General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Apple Gains Control of Rogue iPhone Porn Sites

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 02:59 PM PST

appleApple is a family-friendly company, and it just wouldn't do to have any inappropriate shenanigans going on using Apple trademarks, right? Well, Apple certainly thinks so. To those ends, Apple is now the proud owner of seven adult website domains that included the term iPhone in the address. The iPhone maker filed suit with the World Intellectual Property Organization to secure the sites.

Apple was willing to go to court over pages like iphone4s.com, porn4iphones.com, and others, but dropped the suit when the owner opted to hand them over rather than face Apple's unstoppable legal machine. The sites forwarded to mobile pron sites that were geared toward devices like the iPhone. In fact, the sites still point there (so watch yourself at work). Now that Apple has access to the domains, it might want to do something about that.

The iphone4s domain (how did Apple not buy this before?)  is likely to redirect to Apple's page, but the other more explicit ones will probably go nowhere. 

FCC Requests Hearing on AT&T/T-Mobile Deal, Ma Bell Not Happy

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 02:42 PM PST

fccFCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has thrown up another roadblock in the path of AT&T's plan to get its hand on T-Mobile USA. The FCC Chair voiced concerns over the proposed merger back around the time the DOJ filed a lawsuit seeking to block the deal. Now Genachowski has requested official hearings to take place should that suit fail to stop the merger. AT&T's legal counsel got a little snippy upon hearing the news.

"The FCC's action today is disappointing," AT&T's statement began. "It is yet another example of a government agency acting to prevent billions in new investment and the creation of many thousands of new jobs at a time when the US economy desperately needs both. At this time, we are reviewing all options." The FCC's position is that the deal is likely to result in a reduction in competition as the top tier carrier consumes a value brand. Many other groups also contend that the deal is likely to kill jobs, not create them as AT&T eliminates redundancy.

Should the DOJ fail in its bid to stop the merger, the FCC hearing will allow both sides of the issue to be heard. But under the current FCC leadership, things are looking more and more hopeless for AT&T. Do you think the deal will go through?

Microsoft Tweaks Kinect Firmware, Windows Hardware Coming

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 02:29 PM PST

kinectMicrosoft released a Kinect for Windows SDK several months ago, and now the Kinect team has posted an update on new sensor hardware specifically for a PC. The original Kinect for Xbox had some flaws that made us question its viability on the PC side of things, but the blog post by Craig Eisler cites a number of ways that Redmond is working to tweak Kinect for a Windows environment. 

Eisler first talked about changes to the USB cable, which seem fairly unimportant. Then he got to the meat of it. Kinect for Xbox has issues seeing and identifying things closer than a few feet. According to Eisler, after some changes to the camera firmware, Kinect is going to be able to see objects about 50cm away. That makes a desktop experience viable for the first time.

The already solid Kinect SDK tools are also due for a refresh, which will incorporate the new firmware features. The SDK will be opened to commercial licensing sometime next year in advance of Windows 8. 

Point and Click: 8 Photo Hosting Websites Compared

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 01:17 PM PST

In the photo-hosting world, familiarity shouldn't be the overriding factor

Facebook. Flickr. Picasa. Photobucket. Even those who still consider the Internet the work of demons and wizards know the names. And chances are virtually everyone in your posse has used at least one or more of these giants to host and share their personal photos.

But this is no longer the dawn of the digital camera era, and online photo hosting is no longer limited to just a few key players. Today, you can't swing a 500mm lens without hitting a business that wants nothing more than to store your pics.

The question is: Do you dare stray from the familiar entities? We can't give you that answer, but we can tell you that truly excellent sites, perhaps just right for you, do indeed exist in other corners of the Web. And it's our intention here to point you in some of those directions.

photographer

Image courtesy ca-phillips.blogspot.com

But first, a few generalizations. For starters, anyone who's truly obsessed with the hobby to the point they have paid customers should at least consider steering clear of ready-made services altogether and instead buying a domain name and firing up their own blog. This'll take a ton more work of course, but the level of customization and independence is unparalleled.

Secondly, like a lot of things, you do seem to get what you pay for. Long gone are the days when you were forced to withstand oodles of flashing icons and brash advertisements strewn across a crudely constructed interface. Today, refinement is not uncommon. But it will cost you.

Finally, our selections are by no means defining. We didn't, for example, include top-notch services such as Exposure Manager or Photo Shelter. Not because they're problematic, but because they're clearly aimed at money-making pros.

We did, however, include a couple of popular mainstream sites that don't particularly thrill us. Why? So you have a chance to compare old-school cheese with new-school sophistication. They'll all handle the basics and most will likely do most of the stuff most of their customers require. Mostly. But some offer so much more.

Don't forget—no matter which service you ultimately select, check around for coupons and promo codes before you sign up. They're everywhere.

500px - 500px.com

The Numbers: 6 million total visits; 3 million unique visitors; 200,000 members; founded in 2003, independently owned.

The Lowdown: It may have been founded in 2003, but Canadian-based 500px, newly redesigned for 2011, is only recently getting the attention it deserves. Sure, you can share photos and sell photos – the latter by upgrading to the service's "Awesome Account" – but the focus here is on the display of your work.

The problem? So many top-notch photographers use 500PX and so many of them submit so many top-notch shots, that yours may well sink into the curator-monitored mix pretty quickly. According to cofounder Ian Sobolev, "Photographers will post hundreds of photos on Flickr and then choose the top ten to post on 500px." Looking through 500px's offerings, this certainly seems to be the case.

Truly, this is not the ideal spot to post hundreds of your latest high school basketball pics. But if stunning landscapes, rare insects glistening in the rain, or even tasteful semi-nudes are your thing, 500px offers an elegant and certainly unobtrusive environment in which to show them off, full size if you want.

Though basic 500px membership includes unlimited uploads, full access to the site's community, and a blog, most will want to opt for the paid Awesome Account and the theme upgrades, custom domains, and other benefits it brings.

Cost and Highlights: Just two choices here, free and "Awesome." Basic plan: Free; Awesome Account (adds custom domains, full site customization): $50/year.

Best suited for: Established, seasoned photographers brandishing stunning examples of their excellence; Joe Average photographers with a creative side.

deviantART - deviantart.com

The Numbers: 13 million registered members; 35 million unique visitors per month; founded in 2000; independently owned.

The Lowdown: Why would anyone gravitate to a place where members are called "deviants" and submissions "deviations"? We can't say, yet that's precisely the case at deviantART, an image hosting and sharing website that's certainly distinct from our other selections.

deviantART, you see, is designed primarily for the artist rather than the photographer. (That said, it works just fine for us shutterbugs too.) More than that though, the site is known for its, um…freedom of expression. Here, you will occasionally see depictions of nudity and/or violence. Outright pornography is strictly prohibited and the site labels even questionable material "mature content," but it's nevertheless not a place for the kiddies.

It is, however, a great spot for social interaction with other users. Comments are encouraged, discussions and polls are wide-ranging, and community spirit is evident just about everywhere you go. deviantART also features the usual amenities of a standard photo hosting site and a "Prints Shop" where submissions are bought and sold.

Cost and Highlights: Free to sign up as a "Basic" member, though you will be asked your age at time of registration. Basic membership: Free; Premium membership (no advertisements, improved browsing, and numerous other benefits): $4.95/month or $29.95/year.

Best suited for: Anyone with an open mind; creative individuals; those seeking community involvement.


Dropshots - dropshots.com

The Numbers: More than 10 million photos and videos hosted; founded in 2005; independently owned.

The Lowdown: We include Dropshots because, like many other second-tier sites, it proves why the Flickrs and Photobuckets have the user base they do. Sure, old school mainstream services such as Shutterfly and Snapfish have that "budget" feel (convoluted interfaces, lots of ads and marketing tricks), but Dropshots is perhaps more disappointing because it claims it's "Next Generation" when it doesn't appear to be.

Dropshots is not a terrible site. Album creation is positively painless—the site neatly arranges your pics in chronologic order – as is sharing. And its little downloadable "Dropbox" utility allows you to drag and drop photos directly from Windows Explorer. Couldn't be easier.

But a "Next Generation" assertion would seem to indicate a certain visual refinement that simply isn't there. Indeed, the interfaces are noticeably generic and generally quite busy. Worse still, our photos, when enlarged, looked clearly more indistinct here than anywhere else we auditioned. We tried to find an editing utility to perhaps re-sharpen them a bit, but editing is not part of the package.

In the end, we realized we'd need to upgrade from Dropshots' freebie account if we wanted to view our photos seen in all their high-resolution glory (and if we wanted to upload more than 500 of them).

Cost and Highlights: Two levels here, the paid annual alternative being as expensive as that of some high-level sites. Dropshots does, however, offer a unique lifetime option that'll save big bucks over the long haul. Basic: Free. Premium (add unlimited uploads, improved imaging, password protection) $59.95/year, $99/lifetime.

Best Suited For: Entry-level photographers too uninspired to seek out superior services.

Razzi - razzi.me

The Numbers: Independently owned, founded in March of 2010.

The Lowdown: "It has to be fast. It has to be easy. It has to connect you. It is your content." With those stated goals, Razzi, a definite rookie in the photo hosting world, launched in 2010. And for sheer photo loading and organizing convenience, few services can top it. We'd uploaded our first shots within minutes of first surfing to the site and were dragging and dropping photos seconds later. Compared to some sites, Razzi is a breeze.

However, it's certainly no full-meal-deal solution. You can't, for example, edit your online pics, order prints, or develop a fully customized page. Nor can you abolish advertisements. But you probably wouldn't want to. You see, Razzi features a YouTube-like perk wherein users make money—via Google's AdSense program—when viewers load their ad-supported pages. This is a nifty concept that, if implemented correctly, should help keep Razzi hot for some time to come.

Yet even without the AdSense connection, Razzi is likeable. It's easy to use (as we've described above), and it offers desirable amenities such as unlimited uploads, right-click photo protection, friend activity streams, and even an iPhone app.

Costs and Highlights: Razzi offers two levels of service. Users of both the free and paid accounts share in Google AdSense revenue. Standard Account (Unlimited uploads, 50% ad revenue): Free; Pro Account (add original resolution access, 100% ad revenue): $6.95/month.

Best Suited For: Those seeking a simple, easy to use photo-hosting solution; enterprising individuals who believe their photos are truly click-worthy.

SmugMug - smugmug.com

The Numbers: 1.5 billion photos; 91 employees; founded in 2002; independently owned.

The Lowdown: Exceedingly popular with professional photographers who often decide between high-end services such as this and custom-designed personal websites, SmugMug is perhaps most notable for its ultra-attentive customer support where emailed questions are often, as we can verify, answered in minutes. Its galleries are clean and its esthetics are distinctly upscale, its prints rank favorably, and its user forum, Digital Grin, is chock full of helpful tips to take your online presence beyond the norm.

However, this is not the ideal spot for photo sharing. Though the site certainly supports it, SmugMug photo sharing isn't nearly the important cog it is at sites such as Flickr. Nor is the service inexpensive. None of its levels are freebies, and the top rung, in which customers can utilize their own domain names, runs a hefty $150 per year.

Still, we like SmugMug a lot, particularly for its super-tight, super-convenient integration with capable photo editing/organization applications such as Adobe's Lightroom. We found we could fill our SmugMug galleries without ever having to leave Lightroom. Anything that saves a step is fine by us.

Cost and Highlights: At SmugMug, there are three levels of service and none are free. Basic plan (unlimited storage, no advertising): $5/month or $40/year; Power plan (add video support, site customization, photo protection): $8/month or $60/year; Pro plan (add professional e-commerce features): $20/month or $150/year.

Best suited for: Heavily engrossed camera bugs and professional photographers who aren't looking for peer approval or social interaction as much as sales and sophistication.


Snapfish - snapfish.com

The Numbers: 90 million members in over 20 countries; 2 billion stored photos; founded in 2000; owned by Hewlett-Packard.

The Lowdown: One of the true veterans in the photo hosting world, Snapfish is also one of the busiest. But we've opted to include it anyway because its old school approach may keep it under the radar of those who aren't already familiar with it.

Generally targeting the amateur rather than professional photographer (though its new "Stock Images" section does provide some level of e-commerce), Snapfish comes without some of the high-end accoutrements of the SmugMugs and Zenfolios. But that's just fine for the millions of users who patronize it.

Snapfish offers unlimited online storage and sharing of your photos, and it's also a "free" service – but with a catch. You must maintain "active participation" (in other words, you must order prints or gifts or merchandise at least once a year) or risk forfeiting your membership. From photo mugs to books, cards, calendars, and much more, there's no shortage of photo-customizable products from which to choose and no shortage of promotion designed to sell you a bit of everything.

Snapfish is arguably the Wal-Mart of photo hosting, and its money-maker—the printed product—is viewed by some as inconsistent. Still, the vast majority of its truly massive user base is apparently quite content.

Cost and highlights: It won't cost you a thing to sign-up or upload an unlimited number of photos. You will, however, need to reach for your wallet at least once each year to buy prints or merchandise. Membership: Free. Prints: $.09 each for four 4x6s; $2.99 each for four 8x10s. Photo Books: $11.99 to $44.99. Photo Mugs: $9.99 and up.

Best suited for: Cost-conscious consumers who prioritize storage; family/group sharing; and extended printing options over worldwide exposure and sophisticated amenities.

Webshots -webshots.com

The Numbers: 7 million monthly visitors; 520 million photos; founded in 1995; owned by American Greetings.

The Lowdown: A true original, Webshots has been in the photo sharing/hosting game for more than a decade. In that time, it has built up a considerable user base and, of course, gazillions of photos.

Webshots is a workable but not spectacular service that's beginning to show its old school beginnings (oodles of ads, inelegant interface, questionable editing facilities). It's notable, however, for its highly customizable greeting cards—it is, after all, run by American Greetings—and the site's new "Project Exposure," in which member photos appear on greeting cards distributed at retail stores such as Target. We also like its new "Picture Shows" utility, in which you can produce nifty little videos that integrate your pics, music from the site, and captions. We completed our first Picture Show in a matter of minutes.

Webshots' default no-charge service will be welcomed by those on severe budgets yet is encumbered by limitations and advertisements. Its "Gold" level at just $19.99/year does away with most annoyances and its Platinum service (just ten dollars more) even lets you download and keep any Picture Shows you've created. The downside to all three levels? None of them offer unlimited storage.

Costs and Highlights: Three levels in total. The first is free, but even the two paid levels impose upload/storage limitations of 5,000 photos. Webshots Limited (1,000-upload maximum): Free. Webshots Gold (add member photo downloads, 5,000-upload max): $19.99. Webshots Platinum (add Picture Show downloads): $29.99.

Best suited for: Thrifty folks who have other ways to spend their hard-earned money; people who really, really want their images on greeting cards.

Zenfolio - zenfolio.com

The Numbers: Founded in 2004; independently owned.

The Lowdown: Go to any serious photog discussion forum and you'll find likely find two hosting sites bandied about above all others—SmugMug and Zenfolio. But does that mean they're the best options for you? That depends where you are in your photographic journey.

If you own not one but two DSLRs and a thorough collection of lenses, and if you already see paid gigs in your future, you'll undoubtedly benefit from the Zen/Smug feature set. They're similar in many ways (no free account options, equally convoluted website setup schemes—they could both take lessons from Photobucket in these respects). And Zenfolio, aligned with veteran print house MPix, is lauded by many as delivering the slickest hardcopy in the business. Unlimited storage (available in all but Zenfolio's "Basic" plan) is another great perk for serious photographers, as are the fully customizable—and often downright gorgeous—galleries.

As is the case with SmugMug, sharing and social interaction are not Zenfolio's strong suits. Indeed, it prides itself on privacy and image protection—a smart idea when you consider its customer base.

Note: We found Zenfolio slow-moving, and noticed similar complaints from other users. Most complaints were recent, leading us to believe this is a temporary issue.

Cost and highlights: At Zenfolio, you pay to play. However, its $100/year "Premium" account is one of the least expensive full-blown photo e-commerce avenues you'll find. Basic Plan (2GB max storage, custom design): $25; Unlimited Plan (add unlimited storage, own domain names): $50; Premium Plan (add photo-marketing capabilities, multiple upgrades): $100; Premium Business plan (everything but the proverbial kitchen sink): $250/year.

Best suited for: Serious cameramen (and women). Zenfolio ideally fits no-nonsense types who know they're good and want a public presence to show off—and possibly sell—their wares. Probable overkill for vacation snap-shooters seeking comments.

Intel Pentium 350 Processor has Sandy Bridge DNA

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:55 AM PST

While all the attention is on Sandy Bridge-E and, looking down the line, Ivy Bridge (and Ivy Bridge-E), Intel went and quietly rolled out a Pentium 350 processor based on the chip maker's Sandy Bridge architecture. The Pentium 350 is a dual-core processor built on a 32nm manufacturing process and clocked at 1.2GHz. It also has 3MB of L3 cache.

Perhaps most exciting, however, is its energy footprint. The Pentium 350 is rated at just 15W TDP, which as Fudzilla points out might very well be the lowest TDP of any Intel desktop chip that's not part of the Atom family.

Outside of the Pentium 350, the least power hungry desktop Sandy Bridge chip drinks 35W of juice. Compared to that, the Pentium 350 is positioned as an interesting option in the HTPC space.

Image Credit: Intel

SlingPlayer App Lands on D-Link's Boxee Box

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:36 AM PST

We love it when two great things come together as one, like rum and Coke. Less intoxicating but every bit as delicious is D-Link's announcement that Boxee Box now supports the SlingPlayer app. With this app, Sling Solo or Pro-HD owners will be able to use their Boxee Box to control their cable box, satellite receiver, DVR, or DVD player from anywhere in the world.

Users are also able to program their DVR and access DVR content, as well as stream programming in 1080i to Boxee via the SlingPlayer app.

"The addition of SlingPlayer greatly expands the content and capabilities of the Boxee Box by D-Link and brings today's connected home to yet another level," said Daniel Kelley, associate vice president, Marketing, D-Link North America. "Missing your favorite show or game is a thing of the past. With SlingPlayer, people can easily enjoy and access their TV content with the ultimate convenience, from changing the channel to controlling the DVR."

Once installed, the SlingPlayer app shows up in the app menu is accessible via the Boxee Box remote control. It features Sling Media's new program guide designed to make it easier to browse content and change channels, D-Link says.

"We think it's a pretty killer combination. Whether you're a parent looking for a present for your college student (free cable from home), or just looking to equip a second room or vacation house with more entertainment, then Boxee + Sling are a great way to go," the Boxee Box team said in a blog post.

No argument here.

Image Credit: D-Link

Thanks Buddy!: 25 of Gaming's Greatest Sidekicks

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:35 AM PST

It's easy to lose track of those who helped the hero save the day. With that in mind, we decided to throw together a wild and whacky list of our favorite sidekicks in gaming (we did consoles too, we're sorry) to give thanks to all the loyal sidekicks who've had our backs over the years.

Check out the gallery below, and make sure and let us know who we missed in the comments field!

Android App of the Week: Google Music

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:33 AM PST

Last week we discussed Google's lack of support for music lovers in our review of DoubleTwist Player. Wouldn't you know Google responded the next day by releasing an entire ecosystem for purchasing, storing, and listening to your favorite music.

 

At first glance, Google Music is a direct competitor to Apple's iTunes music store and music player. The Google Music app for Android shed the beta tag last week, and allows users to interact with their music library in all the ways you would expect. Google also announced the ability for customers to purchase and download music from large music labels and independent artists alike using the Android Market. The third piece of the Google Music puzzle competes against cloud music storage solutions such as iTunes Match and Amazon's Cloud Player, allowing you to upload your music library, where it will be available to your phone or tablet from anywhere with a data connection.

 

Google Music (the app) is available as a free download from the Android Marketplace. Individual songs cost $.99-$1.29, and Google currently has a variety of tracks available for free. Google's Music cloud storage is also for now a free service with a 20,000 song cap.

Zotac Unveils New, Silent GeForce GTS 450 Graphics Card

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 11:11 AM PST

Home theater PC enthusiasts want their HD video and Blu-ray discs to run smoothly, dammit, and the HTPC doing to the leg work had better being whisper-quiet doing it. Zotac is a company that has made its name by catering to the demanding HTPC crowd, and a product they've announced today continues that razor-sharp focus: the GeForce GTS 450 ZONE Edition graphics card mixes DirectX 11 visuals with a fan-less cooling system that helps keep noise to a minimum.

We'd paraphrase, but Zotac says it best for themselves. From the press release:

The ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ZONE Edition takes the award-winning GeForce GTS 450 graphics processor with 192 high-performance shaders and passively cools it using a ZOTAC-exclusive dual-slot fan-less cooling system that features copper heat-pipes and aluminum fins to keep the graphics processor cool while operating silently.

On top of being virtually silent (according to Zotac), the GeForce GTS 450 ZONE Edition includes 1GB of DDR3 memory (as opposed to 1GB of GDDR5 on the standard GeForce GTS 450), a 1080p HDMI output, and DVI and DisplayPort connections. If you have the right hardware/software combo, Dolby Digital TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio is supported, too. The internals have been a bit slowed down compared to the standard GeForce GTS 450: Zotac's version has a 600 MHz GPU clock speed and a 1333 MHz memory clock speed, down from 783 MHz and 1804 MHz speeds (respectively) in the base model. It may not be a Crysis-crushing powerhouse, but Zotac claims this graphics card will play 3D Blu-ray discs without a hitch.

"With the ZOTAC GeForce GTS 450 ZONE Edition we struck the perfect balance of 3D performance and energy-efficiency to eliminate the cooling fan, as well as the external power connector," Carsten Berger, Zotac's marketing director, said in the company's press release.

Rage Review

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 10:39 AM PST

Fast, frantic, fun…forgettable?

Before Rage was released there were a lot of unanswered questions floating around. Could Id make another genre-defining shooter? Would the six-plus years of development and the much-touted Id Tech 5 engine yield a sufficiently impressive result? While these are certainly appropriate questions for both reviewers and gamers to be curious about, we found ourselves haunted by another, seemingly trivial, question: What does the title Rage mean? Only after playing completely through could we truly understand.

Rage pulls off an impressive feat: It manages to have a lot of personality despite having minimal character. While you may not care about the paper-thin story or remember any character names, you'll probably notice something unique in just about every NPC—the grizzled‑yet‑vaguely lonely face of the mute knife mini-game guy, the windstick girl's exuberantly animated hand gestures and bubbly voice, the too-cool-for-school posturing of the town tough guy as he leans against a wall. The devil is in the details, and Rage gets the details right.


Rage, rage against the dying of the…well, just against the dying.

This subtle depth is mirrored in Rage's gameplay. First off, the weapons "feel right." The shotgun has just the right amount of spread, kickback, and stopping power. The assault rifle strikes the perfect balance between rate of fire and recoil. What's more, the game manages to keep every weapon useful and relevant throughout by providing numerous alternate ammo types. You can transform your humble pistol into a mighty magnum or miniature sniper rifle with the right rounds, or even change your crossbow from a silent killer to a mind control device.

Rage's visuals have an equal amount of depth, but nothing there is subtle. The Id Tech 5 engine is on full display, providing a smooth frame rate while maintaining a stunningly high level of detail and draw distance in its lovingly crafted environments.

These environments are further enhanced by how the enemies interact with them. Not content to simply duck behind cover, enemies will move around in truly organic fashion—hopping off walls, vaulting over debris, clambering along pipes, and hanging from guard rails. These fully articulated animations meld seamlessly with the game's damage and physics engines to create a real sense of weight, inertia, and natural motion as enemies juke, stumble, and flip back in reaction to your shots.


Driving shows off the great-looking environment but gets stale by game's end.

That's not to say the game isn't without some stumbles of its own. Rage uses an extremely nonintuitive keyboard/mouse control setup. Toggling between weapons is simple enough, but trying to switch ammo types or assign quick-use items is a bit of a chore, and clearly designed with controllers in mind.

The game's driving portions, while technically proficient, feel like little more than filler material between missions. Worse, the world you drive through is just open enough to make you want to explore it, but not big or fleshed-out enough to actually support that. By the time we'd finished the game (about 12 hours to do just about everything the game had to offer), we had little desire to jump into the driving battle rallies that serve as the game's only competitive multiplayer options.

So, what then does the game's name mean? Absolutely nothing. Then why "Rage"? Well, it's short, it's snappy, it's angry, but most importantly, it just looks and sounds cool. And that's exactly what Rage the game is about: It's about looking and sounding cool; it's about headshots, driving fast, and blowing stuff up. And while it might feel shallow at times, this rule-of-cool philosophy permeates every aspect of Rage's design—from the fast, flashy gunplay, to the lavishly animated enemies, to the ludicrously detailed environments. The result is a game that's fun as hell but probably won't leave a lasting impression on either gamers or the shooter genre.

$60, www.rage.com
ESRB: M

MMO News

MMO News


Earthrise going F2P in 2012

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 03:55 PM PST

Iceberg Interactive and Masthead Studios have announced that Earthrise will go free-to-play in 2012.

Earthrise is a sandbox-style MMORPG, with unlimited skill-based progression and a player-driven economy. Each class is customizable with over 100 different skills and tactics. The game also features action-based combat, PvP, territory wars, guilds, quests, specialized crafting, and more.

This business model change follows a reduced subscription plan released previously by the publisher earlier this year.

earthrise_screenshot-11

Earthrise Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Haarlem, The Netherlands – 22 November 2011 - Videogame publisher Iceberg Interactive and game developer Masthead Studios have announced that the MMORPG Earthrise will become Free To Play in 2012. Starting  December 1st, Masthead will no longer charge players monthly subscriptions. The boxed edition that is currently available in the retail market from Iceberg Interactive, will still represent 20 Euro of value and the included key code will give access to the premium version of the game.

Accompanying this press release are 5 new screenshots from Earthrise.

Earthrise is a post-apocalyptic science fiction MMORPG set in the distant future. In the aftermath of the Third World War, mankind has managed to survive and build a new society. Cloning, nanotechnology and quantum engineering are part of the new reality. Thanks to these technological advances, the human species has become immortal. Each individual's consciousness is stored in a data vault, ready to be uploaded into a cloned body as necessary.

There is a unified government that takes good care of those citizens who abide its strict laws. It appears paradise might have really come to Earth and the people have embraced it. But not everything is as perfect as it seems. By exercising full control over the cloning process, Sal Vitas’ government decides who will live and who will not, playing the role of God on Earth. Insurgent forces have accused the city’s rulers of crimes against humanity. Armed factions fight for resources and power within the new system. And from the waves of discontent, a revolution has fomented forming a rebel government: Noir.

Featuring an unique skill-based advancement system and player-driven economy, as well as extensive, meaningful player-vs.-player combat, Earthrise gives you innumerable choices to forge your destiny. Whether you’re a noble soldier in the raging conflict between the government-run "utopia" and the rebellion opposing it; a criminal hiding from the law; or a world-renowned engineer whose power extends into intricate trade and politics, your actions will echo throughout the game world.

Key Features

  • A unique post-apocalyptic setting where the cloned remnants of mankind battle to survive and rebuild.
  • Highly customizable characters with over 100 different skills, abilities, and tactics.
  • No artificial “class” restrictions get in the way of making the character you want.
  • Fast-paced action-combat featuring dynamic targeting, customizable power armor and hundreds of high-tech weapons.
  • Sophisticated Player versus Player (PvP) mechanics that let you fight for the established order, join the revolutionary underground, or carve your own bloody path as an independent criminal.
  • Territorial conquest and defense that matters. In your domain, you create your own rules – or let anarchy reign.
  • Character progression that keeps you advancing in your career with no limits.
  • An advanced market-based economy with in-game supply and demand based on player activities.
  • Deep crafting mechanics that let you design and manufacture unique items from customizable blueprints and raw resources.

Flyff releases V18: Renaissance

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 03:23 PM PST

The latest major update to hit Flyff: Fly For Fun, V18: Renaissance, is now live.

Madrigal gains three new mid-level dungeons and over 100 quests, with an improved item drop system. The update introduces new enhancements for Baruna weapons, making them more powerful against elite opponents and the new mid-level monsters.

To celebrate the patch release, players can get 2.5x experience and free items for logging in starting today, as well as increased drop rates for Sunstones and Moonstones.

Flyff is published by gPotato, which also publishes Allods Online and Luna Online.

flyff_razor_maw

Flyff V18: Renaissance Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Flyff V18: Renaissance Now Live!

Flyff Introduces Improved Weapons, Three Dungeons, Multiple Events, and More

Sunnyvale, Calif. November 22, 2011 – Flyff players can now soar through magnificent new lands and obtain great fortunes with the launch of its new expansion, Flyff V18: Renaissance, today!  New dungeons, weapon enhancements, over 100 new quests, and more await the high-flyers of one of the world's most beloved MMORPGs.

Baruna weapons have long been cast aside as inferior, but no more!  New enhancements mold them into powerful weapons, capable of empowering their owners against the most elite opponents.  Flyff's new mid-level monsters like the deceivingly vicious plant life of Euphrasia will wilt against the might of these improved items.

Plus, Madrigal will be populated with three new mid-level dungeons, over 100 new quests, and an improved item drop system making it easier than ever to obtain rewards.  Players can soar over new landscapes filled with treacherous dungeons and monsters, battle with 60 amazing new weapons, and explore 150 levels packed with content as 1 of over 20 different classes.

To celebrate the expansion Flyff is giving away even more wealth through multiple events that begin today!  Flyff players will enjoy receiving 2.5 times the EXP and free items automatically just by logging in.  Sunstones and Moonstones will drop more frequently, and leveling up will additionally award players with helpful items.  Learn more about these events and all the new features on the official Flyff website at http://flyff.gpotato.com/.

Atlantica Online raises level cap and more

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 03:02 PM PST

Atlantica Online has released a new patch, deepening the content that players can discover.

The level cap has been raised from 140 to 150. A new Talent Point System has also been introduced for main characters; once level 130, players can specialize their skills to improve attack power, magic level, health, or class-specific abilities.

Also new is the Pegasus Equipment, a new set of gear available for players above level 141. The cross-server market also debuts, letting players trade across all six servers, and making the market price universal across all servers.

As part of the update, players can also enjoy the Level Up Gift Box event, where players get a gift box every time they level up, including Mercenary summon marbles, weapons, and Book Boxes at every tenth level. Players who haven’t logged in for 60 days or more will get a welcome back package including a Rhinoceros Mount, along with Rebirth Tokens, Blessing Licenses, Warrior’s Packages, Enchant Stones, Growth Vials, and other scrolls.

Atlantica Online is published by Nexon, which also publishes Dungeon Fighter Online and MapleStory.

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Atlantica Online Gameplay Screenshot

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Creation of a Champion

The approaching invasion seeks valiant heroes in "Atlantica Online"

The descendents of Atlantica are training for the war against the infamous Riederan in "Atlantica Online," Nexon's strategic turn-based massively multiplayer online role playing game. To prepare for the upcoming battle, players can now advance towards the increased level cap, discover powerful equipment in the new cross-server market, and obtain godly powers from Pegasus' armor.

The challenge to become Atlantica's champion now extends to warriors beyond level 140, for those who can prove their worth by tackling the new 150 level cap. In addition, the new main character Talent Point System allows players level 130 and above to specialize their skill needs. Talent Points can be applied to improve attack power, health, magic level and class-specific abilities. Players can easily reset Talent Points if they wish to change their main character class.

Additionally, players are now able to wield the glorious Pegasus equipment. This gift of divinity is bestowed upon heroes of Atlantica by the mythical creature Pegasus. Players level 141 and above will be able to harness the power of the mythical Pegasus.

A new cross-server market has also been instituted, giving players the opportunity to trade goods amongst all six servers. The Market Price is now universal across all servers, allowing players to trade easily and efficiently.

The content update also offers players an opportunity to train faster with a Level Up Gift Box event. Every time a player levels up, an event box filled with prizes corresponding to the level will be delivered to their mailbox. In addition, players will be rewarded with Mercenary summon marbles, weapons and Book Boxes for every ten levels they level up.

Along with the rewards for active players, Nexon has prepared a surprise for neglected characters awaiting their resurrection. Players who have not logged in for 60 days will receive a welcome back package that includes Rebirth Tokens, a Blessing License, a Warrior's Package, Enchant Stones, Growth Vials, various scrolls, and a Rhinoceros Mount.

DotA 2 Gameplay – First Look HD

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 02:50 PM PST

To Learn More About the Game Check out our DotA 2 Page.

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DotA 2 is a 3D fantasy themed MOBA style game published by Valve – the same company behind Team Fortress 2 and the popular Half-Life franchise. DotA 2 is the sequel to the enormously popular DotA game on Warcraft 3. The game plays a lot like Heroes of Newerth, League of Legends, Rise of the Immortals, and other MobA style games. The game was developed at Valve and was designed to play like the original DotA game except with more features (reconnection, voip, etc). This video was recorded in the game’s beta. To learn more about Heroes of DotA 2 check out the official MMOHut Heroes of DotA 2 page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.

Battlestar Galactica Online gears up for Thanksgiving weekend

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 02:33 PM PST

Battlestar Galactica Online has announced a two-part event for this Thanksgiving weekend, starting November 24.

A Double XP Booster event will take place on November 24 and November 25. Players will earn double experience for assignments and PvP kills. The event will also temporarily raise the daily merit cap, make the FTL Fragment Convoy Mission available at half prize, and grant XP bonuses and higher merit caps to players who purchase Cubits.

November 26 and November 27 will host a two-day “Nemesis” Tournament, rewarding the top twenty players on each server with a host of prizes including an icon over their ship name, tuning kits, FTL fragments, and a Carrier Grand Prize (one pictured below). Points for the tournament can be earned by traveling to select sectors flagged on the map, and killing opponents in the sector.

The game will also host a contest in December for the chance to win a life-size Cylon.

Battlestar Galactica Online is published by Bigpoint, which also publishes The Mummy Online and Drakensang Online.

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Battlestar Galactica Online: Surter Carrier Class Screenshot

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Battlestar Galactica Online Readies Nemesis Tournament, XP Booster Event, and Cylon Giveaway Contest for Holiday Season

Many Opportunities for Humans and Cylons to Win Prizes and In-Game Bonuses over Four-Day Period

San Francisco – Nov. 22, 2011 – Bigpoint (www.bigpoint.com) – a worldwide leader in online video games – today announced a two-part special event for Battlestar Galactica Online starting this Thanksgiving weekend. Beginning Nov. 24, players will be able to earn experience (XP) bonuses and merits during a Double XP Booster Event, followed by a two-day Player-vs-Player (PvP) "Nemesis" Tournament (beginning Nov. 26) that will reward the top 20 players on each server.  Battlestar Galactica Online is licensed through Universal Partnerships & Licensing on behalf of NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group.

Based on the internationally popular Syfy television series produced by Universal Cable Productions, Battlestar Galactica Online – which has garnered seven million registered users since its launch earlier this year – is a free-to-play, browser-based space combat MMOG that combines high-quality, 3D graphics with intense gameplay.

"To celebrate the beginning of the holiday season, we're presenting an exciting tournament competition for fans of BSGO to compete on a new level," said Sarah Levantine, Producer, Bigpoint. "If we see that the community response is positive, we're likely to add more of these events on special occasions."

To compete in the Nemesis Tournament (Nov. 26-27), players will travel to select sectors identified on the system map. Once there, they will engage in battle against the opposing faction, scoring points for kills. Points can be earned for the duration of the tournament, which will adhere to the same rules as the PvP experience point system.

At the end of the tournament, the top ten players with the highest scores will be distinguished with a visible icon above their pilot ship name. The top 20 players on each server will be awarded with a number of prizes such as one of the soon-to-be released Carrier Grand Prize, tuning kits, and FTL fragments.

During the Double XP Booster Event (Nov. 24-25) – players can earn twice the experience points for PvP kills and completing assignments. Also during this event:

·         The daily merit cap will increase to 1500.

·         Players who buy Cubits will receive XP bonuses and higher merit caps.

·         The FTL Fragment Convoy Mission will be available for half price.

In December, Bigpoint plans to run a contest where one lucky fan will win a life-size Cylon. More information about the contest will be released soon through the Battlestar Galactica Online news page, Facebook fanpage, and community forums.

RuneScape revamps website

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 01:55 PM PST

After ten years of success, RuneScape has launched a brand new website for its player base.

The website adds a new logo for the game, replaces the manual with a new wiki that can be edited by the community, adds an events section that lets players and staff add events and locations, and puts important content on the redesigned front page, making it easier for players to get important news quickly.

RuneScape is published by Jagex, which also publishes War of Legends and 8Realms.

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RuneScape Gameplay Screenshot

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Jagex Announces New RuneScape Website

RuneScape 10th Anniversary gifts new look and new features

Jagex Games Studio, the UK's largest independent games company, today unveils a completely redesigned website and new logo for RuneScape, the world's most popular free to play MMO. While the site brings a fresh look and new features to the RuneScape community, the game remains classic and true to its roots, which has been enjoyed by 126 million all time active unique players.

The new website features include:

RuneScape Wiki:

  • The manual has now been moved over to our new, community-editable wiki. Even if you've never used or edited a wiki before, it's really easy to do.

The Events Section:

  • There's a whole new section devoted to the organisation and advertisement of events. The Jagex Community Engagement team, clans and individual members of the community can put up details on the events feed and place a location pin into the events map to direct prospective attendees.

RuneScape News to the Fore:

  • News, media and social networking activity feeds have been given special placement on the new front page, ensuring that up-to-the-minute RuneScape information is readily available at all times.

RuneScape, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary, has earned many prestigious awards including the Guinness World Record 'Most Popular Free-to-Play MMO' 2008-2010 and Develop Industry Excellence Awards 'Lifetime achievement award' to the creators, Andrew and Paul Gower in 2010.

Project Blackout gets Overwolf

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 01:36 PM PST

SG Interactive is beginning to add the Overwolf tool to its games, starting with Project Blackout, available now for players.

The Overwolf tools are built in to SG Interactive’s GameRage portal, and lets players access social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Skype, and other chat clients), You Tube, web browsers, and in-game screenshot and video capture, all in-game through a lightweight, discreet user interface. Other games will also have support for this feature soon.

SG Interactive also publishes Grand Chase and Pangya.

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Project Blackout Gameplay Screenshot

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SG Interactive Partners with Overwolf to Take Project Blackout to the Next Level on GameRage Portal

Overwolf's Seamless Social Media Overlay Now Supports SG Interactive's FPS Project Blackout

SAN FRANCISCO and IRVINE, Calif. – November 22, 2011 – SG Interactive, a leading free-to-play online games publisher, is taking the next step to add social media interaction into their FPS, Project Blackout, and soon into all of its games, thanks to a new collaboration with Overwolf, a software company specializing in embedding social overlays in online games. The new tool fully integrates with Project Blackout on SG Interactive's new GameRage portal, and allows users to access Facebook, Twitter, Skype and web browsers, as well as record and share video of online gameplay.

"SG Interactive has a great lineup of games and a community itching to share them with the world," said Uri Marchand, CEO of Overwolf. "By combining Overwolf's powerful social feature set with their GameRage portal, starting with Project Blackout, we're providing their players with the social tools that will make their gaming experience even better."

Overwolf, founded in 2010, is a service that unites gamers by tapping into existing social networks. The anticipated complete integration with SG Interactive's GameRage portal and all its games will provide its community with an easy way to locate friends in-game, communicate and share gaming experiences. This GameRage Hub will feature:

• Social Media and Chat Client Support – The key feature of the GameRage Hub is its support of a wide range of social networks and chat clients, including Facebook, Meebo, MSN Messenger, Steam Chat, Twitter, Yahoo! Chat and YouTube, with additional clients to be added in the future
• In-game Screenshot and Video Capture – The GameRage Hub has a simple interface to take screenshots and gameplay video, and can easily and instantaneously share them to friends and contacts on any supported social network
• Lightweight Profile – The GameRage Hub hides in a discreet location on the screen, and overlays can be accessed and hidden with customizable keyboard shortcuts and mouse roll-over

"The GameRage Hub is offering the next level of social experience to our community and online gamers as a whole," said Chris Lee, CEO of SG Interactive. "Overwolf's service is above and beyond any of the feature sets we've seen. Combining the GameRage Hub with all of our games finally gives online gamers a seamless in-game social media solution, and we're glad to be able to offer it to the SG Interactive community."

The Overwolf GameRage Hub will initially support Project Blackout, but will be added to more games in the GameRage library. Gamers can register and play any of those games for free by visiting GameRage.com, and see the new Overwolf GameRage Hub in action by downloading it from

http://download.overwolf.com/GameRageHubInstaller.exe.

Mythos Global announces closed beta

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 12:41 PM PST

Mythos Global, published by T3Fun, will launch a four day long closed beta test on December 1. Beta keys will be given out through various media and partner sites.

The beta will offer multiple in-game and community events during its short run. Mythos is an online multiplayer dungeon crawler featuring a complex loot and crafting system, randomly generated dungeons, and three classes to choose from. It is already published in Europe under Frogster.

T3Fun also publishes Hellgate and AIKA Online (Global).

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Mythos Gameplay Screenshot

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Mythos Global Closed Beta Announced! The Long-Awaited First Glance Into the Land of Uld

Four-Day Beta Period in North America for Highly Anticipated Dungeon-Crawler MMO Mythos

LOS ANGELES – November 21, 2011

Hanbitsoft and T3Fun today announced that the highly anticipated dungeon-crawler ARPG Mythos will hold a four-day closed beta test beginning on December 1st. Beta keys will be distributed by partner sites, so fans should stay tuned for a chance to participate.

Beta players will have the exclusive opportunity to experience this epic world in all of its non-stop, monster-slaughtering glory. Mythos features high-quality random dungeon generation designed to ensure that each run is a new and exciting experience, an intricate loot system boasting a massive array of possible stats and attributes for items and equipment, and an in-depth crafting system containing entire skill trees which are unique to crafting.

There will also be lots of events for beta players to participate in, held both in-game and via the Mythos Facebook page. Fans can also sign up for the official newsletter in order to get the latest information and updates regarding the beta period.

Dragon Nest unleashes Theater of War

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 12:23 PM PST

The Theater of War update has arrived for players of Dragon Nest.

The update tunes PvP by improving Ghoul Mode, adding new skills, items, and achievements, and adding three new game modes: Protect-the-Captain, where players must work to protect their team leader while taking out the opposing team’s leader; free-for-all, a sixteen player deathmatch; and a three-on-three Ladder Mode.

Also new in the update are two new dungeons: Chaos Rift Kamala (24+, Abyss Mode) and Chaos Rift Viera (32+, Abyss Mode), both of which shift layouts every time a player enters. Dragon Eggs may now be purchased from the Dragon Vault with a chance of obtaining the Royal Crimson Stallion, a new mount (and the first for Dragon Nest) which grants 70% bonus speed in town and fields.

Dragon Nest is published by Nexon, which also publishes Vindictus and Mabinogi.

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Dragon Nest Gameplay Screenshot

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The "Theater of War" Comes to Dragon Nest

New PvP content, dungeons, Black Friday deals arrive this week

Nexon is adding new player versus player (PvP) game modes and upgrades to Dragon Nest today as part of a new content update, "Theater of War." The update for its popular online action RPG also includes two challenging new dungeons for high level players and a host of other game improvements.

New fighting styles make their debut on the PvP front today, and the game's classic PvP modes are getting a makeover as well. In the new Protect-the-Captain game mode, players must work together as a team to safeguard their team captain while pressing the offensive to eliminate the opposing team's leader. Teamwork, coordination, feints and ruses are the tools necessary for the cunning team to win the day.

Also new to PvP is the free-for-all mode, where up to 16 players are cut loose to battle each other in a bloodthirsty brawl for supremacy. Players can fight, or they can fly, but they can't hide forever in this fast-paced game mode. Additionally, a new three-on-three Ladder Mode has been added, wherein teams of three players face off against each other. The popular Ghoul Mode, introduced with last month's Halloween update, is receiving a number of improvements. Players can now turn into mummy ghouls and access new ghoul skills, items and achievements. Finally, medals and EXP will be awarded should players wish to consume their power bar to do so.

Two new dungeons are opening up today with the "Theater of War" update. Located in the Garden of Eternity, Chaos Rift Kamala is a new dungeon for level 24 players and above. Playable only on Abyss Mode, the game's highest difficulty level, players are encouraged to take a friend (or few) along. Chaos Rift Viera is another new dungeon playable on Abyss Mode for players at the current level cap of 32. Unlike other dungeons, the layout in these two new dungeons changes every time a player enters presenting a fresh experience each time.

Additionally, players can now purchase Dragon Eggs (Gachapon) from the Dragon Vault, and each egg has a chance of containing a Royal Crimson Stallion, the game's first mount. Players will be the envy of their peers as they strut through town on top of this magnificent beast, which also grants a 70 percent movement speed bonus in town and fields.

It wouldn't be a proper Thanksgiving without Black Friday deals, and Dragon Nest players will have a slew of deals to look forward to beginning Friday, Nov. 25. For every 500,000 dungeons that Dragon Nest players collectively complete from now until Friday, Nexon will unveil a new Black Friday promotion on the game's website.

The Mummy Online

Posted: 22 Nov 2011 10:58 AM PST

The Mummy Online is a browser-based, top-down Diablo style MMORPG. Released by Bigpoint, creator of Battlefield Heroes, and based on its movie equivalent, The Mummy Online plunges players into 1930 Egypt either as adventurers fighting the mummy, or cultists who strive to awaken it. Wield the whip, the gun or the spell as you explore thematic environments inspired by the movie.

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Publisher: Bigpoint
Playerbase: Low
Graphics: Medium Quality
Type: MMORPG
EXP Rate: Medium
PvP: PvP Areas
Filesize: N/A

Pros: +Quality graphics and physics engine. +Interesting setting and environments. +Skill-based abilities makes for interesting gameplay.

Cons: -Very small player population. –A lot of technical glitches. –Extremely short on content.

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Overview

The Mummy Online Overview

Based on the movie of the same name, The Mummy Online is brought to us by Big Point, more commonly known for Battlefield Heroes, Drakensang Online and Battlestar Galactica Online. Players are allowed to play one of three classes, a melee, a ranged and a caster, divided between two factions(raiders and cultists) vying against each other for control of PvP areas. Unfortunately, The Mummy Online has little to offer in the way of solid entertainment, and content is lacking to say the very least. Not only lacking in the way of content, it suffers from a plethora of bugs and technical difficulties that can range from difficulty logging in to total graphic failure.

The Mummy Online Screenshots

The Mummy Online Featured Video

Full Review

The Mummy Online Full Review

By, Guillaume Barbeau-Roberge

You've undoubtedly heard of the 1999 movie "The Mummy", its plethora of sequels and even a spin-off. While the movie was not necessarily master-piece or game worthy, it brought in enough revenue to wet the whiskers of a handful of publishers, including Konami, and in this case Bigpoint. Thus enters The Mummy Online, the latest in a line of not necessarily unwanted, but definitely unneeded Mummy adaptations. Developed and published by the developer more commonly known for Battlefield Heroes, The Mummy Online benefits from earlier games' technology, and boasts quality graphics and a physics engine that actually turns out pretty good (even more so for a browser game). There's no denying that the original setting for The Mummy has rarely been adapted to MMORPG. That said, it takes more than an original experience to make a fun game. So, does The Mummy Online make the cut? Read on to know!

I Hope You Like Scarabs

As this is a browser game, you start out on the website, choose a server, and pop! You're brought to the character screen. Unfortunately, this is the spot where most of the problems were had during this review, as some servers would sometimes just skip on that part where it starts up the game. A few different browsers away and the problem was fixed, but it still amounted to way more effort than should be necessary just to get the thing started. You're brought immediately to a fairly straight to the point character creation screen – choose your faction; cultists, the bad guys who really like the color red, and raiders, most of whom seem to share common ancestry with Indiana Jones. You choose your class out of three of them, which will mainly determine your fighting style (melee, ranged, spells). All classes are essentially identical, appearance-wise, with customization being limited to sex, skin and hair color. The characters themselves aren't too bad looking, just very similar to each other. Each class has about two different types of weapons, such as pistols and rifles for the ranged classes. The tutorial leads you through the essential of what you need to know, and is a good preview of the nifty looking physics, and skill-based abilities. This is a fairly important bit, as the terrain blocking your shots can make a difference in PvP.

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Anck-So-Lame

The gameplay is typical, and unfortunately not very deep. You get a quest, get potions, then go out and beat/shoot/curse a variety of different critters. There are –very- few abilities, barely a handful, and your ability bar can carry no more than 4 of them. Potions occupy 4 other toolbar slots, and their high price makes it relatively useless to get many of them, which leaves you with some solutions. You can head back to town to heal, you can use potions, or you can die. I preferred the latter, as dying costs virtually nothing. And considering you share your areas with the enemy, dying is sure to happen, and potions get costy very quickly. Quests, in my experience, are few, extremely repetitive, and bugged. While some MMOs progressively ramp up to the point where each quest takes a long time, Mummy throws you immediately into the fray, with "Kill 40 pygmies" being an example of an early one. Critters drop gold and rubies, the two currencies of the game. Gold allows you to buy equipment, potions, the regular stuff. Rubies are sort of like money store currency; it lets you buy gold, and stuff from the ruby store.

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The Rock Would Frown

The Mummy Online currently has a collection of flaws that makes it very difficult to appreciate. First and foremost that it has extremely little content. Boasting a handful of zones, some of which are restricted to one faction (but have mirror equivalents on the other side), a couple of dungeons and a single town, this is a very, very small game, and it is very limited in its variety of environments. Not only that, but some zones seemed to be impossible to access. Secondly, it has a very tiny population, with rarely ever any cultist online, making the zones feel quite empty. Even when there are people in the area, players tend to look similar as there is very little customizations barring a few hats and a beard. The critters are not very varied, the quests are buggy, and graphics will sometimes glitch when you change areas. Freezes are common, and seem to occur most frequently when starting, or closing the tab/window. Lastly, there are missing features, like the money store or the social tab, making this one incomplete title with little to offer.

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Final Verdict: Poor

Even if you liked the movies, do yourself a favor and skip this one. Or, at the very least, wait for a few updates to come through before you give it a try. This is a game that feels more like a test for an engine rather than an actual title and its shortness will leave most players unsatisfied. Though it is early, there is a base for potential that cannot be neglected, and a significant chance that with proper attention, The Mummy Online could become a solid title. That time isn't now however, and it'll take more than a few fixes to make this one playable.

Screenshots

The Mummy Online Screenshots

Links

The Mummy Online Links

The Mummy Online Official Page

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