Today, NCSoft, released their very first completely, 100%, FREE MMORPG available for download at the games website (LINK). The game was made to cater to the non-hardcore MMO crowd and the fact that you don’t have to ever pay a dime to play it is definitely a plus. The game seems simple enough, you log on create a character (fighter, mage, ranger) and then go questing and find new items and money and stuff. Sounds like it could be fun actually.
However, for those that don’t mind paying, there is an optional “pay” package where you can pay to play the game (4.99/month). Paying gives you certain advantages like server queue priority and access to some of the most powerful weapons. In any case you can’t go wrong with a free game. I’ll give it a run down this week and let you guys know if its any good.
Read the full article HERE.
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So last night, at around midnight, I decided to check my email. No particular reason, I just decided it was the right time for such an “adventure”. In any case I noticed there was an email from EAMythic concerning Warhammer Online. Naturally I just assumed it was another newsletter telling me how the game was fairing and what new exciting features they were going to add next. I was pleasently surprised to find out that it was in fact an email telling me I can sign up for the beta.
So this is it. Warhammer Online is now officially heading into its first beta stages. I truely hope I get in and I can be one of the first to experience the world. For those who did not get the email feel free to head over their website and sign up. Its free, easy, and takes about 10 minutes. Hope to see you guys in game…if I ever get invited.
Find the website HERE.
Are you ready? Do you think you are prepared for a game that is meant to be the successor of the most popular RTS franchise of all time? No? Well apparently it doesn’t matter because Starcraft 2 is actually just Starcraft 1.5. I know its a shame, but in an interview with MSNBC, VP of Game Design, Rob Pardo, basically laid it out flat. Here are the main highlights of the interview:
- Been in development since 2003
- Will NOT be released this year, maybe 2008; probably 2009
- There will be NO fourth race
All a bit disappointing right? Starcraft 2 will be nothing more than Starcraft 1 with a graphics overhaul and 50% new units with which to have fun. The basic gameplay mechanics don’t seem to have changed either. You still have to gather resources and so on and so forth. Next time Blizzard just tell us its an expansion pack before you announce that its a sequel because apparently you can’t make those anymore.
For those wanting a real space oriented RTS with multiple factions check out the Dawn of War series. They are really fun games with 7 factions currently. Expansions are frequent and a sequel is rumoured to be in the works. Enjoy.
Read the full article HERE.
Two Worlds sounds so very promising. Personally it is even looking like it could be better than Oblivion. The looks, the sounds, the ONLINE PLAY. The game is shaping up to be a stellar hit on the PC and *cough* Xbox 360. In any case IGN has just released the list of skills you will be able to have fun with. It looks like there will be 38 skills from which to advance with each having 10 “ranks” or something like that. However, don’t worry to much about how you are going to apply your skill points because as you start the game you’ll only be introduced to a few of them with more and more openning up as you advance. It should make things a bit easier. Some of my favorite skills include:
- Burn - A skill that’s especially handy when exploring underground, Burn allows you to push a lit torch into an opponent’s face - both blinding them and dealing damage. Putting points in this skill makes it more likely your foe will be left defenseless and increases the damage dealt.
- Dirty Trick - For those who want to win by any means necessary, Dirty Trick teaches you the fine art of kicking dirt in your opponents’ eyes. The higher your skill, the more likely you are to blind adversaries with this feat. However, no matter how high your skill is, Dirty Trick never works against those using a shield.
- Double Blade - This skill allows you to use two weapons at once, but at the cost of each weapon dealing less damage. As you increase Double Blade, these penalties disappear.
- Necromancy - The forbidden art that allows users to steal life from others and summon undead creatures. As your skill level increases, the most deadly of this school’s spells become available.
Read the full list of skills HERE.
P.S. I know that link leads to the 360 section but trust me, its a PC game too.
What makes MMORPGs so great? Generally it’d probably be the ability to play with thousands of other people at the same time with each MMO offering its own unique feature that will draw in more players. Unfortunately, one of the main drawbacks to these social networking games is the fact that they cost money. $50 to buy the game and then an additional $10-$15 extra per month can be a little disheartening. This is why free MMO games are such a great find! Yes, I know. . . there is usually a reason as to why its free. Most free MMOs are bad, really really bad.
This is what K2 is set out to change with their new 2D MMO Free2Play game Red Stone. They are promising to have everything available in other MMOs only in 2D graphics. Which really isn’t all that bad. 2D graphics have their own certain charm which can be very appealing. It is definitely a game to keep an eye out for if you like MMO games but hate to spend money.
Read the full article HERE.
So many of you already know my “stance” on GameTap. For those that do not know I basically say you should put down the first months fee, play the Sam & Max games, and then ditch the service. Lets face it they have a lot of compatibility problems still and Sam & Max are really the only worthwhile games to play, at least in my opinion. In any case thats about to change really soon.
Joystiq just concluded an interview with David Reid, GameTap’s VP of marketing, and they got a lot of juicy information out of them. I won’t go to much into detail but I will try and list as many of the main points as possible:
- Free, ad-driven GameTap service where you can play games like Metal Slug online.
- Integration of Cartoon Network, and more importantly Adult Swim, with GameTap.
- Grimm will be a dark, funny, and creepy game.
- Anything Mr. Reid thinks is “cool” has the possibility of being made into a game.
- GameTap is coming to Mac at the end of the summer.
- Tomb Raider Anniversary will be available to GameTap subscribers the same day its available to console owners.
Sounds like a lot of good changes are coming to GameTap soon. Supposedly starting tomorrow.
Read the full article HERE.
When you think MMO you think RPG correct? I know I do…however you get a different point of view when you mention jst the acronym: RPG. However, according to Obsidian Entertainment CEO Feargus Urquhart that may not be the case for too much longer unless something within the RPG industry is set to differentiate the two. Urquhart believes that traditional RPG games are no different from MMORPG games now and that within a few years we could see the end of the traditional RPG.
In some aspects Urquhart is right. I mean a lot of people play MMOs because it gives them that communal feel and they are able to act and react to other people playing the game. However, traditional RPGs have their own unique feel to them, one that any MMO out today cannot give you, and that is the ability to act and react to your environment. You see in an MMO everything is the same from the moment you step into the game. You kill this boss, but 30 minutes later he respawns and you are able to kill him again. The world does not recognize you as an individual, where as in traditional RPGs it can and does. If you kill this boss in a traditional RPG, he will be dead, and the world will react to that effect. Personally I don’t think traditional RPGs are going anywhere for a long time.
Read the full article HERE.
Last month IGN posted an article about a teaser site for a game being made by the guys at Offset. The website only shows two screens and a blue bar underneath them. Now IGN tells us that more of the game will be revealed as that blue bar makes its way across to the right of your screen. How do you make this bar move you ask? Simply click the this link for the web site. Each time a new I.P. address visits the site the bar will increase. So come on people do you want to see a new PC game or what?
The only other things we know about this project is that its supposed to be some epic fantasy FPS based in medieval times. You will be able to choose your character class, participate in co-op missions, even battle it out in death matches, jump on to the backs of dragons, command siege weapons in combat. Lets just hope there is no online fee.
Click here now!
Have you ever wondered what games other cultures are currently playing? I mean it is obviously going to be different. Europe, America, Asia. . . we all play different games and have different gamestyles. Its just what makes us unique by our own right. In any case we bring you the top 10 PC games bought by Aussies last week! It actually isn’t very different from what I’d imagine our own would look like. Sadly, in this day and age, people mostly only buy MMOs or some variation of The Sims for their PC. Its actually kind of sad considering so many games come out for the PC every week and most will be doomed to obscurity.
Its a nice pleasent surprise to see Command & Conquer at the top, but really a poker game made the top 10? Are we really going to let a game like that be 1/10th of the games that define our platform? Its bad enough we have 5, count em, Sims games up there, we don’t need any poker games rounding it off.
Check out the full article HERE.
So who has heard of the X-COM games before? If you have then you must know that it is by far, hands down, one of the very best turn-based strategy games to date. Yes thats right even today I would rate the game as one of the best. It had everything you could ever want in a strategy game. However, thats not what we are hear to discuss today. Today we bring back from the graveyard a little known title that dates all the way back to 1999-2000.
X-COM Alliance was a game based on Microprose’s famous strategy series. It was being developed by Hasbro Interactive, which is wierd because I never knew they made computer games. What was actually most surprising, however, was that the game was not going to be a turn-based strategy like its previous installments. This game was destined to be a FPS. To be honest I have no clue how this game would have turned out if it were an FPS. On one hand the game was made for turn-based strategy but on the other hand the world and environment was just begging for FPS-stylized gameplay.
In any case, it does not matter, the game was shelved in late 2000 and although shelved doesn’t necessarily mean “cancelled” it has been shelved long enough that it might as well have been. At this point if Atari were to revive the game they would start from scratch anyways. So concludes this weeks “What Could Have Been” series, tune in next week for our spotlight on: Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans.
Read more about X-COM: Alliance HERE.