MMO News |
- Inferno Legend
- Planetside 2 Review 2013
- Aura Kingdom Launch Schedule Announced
- Quantum Rush
- Tower of Ascension
- Hero of the Obelisk Open Beta Goes Live November 28th
- Hero of the Obelisk Open Beta Trailer
- C9 Announces Fourth Expansion and Releases Rahkdan’s Counterattack
- Shotgun News 11/26: Eldevin, C9, GW2, and More!
- Eldevin Gameplay – Battle Of The Dark Dragon
| Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:56 PM PST Play your hand at the devil in this dark fantasy MMORPG.  Publisher: Gamebox Pros: +Limited information available. Cons: -Limited information available.
Overview Inferno Legend OverviewInferno Legend is a free-to-play downloadable MMORPG from Gamebox. The game features a non-traditional storyline in which players take on the role of the Devil, working from the underground to fight the humans above who declare themselves righteous. Inferno Legend Screenshots    Inferno Legend Featured Video Full Review Inferno Legend ReviewComing Soon… Screenshots Inferno Legend ScreenshotsComing Soon… Videos Inferno Legend VideosInferno Legend Trailer System Requirements Inferno Legend System RequirementsComing Soon… |
| Posted: 26 Nov 2013 04:23 PM PST By Tagspeech
When Planetside 2 was initially released, it generated a great deal of buzz – I was excited, personally. I’d never played the original before, but I knew plenty about it from what others told me. I’m usually not one for competitive FPS games, but a persistent world game with vehicle piloting and jet packs a la Tribes sounds like too much fun. I was never able to get into the original, so the second being released free-to-play was a boon. I eagerly downloaded it and gave it a shot.
Unfortunately, as soon as my character had landed after creation, I found that she was literally a corpse. I’d been killed before I could even assume control. This was not exactly the greatest introduction to a game, and I can only assume I wasn’t alone. The game then left myself and others to just sort of figure things out for ourselves, which was annoying, considering how overwhelming the base layouts and UI can be. I quit and never looked back, and a number of other people did the same, with similar complaints.
But the beauty of online games is patching. Or rather, it’s something they’re capable of. I’m not entirely sure it’s a beautiful thing, given that it’s created a "release now, patch later" mentality among some developers, but it’s nice that a game has the capacity to improve. Planetside 2 has received a number of patches since release, and I’m here to drop into the game and see if I’m still treated like a disposable supplicant.
Instant Action! It’s exactly what it sounds like, and it’s my favorite addition to the game. Hit the ‘I’ key at any point, and you’re teleported to wherever the heat is. Players are able to set up mobile spawn points with a specific vehicle, allowing those just looking for a quick fix of PVP murder to use this UI feature to become a never-ending stream of reinforcements. An excellent addition, particularly since before you just wandered around aimlessly in the hopes of stumbling upon something exciting happening. Getting into the meat of the game has never been easier, and this addition alone would be enough to warrant a good review.
Tutorials! Something as basic as a "how to not die immediately" tutorial is a staple in these games, and this is something Planetside 2 has lacked up until recently. It’s nice to be able to just warm up for your first run-through the game, and get a good understanding of how the game mechanics work. Your tutorial instructor is a special NPC from your chosen faction, and while his performance isn’t exactly stellar, it does at least help get you immersed somewhat in the game. I went with the Vanu Sovereignty, because I can’t resist anything even remotely transhumanist themed, and my instructor sounded like he’d surgically removed the pleasure centers of his brain. Cool.
Fire that rocket. Hit the sides. Okay. Move on. Etcetera.
Gameplay Overview and Factions There is no PVE content in Planetside 2, aside from a brief and barebones tutorial designed to give players a crash-course in gameplay before shoving them out into the world (called Auraxis). Any enemy you shoot in the game is going to be another player from the two factions opposing yours (hopefully). Team-killing with vehicles is quite possible, but usually accidental. Watch your fire. The playable factions are as follows: Terran Republic The Republic is the OG of the three factions, having been around for over a thousand years, and being the primary culture that spawned the other two. They are apparently the most synergistic of the factions and benefit the most from numbers and proper coordination. Their weapons are based around high-velocity slugs and high rate of fire. Their two unique vehicles are a light attack aircraft called the mosquito, and a medium tank called the prowler (the fastest in its vehicle class).
Vanu Sovereignty A technocratic society that has abandoned previous definitions of humanity in favor of radical advancements in genetic engineering and beam weaponry. They utilize the artifacts of a long-lost alien race, called the Vanu, whom they venerate as creators and wise deities. Their weapons are hard-hitting and do splash damage often, while their special vehicles, the Scythe fighter and Magrider tank, are highly mobile and flexible tools of destruction capable of incredibly feats of agility.
New Conglomerate A separatist faction that began as a rebellion against the military dictatorship of the Terran Republic, the NC seeks freedom for freedom’s sake, and has built up massive reserves of ammunition, weaponry, and manpower on Auraxis for the sole purpose of establishing a new empire based around their philosophy. Their weapons tend to be heavy on recoil, slow in rate of fire, and ungainly to use, but always hit the hardest and shoot the straightest. Their unique vehicles, the Reaver fighter and the Vanguard tank, are clunky and slow, but have more arms and armor than anything else in their categories.
Still a Niche Title! Okay, so all of this sounds terribly positive and fantastic. It is, certainly. But it doesn’t change the core issues with the game, primarily the fact that it has little appeal to anyone but a niche crowd. You might say that anyone with a love for Call of Duty or Battlefield or Team Fortress 2 could easily get into Planetside 2, but that’s just not true. All of those games tend to operate on a simple, one-game-at-a-time system. You queue up, you join a game in progress, once the match is done, it’s done. It’s a bite-sized approach to getting your violence fix for the day, and generally leaves players satisfied without feeling like they’re going to screw over their chosen faction by logging out for too long.
Games like Planetside 2, with persistent worlds and point taking, territories, factions, etc. – they don’t lend themselves well to the casual playstyle. You could certainly approach the game casually, but you wouldn’t be having nearly as much fun as the career soldier in a large clan, working in close unison with his comrades. This is not a loner’s game, and multiple long-time players stress that it doesn’t even begin until you’ve joined a clan. If you’re like me and you have no desire to prostrate yourself before some self-style, virtual warlord, then that’s just not an option. I’d start my own clan, but who has the time, and honestly, who cares? I don’t. Some people do, and that’s fine. But I don’t.
The game certainly has an active playerbase and plenty going on, but even frequent players have admitted that Planetside’s 2 payment model can be a bit pay-to-win, at times. The freebie players are at a distinct disadvantage in terms of their ability to level up and earn certifications in an even remotely timely fashion, all but forcing premium payments for resource and XP boosts. Another nail in the "no casuals allowed" coffin.
Final Verdict: Good All of that aside, it doesn’t diminish the fact that Planetside 2 accomplishes what it set out to do fairly well. It’s a solid, open-world shooter with a stable community and plenty to do for anyone who wants to commit their leisure hours to the game. Gaming groups that haven’t tried taking their teamwork to a faction in Planetside 2 might be pleasantly surprised at the game. It plays reasonably well, and the factions are engaging enough. It’s not the mecca of first-person-shooting some made it out to be at launch, but it’s decent. That’s more than most can ask for from a game, these days.
Tagspeech is the alias of author W.B. Wemyss, who was responsible for the bizarre cyberpunk fever dream called Children of Athena. |
| Aura Kingdom Launch Schedule Announced Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:54 PM PST Aeria Games has revealed its detailed launch plan for its anticipated MMORPG, Aura Kingdom! Aura Kingdom will have four beta phases: Founder’s Beta, starting December 16th; Closed Beta; Stress Test; and Open Beta. While only the date for the first phase has been set, the road map will lay out an expectation for the remainder of testing that will carry into early 2014. You can learn more about each beta phase here. |
| Posted: 26 Nov 2013 02:02 PM PST Fine-tune your racer and take to the track in a distant future, where technology meets racing in new, exciting ways.  Publisher: GameArt Studio Pros: +Limited information available. Cons: -Limited information available.
Overview Quantum Rush OverviewQuantum Rush is a free-to-play online racing game with a focus on combat, speed, and customization. Players start off an early tier with the ability to research new technology for their racer and customize their ride in areas including speed, handling, acceleration, shields, armor, energy, and heat. Then hop on the track for intense multi-player action featuring up to twenty racers on tracks that have loops, drops, tubes, and more! Quantum Rush Screenshots       Quantum Rush Featured Video Full Review Quantum Rush ReviewComing Soon… Screenshots Quantum Rush ScreenshotsComing Soon… Videos Quantum Rush VideosQuantum Rush Pre-Alpha Trailer System Requirements Quantum Rush System RequirementsComing Soon… |
| Posted: 26 Nov 2013 11:48 AM PST Will you heed the call of the gods and scale the Tower of Ascension in this high-quality action RPG for iOS?  Publisher: Gravity Interactive Pros: +Limited information available. Cons: -iOS exclusive. -Limited information available.
Overview Tower of Ascension OverviewTower of Ascension is a free to play action RPG made for iOS and using the Unreal Engine 3. Players will travel exotic worlds in the quest to become an Immortal and scale the Tower of Ascension. The game features three character classes – warrior, wizard, and hunter – each with a skill tree system and powerful finishers. Battles are designed to be quick for solo play and multi-player match-ups, with simple, friendly controls for mobile users. Tower of Ascension Screenshots Tower of Ascension Featured Video Full Review Tower of Ascension ReviewComing Soon… Screenshots Tower of Ascension ScreenshotsComing Soon… Videos Tower of Ascension VideosTower of Ascension Trailer System Requirements Tower of Ascension System RequirementsComing Soon… |
| Hero of the Obelisk Open Beta Goes Live November 28th Posted: 26 Nov 2013 11:17 AM PST
Hero of the Obelisk, the much-anticipated free-to-play dungeon crawler MMO, has announced it will enter into open beta testing this Thursday, November 28th. Starting Thursday, players can battle their way to survival through hundreds of dungeons and intense team-based PVP battles with non-stop action. Hero of the Obelisk's open beta is open to everyone and players can register at http://hoto.gbegames.com/ To celebrate, Hero of the Obelisk is hosting a 15-Day consecutive login event where players can earn an exclusive costume item, the Flag of Recognition! Beginning November 30 through December 14th, players who login every day and reach the minimum level 15 or above, will be entered into a lucky drawing of 200 winners who'll be rewarded with the prestigious item. With three character choices, Hero of the Obelisk offers intensive combat action as players fight their way as a team or solo through hundreds of dungeon challenges testing both their wit and reaction. With a large variety of PvE dungeons, range of PvP and an evolving and branching class system, this new MMO will inspire even the most skilled competitors to battle for more! Hero of the Obelisk will feature three electrifying classes with a total of 18 different specializations each with their own unique weapons and play-styles. With an insane amount of weapon and armor variations, players will journey through boundless dungeons, either solo or with friends, and eventually work their way up to end game hardcore dungeons. Taking place in a retro-modern world during a massive war, Hero of the Obelisk will include a variety of co-operative and solo PVP modes; Siege War (an all-out guild vs. guild skirmish), Battlefield (arena-based PVP) and AoS based PVP (a strategic duel where players will control a unique hero and conquer their foes). |
| Hero of the Obelisk Open Beta Trailer Posted: 26 Nov 2013 10:55 AM PST
Hero of the Obelisk is set to make its return over Thanksgiving weekend! |
| C9 Announces Fourth Expansion and Releases Rahkdan’s Counterattack Posted: 26 Nov 2013 10:44 AM PST
Webzen announces the fourth expansion for the dungeon-based MMORPG, Continent of the Ninth Seal (C9), with the release of Rahkdan’s Counterattack. This new update will be available to all players starting tomorrow, November 27, 2013, after regular scheduled maintenance (Global Server Time). Rahkdan’s Counterattack marks the first part of the game's massive three-part content update, which will also include the upcoming announcement of a brand new basic class.
Tomorrow's new patch, Rahkdan’s Counterattack, features a server-wide character rebalance, making Continent of the Ninth Seal more thrilling and challenging than ever before. The skill damage for most classes will be updated, as well as the monster difficulty. New quest lines will be added to Okapia and Sarad (the Fourth and Fifth Continents), presenting all players with new missions to complete. In addition, new Epic Items will be dropped from the Second through Sixth Continents.
The fourth expansion for C9 will continue with two more installments in the months to come. This includes the long-awaited announcement of a brand new basic class (as well as the addition of a new advanced class), new levels for the Sixth Continent of Raebin and other exciting content. The next two parts of the fourth expansion will also include an item giveaway and a new in-game event that rewards players with prizes for participating in an intrusion. Exact dates and details will be announced soon.
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| Shotgun News 11/26: Eldevin, C9, GW2, and More! Posted: 26 Nov 2013 10:40 AM PST Eldevin Launches This Weekend After 8 years of production Hunted Cow Studios is launching their flagship project, Eldevin. The self funded MMO uses Java, making it accessible by browser on Windows, Mac, and Linux. But you don't have to wait until the official launch this weekend. There are Founders Packs available ranging from $10 to $1,000. Even the lowest level gets instant beta access.
Panzar Now on Steam Fantasy MOBA Panzar is now available via Steam. Alexander Steshenko, CEO of PANZAR Studios, explains: “We are excited to bring Panzar to Steam. Panzar has been available for a period of time in Europe already, but we'd like to make it easier for players to join and play with friends. With Steam, the user experience for Panzar will be even better, and in addition, Panzar will enjoy the benefits of easier global game operation and metrics.”
C9 Announces Fourth Expansion Webzen's fantasy-action MMORPG C9 has announced their fourth expansion, Rahkdan's Counterattack will arrive tomorrow, November 27th! The update includes a server-wide character rebalance, making C9 more challenging than ever. But tomorrow's update is just the first part of the expansion. Two more installments will be added in the coming months.
Guild Wars 2 Fractured Update Launches Today Players have been eagerly awaiting new mini dungeons in Guild Wars 2 since the July launch allowed players to decide what would be made next. The winning Fractal is finally making it's first appearance today along with several other new Fractals. And that isn't all! They've got another competition going on, and a new video for it. |
| Eldevin Gameplay – Battle Of The Dark Dragon Posted: 26 Nov 2013 10:15 AM PST |
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