Game: Shadowtale
Publisher: Hyper Awesome Entertainment
Download or web based: Web
What you get if you pay: Various “Members Only” perks including exclusive weapons, areas, and quests.
Review: Shadowtale opens with a mysterious woman telling the player about them being a destined hero. A short tutorial quest follows explaining the basics of battle and movement.
The tutorial quest leaves off in the small village of Edgewood. Here many quests can be undertaken and equipment bought to start things off. Arrows on the main screen and a highlighted path on the mini-map make navigating to quest goals simple enough, even if defeating enemies or collecting items is more of a challenge. Enemies include boars, goblins, and some soldiers attacking a nearby castle.
Combat is a basic approach and attack style with free movement in the area and between areas. Using skills and casting spells increase experience in the job the skill is based in. For example, throwing a fireball at an offending blood wolf will increase points in wizardry whether the wolf is defeated with more fireballs or a slashing sword. While experience is gained with each foe defeated, a tone sounds and total experience required for the next level will be displayed when all on screen foes are defeated.
Rating: 7/10 Fairly simple game play in an open world and large number of quests. Graphics are decent for not requiring a download.
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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Runes of Magic
Game: Runes of Magic
Publisher: Frogster
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Diamonds can be purchased and used to buy chests containing various helpful items. Mounts for speedy travel, potions for resurrection, and vials to increase skill levels are also available. Purchasing Diamonds also earns Rubies which can be used in a secondary shop of their own.
Review: Runes of Magic takes place in the land of Taborea. Residents of the land live in small villages and farms, outpost towns, and large, fortified cities. Players themselves also have “houses” that can be entered from many wide-spread areas. The houses can also be customized with furniture purchased from a merchant (for decoration only) or the Item Shop (which can boost experience and other things). Furnishings range from simple rugs and chairs to elaborate beds or even animal head trophies that can be hung on the walls.
Character creation is simple despite the variety of customizable features. Height, facial features, and hair style/color are options along with chest size, arm and leg muscle bulk and hip size.
Choosing a character's class at the beginning isn't as important in this game as it is in some. Other classes can be accessed after achieving level 10 and used as a new main class or utilized as a secondary class to boost the main class's traits and skills. Mages can use a Rogue's throwing skill to get the attention of foes and save their Mana points for powerful spells to take the angry enemy out.
Combat is accomplished by simply attacking a foe or walking past an aggressive enemy that will attack on its own. When the enemy is defeated experience and training points are gained. Training points can be used to increase combat skill levels. When utilizing the dual-class system only the main class's skills can be leveled.
Weapons, armor, potions, and many other items can be crafted from materials collected from many points in the fields. Collecting basic materials increases the level of the basic skills and allows for the collection of items to craft higher level weapons, pieces of armor, and other items. While the basic materials can be found practically anywhere they can be refined and used to craft items only when in range of tool benches for the specific craft type. Hunks of wood can only be made into pieces of lumber near Carpentry Tools in and around villages and towns. There are NPCs near each set of tools that can sell recipes for crafting as skill levels increase.
Player versus player is limited on some servers and wide open on others. Defeating other players in combat can shift one's alignment one way or another, depending on the alignment of challenger and challenged. As one progresses up or down the alignment scale exclusive weapons and armor become available to use.
Rating: 9/10 Excellent graphics and smooth transition from one map zone to another. Large variety of quests in starting areas eliminates boredom when leveling multiple classes for the dual-class system. Combat is straightforward and simple, but allows for quite a bit of strategy whether solo or in a party.
Publisher: Frogster
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Diamonds can be purchased and used to buy chests containing various helpful items. Mounts for speedy travel, potions for resurrection, and vials to increase skill levels are also available. Purchasing Diamonds also earns Rubies which can be used in a secondary shop of their own.
Review: Runes of Magic takes place in the land of Taborea. Residents of the land live in small villages and farms, outpost towns, and large, fortified cities. Players themselves also have “houses” that can be entered from many wide-spread areas. The houses can also be customized with furniture purchased from a merchant (for decoration only) or the Item Shop (which can boost experience and other things). Furnishings range from simple rugs and chairs to elaborate beds or even animal head trophies that can be hung on the walls.
Character creation is simple despite the variety of customizable features. Height, facial features, and hair style/color are options along with chest size, arm and leg muscle bulk and hip size.
Choosing a character's class at the beginning isn't as important in this game as it is in some. Other classes can be accessed after achieving level 10 and used as a new main class or utilized as a secondary class to boost the main class's traits and skills. Mages can use a Rogue's throwing skill to get the attention of foes and save their Mana points for powerful spells to take the angry enemy out.
Combat is accomplished by simply attacking a foe or walking past an aggressive enemy that will attack on its own. When the enemy is defeated experience and training points are gained. Training points can be used to increase combat skill levels. When utilizing the dual-class system only the main class's skills can be leveled.
Weapons, armor, potions, and many other items can be crafted from materials collected from many points in the fields. Collecting basic materials increases the level of the basic skills and allows for the collection of items to craft higher level weapons, pieces of armor, and other items. While the basic materials can be found practically anywhere they can be refined and used to craft items only when in range of tool benches for the specific craft type. Hunks of wood can only be made into pieces of lumber near Carpentry Tools in and around villages and towns. There are NPCs near each set of tools that can sell recipes for crafting as skill levels increase.
Player versus player is limited on some servers and wide open on others. Defeating other players in combat can shift one's alignment one way or another, depending on the alignment of challenger and challenged. As one progresses up or down the alignment scale exclusive weapons and armor become available to use.
Rating: 9/10 Excellent graphics and smooth transition from one map zone to another. Large variety of quests in starting areas eliminates boredom when leveling multiple classes for the dual-class system. Combat is straightforward and simple, but allows for quite a bit of strategy whether solo or in a party.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Sorcery Quest
Game: Sorcery Quest
Publisher: Edgebee
Download or web based: Web
What you get if you pay: Tokens can be purchased and used to create new characters and buy weapons and armor. Extra turns, rings to boost experience gained, and picking up rare loot also use tokens.
Review: Sorcery Quest is a simple game from a company barely a year in existence. After creating an initial party a number of of simple quests can be started from the starting village of Debrinheim. Hunting mushrums and a variety of rats in the Outskirts of Debrinheim get a player familiar with battle and getting the right balance for their party.
New characters can be created and added to the party after acquiring coins from quests or purchased with Edgebee™ Tokens. The exact type of character depends on the coin used. Fighter coins can be used to create Knights, Monks, and other melee type characters. Rogue coins spawn Ninjas, Archers, and other stealthy and long ranged combatants. The third coin type, Spellcasters, make Evokers, Illusionists, and other magic-wielding party members.
The maximum size of a party is determined by the leader's Charisma stat. The more Charisma, the more party members can be managed. To control a larger party a character's Charisma must be set at creation or when reset to a coin and remade. Rare seeds can be acquired that will also boost Charisma along with other basic stats.
Movement outside the village is accomplished using the keyboard arrow keys or the navigation arrows under the on screen map. Besides a chance for a random battle on each square of the map there are treasure chests, sanctuary points for full healing, and the occasional secret passage.
Combat is turn based with a minimum of animations. Special skill use is displayed by a flash of the attacking character's picture and an up/down arrow or small icon displaying any long term effects such as a decrease in defense or paralysis.
Each combat encounter, visit to a sanctuary, or brief rest at a campsite uses up Turns. When the number of Turns reaches zero movement in dungeons is restricted until more are available. Turns regenerate at a rate of 1 every 2 hours and can be purchased with Edgebee tokens.
Player versus player combat takes place in the arena via ladder matches. A player submits themselves to the list and challenges others or waits to be challenged. The matches themselves are automatic and can be viewed after the results are posted.
Rating: 5/10 The simple graphics don't really detract from the game much. The biggest hindrance to long term play is the limit imposed by the number of turns on hand. It is difficult to explore maps and complete quests when only 12 encounters are allowed after not playing for a day. Some enemies are enjoyable. “Not-a-rats” are large rodents wearing silly glasses to disguise their “rat”ness.
Publisher: Edgebee
Download or web based: Web
What you get if you pay: Tokens can be purchased and used to create new characters and buy weapons and armor. Extra turns, rings to boost experience gained, and picking up rare loot also use tokens.
Review: Sorcery Quest is a simple game from a company barely a year in existence. After creating an initial party a number of of simple quests can be started from the starting village of Debrinheim. Hunting mushrums and a variety of rats in the Outskirts of Debrinheim get a player familiar with battle and getting the right balance for their party.
New characters can be created and added to the party after acquiring coins from quests or purchased with Edgebee™ Tokens. The exact type of character depends on the coin used. Fighter coins can be used to create Knights, Monks, and other melee type characters. Rogue coins spawn Ninjas, Archers, and other stealthy and long ranged combatants. The third coin type, Spellcasters, make Evokers, Illusionists, and other magic-wielding party members.
The maximum size of a party is determined by the leader's Charisma stat. The more Charisma, the more party members can be managed. To control a larger party a character's Charisma must be set at creation or when reset to a coin and remade. Rare seeds can be acquired that will also boost Charisma along with other basic stats.
Movement outside the village is accomplished using the keyboard arrow keys or the navigation arrows under the on screen map. Besides a chance for a random battle on each square of the map there are treasure chests, sanctuary points for full healing, and the occasional secret passage.
Combat is turn based with a minimum of animations. Special skill use is displayed by a flash of the attacking character's picture and an up/down arrow or small icon displaying any long term effects such as a decrease in defense or paralysis.
Each combat encounter, visit to a sanctuary, or brief rest at a campsite uses up Turns. When the number of Turns reaches zero movement in dungeons is restricted until more are available. Turns regenerate at a rate of 1 every 2 hours and can be purchased with Edgebee tokens.
Player versus player combat takes place in the arena via ladder matches. A player submits themselves to the list and challenges others or waits to be challenged. The matches themselves are automatic and can be viewed after the results are posted.
Rating: 5/10 The simple graphics don't really detract from the game much. The biggest hindrance to long term play is the limit imposed by the number of turns on hand. It is difficult to explore maps and complete quests when only 12 encounters are allowed after not playing for a day. Some enemies are enjoyable. “Not-a-rats” are large rodents wearing silly glasses to disguise their “rat”ness.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Adventure Quest
Game: Adventure Quest
Publisher: Artix Entertainment
Download or web based: Web-based
What you get if you pay: A one time fee for Guardian status can be purchased to unlock many weapons and quests. Z-tokens can also be purchased for many rare weapons, pets, and pieces of equipment.
Review: Adventure Quest takes place in a fantasy world called Lore. The residents of Lore vary from simple humans to walking lizards to rabbit-like Moglins. These beings live in the many lands and cities of Lore. Mountainous regions, seaside ports, and monster filled deserts are all reached from the starting village of Battleon.
Quests are avaliable at almost any level and outnumber the varied species. From short hunt-and-kill quests to elaborate travels across the land following a familiar looking Frogzard hunter. Monsters can also be attacked individually without undertaking a quest to gain experience, gold, or just satisfy the urge to kill things.
Elements play an important role in combat. Weapons, armor, spells, and shields all are strong in one or more elemental atritbute. Enemies can be strong or weak in elements as well. Finding out what element is needed to maximize damage given or minimize damage received is accomplished by looking at the foe's in-match status screen. Weapons and other equipment can be quickly swapped during battle to allow for the best setup possible with items on hand. Pets from the pet shop can be switched in battle as well to enhance elemental damage.
Combat is a single screen, limited animation, turn-based encounter. Any game controlled companions of the player will randomly attack or not in the same turn as the player themselves. This includes any pets or quest related characters along for the ride.
Rating: 6/10 Despite the simple visuals and limited animations AQ is very enjoyable. The quests allow for a wide variety of gameplay options. The limited weapons allowed to free players is a slight hinderance but not enough to limit play of the game.
Publisher: Artix Entertainment
Download or web based: Web-based
What you get if you pay: A one time fee for Guardian status can be purchased to unlock many weapons and quests. Z-tokens can also be purchased for many rare weapons, pets, and pieces of equipment.
Review: Adventure Quest takes place in a fantasy world called Lore. The residents of Lore vary from simple humans to walking lizards to rabbit-like Moglins. These beings live in the many lands and cities of Lore. Mountainous regions, seaside ports, and monster filled deserts are all reached from the starting village of Battleon.
Quests are avaliable at almost any level and outnumber the varied species. From short hunt-and-kill quests to elaborate travels across the land following a familiar looking Frogzard hunter. Monsters can also be attacked individually without undertaking a quest to gain experience, gold, or just satisfy the urge to kill things.
Elements play an important role in combat. Weapons, armor, spells, and shields all are strong in one or more elemental atritbute. Enemies can be strong or weak in elements as well. Finding out what element is needed to maximize damage given or minimize damage received is accomplished by looking at the foe's in-match status screen. Weapons and other equipment can be quickly swapped during battle to allow for the best setup possible with items on hand. Pets from the pet shop can be switched in battle as well to enhance elemental damage.
Combat is a single screen, limited animation, turn-based encounter. Any game controlled companions of the player will randomly attack or not in the same turn as the player themselves. This includes any pets or quest related characters along for the ride.
Rating: 6/10 Despite the simple visuals and limited animations AQ is very enjoyable. The quests allow for a wide variety of gameplay options. The limited weapons allowed to free players is a slight hinderance but not enough to limit play of the game.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Neo Steam
Game: Neo Steam: The Shattered Continent
Publisher: Atlus Online
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Packages that increase experience gained. Crowns can also be purchased and used to buy customizing items as well as consumables that boost various stats.
Review: The game takes place on Chrysalis, a steampunk universe with war being waged between two nations fighting over the ancient technology of Neo Steam. The Republic of Rogwel believes in advancing technology to betterment of all. The Kingdom of Elerd wishes to promote a more ecological path, preferring to use the energy of Neo Steam to heal the environment.
Both nations are home to many races, some that are remnants of a former Taxn Alliance. Elves, Humans, and the wolf-like Lupine are common sights. There are also the Pom, a mechanically inclined race that resembles walking bundles of fluff.
There are many targets available for combat and numerous quests to defeat them. Besides the main story line quests there is a character that has lists of quests to help various residents of the towns. There is also the option of attacking players or characters from the opposing nation. This means that outposts of one's own nation may be attacked at any time with quest related characters falling in the melee. They will reappear after a time, assuming the enemy players have been defeated or moved on.
A small pet can be evolved and trained to use skills that assist their owner. Attacking, healing, and teleporting their boss to town are just a few.
Skills are gained and improved by spending Skill Points and Training Points. One Skill Point is used each time a skill is learned or increased. Training Points are spent in increasing amounts depending on the level of the skill, the higher the level, the more Training Points required. While both Skill and Training Points are gained each time a character levels Training Points can also be acquired by using training stations outside the gates of major towns.
Moving between towns and outposts is accomplished a couple of different ways. Balloons can ridden to outposts and other regions in the field. A subway system is used to move from town to town. The subway system uses a traditional train or a one person submarine depending on the destination.
Rating: 8/10 The variety of foes and quests makes for long hours of play without any loss of interest. The training stations are a great way to utilize the downtime required for minor things like eating, sleeping, and bathroom breaks. While having one's pet out and assisting can make leveling it faster it does require a large amount of food to keep them happy and active.
Publisher: Atlus Online
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Packages that increase experience gained. Crowns can also be purchased and used to buy customizing items as well as consumables that boost various stats.
Review: The game takes place on Chrysalis, a steampunk universe with war being waged between two nations fighting over the ancient technology of Neo Steam. The Republic of Rogwel believes in advancing technology to betterment of all. The Kingdom of Elerd wishes to promote a more ecological path, preferring to use the energy of Neo Steam to heal the environment.
Both nations are home to many races, some that are remnants of a former Taxn Alliance. Elves, Humans, and the wolf-like Lupine are common sights. There are also the Pom, a mechanically inclined race that resembles walking bundles of fluff.
There are many targets available for combat and numerous quests to defeat them. Besides the main story line quests there is a character that has lists of quests to help various residents of the towns. There is also the option of attacking players or characters from the opposing nation. This means that outposts of one's own nation may be attacked at any time with quest related characters falling in the melee. They will reappear after a time, assuming the enemy players have been defeated or moved on.
A small pet can be evolved and trained to use skills that assist their owner. Attacking, healing, and teleporting their boss to town are just a few.
Skills are gained and improved by spending Skill Points and Training Points. One Skill Point is used each time a skill is learned or increased. Training Points are spent in increasing amounts depending on the level of the skill, the higher the level, the more Training Points required. While both Skill and Training Points are gained each time a character levels Training Points can also be acquired by using training stations outside the gates of major towns.
Moving between towns and outposts is accomplished a couple of different ways. Balloons can ridden to outposts and other regions in the field. A subway system is used to move from town to town. The subway system uses a traditional train or a one person submarine depending on the destination.
Rating: 8/10 The variety of foes and quests makes for long hours of play without any loss of interest. The training stations are a great way to utilize the downtime required for minor things like eating, sleeping, and bathroom breaks. While having one's pet out and assisting can make leveling it faster it does require a large amount of food to keep them happy and active.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
The Far Wilds
Game: The Far Wilds
Publisher: Code Collective
Download or web based: Either. Can be played on web only, but has better graphics and sounds if downloaded.
What you get if you pay: Gold can be purchased and used to buy packs of cards or individual cards themselves.
Review: Far Wilds is a turn based strategy game in which the player tries to defeat their opponent on the battlefield. The ultimate goal is to defeat opponents and become powerful enough to be a major in the “kingdom” of The Far Wilds.
Victory in each battle can be obtained by gaining 20 “Glory.” Glory is gained by controlling more “flux wells” than the opponent. Constructing bases and other buildings near flux wells places them in the player's control, as long as the opponent doesn't also have a building in range. If both combatants have buildings close to a flux well then neither controls it.
Controlling flux wells also produces the energy required to call forth the army of characters held in the player's hand. Spells that enhance or weaken characters on the field are also available. The exact nature of the spells varies from race to race in the Far Wilds universe.
Three default army decks can be used upon starting with temporary bonus cards won from victories over computer opponents. These can be used in tournaments. Victory in tournaments earns gold which can be used to purchase other cards and packs. This is an alternative option to purchasing the gold directly.
Rating: 7/10 While the graphics aren't all that wonderful playing the game web-based, the downloaded version's 3D look is fantastic. Being able to play against computer opponents with varying difficulties allows for a newer player to get a feel for the game and develop a few strategies. With varying opponent decks and terrains the variety of game play is almost endless. Sealed deck tournaments and matches are also available that put new and experienced players on equal footing with unseen cards to build their decks from.
Publisher: Code Collective
Download or web based: Either. Can be played on web only, but has better graphics and sounds if downloaded.
What you get if you pay: Gold can be purchased and used to buy packs of cards or individual cards themselves.
Review: Far Wilds is a turn based strategy game in which the player tries to defeat their opponent on the battlefield. The ultimate goal is to defeat opponents and become powerful enough to be a major in the “kingdom” of The Far Wilds.
Victory in each battle can be obtained by gaining 20 “Glory.” Glory is gained by controlling more “flux wells” than the opponent. Constructing bases and other buildings near flux wells places them in the player's control, as long as the opponent doesn't also have a building in range. If both combatants have buildings close to a flux well then neither controls it.
Controlling flux wells also produces the energy required to call forth the army of characters held in the player's hand. Spells that enhance or weaken characters on the field are also available. The exact nature of the spells varies from race to race in the Far Wilds universe.
Three default army decks can be used upon starting with temporary bonus cards won from victories over computer opponents. These can be used in tournaments. Victory in tournaments earns gold which can be used to purchase other cards and packs. This is an alternative option to purchasing the gold directly.
Rating: 7/10 While the graphics aren't all that wonderful playing the game web-based, the downloaded version's 3D look is fantastic. Being able to play against computer opponents with varying difficulties allows for a newer player to get a feel for the game and develop a few strategies. With varying opponent decks and terrains the variety of game play is almost endless. Sealed deck tournaments and matches are also available that put new and experienced players on equal footing with unseen cards to build their decks from.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Free Realms
Game: Free Realms
Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
Download or web based: Web-based, but requires an installer to be downloaded.
What you get if you pay: Packs of cards for the trading card min-game.
Review: Free Realms is a fantasy game with a storyline that ties together many types of mini-games and areas of play. Various “jobs” are avaliable and can be changed between on the fly.
Rating: 3/10 Gorgeous graphics. However this leads to rough gameplay and can cause problems with the patience levels of those in the target age range. Requiring frequent load times for mini-games and to update the view when traveling leads to much waiting instead of playing. This game would be greatly improved by making it a medium sized download game instead of the constant loading of small packets again and again.
Publisher: Sony Online Entertainment
Download or web based: Web-based, but requires an installer to be downloaded.
What you get if you pay: Packs of cards for the trading card min-game.
Review: Free Realms is a fantasy game with a storyline that ties together many types of mini-games and areas of play. Various “jobs” are avaliable and can be changed between on the fly.
Rating: 3/10 Gorgeous graphics. However this leads to rough gameplay and can cause problems with the patience levels of those in the target age range. Requiring frequent load times for mini-games and to update the view when traveling leads to much waiting instead of playing. This game would be greatly improved by making it a medium sized download game instead of the constant loading of small packets again and again.
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