Tantra Online Review: Pretty Game, Sexist Character Options

By Kei Beneza (Dividelife), Onrpg writer

Tantra online is a beautifully themed MMO set in a Fantasy World that is heavily influenced by Indian Mythology. Most of the Characters look like modernized Aztec mercenaries (geez, that's a first) and the enthralling background complements this theme pretty well. The lighting effects generated by combat emphasizes the beauty of ingame battles, making it more than appealing in accordance to the game's graphics.

What exactly do players get when they emerge themselves in the world of Tantra? Let's have a look...

“Ok, where am I?”

If exploring is your main reason for wanting to play MMOs then Tantra wont disappoint you one bit. The game's map is quite huge with each area themed to perfection. You don't really have to worry about getting to see the same 'ancient-blocked' background over and over again since most of the areas in the game look different from the rest. I wont lie about the fact that it gets pretty boring when everything looks exactly the same, so I guess this gives Tantra some extra points. Although I said that Tantra looks Aztec-ish, some of the areas look like they were based on Chinese Mythology. Then again, seeing some female characters with Chinese hairstyles proved that theory to be true.

Movement

Tantra uses WASD keys to move, which is a lot better compared to click and attack. This preserves your character's mobility and assures you that you can really implement your desired playstyle, rather than senselessly clicking around while looking for your next target. You can also revert back to the old click and attack mode but that won't do you any good now would it?

The interface is rather basic and is easy to get used to. At least we know that we won't have to garble around looking for tips on how to use a skill.

Smexy?

The character designs would probably remind you of Perfect World. Some characters tend to wear slightly revealing clothes that emphasizes their wearer's figure. Fan Service really, but no one argues with fan service. It's really fun to see your characters look snazzy in high level gear, and Tantra's weapons and armors look quite exquisite in that field. Their brightly rendered gear illuminates a certain beauty and elegance that is sure to make any player smile.

Talk about Sexists: A run through character creation

Unlike other MMOs, you'll get to pick between eight classes. You however, in reality will only be picking between four classes since all of them are merely separated by gender. It is quite unusual since regardless of their similarity in weaponry and some tactics, there are no tribes that consist of both male and female (making me wonder how hard it is to reproduce).

The eight classes: Naga, Kimnara, Asura, Ralsasha, Yaksa, Ghadarva, Deva, Garuda.

If you think that gender is the only thing that separates the females from the males, then you're dead wrong. Each class, though sexually discriminative (hehe) have their own set of skills and gameplay. Yeah sure... The Naga and Kimnara are both tankers and are melee dependent, but they both have their own skill trees that make them quite different from one another. This means that if you're a guy and your playstyle fits the Kimnara tribe's then you'll be stuck with a female character (I don't think thats a problem though since we get a lot of cross-players already).

The game lacks variety when it comes to character creation, since you'll only be able to change your face and hairstyle while creating your online persona. It's pretty easy to come across clones everywhere you go. So make sure you get a good set of armors since that's probably what will separate you from the rest.

The Cool Stuff

Aside from being able to upgrade their equipment, The game grants players the ability to create armor and mix potions. Now we know this is not a normal thing and is quite charitable for an MMO to feature. This lessens the probability of having a bankrupt character dwell in a state of stasis.

The COOLER Stuff

After reaching a certain level, players are opted to choose a deity. These ancient Gods are quite essential since choosing one would grant you a couple of new skills that will aid you in your journey. You can also switch to another God but doing so would probably cost you.

Visual Alert!

The graphics aren't really that special. The visuals look pretty much like any other MMO today. Though Tantra's graphic engine is kind of old, their visual execution remains awesome. I guess having an old graphic engine doesn't necessarily mean that the game isn't capable of  carrying out stunning visuals. Tantra is definitely a good example of exercising old graphic engines. The trees are quite colorful, and the background is rather invigorating. The buildings are nicely detailed, making it easier for you to get into the game. I'd say the visuals are more than just impressive.

The characters look fully detailed but I was mostly captured by the armor detail. Each armor looks quite appealing, with nice details that compliments their basis. Sometimes it feels kinda nice to just look at your character's gear while running around and killing enemies. If that's the case, then you'll have a lot of fun looking at the armor sets catered by Tantra online.

The game has a lot of jaw dropping skills that were made fancy to your delight. Effects such as freezing, fire spells and all types of debuffs look undeniably cool. Just seeing the skill animation may already be enough for you to know what it does to your opponent. This visual technique serves big points in my book.

Bar none, Tantra's visuals are breathtaking.

Ladies and Gentlemen the court is now in session!

When my friend told me about this game, I hurried over to the office to download my copy. I can say that I wasn't disappointed since the game was more than enough for me to appreciate. The game could use a bit more sounds since the battle sounds doesn't really quite cut it, but if you're willing to give it a try then I'm sure that you'll be more than happy you did.

Pros:

- Good graphics

- Array of characters

- Tantalizing skill sets

Cons:

- Could use some more sounds

- Gender option maybe
- Graphics could be improved in terms of texture.