Game: 9 Dragons
Publisher: Acclaim
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Acclaim coins can be purchased and exchanged for items that boost attack or increase experience gained.
Review: 9Dragons takes place during Ming Dynasty Japan, a period of war between many clans. When creating a character one of the 6 clan homes can be chosen as a starting area. Three clans specialize in healing and helping the NPC villagers and three are out to support themselves by any means necessary.
Each clan teaches techniques taken from many kung-fu martial arts. Wu-Tang hand and sword fighting and drunken battle methods are each taught. When techniques are used proficiency in them increases allowing for longer attack combinations and more damage dealt. This also allows for more techniques to be learned from clan training centers.
Shaolin monks and Sacred Flower assassins are the only clans with any specific requirements to join. Applicants to the Shaolin monks must be male characters while the Sacred Flower assassins will only accept females.
As each clan has its own combat style it they also each have their own wardrobes. This makes identifying friendly clans easier as well as knowing whether or not a passing individual will be helpful as healer or for bashing foes in the face.
Self healing is accomplished via medicines taken during combat or meditation between battles. The exact look and motions for meditation varies from clan to clan.
Rating: 8/10 Graphics are smooth and combat is varied enough to not be boring with extended play. Wonderful scenery in small enough areas to not cause major amounts of lag from over-occupation yet large enough to not need constant loading while traveling. An easy tutorial animation could be a little more interactive but doesn't drag out long enough to cause a loss of interest.
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Monday, June 15, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Astro Empires
Game: Astro Empires
Publisher: AstroEmpires.com
Download or web based: Web
What you get if you pay: Ads removed from game pages, limits raised on build and research queues and limits removed for number of bases and advanced buildings.
Review: Galactic exploration and exploitation are the basic goals of Astro Empires. Building essential buildings and shipyards allows for fleets of space crafts and planetary defenses. All is accomplished in a largely text-based fashion.
Rating: 2/10 There is little to do and even less to see early in the game while buildings are raised and early research is accomplished. After that fleets can be launched to other planets and more waiting can be done.
Publisher: AstroEmpires.com
Download or web based: Web
What you get if you pay: Ads removed from game pages, limits raised on build and research queues and limits removed for number of bases and advanced buildings.
Review: Galactic exploration and exploitation are the basic goals of Astro Empires. Building essential buildings and shipyards allows for fleets of space crafts and planetary defenses. All is accomplished in a largely text-based fashion.
Rating: 2/10 There is little to do and even less to see early in the game while buildings are raised and early research is accomplished. After that fleets can be launched to other planets and more waiting can be done.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Evony
Game: Evony
Publisher: Evony
Download or web based: Web
What you get if you pay: Game Coins can be purchased and used to buy a large variety of items to speed construction, increase gold or resource production, and boost hired heroes.
Review: Evony is a real-time Civilization style game. A military force must be developed after much research and building construction. Units vary from basic workers that are good for little more than carrying supplies to ballistas that hurl things at enemy defenses. The strength and availability of individual units depends on what buildings are present and what technologies have been discovered. Defenses can bee built from the city wall as it is upgraded. Simple traps, wooden barricades, and piles of stones to roll over attackers can all be used.
Resources like food, iron, stone, and lumber are collected from spaces outside the city walls yet still a part of the town itself. The number of possible collection points is dependent on the upgrade level of the town hall.
Additional cities can be built on empty “Flats” or conquering already established cities of enemies. If a player only has one city it cannot be conquered however. Plundering of someone's single city is possible though.
Community is very important as alliance members can be called upon for support when low on resources or under attack by a large enemy force.
For the first week new players are under “Beginner's Protection” which allows them time to get established without being attacked and their hard earned resources plundered.
Rating: 4/10 As the game progresses it takes more and more time to build and upgrade town constructions. This makes it less of a game and more like something that gets checked once or twice a day. I'm not an English major, but some of the text could use a much better translator.
Publisher: Evony
Download or web based: Web
What you get if you pay: Game Coins can be purchased and used to buy a large variety of items to speed construction, increase gold or resource production, and boost hired heroes.
Review: Evony is a real-time Civilization style game. A military force must be developed after much research and building construction. Units vary from basic workers that are good for little more than carrying supplies to ballistas that hurl things at enemy defenses. The strength and availability of individual units depends on what buildings are present and what technologies have been discovered. Defenses can bee built from the city wall as it is upgraded. Simple traps, wooden barricades, and piles of stones to roll over attackers can all be used.
Resources like food, iron, stone, and lumber are collected from spaces outside the city walls yet still a part of the town itself. The number of possible collection points is dependent on the upgrade level of the town hall.
Additional cities can be built on empty “Flats” or conquering already established cities of enemies. If a player only has one city it cannot be conquered however. Plundering of someone's single city is possible though.
Community is very important as alliance members can be called upon for support when low on resources or under attack by a large enemy force.
For the first week new players are under “Beginner's Protection” which allows them time to get established without being attacked and their hard earned resources plundered.
Rating: 4/10 As the game progresses it takes more and more time to build and upgrade town constructions. This makes it less of a game and more like something that gets checked once or twice a day. I'm not an English major, but some of the text could use a much better translator.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Urban Rivals
Game: Urban Rivals
Publisher: Acute Mobile
Download or web based: Web-Based
What you get if you pay: You can purchase credits used to buy card packs.
Review: Urban Rivals is your basic digital trading card game. Like other TCG's players utilize character based cards to attack and defend themselves from single opponents. Unlike other TCG's the characters in this game gain experience in “battle” and can increase in level, increasing their attacks and abilities.
Battle is accomplished by challenging another player or accepting a challenge. Four cards from a deck are chosen at random. First a card is selected from the four. Then one selects the number of “pillz” to use on the character featured on the card. The “pillz” boost the characters attack power by multiplying the base strength by the number of “pillz” used. The number of “pillz” used is hidden from the opponent is hidden until they have selected their card and “pillz.” The two cards then attack each other, the victor doing damage to the loser's owner. The match is over after four rounds or if one player receives a total of 12 damage.
Urban Rivals has entertaining graphics when the cards engage and the “evolution” system for the cards is unique and encourages play to see what the characters will look like and how their abilities will grow.
Rating: 7/10 Fun to watch and play, but playing for hours on end can get a little tedious.
Publisher: Acute Mobile
Download or web based: Web-Based
What you get if you pay: You can purchase credits used to buy card packs.
Review: Urban Rivals is your basic digital trading card game. Like other TCG's players utilize character based cards to attack and defend themselves from single opponents. Unlike other TCG's the characters in this game gain experience in “battle” and can increase in level, increasing their attacks and abilities.
Battle is accomplished by challenging another player or accepting a challenge. Four cards from a deck are chosen at random. First a card is selected from the four. Then one selects the number of “pillz” to use on the character featured on the card. The “pillz” boost the characters attack power by multiplying the base strength by the number of “pillz” used. The number of “pillz” used is hidden from the opponent is hidden until they have selected their card and “pillz.” The two cards then attack each other, the victor doing damage to the loser's owner. The match is over after four rounds or if one player receives a total of 12 damage.
Urban Rivals has entertaining graphics when the cards engage and the “evolution” system for the cards is unique and encourages play to see what the characters will look like and how their abilities will grow.
Rating: 7/10 Fun to watch and play, but playing for hours on end can get a little tedious.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Shaiya
Game: Shaiya
Publisher: Aeria Games
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Currency for potions that allow for extra experience gain as well as packages of items and medicines.
Review: Shaiya is a basic battle of light versus dark. What races and job types are available is determined by which side is chosen when first creating the game account. While the species on each side are limited the jobs for each race are varied. An over sized, dark Nordein can be either an axe-wielding Warrior or bow-firing Hunter. On the light side of the coin a Human Fighter or Elf Archer would be about the same choice.
There are many foes to fight and quests to undertake. There is also a large amount of Player vs Player options. Dueling amongst one's own race is an option as well as battling the other side over control of the contested Borderlands and the portals and idols they contain.
Abilities and skills can be put in customizable hot key bars for quick and easy use. As more skills are learned they can be added or rearranged in the bars.
While there are portals available for transport between major towns there are also many small outposts and regions that require some walking to reach. Paths and roads don't always take the shortest route between two points so finding shortcuts can make the travel time more interesting.
One unique aspect of Shaiya is the difficulty setting. When first crating a character there is an option of choosing a difficulty based on the player's preference. From Easy for new players that haven't played a MMO before to Hard for those up for a challenge. The top difficulty of Ultimate offers the added challenge of permanently deleting a character if death occurs and resurrection doesn't follow within 3 minutes. This can be a pain at the lower levels and make for possibly suicidal players if it happens at much higher levels.
Rating: 6/10 Very easy to play and can be fun for any skill level. However many quests in the early levels require walking back and forth between distant areas with no teleport available
Publisher: Aeria Games
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Currency for potions that allow for extra experience gain as well as packages of items and medicines.
Review: Shaiya is a basic battle of light versus dark. What races and job types are available is determined by which side is chosen when first creating the game account. While the species on each side are limited the jobs for each race are varied. An over sized, dark Nordein can be either an axe-wielding Warrior or bow-firing Hunter. On the light side of the coin a Human Fighter or Elf Archer would be about the same choice.
There are many foes to fight and quests to undertake. There is also a large amount of Player vs Player options. Dueling amongst one's own race is an option as well as battling the other side over control of the contested Borderlands and the portals and idols they contain.
Abilities and skills can be put in customizable hot key bars for quick and easy use. As more skills are learned they can be added or rearranged in the bars.
While there are portals available for transport between major towns there are also many small outposts and regions that require some walking to reach. Paths and roads don't always take the shortest route between two points so finding shortcuts can make the travel time more interesting.
One unique aspect of Shaiya is the difficulty setting. When first crating a character there is an option of choosing a difficulty based on the player's preference. From Easy for new players that haven't played a MMO before to Hard for those up for a challenge. The top difficulty of Ultimate offers the added challenge of permanently deleting a character if death occurs and resurrection doesn't follow within 3 minutes. This can be a pain at the lower levels and make for possibly suicidal players if it happens at much higher levels.
Rating: 6/10 Very easy to play and can be fun for any skill level. However many quests in the early levels require walking back and forth between distant areas with no teleport available
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Mabinogi
Game: Mabinogi
Publisher: Nexon.net
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Nexon cash, which can be used to buy additional characters, pets, and additional services.
Review: Nexon has a number of games available. Mabinogi is an involved one. It takes place over a large area encompassing many villages and town. The major method of movement from one town to another is simply walking. Teleportation crystals are present by each major location, but can only be used to get to one destination at a time.
Battle is accomplished by simply walking up to an enemy and attacking. Long and short ranged weapon sets can be switched between with the press of one button. This makes it possible to launch an arrow or bolt at a enemy and equip a sword and shield before close combat becomes necessary.
Abilities, ranging from heavy attacks to healing, can be used via hotkeys. Training the abilities is done by using the ability to gain experience in it, then leveling it using an extremely limited number of Ability Points.
Losing a fight has options when one is knocked out. Each option has its own costs. Waiting for help has a medium cost, but requires patience to lay there until a person with the proper ability can come and cast the correct spell. Being teleported to the nearest town have the lowest cost, but can cause a piece of armor to be left behind at the battlefield.
Rating: 5/10 Fun and easy to play, but the strong presence of bots and RMTs (Real Money Traders or people that buy and sell currency on 3rd party websites) detract from the beauty of the surroundings.
Publisher: Nexon.net
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Nexon cash, which can be used to buy additional characters, pets, and additional services.
Review: Nexon has a number of games available. Mabinogi is an involved one. It takes place over a large area encompassing many villages and town. The major method of movement from one town to another is simply walking. Teleportation crystals are present by each major location, but can only be used to get to one destination at a time.
Battle is accomplished by simply walking up to an enemy and attacking. Long and short ranged weapon sets can be switched between with the press of one button. This makes it possible to launch an arrow or bolt at a enemy and equip a sword and shield before close combat becomes necessary.
Abilities, ranging from heavy attacks to healing, can be used via hotkeys. Training the abilities is done by using the ability to gain experience in it, then leveling it using an extremely limited number of Ability Points.
Losing a fight has options when one is knocked out. Each option has its own costs. Waiting for help has a medium cost, but requires patience to lay there until a person with the proper ability can come and cast the correct spell. Being teleported to the nearest town have the lowest cost, but can cause a piece of armor to be left behind at the battlefield.
Rating: 5/10 Fun and easy to play, but the strong presence of bots and RMTs (Real Money Traders or people that buy and sell currency on 3rd party websites) detract from the beauty of the surroundings.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Pirates of the Carribean
Game: Pirates of the Caribbean
Publisher: Disney
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Access to storyline quests and ability to purchase stronger weapons and ships.
Review: Loosely based on the successful trilogy of movies this game provides a variety of play options. Sailing the ocean can be done solo or with a crew of friends. People can be found almost anywhere to help kill the numerous monsters and complete quests.
If traveling alone is preferred, then there are multiple options for weapons. Guns, swords, or voodoo dolls can be utilized for attack. It is even possible to switch between them on the fly should one not be enough.
Travel between the islands of the Caribbean is accomplished via a ship that can be bought from shipwrights in many locations. It is not always a safe sea voyage however. There are many enemy crafts of various classes that may or may not attack. Sinking ships owned by the East India Trading Company, the British Navy, or the ghosts of the not-so-dearly departed can earn booty that is cashed in upon reaching land.
The game is extremely limited for those that play for free however. The main storyline quests are locked early in the game, as are many other quests and weapons. This limits the player to running around killing random foes and sinking ships with no point or goal.
Rating: 5/10 Decent game play, but particularly limited free content.
Publisher: Disney
Download or web based: Download
What you get if you pay: Access to storyline quests and ability to purchase stronger weapons and ships.
Review: Loosely based on the successful trilogy of movies this game provides a variety of play options. Sailing the ocean can be done solo or with a crew of friends. People can be found almost anywhere to help kill the numerous monsters and complete quests.
If traveling alone is preferred, then there are multiple options for weapons. Guns, swords, or voodoo dolls can be utilized for attack. It is even possible to switch between them on the fly should one not be enough.
Travel between the islands of the Caribbean is accomplished via a ship that can be bought from shipwrights in many locations. It is not always a safe sea voyage however. There are many enemy crafts of various classes that may or may not attack. Sinking ships owned by the East India Trading Company, the British Navy, or the ghosts of the not-so-dearly departed can earn booty that is cashed in upon reaching land.
The game is extremely limited for those that play for free however. The main storyline quests are locked early in the game, as are many other quests and weapons. This limits the player to running around killing random foes and sinking ships with no point or goal.
Rating: 5/10 Decent game play, but particularly limited free content.
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