Archlord 2

THIS GAME IS STILL IN OPEN BETA SO THIS REVIEW WILL CHANGE AS THE GAME RELEASES MORE CONTENT AND POSSIBLE FIXES!

  Alright I'm not going to sugar coat this at all...but this game needs serious work. Before anyone starts throwing comments left and right about how I am wrong remember...I'm never wrong. Now back on subject! Archlord 2 is NOT I repeat NOT a direct sequel to the original Archlord. "But omg Igneius it has a TWO in the name"! NO just like Ragnarok Online 2 Archlord 2 is basically not a direct sequel. Apparently the entire story of Archlord 2 is based on a parallel dimension. Yeah I don't get it either but from what I could grasp in the trailer it's the same thing. Orcs/Moonelf vs Humans/Dracopeopleshits...w/e. Both separated into the Azuni(Humans) and the Crunn(Orcs). ERMERGERD WOW CLONE MUCH? Is what I've read all over the place. But that's for whoever is playing this to decide. MOVING ON!

             Azuni                                                                Crunn

  Class wise there are no classes. Yep that's right a classless system! You can also equip a secondary weapon ala Guild Wars 2 and utilize that weapons skills to help you out on the battlefield! Want to be an archer with the ability to tank in case a monster or players gets too close? You can! Want to be a wizard that can cast powerful magic skills while being able to further damage large mobs with a two handed sword? You can! This adds another layer of complexity to PvP and PvE but it is rarely used due to sets benefiting one stat that the other may need. Example would be the shield and sword and bow users. Both are viable for using a set that gives +dodge and so on since both can do greatly with a pure agility build. But a bow+staff user is kind of left out in the open due to the lack of magic attack from the armor and missing stats. So it isn't all fun and games! Also the main weapon you choose from the start gets 1 additional skill point per weapon level. That's right you get to level your weapons individually and you will receive a debuff on said weapons if your weapon level is lower than what is required to wield it!

  Now most of you are thinking that this game is open world where each faction clashes on the field and mighty warriors test their mettle...but you would be mistaken. The game goes the carebear route. Quest areas are PvE ONLY and PvP is limited to Battlegrounds,Contested Areas(which are separate),and Skirmishes. Okay...I could understand this for you know the tutorial area or whatever the hell you want to call it kind of like how on Aion the first few maps are safe then BAM rifts are opening and players from the opposing faction pour through to murder the hell out of you causing high level players from your faction to raise weapons in order to defend you the not so geared player! But for the ENTIRE game in terms of PvE you are never met with any opposition other than monsters. That...is...boring! Why would you call this a hardcore pvp mmorpg when the entire time from levels 1-41(current cap) are empty of any PvP?! I went into the skirmish area thinking I might get into some heated battle...but I was WRONG! NOBODY is in the level 10 or 20 contested areas. NOBODY! Now I get it...most players are probably in the level 41 battlegrounds and so on but really...NOBODY?! One of my friends bumped into ONE person in the contested area for level 10...after being there for about an hour. Just....whatever...for you PvP lovers(like myself) you are going to have to sit through a few days of doing quests before you get to see any PvP just like I am doing right now to hit level 30 and get some PvP done...hopefully.

  

  The PvE in this game is just as stale as most games. Grab a quest,go out and kill or collect stuff or both,and then head on back to get your experience points! Yep...FUN! Not even the dungeons are mildly interesting with the exception of Nightmare but even that is a pain to take place in! Why you may ask? Because I have been in the dungeon finder que for about 15 minutes and have yet to get a party to tackle nightmare! Normal dungeons are a joke and can be soloed by any player even though it does take more time! So there is no real reason to do anything in a group other than dungeons. FUN! The only promise of things getting interesting are when the announced contested areas with bosses and other things gets released! I can't wait to take down a huge boss while having to watch my back for any Crunn players! But that is a ways off and right now this is all we have to go with.

  Graphics wise...well it's alright. Having played Mu Online,Ragnarok Online,and other games with less than interesting graphics I am fine with these. The one thing that does annoy me is that I have a gaming rig that can run TERA,Aion(forts etc),and other demanding games at 60+ frames per second but you are telling me that THIS game makes the FPS drop to 25?! WHAT KIND OF POOP IS THIS?! Bleh...this might get fixed...or not...I'm hoping it does!

  Now I know I kind of went off on this game but it isn't all bad! Skills are flashy,combat is fine...with the exception of you sometimes not auto attacking,and gear looks smexy as it always should! But like I said at the start...this game needs a whole lot of work! The majority of the PvP is basically left for end game. So to those of you that wanted to have fun right from the start...NOT HERE! But for now I suggest people play this so they can hit the level cap,get geared,and be ready to tackle the next wave of content! Preview of new content to be added is right here!  Archlord 2 New Areas

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Tera Online

  Yes I know I haven't been posting as many reviews as I should but my laptop broke and I had to upgrade.Now I can run higher graphics mmos though and do reviews on them so I suppose it's a plus?Anyways...Recently TERA went free to play with the update "TERA Rising".With this came restrictions to free-to-play  players such as only being able to make two characters per server but having access to every class and race so it's not much of a big deal.I will be updating this section though as I advance and see that any limitations are troublesome!TERA Online is by far the most graphically beautiful game I have played.The environments are lush and the mobs as well as players are very well detailed!So for those of you with a high end pc or laptop that love awesome graphics this game is for you!But before you go on and download it finish reading this post!

  TERA's roster of races and classes is simply amazing!There are no gender locked classes and the only gender locked race would be the giant rock guys(forgot the name)!Every race has an assortment of racials that you gamers that love maxing out and being the best you can possibly be should look into before you finalize your character and jump into the world of Arborea.I still haven't chosen a class but I am stuck between a priest and a mystic and I am leaning towards mystic!The class roster is as follows:Lancer,Warrior,Slayer, Berserker,Priest,Mystic,Sorcerer,and Archer!So you will have quite a few to choose from and every class has a different play style!Be sure to check them out!

  Gameplay wise it is very similar to Monster Huner in the sense that you can dodge attacks or block attacks depending on your class.This is extremely crucial for classes that intend to tank the BAMs(Big Ass Monsters) that they will undoubtedly bump into and be required to kill as they adventure throughout the game.From every class that I have played so far(Archer,Warrior,Slayer,Sorcerer,Berserker) I can say that being able to avoid being hit is key to not dying...no duh right?Also the attack and skill animations are beautifully executed and are fluid which is a plus to those that are annoyed by sluggish actions.

  The community is active and may even be MORE active due to the transition to free to play so finding groups,guilds,friends,and so on isn't such a pain in the ass as it is on some mmos.Adventuring in a group WILL make your experience more enjoyable and it is cool to be able to sit around a campfire and just chat about random stuff to pass the time!As I am still a new player to TERA you can expect this review to be short but it will get updated as I get further in the game.Stay tuned peeps ;)

Elsword

  Elsword is a nice action game that is fun to play and visually pleasing for those that like flashy skills.Many new classes have been added as well as characters(Chung) so the choices are very nice.Character customization is limited mainly to cash shop items but you can customize your character even more later in the game.The gameplay is fast paced and fun,the controls are simple,and the exp rate for completing dungeons is awesome!The one thing that may be seen as an eyesore is the infamous stamina system which limits the amount of dungeons you can do per day.But this is not as bad as it seems!If you do dungeons in a party you will use up LESS of your stamina and you also get a nice exp bonus!During weekends you also have unlimited stamina so you can go wild and can kill all those monsters until your eyes bleed!

  You can advance to different classes as you level(15,35) and each class has all new skills to master as well as a different look!Some classes are faster than the others while others are slower but hit harder.You are the master of your destiny and the way you play this game!

  The PvE is fun like I mentioned earlier but it is in dungeons and can get a bit repetitive after a while.Quests are all over the place but they are usually the same and will have you running the same instances over and over again until you have completed them all.But hey we aren't playing an action game for the story right?Every character does have a back story that is presented after you create your character so it's not all bad.

  Elsword does have a PvP part to it and,though I took part in it occasionally,it was quite fun!Arena matches have three choices for you:1vs1,2vs2,and 3vs3.Participating in them gives you exp and if you win also gives you rank/arena points to increase your PvP rank!If you lose though you get a small amount of exp as well as arena points/fame.At times I found myself paired against an opponent that was CLEARLY out of my league and way above my level.But I suppose it is a small price to pay for everything else it does right!

  All in all I would recommend this game for those who are looking for a game that is straight to the point and fun to boot!Enjoy!

Dekaron Online

  Dekaron is a fast paced,gore filled,flashy,mmorpg that delivers an unforgettable experience to any gamer. Dekaron has a selection of  seven classes and will release new classes as time passes. Unfortunately all the classes are gender locked so you may need to play as a female for some classes. Dekaron is centered around grinding exp off mobs and farming so if you aren't fans of those two then this isn't for you. As I made my way into town I saw plenty of players with nice flashy armor,weapons,and even wings!But of course you have none when you start.Combat was fairly fast when I began playing and as I unlocked more and more skills things got more intense.With each level you also obtain stat points to distribute as you wish.It would be recommended to look up a build or at least get an idea of what stats are important for your class of choice.

  Dekaron has open PvP so don't think your time here will be easy.High level players WILL hunt you down if you piss them off or if they are already pissed off for whatever reason.So keep your wits about you!There is a penalty for killing players so if you decide to take part in it be prepared!PvP is also gear dependent and also the level of your gear and the amount of sockets they have as well as gems that you embed in them.So if you are one that likes to customize gear in order to suit your play style then you'll be fine here.

  Dekaron does have it's downsides though.The cash shop may seem a bit pay to win to some players but if you have time to farm items you will be fine.A recent addition to the cash shop were +9 gear for certain levels that include a weapon.Though it isn't that much of a big deal it can provide a p2w environment if the later level set and armor are purchased.Dekaron also has instances for players to go through but most of this game will be spent solo playing except in certain in game events.
  Currently there is an ongoing event that grants players a free level 65 character with a +5 set and weapons.You get more gear as you level so I suggest anyone interested in this check it out!A special npc gives you quests to level up faster!Have fun!

Vindictus

  Vindictus is a action hack and slash mmorpg that focuses on instance based dungeon runs to complete quests,obtain gear,and gain skill experience. The towns are also instanced with different channels that you are randomly dropped into but can switch to another at any time. Vindictus is fast paced and ,accompanied with a pc compatible game pad, can provide you with a nice adrenaline rush now and again. Coupled with skills that can be used in any combo and a dodge ability and you have yourself a nice game that delivers on its action orientation. With four released classes and another class coming soon you have a nice roster to choose from until you find the perfect play style. Unfortunately these classes are gender locked but don't let that stop you! The classes currently released are Lann,Evie,Karok,and Fiona.

  Party play is necessary if you plan on getting the best gear or for leveling fast!The problem with this is that you may encounter latency issues due to the peer to peer connection system it has.If you or another member has a crappy connection the whole party suffers.It is rare to encounter this though so you will be safe until you run into someone using a proxy to play the game.You can also choose to solo this game but unless you are extremely good at your class you will have a difficult time and may end up taking longer on a dungeon run than if you were in a team.Best solution is to get some buddies that live nearby or at least on the same continent to join you.

  Customization wise you have a fair selection of hair styles,hair color,eye color,size, and skin color.To make you stand out even more you can dye your gear different colors! Unfortunately a large selection of the customization options are cash shop based and will cost you some cash to get.But hey everything can't be perfect!Aside from this you can get through all of the game just by running dungeons and crafting your own gear. Gear also has stats to help you specialize in a certain role,and depending on the armor type, can give you added dex for critical hits but lack defense,defense and hp but lack dex, etc. This system allows players to explore and see which armor set is best for them.Titles are also another way to make you stand out and even give you stat boosts.

  PvP is also implemented into Vindictus and is balanced no matter how much you die it is never the class that makes you a good player. PvP has tactics here and involves thinking and playing wisely in order to overcome your opponent.Their is no such thing as a "OP" class so don't go picking a class based on PvP.Pick a class you like stick to it and get better!Other than that PvP is fun and if you don't like to think don't get into this at all!

Final Review:

Gameplay: 10/10

Population: 9/10

Cash shop: 9/10

Content: 9/10

Balance: 9/10

Eudemons Online

 Eudemons Online was a personal favorite of mine.The act of taming,training,evolving,and fusing demons to acquire unfathomable power was always more reason to play this game!I am not going to sugar coat this though...the graphics are far from the best but they are not the worse either!Upgrading equipment gives you a shine effect depending on the quality(Normal,Refined,Unique,Elite,and Super) that,towards the higher level weapons,looks stunning!Armor though does not receive such a glow effect but the armors are nice eye candy whether upgraded or not!Eudemons also receive a glow depending on the condition they hatch in(Elite,Legendary,King, etc.) and those states,just like the weapons,affect the quality of the Eudemons stats.
 

  Now the gameplay is your typical left click to move and do normal attacks and right click to use skills.Some classes,like the warrior,gain passive skills that activate at a certain rate while doing normal attacks.During your gameplay you will also see a red bar that slowly regenerates as time passes by.When it reaches max capacity it activates a powerful XP Skill that can 1 hit mobs and grant you fast experience!At later levels this XP Skill can wipe out screen fulls of mobs and this makes leveling much easier!Also to further aid your killing power you can combine with up to three Eudemon and increase your defense and attack!


  Now the Eudemons are pets and like I said earlier these pets can level,evolve,be fused with other Eudemons,and with the vampire class sacrificed.This system adds more depth to the pet system and makes it entertaining to experiment and see if you can build the ultimate Eudemon!The only thing that may bum people out is the items sold in the cash shop.Some increase the chance of a lucky composition of Eudemons and also sell a Eudemon that can fuse with any other Eudemon!Though these features are disappointing it redeems itself with the ability to acquire these items with in game gold or by hunting boss monsters.So not all is a loss.





Eudemons Online is a nice mmorpg that,with time and skill,can be a truly enjoyable experience!
 
Final Review:
Graphics:7/10
Gameplay:8/10
Content:7/10
Cash Shop:6/10
Population:6/10

Allods Online UPDATE 3/20/13

 Allods Online is a AAA mmorpg filled beautiful environments that change from a scorching hot dessert to a lush jungle and to a robust city filled with players and npcs.After logging in and reaching the character selection screen you will see your available classes and races.These are separated into two factions.The League,which is more of fantasy oriented faction with castles and forests,has the Gibberling,Elves,and Kanian Humans.The Empire which has the Arisen,Orcs,and Xadaganians.After selecting your race and faction you can now choose what class to play as.Note that some races cannot play as certain classes!

  Now the gameplay is as most mmorpg games.You do quests that give exp,honor,and gold to progress while doing instances to gather gear for yourself.Now the noteworthy thing is that combat is more...tactical...than other mmorpgs.Some classes do more damage if you build up enough points while others can activate special effects depending on the amount of points they have.This is where resource managing comes into play.You cannot simply barge into battle and faceroll your keys to get a win.More often than not your death is your fault with one exception which I will cover later on in the review.
  After reaching level 10 you gain access to the talent tree that allows you to build your character for any sort of situations.You gain 1 "ruby" or talent point per level and can distribute it on the grid so long as it is connected to another already highlighted talent.This may seem troublesome but with recent updates some classes can get all the major talents in a few levels!Some talents though are virtually useless and are never used by many knowledgeable players.Thus I suggest you take a look at your classes forum section and read up on what does what and what talents are useful for a certain situation.

  After you advance to level 25 you are sent off to an island where you will get your first taste of PVP.Now most of you think that PvP is skill based.But this is not true for everyone.Some players have purchased runes from...you guessed it...the almighty Cash Shop.True the game has  a in game trader to get Cash Shop currency for gold...but lets face it...you have to pay in order to survive on this island!Most of you think you can go on without having to fight...wrong again...some quests will have you going deep into the opposing factions territory.More than likely you will be used to seeing the screenshot on the left when you get killed by a level 25 player with level 8 or 9 runes.
  To make matters worse some raid groups REQUIRE that you have a minimum of a full set of level 7 runes.Without them you are going to go through hell trying to find a raid group that would willingly take you under its wing.So unless you have spare cash laying around you are going to be in for the toughest ride of your life.Aside from the fact that you need to pay to be competitive this game is still worth the work.Marvelous instances and raids gorgeous graphics and a diverse selection of classes and builds you will enjoy your time playing this game.Even if it is for a short while.
  I forgot to mention the bard class.Though at first glance one would assume it is a musical class that can buff and debuff parties.But it can also AoE and do insane amounts of damage also it can shield itself from damage for a set period.This class has been referred to as OP and I must agree.Be aware of this class during PvP!
  Lords of Destiny is now live!What does this mean for you the player?More content of course!New skills,gear,a glyph system,more Astral Bosses for those Astral faring players!There is much more to discover now!Here is a link stating what has been changed and added! http://allods-forum.gpotato.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=62491
Final Review:
Gameplay-10/10
Content-9/10
Population-8/10
Balance-6/10
Cash Shop-4/10
Crafting-1/10

Rift Online

Rift is a fancy mmorpg with unique features that will be sure to catch the eye of the passing gamer.From wide open terrain to invasions from the Planes,this will be one game that you will never forget. As you start Rift you have the choice of 3 races per faction.Dwarves,Elves,and  Mathosian Humans make up the Guardians while the Bahmi,Kelari,and Eth Humans make up the Defiant.As for classes you have a few preset "souls" which are a combination of three classes to fulfill a role such as tank,support,or dps. After selecting your preset class you can modify your three souls to any of your choice.But with this magnificent class system there is also a big problem.Some classes are not meant to be used with others due to conflicting skills that either use up mana or do nothing to support the other two souls.And some builds are just broken requiring any end game players to be forced to follow a linear path.

  Another interesting feature of Rift are the Elemental Planes.These planes emerge from Tears across the game world.Using a certain item you get at the beginning of the game you can open the tear into a full blown Elemental Tear which summons monsters and gives you random quests.After successfully sealing the tear you receive points that can be used to obtain blue grade gear,potions,or stones to give you added buffs.Some tears called "Minor Tears" can easily be done solo.But Major Tears are not so easy so bring along a buddy if you want to get that nice blue weapon!
  Invasions are...well...what the name says INVASIONS!An invasion takes place every few hours and requires a large amount of players to defend your factions territory.If you participate you receive a nice amount of points at the end and the exp isn't bad either!But be warned,elite monsters appear at times leading the small army of elemental beings and not only do they look intimidating they hit like a truck!The option to join a public group and form a raid against these is always available when you are near a person in that group so finding a party is simple.At the end of each invasion a large boss monster appears.It has a ton of hp and can deal a ton of damage!But after defeating it you end the invasion and can continue on questing!
  The population is healthy but at times you may find it difficult to find any players since a large chunk of the community is already at end game.But thankfully their will be times when a high level player runs you through an instance or helps you complete certain group quests so you won't be stuck as much as you would hope.You will usually be soloing though as most of the quests are soloable and you only need a group for the optional group quests.
  PvP is easy to get into and an easy way to get fast levels!PvP selection on Rift is cross server so you will often be teamed up with people from different shards and even the opposing faction.As you gain levels you can access more maps with different objectives such as capture the flag,acquire the most points,or have as many people carrying a buff.After a few minutes in PvP you will be suprised at how many levels you have gained and how fun it really is!Another option is to grief players from the opposing faction >:D
  Rift is a unique mmorpg that should be played by more people and with the upcoming expansion,it may just be what you dreamed of in a mmorpg.Enjoy the video :)

Final Review:
Gameplay-9/10
Graphics-9/10
Population-6/10
Content-8/10