Preview MMORPG : Darkfall Online

It's for the first time when I see hope in a MMORPG made by a Indie developer . Yes ! I can see the light , the spark inside this game . For 3 years I am watching this game grow and receiving more good feedback each time . I present you Darkfall Online a MMORPG developed by Aventurine , a greek game company not larger than Turbine's or FunCom's screenshot preparation team .

On the games site you will find numerous features , some can already be seen in other MMORPGs but other are unique and truly remarcable . Yes , sure , I heard many times new companies bragging about features that ultimately are never implemented and the games turn to be total disasters , but I am impressed to see that this is not the case with Darkfall Online . Here are just some of the features taken from the site and only those that the company proven to us that exist (by the means of videos , screenshots , conventions) .

Explore five continents, countless small islands, trackless underwater depths, and a sprawling underworld. Hundreds of dungeons and adventure areas await.

Play any of Agon's six dominant races. Each race has a unique set of abilities, as well as its own civilization, culture, and way of life.

Meet hundreds of unique monsters, and take them on in their lairs, strongholds and domains. Repetitive monster encounters are a thing of the past.

Travel through geographically diverse regions that are alive with plants, trees, birds, animals, and even insects.

Experience a world brought to life by real-world physics and dynamic lighting and shadows. Watch trees and grass sway in the wind as sunlight peeks through passing clouds. Observe the movements of Agon's twin moons, which are part of a dynamic planetary system with smooth day/night cycles. Sail your ship through rough seas, then become hampered by fog as the waters calm. Struggle as your battlefield-bound army marches into a severe storm. In Darkfall, the weather is more than just window dressing.

Darkfall's terrain has been painstakingly hand-crafted by our artists, rather than conveniently auto-generated. This means non-repetitive, unpredictable, and unique locations to explore, discover and use. Darkfall's world is full of wonders, small and large.

Enjoy the smooth and flowing gameplay, the fast paced action, and the highly responsive controls. You can forget about point - click - and wait: In Darkfall, the action is real-time and your character feels like an extension of yourself.
(on comparison to other MMORPG's that were bragging with this feature , Darkfall really has it implemented in it's true meaning - see the attached gameplay movies).

Develop your character in any way you want at any time without penalties . Say goodbye to the times when you had to start a new character all over again because you misplaced one attribute point , talent or skillpoint .
(Here the game is very much alike to Dungeon Siege games where in order to develop a skill , profession or attribute you had to do a specific task , not killing the same monster all day in order to receive bits of experience that ultimately convert into a level .)

In Darkfall, all items in the world can be made by the players. (I believe that this tells you all about the types of professions available in the game) .

Darkfall is optimized for both player versus player action and for massive battles.

Choose from a great variety of weapons, armors, hundreds of offensive and defensive spells, and special attacks. Construct and use ships , vehicles , guild cities , forts , outposts . Ride mounts in battle and use them for organized cavalry charges .

There are no safe zones in Darkfall. The only protection you can count on is your friends watching your back. (in my opinion this is a bit to harsh aspecialy for players that aren't hardcore pvp'ers )

Darkfall combines Massively Multiplayer Role playing, Real Time Strategy, and Action gaming, extending the competitive environment on many different levels.

Top clans and top individual players from various gaming genres will be there, along with over ten thousand simultaneous players per world (I'm not sure about this part , maybe the beta will clarify this one).

Darkfall offers you more ways to give feedback, and more ways to collaborate with the Darkfall Team in the evolution of the game. Your voice is heard loud and clear.
(you should see the forum , it's amazing).

That's about all the features currently implemented in the game .

I wan't to make it clear that everything posted here is not advertisement , all of that I posted here is implemented and that everyone , with a bit of research , can find .

For conclusion here is a large gameplay trailer with no editing or scripting splitted in 6 parts :

Preview : Golden Axe - Beast Rider

Sega and Secret Level will launch this fall a new action-RPG. The game's name is Golden Axe : Beast Rider and if you ask me this new RPG holds a lot of promise . We all seen and played hack-and-slash'es , action-RPG , and some of us even had the unique opportunity to enjoy Planescape Torment , but be serious people... did you ever played a RPG that blends character with mount/pet in such a way ?

The thing in the game is that you play with this nameless chick that beats the crap out of any opponent that she sees . The thing is that she is a sort of a mixture between barbarian woman and pet master because she tends to call pretty often mighty beasts to do her bidding and to aid her in the struggle .

The action is again a blend between something like God of War , regarding special effects , camera panning and speed , and games like Dark Messiah of Might and Magic that uses a lot of engine physics ( you can throw your enemies in spikes , roll large stones over them , crumbling columns etc) .

There are three ways to battle : you can fight alone , only with your character and when the time is right , you can call your beast which again can fight alone or together with the character (mounted or side by side) .

I doubt that there will be many items to choose from because this is not a hack-and-slash or adventure-RPG so the players that enjoy reading huge numbers , colored in pink or blue and that love to boil the game down to equations , won't be impressed . From what you can see from the trailer , there will be the old arsenal like swords , axes , armors that cover as little as possible (let's not forget that the game has a heroine , and yes , sex does sell) .

Also there seems to be magic in the game , now it isn't sure if it is a separated path to choose or it's just a small pack of spells used to aid the melee combat and beast charming .

As the time closes on the launching date I will return with further info regarding the game and I think it deserves a review also . Enjoy the trailer I attached .

Preview : Majesty 2 - The fantasy Kingdom Sim

It's been eight years since the original Majesty appeared on the PC gaming scene with its own unique take on fantasy gaming. . The premise of the gameplay was simple, simultaneously original... and frustrating. You were the ruling monarch of a fantasy kingdom, and while you could set the tax rates, recruit heroes, and build whatever buildings you liked, you had no direct control over the actual citizens of your kingdom. Meeting their needs while persuading them to accomplish your goals was at various times challenging, hysterical, frustrating and fun.

The good news for fans who can still remember the original is that the license has changed hands and a sequel is on its way. Paradox Interactive and 1C are teaming up to update the franchise, starting from the ground up with all-new graphics but keeping the same feel as the original. Once more the trick will be to run your kingdom without direct control, although this time around representatives from Paradox say they're trying to give players a few more options for directly managing the action.

How's it work? Your Kingdom begins with an ornate fantasy castle representing your opulent seat of command. From there you can construct buildings, similar to any real-time strategy game. Building farmhouses for the peasants is a good way to generate incremental tax revenue, and guard towers will help defend your city by themselves and with the help of wandering guards. But to really get stuff done your kingdom is going to need heroes. Building guild halls will allow you to recruit adventurers to your kingdom, of which there are 10 different classes representing classic fantasy archetypes like Warrior, Mage, Paladin, Rogue, Ranger, Barbarian, and so on. Every hero starts out at level one with crappy equipment, something we can all relate to.



But once a hero enters your kingdom they're on their own -- you can't tell them what to do. And you quickly discover heroes are whiny little brats, a whole army of munchkin roleplayers. All they want is loot! Experience! Treasure! Equipment! They'll start roaming around your kingdom looking for monsters to fight.

You can support the efforts of your heroes by making sure they have amenities back home. That includes taverns to recover in, blacksmiths to buy weapons from, marketplaces to buy potions at, magic stores to enchant their equipment, and so in. Every time a hero drops some big money to buy a shiny new piece of equipment, you get a cut of the revenue -- that's how you benefit from your heroes and their adventures.

Once you've got enough money rolling in you can begin to try to manipulate the world a little more firsthand. In Majesty 2 you can spend money to directly cast spells in the game world, healing your allies or smiting monsters you don't like. But also, as in the original, you can set bounties on objectives. If you plant a flag on a troublesome troll that awards 500 gold to the adventurer who slays it, you can bet your royal butt that your greedy self-serving adventurers will flock to the scene.

Here at GameSpy we always thought the original Majesty was a real treat -- a little frustrating at times but uniquely different. Our brief demo of the game at Leipzig didn't reveal to us anything dramatically different about the new game, but that might not be a bad thing, as there's a whole new generation of gamers who never got a chance to play the original. One thing that we hope translates across to the new developers is the ridiculous sense of humor of the original game, whose lampooning of fantasy archetypes made the gameplay enjoyable even at its most frustrating. (You'll note that the trailer above is done totally "straight," which makes us worry the game will take itself too seriously.) Paradox is looking to publish the sequel in early 2009.

Preview : Castle Crashers

Preview is just theoretical because the game's launch date is : 08.27.2008 . Which , yes , it means that the game is launched for a couple of hours but because I could't buy the game , play it and then review it in this time , I will just make a short preview .

Did you ever felt bored ? Ever needed a fast paced game , with funny graphics , fully packed action and filled with content ? Well , Castle Crashers is a game perfect for those moments . It is so easy to learn the controls while mastering them is a total different thing . The game is a return of a retro-theme that was on it's peak 12 years ago . When I just started to loose faith in the video and computer game industry , Beowulf and Castle Crashers made my day . After seeing the clip that I attached to the article , I know that the first thing that I must do tomorrow is to order Castle Crashers . For the younger players , this game is like a good shake between Diablo III and Mario . So basicly you can play as a barbarian-plumber , amazon-with-mustache or fat-sorceress .

The game clearly guarantees hours and hours of fun together with the friends or against them . I really loved the level design which is varies from river , mountains, desert , tribal villages , barbaric settlement , battlefield etc . The background of the levels speaks for itself : like on the battlefield , in the background there are stylized troops with pikes that march . The enemies are varied : undead , chieftain , barbarians , animals , mechanical robots , mechanized weapons etc.

All in all , this game is perfect and I recommend it to anyone regardless of age .

Preview : Fallout III

I feel strange seeing so many game titles that end with 2,3,4 etc . I'm somehow disappointed to see that originality and fresh new ideas aren't valued things in today's game industry . Partially I understand the Big Guys that rule this industry . After all , they have mouths to feed and investors to make happy , but still , there was a time when the pure passion of making games was pretty much enough .

Anyway , maybe it's just me feeling a bit depressed today .
* slaps himself two times*

We will talk about Fallout III , but not before we make a small trip back in time and look at this titles predecessors : Fallout and Fallout 2 , (Fallout Tactics = disappointment) . What can these games offer ? A lot of violence , many ways in which the player could liberate himself from stress , good story , great punch-lines and big honking weapons . It's the perfect recipe when you add everything with care and passion . How about Fallout III ?



Fallout III brings incredible graphics , a return to the characteristics that defined the franchise : violence , blood , mutant enemies , post nuclear war setting and great story . What are some players considering a minus ? The first person view . In my opinion I think that this is an interesting addition . Where you have huge automated machine guns , you should have a first person view . I don't understand why some people are so skeptic regarding this feature when Bethesda guaranteed that there will be a 3'rd person view also .

In the game you will behave like in any other RPG . Doing missions , errands , accumulating attribute points ( I don't know what will call them ) that can be spent in skills , abilities and characteristics . The adventurer and explorer type of player will be rewarded if he searches among the ruins of what Washington DC once was because they will find nice weapons and items . The combat is breath tacking (and I think that is mostly because of the first person camera) , the players having the ability to disable or cripple the enemies , not necesarely kill them (a nice feature especially when dealing with many enemies at the same time ) .



Bethesda also promised that the story will be as juicy as before , now with the addition that will be first-rate voiceovers and full lip-synching and that players will have the freedom to choose any path they wish for their alter-ego's (good or bad) each with their pros and cons .

Launch date : Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax Media company, announced today that its highly anticipated title, Fallout® 3, will be available on store shelves and online in North America on October 28, 2008 and in Europe on October 31, 2008.

As you can see , we still have time to train out fingers and prepare our gadgets before the game launches .

Preview : Diablo III

Ready your weapons , polish you're armor and throw some potions in the bag , because in 2009 all hell brakes loose . No , this is not a call to war , it's just an introduction for the God of all hack-and-slash games : Diablo III


'And the heavens shall tremble' - The background story

Two decades have passed since the demonic lords, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, set out across the world of Sanctuary on a vicious rampage, twisting humanity to their unholy will. Yet for those who battled the Prime Evils, the memory fades slowly.
When Deckard Cain returns to the ruins of Tristram Cathedral seeking clues to defeat new stirrings of evil, a fiery harbinger of doom falls from the heavens, striking the very ground where Diablo once entered the world. This fire from the sky reawakens ancient evils and calls the heroes of Sanctuary to defend the mortal world against the rising powers of the Burning Hells once again.

If anyone aspects a more complex story line , that means he hadn't played any of the Diablo games . Why read so many words when there are cool cinematics to show and thousands of monsters to slay , banish , torture , kill-revive-and-kill-again ?

'And the heavens shall tremble' - The characters

Once again Blizzard plays it cool by using many of the gameplay features that characterize Diablo games . Until now only 2 classes were made public : Barbarian (reminds me of whom... ) and the Witch Doctor ( combination between necromancer and sorcerer ) . This wasn't said anywhere but I believe that many of the classes in D3 will be combinations of the classes from D2 . Why I believe that ? First , Blizzard did the same with Warcraft III (combination of races from Starcraft) and secondly , the Witch Doctor is a hybrid class . It's obvious that the Barbarian is the demented hero , that puts all his muscles at work (the brain is not a muscle ) when it comes to share hits , shouts , whirlwinds and a lot of hate . The Witch Doctor on the other hand is tha guy that keeps it cool . Again he is able to use a wall , like the Necromancer did , but this time it's called zombie wall and it's not ment just to stand inert but also to attack . Fire bombs , spawning all sort of creatures and cursing is what he can do best .


'And the heavens shall tremble' - The Gameplay and Graphics

The gameplay is the same with minor exceptions . They added life spheres that randomly drop from slain monsters and as you take them you're life replenishes . There are some that say it's a bad addition , in my opinion I think it's a very good addition because gives the player the chance co concentrate on using the skills and contemplating the 'deadly' graphic effects . As you can see in this videos , the graphics are straight A and Blizzard promises that players will be able to use the environment in their favor : column that fall , destroying parts of bridges , crumbling walls and other related stuff .





'And the heavens shall tremble' - The Conclusion

Blizzard will do it again and make this game close to perfection as they always do . D2 and D2 expansion sold together 19 Million copies . Will D3 beat this ? I doubt that it will even be close to this sum because times had changed and there are many competitors on the market , even tho none of them can rival Diablo franchise , yet .