MMO News |
- Perfect World
- Fiesta Online
- Runes of Magic
- Golfstar
- Iris Online
- Loong: The Power of the Dragon
- King of Kings 3
| Posted: 10 Jan 2009 08:01 PM PST Perfect World is a 3D Fantasy MMORPG set in a gorgeously designed world. The game offers both level and skill-based progression as well as an incredibly innovative character creation system with near limitless customization options. The game offers an excellent variety of playable classes and races and is easily one of the most in depth fantasy MMORPGs out there.  Publisher: Perfect World Entertainment Pros: +Plenty of playable races and classes. +The most in-depth character creation system of any MMORPG. +Varied mounts including flying mounts. +Plenty of GM Events. +Great musical score. +Regularly updated. Cons: -Dull combat. -Uninspiring quests. -Slow-paced gameplay. -Interface could better. Overview Perfect World OverviewPerfect World is a 3D Fantasy MMORPG Set in a gorgeously designed fantasy world. Create your character using the game’s innovative character creation system and explore this lush fantasy world. Perfect World has numerous playable races and two unique classes for each race, for a total of eight playable classes. The three races are Humans, Winged Elves, Untamed, and Tideborn. With the game’s large selection of playable races and classes, Perfect World is easily one of the most in-depth free to play MMORPGs available. The game’s playable classes are: Archer – Archers are capable of dealing physical damage to their opponents from a safe distance. They have extremely high accuracy and critical hit chance, but low hit points and limited melee capabilities. Assassin – Assassins are fragile but deadly. They specialize in dealing large amounts of damage to their opponents as quickly as possible. They have some of the highest DPS (Damage per second) in the game and access to powerful DoT attacks. Their weaknesses include very low hit points and weak physical defense. Barbarian – Barbarians are powerful tanks that excel in absorbing damage. They are great front line fighters and can transform into tigers to increase increase their movement speed. They have very high hit points, high physical defense and powerful AOE skills. Their weaknesses include low accuracy and weak magical defense. Blademaster – Blademasters are powerful melee characters with access to a wide variety of skills, making them one of the most varied classes in Perfect World. They have numerous stun skills and powerful AOE attacks, but low magic defense and limited single target damage output. Cleric – Clerics have access to wide variety of healing and supportive skills making them extremely valuable in groups. They have powerful healing spells and access to some decent offensive magic, but the are fairly weak in PvP and cannot deal as much damage as some of the other classes. Psychic – Psychics are an interesting utility class in Perfect World, as their spells largely revolve around buffs, defbuffs and hexes. They do have access to some offensive magic, but cannot deal nearly as much damage as wizards. Venomancer - Venomancers are a unique type of caster class with pet taming abilities. They have access to offensive poison spells and debuffs. They are easily the best soloing class in the game because of their pets, but like other casters, they have low hit points. Wizard - Wizards are the primary offensive spell casting class in Perfect World. They are capable of dealing the most damage in the game and have access to powerful AoE spells, but have very low hitpoints and slow movement speed. Mystic – A hybrid offensive and defensive magic user. Mystics have access to some powerful direct damage spells but also useful heal over time spells. They can summon pets to fight along side themselves as well. Seeker – A powerful melee oriented class which wields a large two handed blade. They have access to numerous nature spells and can cast some offensive magic. Perfect World Screenshots          Perfect World Featured Video Full Review Perfect World Full ReviewBy, Omer Altay Perfect World is a 3D Fantasy MMORPG that was first released in China back in July 2005. The game was later licensed to the Malaysian MMORPG publisher Cubizone, and was eventually released internationally as “Perfect World International” in September 2008 on the Perfect World Entertainment English portal. The game was If you've played the game before on the Malaysian servers and liked it I strongly recommend you give it a go on the official International edition, as the game runs a lot smoother and has much better English translations. The good thing is that even though Perfect World borrows a lot of the generic MMORPG elements from other games, it does a phenomenal job of combining these elements to create an enjoyable gaming experience. Character Creation… Wow! I mean come on! What other MMORPG lets you make your character look that… unique! I tried to make my character look as silly as possible to demonstrate the possibilities of Perfect World's character creation. I'm sure if you try hard enough you can model your character after some well-known celebrities, so don't be surprised if you see a character looking like George Bush or the RPG protagonist Cloud Strife walking around. The sky is truly the limit here. Wow… This world really is perfect. On With the Gameplay! A Map well done. Woah! Internet radio?! PvP… events… features galore! Final Verdict: Great Screenshots Perfect World Screenshots                    Videos Perfect World VideosPerfect World Official Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Perfect World Character Customization Video Click here to view the embedded video. Perfect World Archer Video Click here to view the embedded video. Perfect World Flying Game Footage Click here to view the embedded video. Perfect World Featured Video Click here to view the embedded video. System Requirements Perfect World System RequirementsMinimum Requirements: Recommended Specification: |
| Posted: 03 Mar 2009 04:42 PM PST Fiesta Online (or just Fiesta for short) is a 3D fantasy MMORPG. The game has cute, cell-shaded, anime inspired graphics and lively music. The game’s entire world is vibrant and has an upbeat atmosphere.  Publisher: Outspark Pros: +Beautiful cel-shaded graphics. +Great interface. +Good skill progression system. +Solid Item crafting / resource gathering systems. +Easy to learn. Cons: -Only one stat point per level. -Repetitive combat. -Five starting classes. Overview Fiesta Online OverviewFiesta Online is another interesting MMORPG published by Outspark. The game has three starting classes, each one of which has two job advancements; one at level 20 and the other at level 60. The game’s most notable aspects are its attractive cel-shaded graphics and its solid item crafting system. The game isn’t nearly as in-depth as some of the newer free MMORPGs, but Fiesta is still an all-around fun game well worth checking out. The game’s four playable classes are: Fighter- Fighters are the generic ‘warrior’ archetype in Fiesta. They are extremely capable in melee combat and have the most hit points and armor in the game. They are proficient with both one-handed and two-handed weapons. Mage – Mages are the traditional offensive spell casting class in Fiesta. They can do a great deal of damage from a distance with their magic, but are extremely vulnerable in melee range. They have low hit points and minimal defensive capabilities. Cleric - Clerics are experts at supporting party members in combat. They have a variety of healing and buff skills which make them incredibly valuable to a party. They are the weakest class in the game but when they with a group they’re extremely useful. Archer – Archers are deadly with the bow. They are fast and agile which allows them to deal damage rather quickly from a distance, but are vulnerable in melee combat. Trickster – A dual-wielding class that is capable of dealing large amounts of damage in short bursts. They are melee oriented and have decent HP. Fiesta Online Screenshots          Fiesta Online Featured Video Full Review Fiesta Online ReviewBy Jaime Skelton Launched in 2007 in the United States by Outspark, Fiesta is a classic and well-known free-to-play anime-style MMORPG. Similar in ways to Fly For Fun, Asda Story, Dream of Mirror Online, and Mabinogi, Fiesta’s cel-shaded graphics and simple gameplay introduced many players to free-to-play MMOs. After a few years in the MMO market, Fiesta Online is still going strong, and there’s a few good reasons why.  Choosing your Path Like any game, getting started in Fiesta Online requires going through character creation process. At the start of the game, you may choose only one of four classic classes – fighter, cleric, mage, or archer – and your gender. Character customization is extremely limited, offering only the chance to change your face, hair style, and hair color, each with only about three options each. For those concerned about the lack of classes, be reassured – each class becomes stronger with advanced classes at level 20, 60, and 100, the last of which offers a choice between two final specializations. Customization also comes in the ability to choose what extra stats are assigned each level in the "free stat" system. A Helping Bird Fiesta’s tutorial system is very limited and hands-on. For new players, a helpful NPC will offer a simple tip on picking up the first quests before sending them on their way. Tutorial tips come along instead with a bird-head alert in the upper right of the screen, offering explanations of each crucial game element, from combat and leveling to upgrading items and the mentor system. The alert also serves a dual purpose to let you know when new quests are available, and from whom. While the bird serves as a helper for those new to MMORPGs, many experienced players may find it aggravating, especially as it appears for each new character.  The Classic Grind … Like many MMORPGs, Fiesta features a quest system to help players level as well as earn useful rewards. However, leveling takes the style of older MMOs, in which grinding is more crucial to gaining experience than questing. In fact, new players will discover this element before level 5; quests are given at a level before they can be reasonably completed by a new player with no assistance. For this reason, many players choose to grind out their early levels and skip quests entirely, as early level rewards are purchasable from vendors. … and the Value of Friendship The other option in starting off to the right foot, of course, is to have the help of friends, or at least, the kindness of passing strangers. A mentor-apprentice system exists for high level players to help out lowbies with bonuses for both, which can be one of the most efficient ways for a low level player to earn their experience. High level players may also choose to pass through and offer buffs or free potions and buff scrolls to low level players. Either of these ways can offer a powerful boost to players to make them strong enough to handle higher level mobs without being weak and risking death, or long rests after each enemy’s death. The final point to be made of this is that Fiesta is a game geared primarily for group efforts; solo players will struggle often without outside help or long grinds.  Battling for Glory & Profit Like many classic MMOs, Fiesta utilizes a skill-on-use system, in which players may both auto-attack enemies and input skills used on an action bar, as they choose and are available. Special HP and SP stones are available to use to restore health and spell points, respectively. In between fights, players can also use "Home" to rest in their mini-house (a mushroom on default), and regenerate their stats. To earn money – used for buying gear and other useful items – players must sell what they find on the enemies they kill. While some "junk" is dropped, most of the items found are useful for the game’s crafting system, called Alchemy. Players can learn professions in this system as soon as they are created, and may choose two total professions from five – allowing them to produce enhancement stones, potions, scrolls, or change items into a higher or lower quality.  Kingdom Quests & PvP There’s more to do than grind, quest, and craft in Fiesta, of course. For players who prefer PvE, Kingdom Quests become available every two hours. Designed for players anywhere from level 5 up and separated into level spans, they can be joined individually or with a party. Each quest has its own victory conditions that can be achieved by the players inside within a set time limit. Each player inside will earn a present box if they are successful, and may earn anything from materials, scrolls, and potions to enhanced and rare equipment. For PvP fans, once reaching level 20, several different zones become available for player versus player battling. Each city has its own battle zone, and several battlefields also become available. Guild wars are also available for those who are socially inclined to join a guild and participate in group PvP. The player versus player experience is only designed for showing off skill, and sometimes earning items and other perks like titles; experience is not rewarded.  Final Verdict: Good Fiesta is easy to get into, with plenty for players to do in both PvE and PvP. It makes a particularly good introduction to free-to-play MMORPGs, with an active and helpful player base and plenty of regular maintenance from its publisher. What holds Fiesta back mostly is its grinding nature: any player who hates grinding is going to find Fiesta boring or frustrating. If you don’t mind a balance between grinding and quests, and enjoy a game that rewards cooperative gameplay, Fiesta has a lot to offer. Screenshots Fiesta Online Screenshots                   Videos Fiesta Online VideosFiesta Online Character Creation Click here to view the embedded video. Fiesta Online High Level Video Click here to view the embedded video. Fiesta Online Official Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Fiesta Online Boss Battle Click here to view the embedded video. Fiesta Online Gameplay Footage System Requirements Fiesta Online System RequirementsMinimum Requirements: Recommended Specifications: |
| Posted: 10 Jan 2009 09:36 AM PST Drawing much of its inspiration from the mammoth MMORPG World of Warcraft, Runes of Magic brings to life the fantasy world of Taborea with beautiful 3D graphics, and with over 600 quests to complete offers players much in the way of content and features. With fully-realized dungeon encounters, unmatched character customization, a unique multi-class system, in-game player housing, and a growing community of over 2,000,000 – Runes of Magic guarantees something for everyone.  Publisher: Frogster Interactive Pros: +Fantastic character customization. +Unique multi-class system. +Player housing. +Heaps of different PvP options. +Huge game world. +Fun end-game raiding. Cons: -Cash shop can imbalance the game. -Sensitive language filter. -Similarities to WoW may deter some players. Overview Runes of Magic OverviewRunes of magic is a feature rich MMORPG that uses a graphic style very similar to WoW’s. The familiar interface and animations help new players and MMO veterans adjust to the world of Taborea. The game supports both individual player housing and guild controlled castles located in separate instances. But what really sets Runes of Magic apart is the dual-classing system whereby characters can pick a second class at level 10. With a total of eight classes and two races (Human, Elf) to chose from, players can create truly unique characters. Classes: Warrior – Masters of armed combat. Warriors can use any close combat weapon and any type of armor besides plate. They deliver special strikes and blows which have various effects on their targets. Scout - Adapt at long-ranged combat, Scouts use their bows or crossbows to deal heavy damage. They are vulnerable at close range and rely on a series of evasive and delaying skills to keep enemies from closing in. Rogue - Specialized at inflicting deadly blows at a fast rate, rogues use daggers which can cause heavy bleeding or be coated in poison. They are very capable at doding blows, but their speed comes at the expense of armor and health. Rogues can also lay traps, scout, and increase a group’s income generation. Mage - Commanding the elements of fire and lightning, Mages deal heavy damage from afar. They possess direct damage, and area of effect spells. Mages can also cast barrier spells and strength buffs, adding to their utility. Priest (Human Only) - While priests can cast water based spells to deal damage, they primarily play a supportive role. Priests can cast healing spells, boost their allies stats, and even bring fallen comrades back from the dead. They can equip shields which aid their defense, but are still frail. Knight (Human Only) - Heavily armored fighters, Knights are the only class that can wear plate armor. Knights go into battle head-first equipped with shields and light-based attacks. They are the tanks of RoM and have the ability to draw their foes attacks towards themselves. Druid (Elf Only) - Attuned to nature, Druids are a versatile class capable of healing allies, casting damage over time spells, and even mind controlling opponents. Druids possess a special ability that allows them to gather Nature’s Power and unleash it at anytime to cast powerful spells. Warden (Elf Only) - Close combat specialists. Wardens can use a diverse set of weapons and can wear chain armor. Wardens can summon powerful pets to fight alongside them, and have access to magical spells which strengthen themselves and weaken their opponents. Runes of Magic Screenshots          Runes of Magic Feature Video Full Review Runes of Magic ReviewBy Cody 'Neramaar' Hargreaves To get it out of the way nice and early, and to give those that disagree with me a chance to respond without having to read the entire review, Runes of Magic is a WoW Clone. There, I said it. Have at me with your silver tongues and sharpened wits, exact your revenge upon my flesh, for I have gone where many have before, and branded a game a clone of World of Warcraft. The thing is, and this is where I might lose you, so pay close attention – I think that it's a good thing.  I KNEW THIS LOOKED FAMILIAR… With Runes of Magic (henceforth referred to as RoM), it's different. They haven't simply cloned the gameplay style, or the character textures – they've pretty much cloned the entire damn game, right down the names of a large portion of the skills and spells. The biggest key difference between the two of them lies solely in the fact the RoM is free to play, and WoW is not. There is however a great many additions that have been added to the WoW formula in RoM, and therein lies salvation.  FILLING IN THE BLANKS This is the process that almost every MMORPG game takes – and is the same process that was perfected by Blizzard with WoW – hence the 11.5 Million active players. The reason I have never labeled any other game a WoW clone is because cloning this simple process of playing isn't really cloning WoW. Cloning the skills, environments, quests, and a plethora of other features however, is. There – only took me five paragraphs to explain why RoM is a WoW Clone, now on to why this is such a good thing.  GO ON, FLAUNT IT  MY HOME IS MY CASTLE Not enough customization you say? Then take a look at RoM's unique multi-class system that allows players to combine their main class (out of a possible Warrior, Knight, Rogue, Priest, Mage or Scout) with a second class – adopting all of their secondary skills and abilities. This allows for over 30 different class combinations in total and should be more than enough to help you stand out from the crowd. Hell – if you're really keen on appealing to your personal preferences, RoM even includes your very own house that you can use to store your loot and goodies, and decorate to your liking with furniture purchased through the in-game shop. Of course, to use the in-game shop, you'll need to get your credit card handy, and fork over some dough for a few diamonds.
Of course, for every good part of a game, there is surely a bad part to follow, and at present, RoM could still use a lot of work. There's nothing especially game breaking to mention, just a few little kinks that need ironing out here and there. Things like bad translations, and in some areas, no translation at all. Missing sounds, such as the hooves of your horse as it gallops across the countryside, or the always expected 'chink' your mining pick should make as it hit's the rock – missing sounds like this really draw from the immersion, and show a severe lack of polish. Runes of Magic is the gold standard of the free-to-play MMO experience. Since its release back in early 2009, Runes of Magic has enjoyed numerous major content updates, called “chapters”, which added enormous amounts of new content to the game. As is, Runes of Magic is one of the most content rich free to play MMORPGs out there.  Final Verdict: Excellent Screenshots Runes of Magic Screenshots                   Videos Runes of Magic VideosRunes of Magic Featured Video Click here to view the embedded video. Runes of Magic Gameplay Video Click here to view the embedded video. Runes of Magic Official Trailer Video Click here to view the embedded video. Runes of Magic Combat Video Click here to view the embedded video. Runes of Magic Housing Video System Requirements Runes of Magic System RequirementsMinimum Requirements:
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| Posted: 03 Oct 2010 01:01 AM PDT Golfstar is a 3D golfing MMO. Create a custom avatar using a variety of clothing and accessories and play a few holes alone or with up to 30 other players. Golftstar has anime inspired character designs and allows simultaneous play, making multiplayer games much faster paced.  Publisher: Gamigo Pros: +All players can play simultaneously in multiplayer. +Variety of clothes and accessories available. +Up to 30 players per match. +Great interface Cons: -Very Similar to other Golfing games. -Few playable characters. -Limited golf-course variety. Overview Golfstar OverviewGolfstar is a Korean developed golfing MMO being published in North America and Europe by Gamigo. The game was developed by Com2uS and has anime styled characters. The golf courses and surrounding environments are well rendered. Golfstar supports multiplayer matches of up to 30 players, and allows them to all play at once. This speeds up gameplay tremendously and is an improvement over several older golfing games. Like other golfing MMOs, players can customize their avatars and explore persistent shopping areas. As players progress, they’ll be able to learn passive skills that improve their stamina and strength. Golfstar competes with games like Pangya, Shot Online, and Tiger Woods Online. Graphically speaking, Golfstar looks fantastic and is well worth checking out for those interesting in golfing games. Golfstar Screenshots          Golfstar Featured Video Full Review Golfstar ReviewGolfstar Review There are few sports that have as much international appeal as golf: the polite atmosphere, the calculated shots, and the athleticism required have inspired even video game players. In recent years, golf games have made their way into the online arena, hoping to capitalize on the multiplayer aspect of online gaming. One of these games, Golfstar, is published by gamigo. While similar to Shot Online, as well as other golf games like Pangya and Tiger Woods Online, Golfstar still has plenty to offer the online golf fanatic.  Take Your Pick Golfstar’s character creation is very limited: there are two male and two female stock characters, complete with a name, age, and biography, to choose from. These characters can be customized a little: each has two hair styles and a few hair colors, plus two faces, to choose from. Still, you’ll have the look of looking like one out of every four players, with the only distinguishing feature being the clothing you equip in-game. Fashion items also offer bonuses, however, so you still may end up looking pretty similar to the player you’re putting against.  Teeing Off While Golfstar aims for fair realism, the controls during play are relatively simple. Swings take place in two phases; the first has you hold down the space bar to fill your power meter and letting go when the power is to your liking, while the second phase has you tap the space bar within a small aiming reticule on the ball itself (the closer to the center of the ball, the better the shot). This mechanic works the same for both regular shots and putts, with putts showing their power meter on the green itself instead of as a swing bar. There are a few additional controls as well. Using the mouse will let you aim left or right. Camera controls are also managed by the mouse, and three views, allowing you to focus on either the hole, the projected landing area, or the golfer, can be switched between with the keyboard. Golfers can also learn skills, which can be added to an action bar and used with standard 1-0 hotkeys for easy access. While these controls are easy to master for a beginner, the mouse controls are on a reverse axis, which may slip up a player from time to time.  How’s the Weather? While the graphics and controls of Golfstar are softly realistic, the challenges facing golfers on the holes are not. Like Shot Online, Golfstar impressively takes into consideration all the factors affecting a golf game, from wind and slope, to weather and humidity. Every condition you come across on the course can and will affect your shot, making it important to take a full scan of your situation on each shot – an impressive feat sometimes, as each shot is limited by a time of 30 to 90 seconds.  Get a Grip Golfstar is not just a free-for-all golf game; equipment and player statistics play a major part. The game features a full set of fashion items for players to equip (purchased with both the game’s in-game currency and in the cash shop), many of which affect a player’s stats. Clubs are also a major necessity in game, as are various items that can help improve a player’s accuracy, power, stamina, or control. As you play on courses, you gain experience and money. Experience will help you gain levels, which in turn grants you a few points that you can allocate between the four stats mentioned above. This is where players can really customize their experience, putting points in the stats that they are weakest at, as well as those they feel will give them an edge on the courses. Players also get to learn skills, special abilities that can be activated while on the course to help give their shots an edge.  Get on the Course Already There are only four courses available in Golfstar right now, and they all look generally similar to each other with the exception of White Cliff, which offers some beach-like obstacles and background noise. Thankfully, there are several game modes to make things more interesting. These modes are stroke (a standard golf match with the lowest score winning), match (head-to-head per hole, with one or two people per team), skins (where players bet per hole to win in-game currency), and both competition and team competition, which can feature up to 30 players golfing at the same time. Not only does Golfstar allow a large number of players on the course at once, it also makes sure that golf play goes quickly by making all players play simultaneously. While this does give a little illusion that you’re playing alone, it also significantly speeds up the golf game – a usual problem for most golf MMOs. The game also supports guilds, and hosts a regular guild day every Friday in which guilds get boosted experience and rewards as they play on the greens. Final Verdict: Good Golfstar is one of the better golf games available online; it’s realistic, it’s fast, and it supports its community through in-game lobbies and guilds, helping make it feel like a little less of a lobby and more like a golfing community. However, the game also has a very limited amount of content, and follows the same style of equipment rules that many FPS games do – permanent equipment is almost nowhere to be found (even your starter set has a thirty day limit.) While you can earn money in game to pay for clubs, you’ll have to keep a close eye on your inventory to make sure you don’t go broke and lose out on valuable stats. If you’re looking for a more realistic golf game, this might be your best bet – just watch your pocketbook. Screenshots Golfstar Screenshots                  System Requirements Golfstar RequirementsMinimum Requirements: Recommended Specifications: |
| Posted: 17 Aug 2010 11:21 PM PDT Iris Online is 3D fantasy MMORPG with a gypsy theme. Players can chose between three races and can explore the anime-inspired world of Arcana. Experience a unique environment centered on 22 tarot cards, including The Fool, The Chariot, and Wheel of Fortune.  Publisher: gPotato Pros: +3 playable races, 6 starting classes. +Unique tarot card feature. +Transform into monsters using cards. +Themed instanced dungeons. Cons: -Limited inventory space. -Familiar gameplay and character progression. -Visual style may not appeal to some players.
Overview Iris Online OverviewIris Online is a free-to-play MMORPZG developed by Eyasoft, the same studio behind Luna Online. Like Luna, Iris boasts a cute, anime-inspired visual style. But don’t let the graphics fool you, Iris Online is a full-feature MMORPG with a unique gypsy theme. Tarot cards effect much of the world, including the twenty-two instanced dungeons, each of which have a different theme based off one of the cards. Players can collect monster cards off almost any enemy in the game and use them to transform into those monsters. PvP battle zones pit up to fifteen players near the same level against each other. Players progress by gaining experience and skill points. The game has a variety of races and classes to choose from. Human - Easily adaptable race that possess great strength and excels at technology. Fighter - Fighters rely on brute strength and large weapons to deal heavy damage at melee range. Mage - Arcane spellcasters who fight from a distance. They can buff allies, but are fragile in combat. Hybrid - Half-human, half-animal. Hybrids have high strength and stamina, though their knowledge of magic is limited. Warrior - Equipped with heavy armor, warriors are always at the forefront of battle where they can defend their allies. Rogue - Shrewd combatants that rely on speed and cunning. Rogues exploit vulnerabilities in their opponents. Elf - Elves are the oldest race in Arcana. They have unmatched knowledge and an affinity for nature Ranger - Trackers and outdoorsmen. Rangers are masters of stealthy movement and the gun. They can also use daggers. Shaman - Masters of fire, air, earth, and water magic. Shamans can summon elementals to aid them. Iris Online Screenshots          Iris Online Featured Video Full Review Iris Online ReviewBy Erhan Altay Most anime-themed fantasy MMORPGs tend to be very similar, but once in a while a game like Iris Online comes along and adds a new twist to the genre. Iris Online is developed by the Korean studio Eyasoft and published in North America on Gala-Net's gPotato portal. Eyasoft is behind a number of anime styled games including Luna Online and the recent Legend of Edda, but Iris Online is different from those titles. It has a 'Gypsy' theme, which means the world is filled with tarot cards, carnivals, and circus themed areas and instances. Behind the brightly colored visual style is an in-depth MMORPG with varied races, classes, PvP options, and other features.  Races of Arcana Iris Online entered beta testing in the middle of October in 2010, and with a 2.4 gb client size, its a fairly large game. Each account has five character slots per server, which is almost enough to cover the six starting classes. There are three playable races to chose from: Human, Hybrid, and Elf. Each of these has two distinct classes available, for a grand total of six. There are a few face, hair, and hair color options, but appearance customization is very limited overall. The character models themselves look great. After character creation, the game prompts players with an option to take part in the tutorial. It's short, and explains some of the original features found later in the game. There's also a reward for completing it, so new players should run through it at least once.  Sign Up for the Circus The tutorial in Iris Online takes place in a circus-themed zone where players are introduced to a new aspect of gameplay in each room. The game supports both keyboard (W,A,S,D) and point-and-click controls which will please many gamers. Better still, the keyboard controls actually feel fluid. This is one of the few Asian developed free-to-play MMORPGs where I felt more comfortable using W,A,S,D over the mouse. Players can even jump by hitting the space bar, but this propels them far into the air and is rarely practical. After learning to move, the next quest explains a bit about the game's lore. Most gamers will skip past this, but just remember that the world is called Arcana, and the races had to work together to defeat some evil force long ago. Next, players can choose between three cat mounts. Mounts come in all shapes and sizes in Iris Online including giant cats, crabs, and so on. Newbies won't be able to keep their tutorial mount, it only serves to show them how to use one. The interface in Iris Online is simple, the map is opened by hitting 'M', the quest log opens with the 'L' key, and inventory with the 'I' key. The only major complaints with the interface are the limited inventory space of twenty-five slots that new players start with, and the inability to view maps beside the one a character is currently in.  Fortune Telling One major feature that distinguishes Iris Online from other free-to-play games is its Gypsy theme. Tarots cards, which are still used by fortune tellers today, have perhaps the most well known aspect of Gypsy culture. These cards, and especially the twenty-two major ones, play an important role in Iris Online. Each of the original twenty-two instanced dungeons in the game are based off one of the twenty-two major Tarot cards. Veteran gamers may have come across these cards before in other games like the Persona or Ultima series. They include cards like 'The Fool', 'Judgment', and 'The Emperor.' The order that a person draws these cards is supposed to reveal something about their fortune, but in Iris they play a role in weapon customization, crafting, and monster summoning. The tutorial explains most of these features, but its important to note that besides the twenty-two major tarot cards, there are fifty-six minor ones. On top of that, nearly every monster in the game (including raid bosses) have a chance of dropping cards. The cards monsters drop come in two forms: one type can be attached to equipment Ragnarok Online style, while the other kind is used to temporarily transform into the particular monster that dropped it. Each monster has a unique set of skills, and buffs. Cards are also used in crafting and can be combined with other items to create completely new items.  Character Growth Progression in Iris Online is fairly linear. Players gain experience by hunting and completing quests, but they also gain SXP (skill experience) independently of their base experience. When the SXP bar fills, players are rewarded with a skill point which can be distributed among the multple skill trees each class has. Each starting class has access to two or more weapon/spell types, and each is represented by its own skill tree. Rogues, for example, can use rifles or dual daggers. Shamans can specialize in divine or offensive magic. Fighters can specialize in two-handed swords, dual swords, or sword & shield skills. All classes have a passive skill tree which contains permanent boosts to health, damage output, or particular stats. It is possible to spread skill points across multiple specializations, but this is not recommended. Players can a free skill reset at level 30, when they can make their first job change, but must use a cash shop item if they mess up before or after that time. Base experience is a lot simpler. Players don't receive stat points as they level, they increase automatically and can be raised further with magic equipment and buffs. Besides skills, there is one extra layer of customization in the form of an elemental 'Force.' There are four forces to chose from: Helen (fire), Nero (water), Annes (wind), Dera (ground.) Why does Nero represent water? I'm not quite sure, but there are several translation quirks throughout the game and this may just be one of them.  Point A to Point B Gameplay in Iris Online is heavily quest-based, and players are usually lead from one zone to the next in a linear path. New players start in the town of Terminus, which is in perpetual night and progress to hunting grounds that are at different times of the day. The assortment of quests should be familiar to MMORPG fans; kill quests, item gathering quests, and talk to NPC X quests. To auto-move to a location, players must bring up the map and click on a certain area. There's no quest objective to quest objective auto-navigation, which is actually a good thing since too much automation can make a game boring. Combat relies on actively using a variety of skills, as they usually have cool downs of a few seconds. Luckily, every class is equipped with an assortment of skills and mana regeneration is pretty high. Interestingly, spells and skills cost a percent of total mana, not just a set amount. This makes the MP recovery rate a very important stat for every class. The constant use of skills keeps combat exciting, and monsters in Iris Online start aggroing at an early level, which makes things more challenging. Early quests reward players with dozens of HP/MP potions, but these will run out eventually. There's no death penalty until level 10, and players are free to spawn right where they died. After level 10, death carries a small exp penalty, and resurrecting where you fell causes a debuff for several minutes.  Carnival Games Iris Online has many small features that help round it out as a full-feature MMORPG. These include an auction house, the ability to open personal shop stalls, and a title system. Titles are earned in a variety of ways, the most common being consuming tokens dropped by monsters. Titles effect the stats of a character when equipped, and can have both positive and negative effects. A title geared towards casters may increase magic damage and intelligence, but may decrease strength. Iris Online also has several PvP modes on top of the standard duel. Every so often, players are prompted on whether they want to participate in a capture the flag or team deathmatch event. If enough players within a certain level range agree, everyone who chose to participate is teleported to an instanced Colosseum field where two sides (each with up to eighteen players) duke it out. The game keeps track of PvP stats, including total kills, deaths, and also rewards points towards the player's currently chosen 'Force.' Besides large-scale PvP events, players can also group up to clear instanced dungeons scattered across the world.  You've Come a Long Way The visuals in Iris Online are very reminiscent of earlier anime-styled games, particularly Fiesta Online, Seal Online, and perhaps a bit of Rose Online thrown in. Being a newer game, it’s not much of a surprise that the graphics in Iris are better than those previous games. It’s a high quality title, and a slightly more mature alternative to Eyasoft's more chibi-oriented titles. Final Verdict: Great Iris Online may feel familiar at first glance, but it has a lot of depth and a unique theme. With three races and a large assortment of classes, Iris Online offers varied gameplay options but with a simple to understand progression system. Instanced dungeons, instanced PvP battlegrounds, and the multi-purpose card system all add up to make Iris Online a top-notch MMORPG. It doesn't breakthe mold enough to earn the top score, but it’s still a game well worth checking out. Screenshots Iris Online Screenshots                    Videos Iris Online VideosIris Online Cinematic Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Iris Online Gameplay Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Iris Online Gameplay – First Look System Requirements Iris Online RequirementsMinimum Requirements: Recommended Specification: |
| Loong: The Power of the Dragon Posted: 17 Mar 2010 06:00 PM PDT Loong: The Power of the Dragon is a 3D fantasy MMORPG set in ancient China. The game has an original art style, a classless progression system, and boasts over 1000 quests. Take part in epic PvP battles that support up to 500 players!  Publisher: Gamigo Pros: +Quest driven progression. +Varied weapon types. +PvP combat supports up to 500 players. +High quality animations. -Fluid gameplay & interface. Cons: -Familiar setting. -Mobs offer little challenge. -Poor English translations. -Quests & combat feel repetitive.
Overview Loong: The Power of the Dragon OverviewLoong: The Power of the Dragon is set in ancient China, but sets it self apart from other oriental themed MMORPGs with its unique art style and classless progression system. Chose from several weapon types, and learn skills from eight unique talent trees. Progression is heavily quest driven in Loong, and an auto-navigation feature makes traveling between objectives simple. Players unlock several skills during the first few levels, and also earn their first mount and pet early on. The game has fluid gameplay and controls that allow for keyboard and point & click movement. Weapon Types - Sword, Sabre, Polearm, Bow, Totem, Glove, Zither Talent Trees - Sword, Sabre, Polearm, Bow, Battle, Yang, Yin, Healing, Zither, Magic Loong: The Power of the Dragon Screenshots          Loong: The Power of the Dragon Featured Video Full Review Loong: The Power of the Dragon ReviewBy, Erhan Altay Loong: The Power of the Dragon is an Asian developed MMORPG set in ancient China. The German publisher Gamigo is bringing the game to both the European and North American region. Despite the familiar setting, Loong is a high quality title with an original art style, innovative class system, and other interesting features.  Not a Loong Wait Despite being released in China earlier this year, Loong is already ready for beta testing in the West. The game is a big budget project that is estimated to have cost over $10 million dollars to develop. Traditionally, MMORPGs took several years to move from Asia to the West, but the pace is definitely starting to pick up. Unlike most games out of China, Loong is a high quality MMORPG with great 3D graphics, cool attack animations, and high production value all around. At around 2.7 gb, the client size is pretty large, but the download shouldn't take long. Loong isn't Gamigo's first Chinese MMORPG. Martial Empires is an earlier high quality title, but that game is only open to European gamers. Luckily, Loong more than makes up for what we've been missing.  Pick a Weapon, but not a Class The login screen in Loong is highly stylized and sets a good mood for the rest of the game. The loading screens are a bit odd, they include animated backgrounds and real images of ladies in sexy outfits. The character creation process is very streamlined. There are five hair styles, six hair colors, five face styles, and three outfits per gender. Several 'detail' options are also available which represent things like tattoos and scars. There's also an option to preview several high level armor designs on your character before creating it. Overall, appearance customization is rather slim, especially compared to some older MMORPGs like Martial Empires or Perfect World. Like Heroes of Three Kingdoms, players don't select a class in Loong. Instead, they chose from seven weapons: Sword, Sabre, Polearm, Bow, Totem, Glove, or Zither. The initial weapon selection has no effect on character progression, players are free to switch between them freely. Eventually, players will have to select which weapons to specialize in by distributing talent points among specific skill trees.  Dragon Village New players start in Dragon Village where a number of NPCs offer simple talk quests and describe some of the game's basics. Movement can be done with either W,A,S,D or point-and-click. While most Asian MMORPGs fail at pulling off fluid keyboard controls, Loong does it excellently. I found myself using keyboard controls throughout my whole experience. There's a very simple auto-navigation system that helps players get to and from quest objectives. This means travel very simple, and also ensures players won't have to read any of the quest flavor text. The rest of the interface is well organized, 'b' opens the inventory, 'q' opens the quest log, 'k' brings up the talent trees, and so on. It's not until around level 6 that players start earning talent points, but they will receive 2 stat points every level starting at level 2. Those who follow the beginner quest lines will find themselves leveling rapidly, even without having to kill more than a few monsters. At level 5, newbies quality to leave Dragon Village and enter the zone of Dragon Castle. This zone serves as the capital city, but the surrounding areas are also the primary hunting grounds for the first few dozen levels.  One, Two, Three The early level quests do a great job giving players equipment and consumable items, but players must eventually decide which weapons to specialize in. There are a total of ten talent trees in Loong, and it is recommended to focus on one during the early levels. It is possible to reset talent point distribution quite easily, especially while under level 30. Each weapon has a primary and secondary stat, so be sure to distribute talent and stat points favorably. The six stats are: Physique, Strength, Qi, Spirit, Agility, and Skill. Simply hover the cursor over any of them to find out what they do. Before long, player will unlock several skills in their chosen talent tree and be off using them in combat. Even without skills, the monsters in Loong barely put up a fight. Difficulty seems to be something Chinese developers in particular seem to ignore. Simply spamming 2-3 skills is enough to fell any monster near your level range. You'll barely receive any damage in return. This means there's no need to rest between battles, and the fact that no mobs under level 20 seems to be aggressive add up to a low sense of challenge. Player will simply move from one hunting ground to the next, stopping long enough to kill a few defenseless critters before moving on.  Ride a Pony Loong introduces players to the game's pet system early on. Pets are called 'spirit beasts' and come in a variety of rarities and skills. Some can be ridden, others can pick up loot for their master. Players can transfer, or 'pour', some of their experience towards their pets to help them level up, and pets can even be equipped with special items. Several stats track the potency of a pet including 'potential' which measures the amount of skills the pet can eventually learn and its growth rate. A pet may look cute and small, but when mounted it grows into a full size steed. This is but one of many interesting animations. If a player clicks on the ground to move there, a splat of ink appears and vanishes. The game's animations are realistic, but with an artistic touch. Jumping (space bar) also functions a bit differently. After jumping, players appear to glide down slowly. Like so many recent MMORPGs, Loong also has a title system where players can equip titles that they've unlocked by completing quests or performing other tasks. There are a ton of other small features which, added up, make Loong a much more in-depth game. Crafting skills are separate from the talent tree, and include both resource gathering skills (like mining) and production skills.  Cramped Quarters The experience in Loong is well paced, handing it quests gives a burst of experience and there are always plenty of quests available. The quest log even lists available quests which players can auto-navigate towards. Some quests are repeatable, but the sense of grind doesn't kick in until mid level. The game encourages some player cooperation in the form of a mentor/apprentice system. Players have to be at least level 50 to be a mentor, but there's no real reason to even talk to another person during the early game since the PvE offers so little challenge. Before long, players will find themselves having to throw away items since their inventory fills up so fast. New characters start with 20 inventory slots, but can increase this by using 'auxiliary bags' obtained in the item mall. There are plenty of convenience items like this for sale in the cash shop, but nothing that dramatically effects balance. Like Soul Order Online and Forsaken World, there's an odd feature that rewards players with some freebie items every few minutes. It's called 'Dragon Blessing' and the small interface menu for it is located near the middle of the screen. Users playing Loong on a small resolution will want to turn all these extra menus off since it can cramp the gameplay area. Another box appears on the left of the screen every time a player earns new attribute or talent points. Speaking of resolutions, the graphic options in Loong can be a little confusing. I couldn't figure out how to play in windowed mode, but I did discover a new mode where the game is nearly full-screen but the taskbar is still visible and you can launch other programs with Loong remaining in the background. Final Verdict: Good Loong: The Power of the Dragon is a high quality MMORPG with a familiar oriental setting. The classless, talent tree driven progression helps set it apart from its competitors. There are also a lot of small features that, combined, give Loong a high production value. The only problem is that due to the lack of difficulty, much of the early level combat feels repetitive. Its definitely a game worth checking, just be ready for some grind. Screenshots Loong: The Power of the Dragon Screenshots                  Videos Loong: The Power of the Dragon VideosLoong: The Power of the Dragon Cinematic Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. Loong: The Power of the Dragon Gameplay Footage Click here to view the embedded video. Loong: The Power of the Dragon Gameplay Trailer System Requirements Loong: The Power of the Dragon System RequirementsMinimum Requirements: Recommended Specification: |
| Posted: 08 Mar 2010 11:51 PM PST King of Kings 3 is a 3D, fantasy MMORPG with a strong emphasis on large-scale PvP battles. One of the most prominent features in King of Kings 3 is the unique city building system offered to guilds as they fight for control over regions in the game.  Publisher: Gamigo Pros: +Unique housing and city building system. +Very high level cap. +Flying mounts. +Varied PvP options. +Massive RvR battles. Cons: -Interface feels old. -Generic fantasy theme. -Limited PvE content. Overview King of Kings 3 OverviewKing of Kings is a 3D Fantasy MMORPG published by Gamigo with a strong emphasis on PvP battles. Players can create their own guilds and fight for control over land in the game world. Guilds that control territory are free to build their own cities. Graphically speaking, the game looks a bit dated, but it has a very strong emphasis on PvP. PvE fans aren’t completely ignored though, as the game boasts thousands of quests and a high level cap. Auto navigation features make progression simple, but players will have to wait until level 50 to make their first job change. Warrior - The most physically powerful class, able to carry the heaviest armor and most powerful weapons. Berserker - All out offensive fighters that can deal heavy damage at close range. Berserkers can dual-wield. Mage - Fragile in body, but powerful in mind. Mages can cast devastating spells from a distance. Sword Mage - Armed with crystal infused blades, Sword Mages can deal heavy damage but are still fragile. Cleric - A supportive class that can heal and buff allies during battle. Clerics are devout and benevolent soldiers. Scholar - True believers who are granted enormous healing abilities and the power of resurrection. King of Kings 3 Screenshots          King of Kings 3 Featured Video Full Review King of Kings 3 ReviewBy Erhan Altay Tired of Grindfests? Looking for an MMORPG with an oldschool feel? King of Kings 3 may be what you've been waiting for. While it has a typical fantasy theme, the gameplay is geared towards PvP, and more precisely RvR (realm vs. realm) combat. Join one of seven warring realms and conquer the world of Tangramia.  A Shattered Realm After centuries of warfare, the once united world of Tangramia split into seven rival realms: Germania, Lutetia, Britannia, Mediterrania, Anatolia, Polonia, and the New World. That last one aside, its obvious that the Roman Empire was the inspiration for Tangramia. Players can chose between any of the seven realms during character creation, but first they'll have to get through Gamigo's clunky account creation process. The German publisher Gamigo holds both the European and American licenses for Kings of Kings 3. Each account has three character slots per server, which is enough to create one of each of the three base classes: Warrior, Mage, and Cleric. There are a number of appearance customization options including around eleven hair colors and styles per gender. There are also several face styles and 'features' to chose from. Features covers things like tattoos, makeup, scars, and so forth. Players are asked to set a character password before finishing character creation as an added security precaution. The password must be at least eight characters, which makes it more bothersome than the four digit pin some games ask for these days. The character designs themselves aren't very detailed, but that's because the graphics quality in Kings of Kings 3 is dated.  Familiar Beginnings After logging in for the first time, players are met with several screens of text that explain the backstory of Kings of Kings 3. It scrolls pretty fast, and I'm no speed reader so I missed about a quarter of it. It didn't seem to exciting, but it helps that there is some lore to the game. Each realm has its own starting area, but the newbie experience is pretty similar regardless of region. Being the good Turk that I am, I chose Anatolia as my realm. For those of you who slept during class, Anatolia is the geographic region where most of modern day Turkey lies. Like many other recent Asian MMORPGs, King of Kings has an auto-navigation feature that makes traveling and questing a breeze. Players start next to a quest NPC, and gain their first level simply by talking to him. A series of quests that involve talking to various NPCs around town, and eventually fighting nearby creatures come next. Players are rewarded with ample HP/MP potions along the way, along with a new weapon and pieces of equipment. It is highly recommend that players complete this beginner chain of quests, as it will take them to level eight or so in no time. It's much, much faster than grinding.  Retro Look & Feel As I went about my newbie chores, I noticed that the interface and art style looked somewhat familiar to those in the now defunct Turf Battles. The visuals are much sharper than Turf Battle's, and the resolution options go all the way up to 1920×1980. But, the health and mana meters next to the avatar portrait on the top left, and the character and backpack screens all look like something from a classic action RPG. There are some nice visual touches such as swaying trees, and light waves breaking on the shore. Overall, the best that can be said of the graphics in KoK3 when compared to other recent, free-to-play MMORPG releases is that they are functional. Everything is brightly colored, easy to see, and thankfully there's none of that trendy bloom effect that makes everything unbearably bright. King of Kings 3 supports both keyboard (W,A,S,D) and mouse (point and click) controls. There are two hotkey bars, one activated by the function keys (F1-F12), and a smaller one activated by the number keys (1-0.) Besides skills, players can assign items such as health and mana potions to these slots.  The Path to Glory The experience rate in King of Kings 3 is pretty high, but only if players stick to questing. Each level, players are rewarded with 2 stat point which they can distribute among six stats: Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Willpower, Stamina, and Luck. Players can hover their cursor over each stat to see what it does. Besides stat points, players receive a single skill point every level. Each class has its own skill tree consisting of 10 skills. Players must purchase skill books before they can place points in a given skill, along with meeting its other prerequisite. As with other MMORPGs, I find the need to go back to town to pick up a skill book totally pointless, but it is what it is. At level 50, each class can make its first class advancement to one of three available first classes. Warriors can become Berserkers, Rangers, or Knights. Mages can become Sword Mages, Conjurers, or Wizards. Clerics can become Scholars, Bishops, or Priests. Players are accompanied on their adventures by an Imamu, which is basically a fairy. These can perform a number of helpful tasks. They accumulate experience which they can transfer over to the player, and when they are summoned they can repair the player's equipment. Imamu can also automatically sell items in your backpack when your inventory is full. Players can set which items they want sold ahead of time so as not to lose rare drops. Besides Imamu pets, players can also collect a variety of mounts. Some quests reward players with temporary mounts, but more permanent ones can be purchased at higher levels.  Lone Wolf King of Kings 3 has very linear progression, monsters are found in clumps and defeating these monsters boils down to spamming a single skill over and over again. There's no cool down to consuming HP or MP potions, and after the first dozen levels players will have to chug them during every fight. Those who can put up with the repetitive nature of early level gameplay can look forward to some pretty interesting PvP features. First and foremost, players can freely attack members of rival realms that intrude on their territory. It is also possible to disable the default peace mode which will allow a player to attack anyone they like, including members of their realm. The game discourages same-realm PKing (player killing) by increasing the chances of dropping items upon death for those who indiscriminately attack others. The game also keeps track of PvP victories and losses, and uses them to publish various ranking lists which are updated daily. Players can access these rankings via a button near their mini map on the top right of the interface.  Founding a Kingdom Solo PvP is just the bottom layer in King of Kings 3. Players can go on to found guilds and participate in guild activities, including guild quests which pit guilds against each other. Players must be level 20 or higher to join or found a guild, and there are five guild ranks which determine how many members a guild can have (maximum of 28.) Once a guild reaches rank 3, its guild master can found a Legion. Legions are also ranked from 1-5, but are made up of entire guilds, not individual players. A rank 5 Legion can have up to seven guilds in it. Legions can also construct buildings on their own plots of land which provide benefits to all of its members. The leader of a Legion can embark of a series of quests to found his or her own Kingdom. Any would-be monarch will require a vast amount of resources, including gold and rare materials to found their Kingdom. Legion members can donate these resources to their leader who, if successful, will be rewarded with a unique royal mount, a monthly in-game salary, and the ability to fortify towns. Leaders of Kingdoms will also be able to populate their towns with NPC defensive workers, temples, workshops, and much more. Even players who don't have the time or stamina to work their way up this ladder can own a personal home that can be upgraded and decorated with an assortment of furniture.  Find Your Niche The simple, but functional graphics make King of Kings 3 an approachable MMORPG for gamers whose computers might not be on the cutting edge. There are plenty of bonus features like a crafting system, and the ability to equip mounts with gear like saddles and armor, but the core PvE gameplay still involves taking turns swinging at stupid AI monsters. Players looking for an organized PvP experience will appreciate the detailed guild system in King of Kings 3, but the large number of factions worries me a little. Each server will need a lot of players to make it seem active, and whether or not King of Kings 3 can attract those numbers remains to be seen. Final Verdict: Good Despite a dated interface and graphic style, Kings of Kings 3 is a very functional MMORPG. The PvE content is not spectacular, but the PvP features make it worth the effort. The ability to organize large masses of players and participate in massive battles is appealing. Added extras like customizable player housing, and the ability to build entire cities are added bonuses. Screenshots King of Kings 3 Screenshots                   Videos King of Kings 3 VideosKing of Kings 3 Cinematic Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. King of Kings 3 Gameplay Footage Click here to view the embedded video. King of Kings 3 Official Gameplay Trailer Click here to view the embedded video. King of Kings 3 Gameplay – First Look System Requirements King of Kings 3 System RequirementsMinimum Requirements: Recommended Specification: |
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