MMO News

Heroes of the Storm Azmodunk Trailer
SMITE Jing Wei God Reveal
Taichi Panda: Heroes (Taichi Panda 2) Closed Beta Preview
Total War: Warhammer Free DLC Plans Announced
Forge of Empires Announces Guild Expeditions
TERA Secrets & Shadows Update Announced
War and Order Launches on Mobile
Blade & Soul Shattered Empire Announced
SMITE Escape the Underworld Jing Wei Giveaway
Siegefall Update 6 Teaser (Card Fusion)

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 03:16 PM PDT

Heroes of the Storm showcases the Azmodunk skin, available now in celebration of the Heroes of the Dorm competition.

In the deepest recesses of the Inferno lies the Burning Court, a realm with a single edict set by the first Hoop-Lord: "Thou shalt slam with the best, or thou jammest with the rest." Now, you can take the field as the Burning Hells' most fiendish playmaker. Azmodunk has come the Nexus to dunk on fools and celebrate Heroes of the Dorm. Dominate the opposition with devilish flair and slick, hellish moves, fill the lanes with an endless stream of demonic ballers, then crush the other team's feeble defense and send them back to the bench crying for mercy!

The post Heroes of the Storm Azmodunk Trailer appeared first on MMOHuts.

SMITE Jing Wei God Reveal

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 03:09 PM PDT

Smite introduces Jing Wei, the Oath Keeper, newest to the Chinese Pantheon. Get your unlock code now!

The post SMITE Jing Wei God Reveal appeared first on MMOHuts.

Taichi Panda: Heroes (Taichi Panda 2) Closed Beta Preview

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 03:01 PM PDT

Online game sequels have always been a mixed bag, especially for mobile games that are almost always cheap cash-ins. However, in the few cases it's been done right, it's been done well. And that seems to be the case with Snail Game's Taichi Panda sequel, Taichi Panda: Heroes.

Overview

Taichi Panda: Heroes is Snail Game's latest offering to the Taichi Panda franchise for the Android and iOS. The game builds off the lore and characters of Taichi Panda and provides a different set of game features while sticking to its mobile action roots.

Taichi Panda: Heroes (Taichi Panda 2) Closed Beta Preview

Mobile maps... mobile maps never change.

Gameplay

Taichi Panda: Heroes is a true-blue action mobile game sequel. The game has a dedicated virtual control schematic while it has a streamlined button system for attacks, active skills and even other gameplay features.

What sets Heroes apart from the original is the addition of the hero system. The system works as a support and alternate hero mechanic in Taichi Panda: Heroes. You can have two "main" heroes acting as supports. As support, these heroes provide added DPS and utility support to your main hero. They are unlockable by meeting the required amount of hero bits per character. These bits are earned either through rewards from quests or by getting them from the premium market.

Game progression on the other hand follows a main storyline quest that propels the narrative forward through a mix of cut scenes filled with this weird voice over (more on that later). Or text based expositions courtesy of NPCs. The game also has a daily quest system that focuses on the, as per usual, killing and fetching quest to add to the game's ongoing main story quest.

The game also has a pathfinding system in place to help you take your character to quest areas and locations. The pathfinding system can also be partnered with the automated hero system so that you can have your hero quest in-game while you do other, non-tablet related things.

If you liked Taichi Panda PvP, there's more tactics involved here. Though late game it can get stacked against you by raw power.

PvP

The hero system feature not only affects the game's PvE elements but also its PvP system.

Your other heroes work the same way in PvP as they work on PvE. They provide you cover fire and utility support as your oppoent's heroes do the same.

The inclusion of the added heroes to your roster significantly impact how PvP plays out. The balance scaling is scaled in favor for those who have invested financially, especially in the higher levels of PvP. So if you want to really dominate in the arena, you will be forced to shell out. Think Marvel vs Capcom if the good characters were locked behind a paywall.

Traveling

Heroes adds a bit more of a dimension in traveling in-game as well. You can either go through the usual instanced dungeons completing quests, or simply travel outside of towns to explore.

These global maps allow you to accomplish the daily quests. You also get to interact with other players as you go through these maps as well.

Characters will all look alike. What can you expect from a mobile game?

Character Development

Since Heroes removes the viability of focusing on a single hero for the duration of the game, other elements of gameplay had to be changed to adjust. Now there are more diverse means of acquiring and allocating resources to your heroes. Granted you will still rarely have as much as you wish for (outside of serious cash shopping), so get ready to make the tough decisions of who to invest in and when.

Developing these heroes in Taichi Panda: Heroes basically just follows the process of how to develop other characters in similar titles. This comes down to questing to acquire equipment that you will either use, or transform into expendable items that boost a character's stats. Acquiring gold is another route to improvement as you can spend gold to directly improve a hero's stats manually.

Character improvement of other heroes mirrors the concurrent main hero improvement system. But, not every hero uses the same equipment your main hero has so at least there's a bit of diversity in the equipment you aim to get to improve the heroes in your roster.

Bad Voice Acting

If there's one glaring flaw in Taichi Panda: Heroes, it would be its really terrible choices in the voice acting. It's not that the voice actors are bad per se. In fact I am surprised with the decent voice acting quality in-game. The problem is that the cut scene voice's don't match the character they are voicing! The difference is more prominently heard in-game, especially whenever your character attacks and you can hear a totally different voice in the sfx grunts.

The dev team behind Taichi Panda: Heroes seemingly went in with If it ain't broke, don't fix it mentality.

Critique

Taichi Panda: Heroes is a refreshing update on the Taichi Panda title. It provides a bit more visual pow than its predecessor with more gameplay options to boot. Heroes is the grittier, bloodier brother of Taichi Panda amidst the trademark colorful and pallet heavy backdrop.

Thing is, even with the beautiful visuals and expanded hero roster, the poor customization options of the original remains just as bad. Basically if you don't like the looks of the heroes, you'll just have to deal with it, looking more or less like every other kung fu panda on the block. My dream of a true battle hardened and scarred Pan Da warrior is slashed and burned by the psychedelic looking heroes that populate Taichi Panda: Heroes. That's a personal gripe though as I'm sure plenty of players will dig the standard looks of the heroes.

On the other hand, Taichi Panda: Heroes truly shines in its game design and interface. They're clearly a staircase above the comparable competition on the mobile front. It's just so clean and uncluttered that other titles look amateur at first glance. Everything is easy to tap, responsive to touch, and there is little ambiguity in what buttons visually do what.

However, looking at Heroes as a whole. The game just rehashes what Taichi Panda brought in. And if you have no prior knowledge to the franchise, what you'll be getting is just a reworked version of a mobile fighting game. It is undoubtedly well made, but still a generic one nonetheless.

State of the Beta: Great (4/5)

With that said, if you haven't burnt yourself out on the original Taichi Panda and are coming into Taichi Panda: Heroes fresh, you can rest assured you are playing one of the better mobile fighters on the market. Once player feedback starts driving Snail Games to provide requested improvements in open beta, I'm sure Taichi Panda: Heroes will be a great time killer when on the go.

The post Taichi Panda: Heroes (Taichi Panda 2) Closed Beta Preview appeared first on MMOHuts.

Total War: Warhammer Free DLC Plans Announced

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 01:47 PM PDT

As with other recent Total War titles, Creative Assembly is pleased to say that Total War: WARHAMMER will also feature a program of post-release Free DLC for everyone who owns the game.

In the months following launch, players will be able to grab additional new units, Heroes, Legendary Lords and even an entire new playable Race, all for free.

"With both Rome II and Attila we were able to release playable factions, new formats and even a free campaign expansion as a thanks to players for supporting Total War," said Rob Bartholomew, Brand Director at CA. "The Warhammer Fantasy Battles World is gigantic, and we're looking forward to exploring it over the forthcoming trilogy. But that incredible cast of characters and monsters also provides us the chance to make lots of interesting Free DLC to support our games over time."

A new developer blog on Total War's website talks in more detail about the future content plans for Total War: WARHAMMER, including what players can expect from forthcoming paid-DLC Campaign, Race and Lords packs before the second game in the trilogy arrives.

The post Total War: Warhammer Free DLC Plans Announced appeared first on MMOHuts.

Forge of Empires Announces Guild Expeditions

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 01:27 PM PDT

InnoGames just announced early details of its new cooperative gameplay feature in the cross-platform title Forge of Empires – the Guild Expeditions. The feature brings players together in the common cause of gathering Expedition Points through battles and negotiations. Successful guilds will be rewarded with Guild Power. The feature includes a vibrant and interactive map, which initially leads guilds through an ancient Jungle civilization.

Individual players will receive rewards as well, depending on their personal contribution to the overall team. More information will be announced in the coming weeks.

Guild Expeditions are now live on the beta server, and will be released in the game next month.

The post Forge of Empires Announces Guild Expeditions appeared first on MMOHuts.

TERA Secrets & Shadows Update Announced

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 01:01 PM PDT

En Masse Entertainment, a player-driven publisher focused on delivering great games and great service, today announced the upcoming launch of the content-rich Secrets & Shadows update for its popular action MMORPG, TERA. Scheduled for release in May, this latest update to the world of TERA promises to offer a host of exciting new features and content that will further add richness to the lush tapestry of TERA's online world.

Anchoring the Secrets & Shadows update is the brand new ninja class, a covert strike force of elins who wield oversized shurikens and operate as hit-and-run short-range fighters. The ninja's quick abilities enable players to dodge and evade enemy attacks while dealing deadly damage.

Over the coming weeks, En Masse will reveal more information about the Secrets & Shadows update will be revealed on the website. Among the exciting new content being added to TERA in the update are three new max-level dungeons, new story developments including the return of an old nemesis, and the introduction of a whole new mode of transport within the world of TERA: flying mounts!

The post TERA Secrets & Shadows Update Announced appeared first on MMOHuts.

War and Order Launches on Mobile

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 12:49 PM PDT

Camel Games has announced the release of War and Order, its innovative mobile MMO real-time strategy game that combines city- and army-building gameplay with stunning battlefield visuals. Players’ armies are represented proportionally to their size, clearly indicating each side’s in-battle losses and power level, thereby allowing for a timely retreat when a battle isn’t going well.

Befitting War and Order’s focus on inter-player communication to coordinate strategies and tactics, the game is available worldwide and offers a variety of language options including English, German, Dutch, French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Thai, Indonesian, and Arabic will be added to the language options soon.

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Blade & Soul Shattered Empire Announced

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 12:30 PM PDT

NCSOFT has announced that Blade & Soul's next content update, Shattered Empire, is set to go live on Wednesday, April 27^th, bringing a variety of new content and rewards to players.

The update will feature two new Heroic dungeons – Cold Storage and Sogun's Lament – providing the greatest group content challenge in Blade & Soul to date. Players will also be able to test their solo mission skills while climbing a new section of Mushin's Tower (F9-15) and experience a brand new objective-based PvP game mode, Whirlwind Valley, in a furiously competitive 6v6 team-based combat.

More information is available here.

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SMITE Escape the Underworld Jing Wei Giveaway

Posted: 12 Apr 2016 11:55 AM PDT

Our promotional partnership with Hirez Studios continues this week as we celebrate 3rd person MOBA, SMITE‘s, release of Jing Wei and the Escape from the Underworld event!

Jing Wei is the latest Goddess to join the Chinese pantheon! Offering an array of acrobatic skills, she sets the mobility stat to the maximum. Take to the skies as this reincarnated bird princess and keep your foes guessing with her mid-air directional shifts! Grab your code below to unlock not only her, but her launch alternative skin code!

To Use Your Key In-Game: