Lost Saga, the newest addition to OGPlanet's family of high-quality, free-to-play massively multiplayer online games, is now entering its open beta test phase.
Lost Saga is an action-packed fighting game that brings heroes from fantasy, science-fiction and history to life in an all-out-brawl for the ages. Players start by choosing from a wide variety of heroes, including everything from boxing champs to iron knights, pirates to ninjas, and even cowboys to dark shamans. Each hero comes with unique skills and abilities, and as players hone their battle skills and gain experience, their characters' powers will grow.
"We're thrilled to bring such a fighting game as unique as Lost Saga to the U.S. under our free-to-play model," said Sangchul Park, CEO of OGPlanet. "From day one, Lost Saga will provide players with immersive, richly varied gameplay, and we will be rapidly expanding the game, adding new heroes, maps, battle modes and more. In fact, we plan to have more than 100 heroes available throughout the game's lifespan, adding an incredible level of depth that is rarely seen in many casual online games these days."
Battles in Lost Saga come in all sizes and types. In Crown Control mode, heroes must defend their team's crown from their enemies, while in Prisoner mode, players can capture their opponents on the field of battle. Power Stone mode challenges players to protect their skills by keeping their Power Stone safe, and Boss Raid mode gives one hero the ultimate advantage as he becomes the boss his opponents must destroy.
The armor and weapons in Lost Saga are each associated with specific skills, and players who are prevailing in battle can claim their opponents' armor and weapons, along with the accompanying skills, as their own. An innovative character-swap system lets players switch out characters from their full arsenal of heroes in the middle of battle to change tactics and baffle their opponents. Thousands of skill combinations and variations make Lost Saga an ever-changing battle that keeps players on their toes, while an engaging art style and intuitive controls keep the game accessible and fun.
Like all of OGPlanet's games, Lost Saga provides a high-quality, completely free-to-play experience. The entire game can be enjoyed without spending a dime!
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Friday, November 6, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
Atlantica Online Review
http://mmohub.org/game/atlantica-online/
"Atlantica Online" is a free-to-play strategy MMORPG. Players can explore and fight in locations around the world, ranging from Feudal Japan to Depression-era Detroit.
The game features unique turn-based party combat, like a console RPG." Players can recruit NPCs to fight with you, including heroes from myths and legends all over the globe!
Many MMO gamers consider "Atlantica" to be one of the best MMORPGs on the Internet -- free or retail. If you haven't tried it yet, it's a must-try game for every MMO player.
“Atlantica Online” is a new MMORPG developed by NDOORS. Unlike other MMORPGs, “Atlantica” is turn-based, and players control a party composed of their hero and NPC mercenaries. Combat is performed like a console RPG, with opposing sides taking turns performing their actions, which include basic attacks, usage of skills, usage of items, guarding, and retreating.
Players can select from one of 9 classes when starting out, and mercenaries of all class types can also be recruited, with the exception of the two newest classes, musician and power saw. Players will be better than mercenaries, however, as they have access to special player-only skills.
The game takes place on an alternate earth, and various timelines intertwine, forcing historical, mythological, and legendary figures to co-exist. Players will journey in locations as different as feudal Japan and 20th century Detroit, and battle through dungeons along the way.
Guilds are an important aspect of the game, as they control the persistent world. Player guilds can own towns, declare war, and complete quests to increase their notoriety.
“Atlantica” is free-to-play with optional premium content. Players can enjoy the game for free, but premium content will allow for quicker leveling, easier access to unique mercenaries and equipment, and items such as special mounts.
Years from now when free-to-play MMOs are the norm, and after dozens of Western developers have entered the arena, two games will be largely responsible for the paradigm shift that made it all happen: Frogster’s “Runes of Magic,” and NDOORS’s “Atlantica Online.”
“Atlantica” is, arguably, the first high-quality free-to-play MMO. Were there good ones before it? Yes, but before “Atlantica,” free-to-play almost always meant sub-par compared to retail titles; and if you didn’t pay, you were at a distinct disadvantage, or limited in some way. “Atlantica,” though, changed that. Instead of being “Lineage Clone #10923,” “Atlantica” broke the mold, mixing the tactical strategy and MMORPG genres in a new, “Final Fantasy Tactics”-like game.
Players start off by creating their character, choosing from a wide variety of classes. Classes include things you’d expect—like swordsman and archer—and things you wouldn’t—like musician, power saw, and cannon. Each class excels at a specific area, making the strategy for each entirely unique. For example, the swordsman class specializes in one on one physical combat. Meanwhile, the gunner specializes in ranged combat vs multiple foes, and can attack three enemies in a single line. Many classes have different areas and methods of attack; some attack in columns, some attack horizontal rows, some attack single targets, and others do splash damage around a target.
But what makes “Atlantica” so unique is that, even though you have your main character, you can still play with the other classes. Your hero, unlike other games, is never alone; you take with you a team of mercenaries. These mercenaries are only slightly worse than a player class of the same type (players will get a player-only skill for each), and they use the same equipment. What that means is that, not only do you always have multiple classes to use, but you also have a use for all sorts of gear. Get melee armor and have an archer? No worries, give it to your melee mercenary.
Starting out, mercenaries are generic, and named after the class they represent. As you and they level up, though, they can upgrade, you can recruit better ones, and eventually you can even recruit hero units. Most of these heroes will be names readily familiar to anyone playing. Want to have a party with Pocahontas and Napoleon? In “Atlantica” you can.
Since it’s a tactical RPG, combat is different than what most would be used to when playing MMORPGs. Instead of being realtime with timed attacks, the game takes turns between attacking and defending parties. Your units will all get action points, and performing skills, spells, attacks, and moving will require a certain amount. Each turn also is limited by a timer, which increases as you become more familiar with your foe via your bestiary knowledge. This means that, even though the game is turn-based, battles are very hectic as you have only seconds to pull off your moves, and you’ll have to plan strategies and your method of attack constantly, so that you don’t waste precious seconds deciding what to do next.
Another big element of “Atlantica” is crafting. There are dozens of crafting schools available; everything from pants to paper. To craft, you need to acquire the materials needed (after learning the skill from a guildmate or NPC), and then put them together. Rather than sit around waiting for a bar to move, you complete the items by gathering crafting points through battles. So, even if you’re crafting hundreds of healing potions, to craft them you’ll need to beat stuff up.
Guilds also play a big role in the game, as you can share crafting exp with your guild, control towns, and more. Towns also have guild quests available, and completing them will help increase your guild’s notoriety.
In a lot of ways, “Atlantica” is familiar. You have quests, a linear progression of areas to visit and monsters to kill, regular upgrading of equipment, and new abilities unlocked at regular intervals. In other ways, though, it’s something entirely its own. People say this about a lot of games, and it’s usually an exaggeration, but in this case it’s true: there is no other game out there like this game. In a few years, though, you can bet there will be plenty of copies. So why not get in on the original while it’s still largely unknown?
Review Brendon Lindsey
September 18, 2009
Regnum
"Regnum Online" proves the existence of time travel. At least, that's the only explanation I can give for developer and publisher NGD Studios releasing an MMO better suited for the late 90s in today's market. And no, this isn't one of those timeless beauties.
This is standard MMO stuff. Players start out as a weak adult character and slowly level their way up to a point where rodents no longer inflict crippling blows. Along the way to the level cap quests are completed, points are applied to customize battle prowess, and thousands of animals are farmed for precious experience points. Like I said, standard stuff.
In our original write-up for "Regnum," the previous reviewer said the title "looks and plays similarly to the pay-to-play MMORPG 'Dark Age of Camelot.'" I can't support that claim, as I've never played "DAoC," but this comparison litters "Regnum" online discussions, so it must be true ... right?
I'm told the biggest similarity between the two titles is the realm-based warfare, where three factions composed of varying races fight against each other. It's also supposedly the biggest draw of both MMOs, according to numerous reviews, comments, and in-game discussions I've personally viewed. If that's the case, then why the heck did NGD place the shining jewel so far out of reach of the casual player?
I didn't reach the realm vs realm part of the game. I'd have to hit at least level 37 to do so, but to really enjoy it I'd need to hit 50, according to the advice of over a dozen high level players. Truthfully, between the moment I was assigned this review and when this review copy goes live, I didn't reach level 37, let alone 50. In a way, I'm relieved. I strongly disliked every second I spent in this virtual world.
"Regnum's" a visually appalling piece of work. With the graphics cranked to their highest, characters are still composed of the most basic flat-surfaced shapes with nary a hint of artistic inspiration. To no surprise, they all run, attack, walk, and bow with equivalent artistic grace. I've seen second quarter budding game designers churn out more inspired and effective content than this. "Everquest" didn't have better visuals when Sony released it in early 1999, but it's not far behind.
The sparse and basic sound design also contributes to the time travel theory of mine, as does the music. At one time, the midi instrumentation used throughout this soundtrack may have been the best electronic substitutes for real world instruments available to a consumer. They didn't sound like the real thing, but they were the closest you could get on a budget. Now, the advancements in music technology fool even the most trained audio engineers, making the old, digital-sounding crap significantly less delightful. It's really a shame for NPG, as "Regnum's" score stands out as a moderately bright beacon in the dark haze of mediocrity.
One reviewer on another site noted the combat in "Regnum" is "slower" and "more tactical" than what's offered in similar titles. This person is wrong. Combat pace doesn't necessarily dictate level of strategy, and, if anything, combat vs NPCs feels more basic here than usual, due in large part to the brain dead A.I. I frequently ran into battle and alt-tabbed out of the program to do something else while my warrior auto-attacked enemies. I imagine PvP combat requires a bit more thinking, but nothing more than what we're now used to; the combat mechanics work like nearly every other MMO.
And therein lies the biggest problem. Aside from the original story and music, everything in "Regnum's" been done before, and better, in both free-to-play and subscription titles. With better options available, why spend your leisure time in a virtual world designed by a gaming company who took Prince's famous lyrics "party like it's 1999" a little too seriously?
Review Kyle Stallock
September 16, 2009
http://mmohub.org/game/regnum-online/
Lost Chaos Review
“Last Chaos” utilizes many of the same features found in “Lineage 2”—such as the “click-and-wait” combat style and the pet-to-mount advancement system—and while they have been noticeably improved, they are still at the core the exact same features with a shiny new coat of paint.
That’s all well and good. Steal a few concepts that have been proven to work in the past, update them, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a decent MMOPG. The problem in “Last Chaos” is that they stopped there. They added little in the way of innovation, and didn’t steal enough to make a full game. As such, the character customization is rubbish, consisting of one race (Human), and six samey “been there, done that” classes (Titan, Knight, Sorcerer, Mage, Rogue and Healer) that have locked genders and a massive three different face and hair styles each. The PvP is boring, involving little more than dueling other players because they look too much like you, as there are no castle sieges, or intelligent clan war systems whatsoever. And aside from a few auto-acquired quests, the sole purpose of the game seems to revolve around killing enemy NPC after enemy NPC to grab a few new skills and the next set or shiny new armor.
Honestly, I’m of the impression that a Saturday afternoon spent skinny-dipping in a pool of stomach acid would be more interesting (and less painful) than playing more than a few hours grinding in “Last Chaos.” But that’s just my opinion, really, and for those of you that enjoy grind-gaming, “Last Chaos” might just be the answer to your prayers.
The Exciting Range of Aggressive Battle System, or E.R.A.S for short, allows players to attack multiple enemies at once that are caught in the swing range of a weapon. It’s a small addition, really, but when combined with the amazing graphics and fantastic animations add a good amount of immersion to the overall effect. Sure makes grinding easier when you can hit more than one thing at a time.
On the whole, “Last Chaos” is a mixed bag. It feels vastly dated from a gameplay standpoint; provides little in the way of innovation and original concept; uses the archaic click-to-move system, has limited skills, character advancement, and enemy variety; and it lags quite a lot. But it’s really, really pretty, and it’s completely free to play. Check it out if you have the time and don’t mind massive grinding, but the graphics alone probably aren’t worth the reasonably large download.
EXPANSIONS
“Last Chaos” has only recently released its first game expansion, and while it does add a great amount of new content, it really feels more like a large update than a full-blown expansion. It is, of course, free, and that’s always great. The new features include:
* A new market system that allows players to sell their items without having to stay online all night
* Extreme Cube Party System: Grab a party of adventurers and work together to fend off waves of enemies
* Two New Dungeons. Enter the mysterious depths of the Ebony Mines in Juno, or brave the perilous passages of Misty Canyon located in Merac
* New Skills! Level 100- 120 skills have been added. Find the Skill Books and master the ancient techniques of your class
* Level Cap increased to 140.
Review Brendon Lindsey
August 5, 2009
http://mmohub.org/game/last-chaos/
That’s all well and good. Steal a few concepts that have been proven to work in the past, update them, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for a decent MMOPG. The problem in “Last Chaos” is that they stopped there. They added little in the way of innovation, and didn’t steal enough to make a full game. As such, the character customization is rubbish, consisting of one race (Human), and six samey “been there, done that” classes (Titan, Knight, Sorcerer, Mage, Rogue and Healer) that have locked genders and a massive three different face and hair styles each. The PvP is boring, involving little more than dueling other players because they look too much like you, as there are no castle sieges, or intelligent clan war systems whatsoever. And aside from a few auto-acquired quests, the sole purpose of the game seems to revolve around killing enemy NPC after enemy NPC to grab a few new skills and the next set or shiny new armor.
Honestly, I’m of the impression that a Saturday afternoon spent skinny-dipping in a pool of stomach acid would be more interesting (and less painful) than playing more than a few hours grinding in “Last Chaos.” But that’s just my opinion, really, and for those of you that enjoy grind-gaming, “Last Chaos” might just be the answer to your prayers.
The Exciting Range of Aggressive Battle System, or E.R.A.S for short, allows players to attack multiple enemies at once that are caught in the swing range of a weapon. It’s a small addition, really, but when combined with the amazing graphics and fantastic animations add a good amount of immersion to the overall effect. Sure makes grinding easier when you can hit more than one thing at a time.
On the whole, “Last Chaos” is a mixed bag. It feels vastly dated from a gameplay standpoint; provides little in the way of innovation and original concept; uses the archaic click-to-move system, has limited skills, character advancement, and enemy variety; and it lags quite a lot. But it’s really, really pretty, and it’s completely free to play. Check it out if you have the time and don’t mind massive grinding, but the graphics alone probably aren’t worth the reasonably large download.
EXPANSIONS
“Last Chaos” has only recently released its first game expansion, and while it does add a great amount of new content, it really feels more like a large update than a full-blown expansion. It is, of course, free, and that’s always great. The new features include:
* A new market system that allows players to sell their items without having to stay online all night
* Extreme Cube Party System: Grab a party of adventurers and work together to fend off waves of enemies
* Two New Dungeons. Enter the mysterious depths of the Ebony Mines in Juno, or brave the perilous passages of Misty Canyon located in Merac
* New Skills! Level 100- 120 skills have been added. Find the Skill Books and master the ancient techniques of your class
* Level Cap increased to 140.
Review Brendon Lindsey
August 5, 2009
http://mmohub.org/game/last-chaos/
MMOHUB Sho Online Review
“Sho Online” is an ambitious Korean MMORPG that many will find similar to Mythic’s “Warhammer Online.” Its sprawling Asian fantasy world has its roots in both Chinese history and the mythical world of Taoism. In “Sho Online,” players are affiliated with one of two warring kingdoms: the Yin dynasty, adherents to a shattered great power, or the Zhou dynasty, upstart rebels looking to overthrow the established order. The fight for control of the realm echoes throughout all aspects of a player’s career.
“Sho Online’s” gameplay should feel very natural to most MMORPG gamers. Movement, camera control, attacks and spells are all accomplished through the genre-standard key combinations made famous by titles like “World of Warcraft.” Player characters begin in their faction’s stronghold and, through a series of quests, venture out into the expansive game world to kill specified creatures and retrieve necessary items. Slight additions to the tried and true formula, such as a regenerating Chi Shield reminiscent of first-person shooter force fields, help set “Sho Online” apart, but in most respects the game sinks immediately into a familiar, though not unwelcome, groove.
Character creation is a shortcoming for “Sho Online,” as there are only three classes -- Warrior, Assassin, and Soolsa (a spellcaster) -- available to the starting player. Though each class can specialize further into two separate career paths, the lack of diversity in character classes is disappointing. The fact that each of the six careers have to wait until level 65 of a possible 80 to claim the ‘Ultimate Skill’ that makes them truly unique also cuts down on the variety. Customization during the game is much more involved. In addition to upgrading spells and abilities, at each new level the player can choose to increase a number of ‘body skills,” including resistances, attack and defense. Early leveling is refreshingly speedy, so a new player will be able to build a more specialized character right out of the gate.
Adventuring in “Sho Online” is exciting, if often repetitive. The world is well-designed, with interesting topography and a lush Chinese aesthetic. Though the graphics are just under the curve for a game in this genre, the art does a great job conveying the setting. The creatures are varied, ranging from humble frogs and birds to ravenous undead and demons. Moreover, multiple monster species populate each zone, so the player isn’t stuck fighting one enemy group for ten levels. Travel between zones is instantaneous, but this doesn’t seem to shrink the world at all; the sheer abundance and variety of locales is one of the game’s strongest features.
Combat is simple, streamlined, and effective. The speed at which spells and skills resolve is especially well suited to the controls and style, allowing for strategy while still forcing the player to think quickly. The item system is another positive aspect of “Sho Online.” Characters will quickly assemble a sizeable collection of magic items. Special weapons and armor pieces drop frequently, and each has its own individual bonuses. The system will feel familiar to fans of the “Diablo” series, who will once again get to hunt down components of item sets and agonize over which statistics to improve.
Since the storyline of “Sho Online” focuses on the war between Yin and Zhou, it should come as no surprise that PvP is an important aspect of the game. Players from opposing factions are always permitted to engage one another, but the real meat of “Sho Online’s” realm-versus-realm system is the war. This event activates whenever one side manages to kill a special governor NPC fighting for the other realm. From there, it’s a straight-on, head-to-head brawl. War impacts the player’s experience in a number of ways. Most of the contested territories are home to high-level monsters and valuable loot, so exerting control over the land allows victorious players to claim greater rewards. On the individual level, having a high PvP rank allows you to buy and use exclusive items. As you advance, you’ll be able to help your team out with new strategies and abilities. An item called War Plate transforms your character into a giant siege engine, amplifying your destructive potential. The end-game bosses drop items that enable more impressive transformations into soaring eagles and two-headed snakes.
In many ways, “Sho Online” has the foundation for a sweeping realm-versus-realm MMO. PvP combat changes the shape of the landscape, and each character, no matter how inexperienced, can contribute to the war effort. Unfortunately, the broken translation gets in the way of comprehension, and it’s hard to get fired up about a war you can’t understand. The inadequate translation also makes questing less rewarding, which may upset committed solo players or PvE enthusiasts. Aside from temporary events and a rudimentary crafting system, there aren’t many ways to get involved with the central conflict save actual participation. For the aspiring General, though, “Sho Online” provides frequent in-game rewards and many opportunities to conquer a world of myth and legend. Playing “Sho Online” requires more than a little patience, but those who come to the experience willing to work around its rough edges may find themselves growing very comfortable on the battlefield.
Review Josh Harrison
September 18, 2009
http://mmohub.org/game/sho-online/
“Sho Online’s” gameplay should feel very natural to most MMORPG gamers. Movement, camera control, attacks and spells are all accomplished through the genre-standard key combinations made famous by titles like “World of Warcraft.” Player characters begin in their faction’s stronghold and, through a series of quests, venture out into the expansive game world to kill specified creatures and retrieve necessary items. Slight additions to the tried and true formula, such as a regenerating Chi Shield reminiscent of first-person shooter force fields, help set “Sho Online” apart, but in most respects the game sinks immediately into a familiar, though not unwelcome, groove.
Character creation is a shortcoming for “Sho Online,” as there are only three classes -- Warrior, Assassin, and Soolsa (a spellcaster) -- available to the starting player. Though each class can specialize further into two separate career paths, the lack of diversity in character classes is disappointing. The fact that each of the six careers have to wait until level 65 of a possible 80 to claim the ‘Ultimate Skill’ that makes them truly unique also cuts down on the variety. Customization during the game is much more involved. In addition to upgrading spells and abilities, at each new level the player can choose to increase a number of ‘body skills,” including resistances, attack and defense. Early leveling is refreshingly speedy, so a new player will be able to build a more specialized character right out of the gate.
Adventuring in “Sho Online” is exciting, if often repetitive. The world is well-designed, with interesting topography and a lush Chinese aesthetic. Though the graphics are just under the curve for a game in this genre, the art does a great job conveying the setting. The creatures are varied, ranging from humble frogs and birds to ravenous undead and demons. Moreover, multiple monster species populate each zone, so the player isn’t stuck fighting one enemy group for ten levels. Travel between zones is instantaneous, but this doesn’t seem to shrink the world at all; the sheer abundance and variety of locales is one of the game’s strongest features.
Combat is simple, streamlined, and effective. The speed at which spells and skills resolve is especially well suited to the controls and style, allowing for strategy while still forcing the player to think quickly. The item system is another positive aspect of “Sho Online.” Characters will quickly assemble a sizeable collection of magic items. Special weapons and armor pieces drop frequently, and each has its own individual bonuses. The system will feel familiar to fans of the “Diablo” series, who will once again get to hunt down components of item sets and agonize over which statistics to improve.
Since the storyline of “Sho Online” focuses on the war between Yin and Zhou, it should come as no surprise that PvP is an important aspect of the game. Players from opposing factions are always permitted to engage one another, but the real meat of “Sho Online’s” realm-versus-realm system is the war. This event activates whenever one side manages to kill a special governor NPC fighting for the other realm. From there, it’s a straight-on, head-to-head brawl. War impacts the player’s experience in a number of ways. Most of the contested territories are home to high-level monsters and valuable loot, so exerting control over the land allows victorious players to claim greater rewards. On the individual level, having a high PvP rank allows you to buy and use exclusive items. As you advance, you’ll be able to help your team out with new strategies and abilities. An item called War Plate transforms your character into a giant siege engine, amplifying your destructive potential. The end-game bosses drop items that enable more impressive transformations into soaring eagles and two-headed snakes.
In many ways, “Sho Online” has the foundation for a sweeping realm-versus-realm MMO. PvP combat changes the shape of the landscape, and each character, no matter how inexperienced, can contribute to the war effort. Unfortunately, the broken translation gets in the way of comprehension, and it’s hard to get fired up about a war you can’t understand. The inadequate translation also makes questing less rewarding, which may upset committed solo players or PvE enthusiasts. Aside from temporary events and a rudimentary crafting system, there aren’t many ways to get involved with the central conflict save actual participation. For the aspiring General, though, “Sho Online” provides frequent in-game rewards and many opportunities to conquer a world of myth and legend. Playing “Sho Online” requires more than a little patience, but those who come to the experience willing to work around its rough edges may find themselves growing very comfortable on the battlefield.
Review Josh Harrison
September 18, 2009
http://mmohub.org/game/sho-online/
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