Evony Review: I Think I’ve Seen This Game Before


Evony Review: I Think I’ve Seen This Game Before
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG journalist

 

Browser games are currently what turns non gamers into mind numbed zombies who will do their best to sneak a few minutes from work just to check on their online characters. Browser games are more or less work safe. They don’t crash your computer, they don’t look like games, and most of all they’re easily closed (haha! I win Mr. Supervisor dude!). The best part about browser game is that they’re system friendly. You don’t really need to upgrade your PC 3 times a year to play these babies.

 

Formerly called Civony, Evony is a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) Web browser game that shines for its strategic features. It’s not really a hard game per se, but the dynamics are so enthralling, you’d think you’re actually playing an application game.

 

Building Evony
Building in Evony

 

You’ll start out as a lord of a certain clan, doing various deeds that don’t seem to mix well with the storyline. You’ll be doing trivial stuff, separating you from the storyline. It’s actually crazy at some point, much comparable to Superman helping an old woman cross the road, aware that Lois Lane is falling off a building. Browser games have generic plots regardless of its well-written lore. I’ve had my share of browser gaming goodness, and might I say that most of them tend to dive off the plot 4 minutes into playing it. I guess this is what separates application games from this genre.

 

A Nice Piece of Work

Evony looks a lot like Age of Empires and Civilization. After looking at what the game’s graphics have to offer, I was astounded at how much these games have evolved throughout the years (wasn’t Kingdom of Loathing just err… MS Paint-based?).

 

RTS (L) – Real Time Strategy (Literally!!!)

If you’re familiar with games like Farmville, you know what it’s like to wait for something to grow, or in this case build. Some structures in the game takes days to build. Think of it as though you’re really in charge of a virtual world that builds itself in real time. Units are trained the same way as well, making it a bit realistic but dull with waiting. I’m not really that much of a waiter so this part of the game didn’t appeal to me that much; however, the waiting time builds your suspense, hoping you don’t get attacked before your walls are built. It’s a very awesome factor. Fast paced games > slow ones? Guess not. I’m not sure if you’re willing to invest that much time on a browser game, but they sure are good when you’re dead bored at work.

 

Expanding Evony
Expanding Lands in Evony

 

Web Browser Combat At Its Finest

Although the game has certain balance issues like the overpowered archers, combat can still be considered as good in Evony. You can pick from an array of soldiers, dressing them up and gearing them up to further compliment their efficiency in battle. You can also team up with other players or join an alliance to give you the upper hand. There are various ways to insure victory in this game, either by tier whoring or by simply ganging up on multiple targets.

 

You can also expand your empires scope by conquering or befriending other towns. You will earn rewards as you team up with other areas (NPCs) earning either extra soldier, gold or other necessities. Competing with other players (PVP) is one of the main attractions of today’s MMO games. No one could ever resist beating down other players to boost their online ranks and self worth. Worry not new players! You will be given a 7-day immunity period against enemy attacks (specifically other players) when starting the game. Once you’ve established your base and array of soldiers, you’ll probably be the one to beg for the barrier/immunity to go down LOL. The game has an outstanding community, making it hard for you not to fight. As much as the words MASSIVELY MULTIPLAYER is concerned, I’d say that player population is good enough for you to enjoy playing this game for a long time.

 

Evony Town Screenshot
Building a Town

 

Graphics

The graphics are flawless and look a lot different when compared to other browser games. Everything is properly rendered, with a diverse set of buildings that are easy on the eyes. I guess browser games have taken their visuals to the next level. The elements work well together, creating harmony between the elements. Other games have failed miserably when attempting this kind of approach, considering the fact that most of their elements stand out instead of blend in with the other features. With that in mind, this game truly reeks of awesomeness.

 

You Must go to Barracks for Extra Soldiers ß LOL    

One thing about this game is its funny grammar. I really can’t specify how many grammatical errors I’ve spotted during my game time. God please don’t let this beautiful game end up like Zero Wing “ALLYOURBASEAREBELONGTOUS!”

 

Micro-transactions for Big Big BIIIG Advantages

Yeah, just as the header suggests, everything that’s acquired with real money can really boost your advantage over players who play for free. It’s a cheap trick being pulled by most of the games that dub themselves free to play. I’ve tried tons of subscription methods for various MMOs from browser games to application ones. Although they aren’t required for you to fully enjoy the game, they do provide an imbalanced advantage over other players. This really destroys the whole point of the words FREE TO PLAY… well, they didn’t say FREE TO ENJOY or FREE TO TIERWHORE so I guess they’re safe.

 

Evony Barracks
Imbalanced Advantages

 

The Verdict

All in all, the game is really fun to play whether you subscribe or not. It’s really newbie friendly so you don’t have to worry about being ganged on when first entering the scene. The visuals are quite impressive especially for a browser game, with well-rendered buildings that blend well in their respective terrain. There are tons of people who are playing the game so it’ll be hard to feel alone even if you want to be. Tier whoring or subscription whoring may be an issue for those who want an equal basis for all players, but heck there’s nothing we can do about that right? The game also features a wide set of linear quests that don’t seem to mix with the storyline. It’s no biggie… At least the game has quests right?

 

The good:
– Awesome visuals
– Quests
– Micro Transactions
– Big community

 

The bad:
– Bad grammar
– Connection fails most of the time (even for some DSLs)
– Micro Transactions (tier whoring)
– It stays away from the plot

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