Grand Fantasia

 Grand Fantasia is a anime themed fantasy mmorpg that is published by Aeria Games.Now I reached level 50 with my berserker and had my talents maxed so I am doing this review based on what I saw during my time playing and what I think about the game.Please be advised this is my opinion and some of you may not agree on certain aspects.If anything you see isn't true or is false please comment below.Now on with the review.

  After logging in and reaching the character creation you will see a fair amount of character customization from eyes,hair,hair color,eye shape,and eye color.Also you will be able to customize your sprite.You can choose what its gathering and crafting skill is,color,and hair as well as the name.You will also be able to preview the advanced classes and what they look like.But you start off as a novice until level 10!After choosing your class and getting into the game world you are going to spend levels 1-10 on a newbie island that will give you sprite items,equipment,beginner skills,and your first class advancement.During my time here I saw many players running around doing quests and murdering innocent bunnies so the game has a nice community for beginners.

  I said earlier in the review that your sprite can be assigned certain crafting and gathering skills.Well your sprite is going to be doing ALL of your crafting!On occasion you will have to gather certain ingredients that drop from monsters but other than that it will get the rest on it's own for the beginner equipment.Now the most important thing to remember is this: A happy sprite works more efficiently than a normal or upset sprite.

The sprites mood will affect the outcome of gathering rare ingredients and also if it fails or succeeds at crafting equipment!So keep that sprite fed and happy!You can also add furniture to the room it lives in to increase certain attributes like gathering time,success rate,and increasing the amount of items it gathers.Also you can equip it with gear to give you bonuses when you summon it.My time overall with the sprite was relatively painless and it was nice to have something to do other than level and run instances all day.So for those of you that want more to an mmorpg you should try this out.

Now the first 30 levels were a snap and at this point you should have advanced class and gotten new shiny skills.But after a while you begin to notice you are running out of the main quests and are left wondering what to do next.Well you have two choices!Either do bounty quests and run instances to get exp OR do rep quests for money and exp.The rep quests will always be the same.Kill x monster and collect x amount of item from them.Though the payout is good you may find yourself bored of doing the same thing over and over.And it won't change as you hit higher levels.There is always a rep quest to be done!This may be a turn off for most people but it's easy money and exp and you can farm the quest items until you feel you have enough.
  Through most of my levels never once did I encounter a world boss much less know of one.During a normal instance run I was asked by a fellow guild member to help him with a guild quest involving the killing of a monster called Xerxes a.k.a "Mr.Whiskers".I said yes and after the instance I went straight to him and asked where this monster was?It was a stupid question of course seeing as the lumbering beast was twice the size of a player and it looked like the type of monster anyone would need help killing.After a long battle with the beast I managed to kill it and got a blue named item for it!But these world bosses are not pushovers and even though they reward greatly...are a pain in the ass!
 Grand Fantasia has introduced me to many things I enjoyed...but it's cash shop was not one of them!Yes this is the thorn on the beautiful rose.Even though cash shop items can be bought with gold the useful ones will range anywhere from 100g-2000g or more depending on the items.Legacy sets are very useful and cost 2000g or around 10 bucks in the cash shop.These sets level with you and gain more stats the higher level you are.The best players have these sets and they also sell items that guarantee an upgrade from +1-+9.At a point of view this game is very much pay to win and no matter how you look at it...it will still be the same.If you can look past this or are determined to be the best then good luck.

UPDATE:Level cap has been increased as well as new class advancements!Check it out if you are interested!

Final Review:
Graphics:10/10
Combat:8/10
Crafting:9/10
Population:9/10
Cash Shop:1/10

Aika Online

Are you a fan of mass pvp?Do you like having your own personal slave that buffs you and gives you stat boosts?Are you a fan of anime inspired graphics?Well if you answered yes to any of those then Aika is the game for you!

  As soon as you start up the client and reach the Server selection you'll be amazed to see a nice amount of servers.They are Alethius,Feonir,Lenaria,Ostyrion,and Vanov.But wait!These servers are actually Nations!The one you select and stick to will be the nation you will fight for during the massive Real vs Realm wars that occur!So choose wisely!





After you select a nation you will be greeted with a Character Creation screen.The bad news is the classes are gender locked...but even so do not let this put you off!As male choices you have the Warrior,Rifleman,and Warlock.As female choices you have the Paladin,Cleric,and Dual Gunner.Each class has it's ups and downs.During my time playing I choose rifleman and was amazed at the ability I had to one shot monsters and sometimes even players!After choosing your class you can specialize yourself by choosing skills to upgrade and use during your time playing.It is recommended you look up a build or at least a guide that states which skills are useful and which are not lest you want to be gimped from the start!

  During the early levels you will be tasked with doing quests to gain levels,items,and a class promotion.Now ,as far as quests go,Aika is about as original as any other mmorpg...it isn't.You will kill x amount of monster,gather x amount of items,and talk to npc1515487 to progress.Though this would seem boring to a few if you chose the class you like regardless of sex you will have a blast!Literally a blast if you are one of the gunner classes!

As you progress in level you will obtain a quest to get your very own "Pran" or slave...hehehe...this slave will give you stat boosts and,if it feels like it,give you a buff to make you stronger.Like any other "pet" in mmorpgs you will have to raise it and talk to it so that it gets friendly with you and trusts you more.The more trusting it is of it's master the more likely it is to listen to you or help you out during combat.You can customize this pran and evolve it depending on how you answer questions during the mini conversations it brings up.A nice touch for those who like to just sit in town and feel like they are making progression.

  Now the player population is fairly high so you won't be having too much trouble finding instance groups or pvp groups.So I recommend you try this out and see how much you really like it!

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

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

S4 League

 S4 League was...hmmm...an interesting experience.On one hand it was a action game filled with sword,gun,and yes even fist fights!At first you will be confused,what with the skill system they have and charge attacks.Plus some people aren't used to using mouse and keyboard in an action game!But once you get used to it you will find one of the most entertaining games available!

  There are no classes in the game but you can have certain skills that allow you to specialize in certain things such as aerial combat or a wall to provide cover.This unique system allows you to not only play better but also allow your team to do a better job!Getting fired at from all directions?Pop up your wall and fire back!Want to do some sniping?Use your flying skill to get to higher ground!So many skills allow you to change the outcome of the game depending on how they are used.These can all be bought and include a nice tutorial that gives you the license to use them.

  Weapons are another interesting aspect of S4 League.Firearms obviously are for ranged attacks but some have higher attack than others or are more useful.But melee weapons...now that is where things get interesting!They have their own unique skills that can cause damage or stun a foe!These can be purchased from the store after you earn enough credits and levels.

  Everything about S4 League gameplay wise is awesome!But some latency issues may occur during gameplay and ruin the experience for you.Aside from that it is a fun way to own people!:) Here is some video for your enjoyment!

Lineage 2

 

 At first glance Lineage 2 has an abundance of character classes and races.Races are broken down into:Human,Elf,Dark Elf,Kamael,Orc,and Dwarf.Each race has it's own stats and attributes and some even have race specific classes or skills (Dwarf can summon a mech and craft,Kamael has 2 unique classes to the race).
  Now as soon as you drop into the game you go through your traditional beginner quests to get a better understanding of the game and some of the mechanics.This goes by quickly and is relatively painless so you can get straight into the game shortly after.After the beginner quests though...it is recommended you look up a guide that tells you what quests are worth doing and what quests are simply a waste of time.A handful of quests reward you with generous amounts of exp,gold,or useful items.But unfortunately the rest are just a waste of time and you are better off leveling by grinding off mobs until you can reach the quest that gives a good reward.
  Leveling is...well...fast at early levels BUT as soon as you hit 60+ it becomes a time consuming task that is not for those with a social life...I had none at the time hehe..ahem,anyways...as you progress through the later levels you begin to run out of quests to complete and are stuck grinding mobs.The problem with this is the open PvP and the players who will grief you by blocking certain areas of maps that allow you to level at a fast rate and will only allow members of the same guild or alliance to pass.This becomes painful when attempting to hit level 85.I will explain why in a bit.
  Apart from the traditional classes that everyone starts off with,they have multiple class advancements.For example the Human Fighter can advance to Knight at level 20 at level 40 it gains another advancement to either Paladin or Dark Avenger depending on the class you choose at 40 you get to choose another class at 75 (Phoenix Knight or Hell Knight).This is true for most classes and allows for a nice amount of skills and specializing.
  Level 85 is the most important level in the game and this level is the hardest to obtain.At level 85 you are allowed to "awaken" to an even more powerful class that grants special,destructive skills.But the power guilds of your server may not be so kind as to allow you to simply obtain them.During my play time I had to deal with multiple parties blocking the entrance to a map that would allow me to hit 85.Most of them were awakened so my guild members and I stood no chance.It was only with the paying of a "toll" that we were allowed access.
  This was a while back before it had updated it's cash shop.But now after attempting to play again I have ill news for those hoping to play on even grounds.Lineage 2 has gone down a p2w path and is no longer the once challenging and rewarding game it claimed to be.To those that do not believe me go ahead look at the cash shop.Attempt to compete with the paying players.But do not say you were not warned!
  I remember when I first saw Lineage 2 on a youtube video.I wished how I could afford to pay the monthly fees to play such an awesome looking mmorpg!With the recent transition that wish came true.I did not realize that soon after going into the f2p business that Lineage 2 would go down a path that no one likes.A good game ruined...here is some gameplay video for those that would like to play it.

Final review:
Gameplay-7/10
Combat-8/10
Population-8/10
Content-7/10
Cash Shop-1/10

Eden Eternal-Review 7/28/12

 
Eden Eternal.Ah the memories of this mmorpg have stuck with me since I left.From the moment that I created my own guild to the moment we rushed Guild Quests to obtain our own base,this mmorpg has had a lasting impact on me.BUT,ever since I left many things have changed.And thus begins my review...
  Eden Eternal is an excellent game when it comes to choosing a class...it really doesn't matter!No matter what class you choose when creating your character, you can easily switch to any of the other classes so long as you meet the requirements.And this is by far the best feature of this game.If you have the gear you can be any role you want from dps to healer you can fill the role that you need in the party.Even more interesting is that every 10 levels you obtain a passive skill or "Trait" from the class you were leveling.So a mage would get a lower cast time trait so it can dish out more damage while a warrior would get an hp buff or attack buff.The beauty of it is that you can mix and match traits to your liking.

  Community wise this mmorpg has died down since my parting.It used to be no problem finding a party for an instance but now...it is somewhat of a time consuming task.Even more when you are trying to find one for the early instances.I was lucky enough to find one though and the run through it was just as fun as I first remember it.
 

  The real bummer begins at level 40 and on.You will be bored of doing the same quests over and over again .They are basically the same quests killing monsters to gather x items or just killing monsters followed at the end by an instance quest which then leads you to the next area where you have to rinse and repeat.Aside from the world bosses this game has a bad questing system that will drive most people away from even continuing.



 Eden eternal is worth looking into but only for the strong of will!

Final Review:
Graphics-8/10
Gameplay-9/10
Population-6/10
Cash Shop-7/10

Ragnarok Online-Review 7/28/12

After having taken a quick break from Ragnarok Online I decided to go back and see what had changed.To my amazement it added new class advancements more gear and had gone from pay to play to free to play with a cash shop.Walking around I remembered the old times when fellow players would sit around in Prontera and chat about anything that came to mind.This had not changed.Players are still friendly towards one another and you will receive invites to parties from random people.And for a game with dated graphics it is still robust with new and veteran players.

 Game play wise it is the same point and click game play,but surprisingly it still entertains one for countless hours.The skill tree system they have is remarkable and allows for experimentation without consequence since you will usually have enough points to get the important skills.Ragnarok Online is heavily party oriented if you wish to acquire better gear or survive without having to spend minutes sitting after killing a few mobs.
  Customization of your character though is limited to accessories and the color of your sprite.No matter what you equip the appearance will remain the same until you complete a job advancement.Though the sprites are very nicely done you will get tired of seeing the same thing but just in a different color.
  The card system that Ragnarok has is very enjoyable and allows for you to customize gear to fit your needs.Whether it be doing more damage,adding an elemental effect to your armor or weapons,or just boosting your stats, the card system will keep you busy even after reaching cap level.Certain boss monsters known as "MVP" Monsters are difficult to kill but a MVP card is worth a lot.One example is that a card from an MvP can allow you to see assassins that are invisible or give you 4x the amount of hp you had before.

  All in all Ragnarok Online is worth trying out for any pc gamer out their looking for a game that will challenge and reward them.

Final Review:
Gameplay-9/10
Content-8/10
Cash Shop-8/10
Population-6/10
Crafting-5/10