of framerates and server responsiveness.

But I do agree that the game lacks what it needs to be competitive as a true mmo: the questing areas are dull and lifeless, and literally walk you down a set path complete with sequentially numbered quest hubs and markings on the map that point out where to go for each quest, effectively eliminating the need for any quest text at all. Also, there just isn't a story going on. I've been playing WAR off and on since beta and I can't name a single significant figure in the game's story. There's a solid setting, but essentially no characters or plot advancement within that setting.

However, I don't feel that WAR is a bad game, despite my immense frustration with the current all city siege, all the time state. What I do think is that Mythic failed from the start to understand exactly what type of game they were building. I honestly feel that they should've either built a properly fleshed-out immersive world, or created a sort of sandbox PvP game with a much more open world.

I'd say their best bet now is to adopt a free to play model (without micro transactions please! just think Guild Wars) and either streamline the entire "rpg" element of the game such as the leveling process and questing, or flesh out the rpg element entirely to make WAR a proper mmoRPG (the latter is unlikely to happen though considering the current state of the game and Mythic alike)