Monthly Archives: May 2011

Troy Online

Troy takes place in an alternate universe created by Apollo’s jealousy after seeing his noble Trojan Warriors slain by the Greeks. In this world, the soldiers who had fallen in battle are forced into eternal battle for the glory of the gods. Only this time around, the magic of the gods has interfered, unleashing powers and limitations undreamed of within soldiers on a mortal battlefield.

 

Troy stays true to the standard trinity of MMORPG classes, featuring melee warriors, ranged dps hunters, and mages as the three primary archetypes. Each archtype can be broken down into 3 variations, allowing you to customize your chosen archetype to match your playing style.

 

As this game takes place in a world of eternal conflict, it makes all too much sense that PvP is the major focus of Troy. Once you reach level 10, you will have the option to engage in level wars every 15 minutes. To keep things fresh, four variations of Level Wars exist including Annihilation, Seize, Relic, and Infinite. Annihilation is a fight to the death where the last man standing takes the glory. Seize involves a king of the hill type scenario. Relic involves a type of scavenger hunt in which you must find and destroy the relics before your opponents. Or you can just destroy your opponents first and then take your time finding the relics. Infinite is like Annihilation except you will be brought back from the dead. The player with the most kills at the end of a time limit is the victor here.

 

This is only the tip of the iceberg in Troy, as many more scenarios of battle exist including Castle Wars, Hero;s War, Olympus War, and even Chariot Wars. If you have a thirst for blood and chaos, Troy is one game you won’t want to miss.

The Secret World Reveals Character Section

The Secret World Reveals Character Section

 

Funcom, developers of next gen MMORPG The Secret World, have recently unveiled a new addition to their website. There are now detailed character profiles for major NPCs (non-player characters) vital to the telling of the story behind The Secret World. This caught us at OnRPG by surprise that a gaming company would put so much effort into the development of NPC characters when so many games before them have ignored NPCs as emotionless dispensers of quests/rewards.

 

The Secret World Character Section

 

No doubt Funcom is demonstrating that they don’t only intend to break the mold of the MMORPG industry with The Secret World, they want to rewrite the book of standards on how these games should be made. Their dedication to back story, mystique surrounding the 3 factions, and detailed colorful focus on these NPCs may very well do the impossible; they might make average MMORPG gamers care slightly about the storyline their avatar resides in!

 

Here’s a quick look at the backstory of Daniel Bach, one of the more interesting characters up at The Secret World’s website:

 

Just ask his ex-publishers, ask the Marine units he was embedded within Iraq, ask his wife, another notoriously pitiless journalist. Ask his parents, ask every victim of his callous but accurate exposes. Hell, ask the man himself, ask it right into those obnoxious opaque aviator glasses, and he’d smile and agree.

An asshole, everyone knows, with a death wish. Bach volunteers for the most dangerous assignments, knowing his edge is his recklessness and willingness to do what others won’t. But since he stumbled out of the desert during the Iraq War, eyes burning, there’s been something else going on with Bach; an obsession beyond the old obsessions. For the first time, he’s after something more than getting the jump on a story, more than reporting from the crater the second after the bomb hits.

 

The Secret World Character Section

At first, everyone thought he’d developed a taste for atrocities instead of the Pulitzer. After all, he does write about human misery like a restaurant critic discussing a meal. Then he fell off the war circuit to start digging into a 25-year-old missing persons case. No one important. Even his enemies had to admit he was punching below his weight.

But Bach has been watching and planning and waiting for months. Zeroing in, up and down Maine and New Hampshire. Following in the footsteps of witch trials, Wabanaki Council legends and Sam Krieg horror novels.

Bach, that asshole, hasn’t lost his edge: he’s finally found where he can go over it.


Wow that is some good story writing for a single NPC. I hope I’m not falling for the hype by saying this but I expect amazing things out of this game’s storyline and surrounding gameplay. OnRPG will be keeping a close eye on the upcoming website developments to see what other unorthodox surprises The Secret World has yet to reveal.

 

Ruined Online

Ruined is a post apocalyptic 3D action game based in San Francisco. In this free to play online 3D action game, you must hack, slash, and shoot your way to become the most dominant killer in the city. The 3D action game has 6 unique villains and wide selection of sophisticated weapons so there is definitely no shortage of ways to lay waste to enemies.

 

Ruined allows you to be able to defeat your foes in a variety of exciting and unique arenas. With face-melting graphics, this 3D action game is sure to impress. Once you start playing Ruined, the 3D action game, it will be difficult to stop – each action packed battle is fast paced, and never the same! Play Ruined now and make your browser say “Holy @#&*!

 

Ruined offers 7 unique classes, each promising to be just as fast and frantic as the others. You won’t find yourself stuck spamming F1 to heal for half an hour in this game.

There’s no Reason to Panic in Zombie Pandemic

There’s No Reason to Panic in Zombie Pandemic

By Mitch Baylosis-Benesa (Syllica)

 

I will bet my fat cat’s balls that at least once in your life, you have wondered what you would do if there was a zombie attack in your neighbourhood. You can continue pondering on your immediate escape route or feel a rush of panic, but why waste time thinking of the scenario alone when you can simulate the experience with a thousand others in Zombie Pandemic?

 

Zombie Pandemic Review

 

Bowling Zombies Over In the City

Zombie Pandemic is a browser-based MMORPG that operates on a simple premise: the city is infested with zombies and you’re a survivor. What are you going to do? The zombie plot is the new entry to the list of Future Clichéd Plots-WarRock Online has a big map where brain-hungry creatures linger, and even the new Mortal Kombat game has a zombie feature. However, this time around, instead of playing second fiddle to an existing plot, how to deal with a zombie apocalypse is your main game.

 

Zombie Pandemic Review

 

The city location will be seen in top view. The map is a bunch of cells that indicate your coordinates and other possible locations of survivors or zombies. Pressing a cell will zoom you in on a particular part of the town where you can scavenge cars, trucks and piles of junk for any useful materials for your defence-be it a bowling ball, a bottle of booze, a battle vest or a can of Barky Dog Food. Take them and you can sell them or use them as weapons or barricades.

 

Sylv Was Here!

Your job is to look for clues about how the pandemic started. On your page, you have available actions like Heal, Swap Weapon, Barricade or Tag Wall. The cool part about this is that you can leave messages on locations that you have been to if you happen to find anything of interest. At the bottom of your screen, you can also see the people who are in the same location, some of which may need medical help. Healing a fellow survivor will earn you XP so don’t be stingy with your SP. Clicking the Enemies tab will give you information about a certain Teenage Zombie Girl or Charred Female Zombie’s distances.

 

Zombie Pandemic Review

 

In case of combat with a zombie or other nasty creatures, you have to read the round updates since nothing is animated in this game. Example, your gun only works within a range of 50 and FBI Agent Zombie is still in Range 74. Your gun won’t work. Based on your enemies’ stats, if you think your opponent will eat you whole, you can choose to run. The key in combat strategy here is reading the round updates.

 

Zombie Pandemic Review

 

Loot will give you a clue on where to scavenge, and Info details what recently happened on your particular location. The Suburb key will give you an idea where you are. You can manage your equipment and loot on your character page, as well as the available builds for your character like Marksmanship, Smarts, Close Combat, Agility, Strength, Technical, or Constitution. You can join clans and build safe houses with them. You can even create up to 4 characters on a single account once you go premium.

 

Zombie Pandemic Review

 

Happy Hunting

As you can probably detect from the tone of the article, I am quite hyped and happy with the game. The missions are well written, and it really makes you feel like you are on a great zombie adventure. The graphics are passable-all in full color, but nothing animated. There are no sound effects, but I don’t think you would appreciate noise when you’re trying to skirt away from zombies in the game.

 

Zombie Pandemic Review

 

Another great thing about Zombie Pandemic is that you can feel the presence of the community because of the chat box. You can scream for help if a zombie gets you; they can heal you and they get EXP from it. This browser-based game is one of the more entertaining games I have played recently. It is engaging without sacrificing the substance; the humor is definitely abound but it will still keep you on your toes.

 

Under the Wire: Hitman Blood Money

Under The Wire – Hitman Blood Money

Neil Kewn (Murxidon) – OnRPG Journalist

 

A couple of years ago a new video game trend began to emerge. Genres that previously had no business in the role-playing playground became obsessed with offering some sort of character progression in their titles. Take Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which went out of its way to offer a range of upgradable skills and abilities to players that just wanted to drive cars and shoot the elderly. These action shooter RPG hybrids aren’t strictly role-playing games, but it did offer an interesting view into what blockbuster first person shooters and intense driving games would be like as RPGs. One title that managed to gather inspiration from the genre and didn’t end up with a tacked on levelling mechanic was 2006’s Hitman Blood Money. The fourth title in IO Interactive’s famed assassin simulator, Agent 47’s next-gen debut was a thrilling adventure of violent espionage that still surprises to this day.

 

For those who haven’t played a Hitman title, you take the role of a bald headed cloned assassin known as Agent 47. Working as a contractor for the underground organization, The Agency, you’re tasked with carrying out assignments in a variety of locations around the world. The Agency specializes in “problem solving”, offering a clean and professional service to clients who need someone removed from the world on an indefinite basis. 47 is cold, quick and a businessman at heart, showing no emotion and no remorse for the people who he is assigned to “remove”. If it pays well, 47 is interested.

 

Hitman Blood Money Review

 

Blood Money’s premise is a simple one. Diana (an employee of The Agency) offers you a new contract, complete with detailed information and photographs of the targets. Once you have got the intel, it is time to gear up and head on out. Contracts usually involve infiltrating an area, taking out the target and escaping undetected, but clients may request that they are “erased” in a certain manner or that an item is collected on their behalf. Like other games in the series, there is an underlying story that ensures all this killing has a purpose.

 

Similar to the previous game, Blood Money is presented as a series of flashbacks both before and after the events of Hitman Contracts. You won’t need to play the game to follow the narrative, but it is a narrative worth following. The Agency is under attack from a rival organization known as The Franchise, with Agency members disappearing left and right. The illusive 47 quickly becomes a primary target as a result of this feud.

 

One of the best things about Blood Money, and the Hitman series in general, is that you are given the freedom to approach any assignment from any angle. From stealthy assassin to psychotic terrorist, the amount of violence is entirely up to you. The stealthy approach is well catered for – 47 is able to don the clothing of his victims to gain access to new areas, and his famed fibre wire is back to silently remove any garbage man/psych patient/children’s entertainer who happens to get in his way. Staying hidden throughout the entirety of a level is challenging but highly rewarding, even if the game’s AI doesn’t hold up its end of the bargain 100% of the time.

 

Hitman Blood Money Review

 

Throughout the course of the campaign you can purchase new items and weapon upgrades with the cash obtained from successfully fulfilling contracts. At the beginning weapons are underpowered, loud and inaccurate, but by the end of the hugely intriguing story a lowly Silverballer pistol can be a scoped high velocity death machine. There are a good number of attachments and enhancements available, but it is the less obvious upgrades that become invaluable in the later stages. From extra pocket mines to painkillers and faster lock picking, Agent 47 grows into a super fast, super silent and super deadly hitman.

 

Despite being heavily proficient in staying silent, things won’t always go perfectly. Thankfully when 47’s cover is blown he is more than capable of handling himself. Hand to hand combat can quickly take down an unruly guard, and human shields are always an option when surrounded by gun-toting private contractors. Thanks to a large repertoire of weaponry, ranging from pistols and submachine guns to assault rifles, shotguns and sniper rifles, there is a tool for each situation in Blood Money. In addition, ordinary household objects that are littered throughout levels can be put to good use – kitchen knives, hedge cutters and nail-guns are gruesomely effective ways of causing collateral and keeping fleeing witnesses quiet.

 

At the end of each contract you are rated on how quiet and violent you were. Bonus cash is assigned to remaining undetected and leaving no witnesses, whilst an overall rating informs you how well that last assignment went. Notoriety is particularly important, as witnesses left behind after each mission inform the authorities of your actions and in turn, increase the likelihood of you being recognized down the line. Having large notoriety can adversely affect difficulty when completing a mission, as disguises will be less effective and guards will be more suspicious. The game may give you a huge arsenal to play with, but it’s still a stealth game at its core.

 

Hitman Blood Money Review

 

Blood Money is still a very attractive title. The game has great lighting and impressive texture work even by today’s standards, especially when it comes to character models. The musical score is also stellar, with a beautiful, strangely complimentary rendition of Ava Maria playing over an ever-changing main menu. In-game music is intense, especially during instances when your cover is blown or when you’re fleeing from a sticky situation.

 

Fans of the series fortunately won’t have to wait long for the fifth iteration in the Hitman franchise. Hitman 5, rumoured to be titled Hitman: Absolution, is in development and should hit shelves sometime next year. Six years is certainly a long time between entries, but Blood Money’s high replay value means even I find myself reinstalling the game on a regular basis. There is plenty to see and limitless ways to approach each contract. Roll on 2012.

 

Hitman: Blood Money

Hitman: Blood Money is a First Person Shooter that puts you in the head of a dangerous and notorious killer, contracted by The Agency to get jobs done with as little notoriety as possible. When a rival contracter finds The Agency infringing on their business, the hunter soon finds himself the hunted.

 

Blood Money sports impressive graphics for 2006 and offers crisp controls, entertaining missions, and enough fire power and stealth options to allow you to really play this game the way you want to.

Rusty Hearts to be Unveiled at E3

Rusty Hearts to be Unveiled at E3

 

Perfect World Entertainment has announced that Rusty Hearts, its highly anticipated, upcoming hack’ n slash dungeon-crawler, multiplayer online game developed by Stairway Games, will make its first debut at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 Expo) from June 7-9.

 

Rusty Hearts Preview

 

With advanced action features and combo moves, unique cell-shaded animation, and anime-inspired graphics, Rusty Hearts has already received great attention from players in North America and Asia. Its compelling story will unite PC gamers worldwide to participate in a living comic and fight through an army of vampires and monsters.

 

Rusty Hearts Preview

 

“For the past few months, we’ve been working really closely with Stairway Games and WindySoft to provide North American players another new and unique online gaming experience,” said Jonathan Belliss, Executive Producer for Perfect World Entertainment Inc. “We’re really excited about the action-packed features and game-play design in Rusty Hearts and look forward to share our excitement at E3. We’re also pleased to see many enthusiastic fans who are just as excited as we are to play this upcoming release.”

 

I am pleased to say that Perfect World has invited me to take a close look at this game early on Tuesday, June 7th. So keep an eye on our site all E3 week for a first look at this and other exciting games being unveiled! Until then you can check out some new teaser screenshots released of ingame footage.

 

Blizzard CEO To Speak on Diablo III Beta Today!

Blizzard CEO To Speak on Diablo III Beta Today!

 

Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime has announced that he will be dropping new info about the upcoming Diablo 3 beta at the latest Blizzard earnings call, happening tonight. Blizzplanet notes that Morhaime promised incoming Diablo 3 beta news last month, saying “development continues to go well, and we’re very excited about the game … I’m looking forward to sharing some more news about the game and our upcoming beta on the next call.”

 

Diablo III Beta

 

In 2009, Morhaime announced the start of the StarCraft 2 beta at a Blizzard earnings call, and the beta started just days later. Fingers crossed that something similar will happen this evening. The call is scheduled for 1:30pm PDT.

 

Edit: Information Received – Nothing New but Nothing Changed

 

Although nothing really new was told at the meeting, it seems almost certain now that Diablo III will be released in full version at the end of 2011! It also seems the beta testing period will be lasting for about 6 months before the game enters into full release mode.

 

Put those two bits of data together and you get the idea that the beta release is just over the horizon. We anxiously await E3 and Blizzcon to see what new information might pop up and end this mystery date debate.