Yearly Archives: 2009

Dragon Oath Review: Without A Doubt You Should Try It

Dragon Oath Review: Without A Doubt You Should Try It
By Kei Beneza (dividelife), OnRPG Journalist

 

Dragon Oath is a relatively young, enjoyable MMORPG set in the world of Ancient China. Most of the characters and elements revolve around Buddhist Mythology, which is not that new at some point but still caters well to most MMO fans. The game is widely played around the world, with millions of subscribers who have played and loved the game since its Chinese debut back in 2007.

 

Now I would think that MMOs with great caliber usually make it outside their exclusive phase, so much like any other MMO, I was actually looking forward to playing this. The game was different from what I had expected. If you think about it, Dragon Oath does sound more like a Medieval Role Playing Game than a dynasty-themed one. At a first glance, there was nothing new regarding the game’s interface. I saw a bunch of familiar looking elements (the life bar and the shortcut menu looks a lot like those of other games), which isn’t supposed to bother me much, but the resemblance was just uncanny. Jumping in, let’s see what else we should expect from this game.

 

Starting up: what to choose?

Unlike the most up to date MMOs, Dragon Oath does not let you pick your class until you surpass the newbie levels (level 1-9). One surprising factor regarding this game would be the excellent array of classes. This is perhaps something I have not encountered with other games using that uses the same theme and concept. The classes are as follows: Lotus order, Shaolin, Pyromancer, Assassin, Voo doo, Taoist, Minstrel, Royalty, and the Beggars alliance. The amount of classes in the game is enough to build a healthy game community.

 

Dragon Oath Classes

Dragon Oath Classes

 

Each class has their own unique builds and playstyle, which (on my part) makes each class less tiring to play. Some depend entirely on their own buffs due to their low damage, while others focus on sheer damage to make up for their lack of stamina. You’ll definitely have a lot of fun experimenting, as this games makes repetitive actions a bit much less repetitive.

 

What to expect?

I think it’s better if we start with the good features first. First of all, the game has a number of quests that will probably keep you busy for a long time. Most of them are courier quests but that does beat the probability of having to grind for experience once you get tired of them.

 

Grinding quests can be found in almost every quest-based MMO game. I guess you could say that the grinding can be done without the benefit of having to do quests, so I guess they just added more non-grinding quests to compensate for the massive inevitable MMO grinding. It’s just part of the game and necessary to try out your class – or all classes – which in this game is not such a bad idea at all. Apart from that all gear can be improved by inlaying them with special items and mystic gems, increasing the bonuses unique to each set.

 

The Dragon Oath game community is not the only thing you should look forward to. The game is updated regularly as well, which is probably the reason why the game has a lot of followers. You should definitely expect something new to come your way every now and then, as the game hosts challenging and fun events regularly. You can try out your ingame knowledge with the Imperial Test, or engage in a class battle or the Kung Fu Arena competitions. Excellent community support I must say.

 

Dragon Oath Pets

 Dragon Oath Combat Pets 

 

The game also has a good variety of armor sets and clothes for your character to try on. The pet system is not really that new in the gaming environment, but Dragon Oath has made it simple and fun to take a pet along with you while questing and grinding. There are up to 70 pets to choose from, each with their own personality. Pets are able to learn many abilities either from growing stronger or finding trainers all over the world. So you can experiment even further to combine their abilities with your particular playstyle.

 

The best part of the game is its broad scope of activities. It’s already hard to be bored while playing your character, but the game has given us more stuff to ponder on. It’s really awesome that your character isn’t limited to just fighting; instead, a player can indulge himself in cooking, tailoring, fishing, and other various activities. This is a feature mostly found in P2P (pay to play) games. To actually have this feature worked out in such detail in a F2P (free to play) game is divine, in my opinion. I suppose Dragon Oath has earned itself a lot of points already… but now, we go to the bad part.

 

DUNN DUNNN DUNNNNNNNN!

Although the game has a lot of flawless features, it does have some elements that pull it towards the opposite direction. The first part would be the awkward camera controls. I understand that the game respects an isometric bird’s eye view, but the scrolling is just awkward. In fact, it’s so awkward that it makes it hard for you to admire the view on certain occasions.

 

Another factor that most gamers didn’t approve is the game’s control scheme. The controls are just too tight, in a sense wherein pushing 2 buttons at the same time doesn’t give the effect you might probably be expecting (directions). Since the camera is quite awkward, I myself chose the mouse option to just scroll about without getting pissed off. Unfortunately the camera functionality and the controls prevented me from becoming totally immersed into this game – while the setting and gameplay have all the requirements to become totally absorbed.

 

Combat in Dragon Oath

 Combat in Dragon Oath

  

Graphics and Interface

There’s nothing special, yet nothing too bad about the visuals. As I have stated earlier, the game runs on an isometric bird’s eye view perspective. The backgrounds are very nice but the camera makes it too awkward to move and admire them. You get a good view of the diverse soil patterns! Basically, I wish I could have admired the view from a better angle. Overall, spells look nice, and the characters are well-designed. The game has very diverse gear and armor sets that would be enough to satisfy anyone’s lust for MMO fashion!

 

The verdict

Although the game has a few more features that could be corrected, I can’t say that the flaws were enough to degrade this awesome game. Lineage II had far worse (controls) in my opinion, and was still majorly successful. That means this game has every potential for that as well. The controls aren’t really that bad, just rather awkward in my opinion. It’s something you could get used to with some practice. Despite these conditions, Dragon Oath is an awesome game with plenty of versatility, great environments and fun elements to experiment with. Definitely something you would want to try.

 

The good:
– There is a large, friendly game community
– It has frequent updates and events for members
– Interesting content and bosses
– Nice economic balance within the game.

 

The bad:
– Awkward camera angels
– Tight controls for movement.

 

Click here for the Dragon Oath Game Profile
Click here for the Dragon Oath Official Website

World of Warcraft: Taiwanese player “beats” WoW!

A Taiwanese player managed to complete (nearly) all the achievements in World of Warcraft reaching 986 / 986!
 
 
On taiwanese servers, a Tauren Druid on the TW-Wrathbringer succesfully completed all achievements in the game and is the first player to reach 986/986 achievements completed on the armory.
 
 
All Achievements Done
 
 
Technically he’s still missing the BB King achievement (added with Patch 3.2.2) and his World Events achievements are down to 138/139 because of that, luckily a bug with an old PvP achievement gives him 165/164 in the PvP achievements list and that’s how he got 986/986.
 
Winner of All Achievement Points 
  
 
The achievement count obviously doesn’t take Feats of Strength into account because it’s technically impossible to get all of them.
 
 
Congratulations from the OnRPG crew!
 
 

Magic World 2 Race & Class Introduction

Recently, Magic World 2 was showed at the Montreal International Game Summit and the game got lots of good comments from this industry. The main purpose of showing the game at the summit was to gain the opinion from the professionals in this area. Meanwhile, Magic World 2 has also released the information below: 
Races Introductions

 
Human
Humans rely on their strong adaptability and creativenss, they became one of the owners of Kalkarlong very quickly. Mostly they live at Moon Plains and Blazing Plains, after hundreds and hundreds years, cause human have very strong volition and dauntless courage; they are very good at fight and magic.

Elf
The very gentle Elven race live in the ancient Karen Forest for a very long time. They advocate a care for nature, love and life and live very secluded from the other races. After the great castle of the Elves was built, some of them left the forest and started to live in the city. Their long life gives them high intelligence and strong senses. They are weak but their agility is very high, they are natural born hunters.

 
Panda
From the oriental, the Pand is a very peculiar race that lives on Bamboo Island. They were huge and very friendly and fight for justice. They are masters of Kong Fu and despise bullies. After the monster army came, these monks were all stood out and willing to fight against these monsters until the end.
Magic World 2 - Panda Race
Succubus
Claymore, this is a very special race, sexy and fascinating. From the normal, not many people really know, so they were called Succubus. Where they came from is a mystery, but according to the elf’s memory, it seems they have a special relationship with those Monks.
 
Elemental Summoner Elf
Some of the elves were chosen to stay in the forest and guard their old tree and the ancient palace. They were hiding in the forests and actually no one has really seen them before. Until the monster army came, they showed up and using the natural power to against all the undivine and the devil. They are the masters of healing and controlling the element, these kinds of powers make them to the heart of a party.
 
Class introdutions
Mage – Race: human
Mage: they are free to use the staff and spell all different kinds of magic. They are week but when the staffs in their hand, they could be invincible.
 
Hunter – Race: Elf
As rely on advance of the long life and the agility, the elf transferred these advantages to practice the skills that could not be learned by the normal. When face to the dangerous, they could easy turn themselves in the good spot because of the agility, use the bow and crossbow and consummated shoot skills to make the targets disappeared.

Magic World 2 - Hunter

 

 

 

Monk – Race: Panda, Succubus
Mysteries, lightness, fast and powerful are the normal words to describe this class. They seem come from the oriental and played very well Kong Fu. They respect justice and because of this sprit they always follow with and they also win the respects from the world!
 
Fighter – Race: Human
Fighters make the defense and attack in balance. They are protected by the very good armors they make by themselves and also with the very sharp sword. As the leader in the party, they willing to be the tank or the pioneer and always fight in the first line.
 
Elemental Summoner – Race: Summon Elf
They are the votary of the natural and the natural is their faith. This race is very rare to see in the public and usually hiding in the ancient forest. They are the master of curing and healing and also know all the elements very well. So that they own the power of the natural and they usually to be the one that a party could not be lack of.
 
Elemental Summoner
A secret class – not opened yet
A new unopened secret class from Magic World 2 would be released soon.
 
 
Magic World 2 was opened to the Chinese market once and we would give the report about it soon. Please stay with us!

Panda Monk

Wonderland Online Interview: What Makes Wonderland Stand Out?

Questions by Rick Charbs, Onrpg Journalists
Answered by Chloe, Product Manager of IGG

 

Wonderland Online is always coming up with brand new updates and content for their cute game. They listen to the audiences and keep developing. Chloe gives us a little insight into their work and how they put the player first!

 

Onrpg: Could you give us a little rundown of your position at IGG? What do you do to make Wonderland Online enjoyable for everyone?

WL:  I’m Chloe, the product manager of IGG. I’m in charge of planing the online or forum events, another responsibility is the maintenance  of our servers and updates of the game. I also need to deal with some affairs about marketing.

 

Wonderland Online is a free-to-play 2D game with more than 600,000 registered players. It’s a game that’s suitable for anyone, both children and adults. It has very cute characters, a unique crafting system, an interesting storyline and background, plus a special and powerful pet system. What’s more, we offer players an abundance of in-game events so they can share experiences with other players and have more fun in the game.

 

Onrpg: What is this concept of the Wonderland All-Star? What benefits do players receive upon achieving this feat?

WL: The All-Star selections are intended to foster greater interaction among players and reward those who stand out from the crowd. Most of the All-Stars are players who are famous on their servers or have won official events. In addition to shining a spotlight on a player’s accomplishments, game officials also reward their achievements by giving All-Stars some cool in-game items or credits.

 

Wonderland Wedding

 

Onrpg:How interactive are you with the community? Could you explain how you stay in close contact with the Wonderland Online player base?

WL: We have many methods of communicating with our players. We plan many different kinds of events both in the game and on the forum. We even have special WLO clubs on Facebook and Myspace so players can share news, experiences and fun together. What’s more, we also create alt characters in-game to research what kinds of items or events our players would like most.

 

Onrpg: What makes Wonderland unique? What makes it stand out from the other games IGG hosts?

WL: Compared to other games, I think one of the most attractive features of Wonderland Online is the ability players have to craft items for — and in — their tents.

 

Players can get a tent by doing a quest at the very beginning of their journey in the game. After that, they can make any furniture they need to decorate their in-game home. The furniture they create can also be used to make other materials they might need. For example, if a player creates a bathtub, it will speed up the rate at which their HP and SP regenerate. Cookers can be used to make HP/SP food. The tent is a very convenient place for players to relax when they’re not busy exploring or fighting. They can even invite their friends in and hold a party.

 

Onrpg: Why have you decided to add in an in-game bot feature in its beta release? Have you not considered the AFK rate of players in the game? Are players still playing the game without it?

WL: We all know that sometimes it’s dull to kill tons of monsters until you can upgrade your character. This kind of time-consuming grinding is mitigated with the bot system. It’s intended to give players the chance to improve their characters even if they don’t have a lot of hours to spend executing every command. However, it does not hurt game balance since it’s only used in specific circumstances. If players engage in PvP, run an instance or work on quests, they can’t use the bot system.

 

It’s useful for helping newbies level up and enabling players to make the best use of their time in the game. It also helps keep players’ accounts secure, since some might otherwise look to risky third-party applications that have the potential to infect their computer or hack their account.

 

Persia in Wonderland

 

Onrpg: How in-depth can players customize their characters? What would you rate customization on a scale of 1-10?

WL: I think I’d rate it as 9, particularly considering the necessary limitations of a free-to-play 2D game as opposed to more expensive alternatives.

 

When players create a character, there are 12 different basic characters to choose from. Each account can have 2 characters at the same time. Players can choose different colors for their character’s hair, skin, clothes and eyes. They have different backgrounds and elements. Choosing from earth, wind, fire, or water allows players to customize their basic abilities according to the advantages and weaknesses represented by each element.

 

Onrpg: I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve added a great deal of ancient mythology to the game. How much historical and mythological context does Wonderland Online follow?

WL: When you see the Wonderland Online map, there are many famous and familiar ancient places in the game. Many legends and mysterious stories from different cultures make up the backbone of the game. Players encounter such interesting things as the Inukami in Japan, Houyi in China, Greek Mythology and the Colosseum in ancient Rome.

 

Onrpg: Instances are a relatively new feature in the game. Could you give us a quick rundown on them? What makes them so interesting and amusing?

WL: Wonderland has many instances suitable for different levels of players. When players reach level 10, they can start participating in instances. These challenges are more involved than a typical quest, give players a chance to work in teams, and offer valuable rewards.

 

Onrpg: Has the team at IGG altered any portions of the game from the licensed version of the game? If so, what were they (in general)?

WL: Yes, we have altered some parts of the game. To maintain game balance, we haven’t included the functions that would let players use IM points to exchange Gold and EXP directly. We also chose not to include the function allowing players to use items to inquire about the recipes for compounding equipment. We also changed some contents of the Q&A so the questions make more sense for western players.

 

Onrpg: Could you please briefly explain the game’s class system? Are classes really that important in this MMO?

WL: In Wonderland Online, players have 6 different classes to choose from: Killer, Warrior, Knight, Wit, Priest and Seer. Based on the character variables, the system will automatically show players what classes are available to the character they’re creating. Different classes have different attributes and skills. For example, a Killer is good at attacking while a Warrior is good at defending. Each class has different special skills to enhance their abilities.

 

New Furniture

 

Onrpg: What are some of the current events in the game? What would you say the approximate participation rate is for them?

WL: We have many events including system events, weekly events and online events.  In fact, most of the events attract lots of participants. For instance, the popular event Travel with Robinson we held recently attracted many players since it helps players get to know the maps in-game they will see during their fantastic trip. It doesn’t hurt that the players can also win plenty of rewards.

 

We pride ourselves on offering events that are both interesting and have worthwhile rewards. We want to add to the fun players can have beyond the basic quest, instance and PvP systems.

 

Onrpg: Please excuse me for the generalization, but why is it that almost all of the playable characters are female, when a majority of the players tend to be male?

WL: At present, we have 4 female characters in the game, which is not uncommon for this type of MMORPG. Our data suggests the balance of male and female players in the game is good. I think the developer skewed the available characters toward the female side because they wanted to attract more female players. We’ve asked them to add more male characters in the future.

 

Onrpg: Wonderland Online is reputed for its wide variety of pets. Could you give us a few examples of your most unique pets in the game?

WL: Our players really enjoy the pet system. In Wonderland, there are 2 different types of pets: common pets and human pets. The common pets are usually the monster-type pets that players can catch in battle.

 

In comparison, the human pets are better in many respects, but players can only get them by doing quests. As the storyline progresses, players will meet human pets like Roca, Fred, Niss and others, all of which have powerful skills and weapons. Though they are a part of the storyline, they also provide players crucial assistance on their adventures. The trip is more interesting with them than if players were to rely on just their basic character.

 

Onrpg: If you were given the opportunity to rename this MMORPG, what would you name it and why?

WL: Ha ha! I can’t think of any name better and more suitable than Wonderland for this game. Wonderland forever!

 

Roman Estate

 

Onrpg: Do you have any future updates planned for the game? What can players anticipate seeing in Wonderland Online?

WL: I do have one piece of good news to share. We’ll be releasing the new version 5.0 “Glory of the Empire” soon. In the latest version, there will be new human pets, bosses, maps and mini-games, plus the long-expected marriage system. Players definitely won’t want to miss all the new additions in “Glory of the Empire.”

 

Onrpg:Thank you for your time!

WL: You’re welcome, and thanks for all the questions. I hope we’ve given people who haven’t tried the game some insights into what it’s like and provided our current players with a few tidbits they may not have known before. 

 

Click here for the Wonderland Online Game Profile
Click here for the Wonderland Online Official Website

The West

The West is a text based Browser RPG.
You start as a poor worker picking up jobs wherever you can but eventually you can found your own town and live the American dream!
The RPG elements really shine in the character development. In the character menu you can upgrade your character by raising your attributes and skills. The numbers show the level that the character has in that skill or attribute. With each level the character gains he receives one attribute point and three skill points. Some quests also give skill and attribute points.
Attributes
The attributes set your basic strengths and weaknesses. You can create a strong muscular rowdy or a charismatic tactician. There are four different attributes: Strength, Mobility, Dexterity and Charisma. By leveling up an attribute you increase each of the five associated skills. All related skills and attributes have the same color. An attribute is always pictured with a circle.
Strength
Strength shows you muscle power and vitality. It is needed when you are interesting in doing physically hard labor and work in bad weather.
Strength and it’s associated skills are shown in red.
Mobility
Mobility shows how much control you have over your body. By increasing your mobility you better your balance and reflexes.
Mobility and the associated skills are displayed in green.
Dexterity
Dexterity shows how well you are with your fine motor skills. This is needed when you are doing jobs that require very precise work.
Dexterity and its associated skills are shown in blue.
Charisma
Charisma shows your appearance and personality. Its skills are mostly needed in jobs that require the contact with people or animals.
Charisma and its associated skills are shown in yellow.
Skills
There are 20 different skills. Every skill is connected to an attribute. By raising the attribute level, all 5 connected skills are raised as well.
To work on better jobs you need higher skill levels. The skills construction, health points, dodging, aiming, shooting, repairing, leadership and animal instinct give additional advantages.
The Strength skills
Construction is important to work on buildings or when setting up things. Working in your town is much easier if you have a high level in construction.
Vigor is the real muscle power of your character and is needed when something has to be pushed or hit. Vigor raises the damage you do with a melee weapon in a duel.
A high level in toughness makes it much easier to work in bad weather. In a duel toughness lowers the damage that is caused by melee weapons.
Stamina helps you in exhausting jobs and tasks.
Health points are your life force. Each time you add one point to the skill “health points” you receive 10 more health points for you character.
The mobility skills
Horseback riding shows how comfortable you feel with your horse. It also raises the traveling speed on the map.
Reflex shows how quick you are to react. In a duel reflex reduces the damage that you receive from a firearm attack.
Dodging is very important in duels. With every level the chance gets lower that your enemy scores a hit.
Hiding helps you escape both man and animal.
Swimming is very useful when you fall into a river or lake.
The dexterity skills
Aiming is used for nothing but dueling. if you raise your aiming skills you raise your chances of landing a hit.
Shooting decides how good you are in the use of a firearm. Shooting raises the damage you do with a firearm.
Trapping is important to set traps for animals and to ambush people.
Fine motor skills are important for jobs that need a lot of finger work and concentration.
Repairing is used to fix broken things. It’s also important to work in the town.
The Charisma skills
Leadership is important if you have to give instructions to other people. It’s also important when constructing buildings in town.
Tactic allows you to make strategic plans and to carry them out. When challenged to a duel tactic lowers the chance that a hit is landed.
Trading helps you with your negotiation skills and to get better prices. Sadly, the merchants in town have set prices and cannot be talked down.
Animal instinct helps you to understand the animals and to work better with them.
Appearance is the way you are seen by other people. A higher level makes you more trustworthy, but you can also intimidate people better. If you challenge another player in a duel your appearance helps intimidate your opponent and makes him less likely to land a hit.

Fantasy Zhu Xian

Fantasy Zhu Xian is a 2.5D turn-based MMORPG by Perfect World Entertainment (Beijing), already known for many of its hit MMORPGs. The game is based on an edited storyline using Zhu Xian (Jade Dynasty)’s plot. It depicts the epic struggle between Good and Evil, with 3 clans representing each side.
 
Why is it hot:
It’s another quality MMORPG by the company, no one can deny that. The game is also one of the year’s biggest turn based MMO, if not the biggest given its promotional and marketing efforts. A TV drama series based on the game is also currently in production, with popular Chinese actor Hu Ge at the helm. I have seen him in various Chinese period dramas, and all the viewers have come to accept him with tremendous support.
 
Game features:
– The main feature of the game is its unique flying system. How many 2.5D MMORPGs have you seen with a real flying system ? Various areas and mobs can only be accessed by flying. There are various flying mounts to for players to obtain, not just the plain flying swords ~!
– 6 clans for players to choose from, each with unique abilities and skills.
– There will be a pet capturing system to add to players’ team in battle. Almost all mobs can be caught and added to the team to aid players during battles!

Angels Online: Fiery Cerberus Shakes Eden

Angels Online’s official team is excited to announce that Fiery Cerberus, the Patron Beast of Dark City, has arrived in Eden. It is the first of the terrible creatures of Dark City to make its appearance in the game.

 

As a beast brought forth from legend, this Patron Beast has abilities that other mounts in Eden can only dream of, and as for its looks, well, it certainly turns heads.

 

 

Cerberus Lightning

 

Huge Size

The first thing other Angels seem to notice is its huge size compared with others, it is barrel chested and seems capable of crushing the skulls of any who oppose it. The next thing that attracts attention is its talons. Protruding from each paw are long sharp claws that tear at the ground as it passes. Look up and you’re confronted with 3 fierce heads, each bearing a grim grin that says, “I’m going to eat you, and I’ll smile while I chew.”

Running Cerberus Mount

  

Awesome Attributes

Remember, this is no typical mount, as a special mount, it possesses attributes equal to that of Level 90 top mounts, and its 52% speed bonus is certain to give your hair that roguish ‘I drive a convertible Corvette’ look.

 

Cerberus Shining

 

No Level Limitation

Last but not least, there are no pesky level limitations! Even a newbie player can travel around Eden on a Fiery Cerberus. Although anyone mounted on one of these sure isn’t going to be treated like a newbie.

 

When We Meet in Angels Online

  

Last week, the first 20 Fiery Cerberus’ available in the Angels Online Shell Mall flew off the shelves faster than you could say ‘Snap!’. So if you’re currently drooling on your keyboard, first grab a handiwipe, then head on over to the Angel’s Online official website for information about their new events. The prizes will be some of the last remaining Fiery Cerberus’! 

 

Visit Angels Online News Post to learn more details about Fiery Cerberus.

 

Visit the Angels Online Game Profile
Visit the Angels Online Official Website

Eve Online: Dominion

EVE Online: Dominion is the next free expansion for the MMO EVE Online, coming December 1st 2009. Dominion is true power born from the broken hulls of a thousand starships, the genes of the ambitious and the hubris of the greedy. The Dominion trailer looks on as one such tale unfolds.

Bots II Review: Beat ’em Up and Mow them Down

Bots II Review: Beat ’em Up and Mow them Down
By Vincent Haoson (Vincenthaoson), OnRPG Journalist

 

Gamers have in one form or another been interested in the idea of them taking control of their own robot and beat the crap out of each other. This lead to a solid amount of Robot-centric MMOs flooding the online gaming industry, however there has yet to be a decent browser-based MMO that has to successfully integrate this idea on browser games. Bots II is one of those hopefuls and it would seem that the game has something good to offer us robot fans.

 

What is Bots II?

To everyone who is into robot MMOs it may seem that BotsII is a spin-off of Acclaims’ Robot themed MMO BOTS. Well, it is not. This is a totally different game and that the idea of BotsII is more of the development and manufacture of your bot so that you can go against other bot creations. The idea on bots getting it on in an arena is already an overused concept. However, it does work for the game because given the limited capabilities browsers have. The robots’ head-to-head battle simplifies the whole game. With competition as the game’s main core, it does away with complexities that can lead to a very irritating gameplay.

 

Playing Bots II

 

How does the game work?

In BOTS II, there are two ways to determine the strength of your bot: through its stats and its equipment. The bot’s stats are similar to what you can usually find in RPGs and MMOs. While the game has a huge library of weapons, equipments and armors, the designs were taken from Diablo II so it is no surprise if you find them looking similar. The game’s RPG tie-in with its stats is one of the things that make a game more entertaining than I originally expected. It gives the added trump card feeling as things may not as easily turn out as expected when you start of the fight.

 

Battle Proper

Battling in BOTs II is what you would do most of the time so it is very convenient that the game’s battle system is done in real-time. You get to see how the battle goes on as the game informs you almost instantaneously how your bot is faring against the opponent. You do not have to push unlike in other games where each attack should be thought of and activated. Everything is left to how you raised your robot and how well have you managed the stats of your creation and the effectiveness of the equipment you gave it. The real-time feature of the battle system gives life to the game even if it seems dead on the water due to its dull text-based interface.

 

You will not want to leave your seat whenever your robot is in a battle because you want to see how your creation is coping with someone else’s. Unlike in some games of the same concept, two robots of the same level can have two different battle results because of the RPG-element s the game has. Your robot may win the first time but then lose to the same robot the next time you go head-to-head. The good thing about BOTS II is that the robot’s equipment would not be the one that offsets the balance in a fight because the game sells the same set of equipment for all people. Winning is dictated on how you allocate your stats. There is a wild card in the game however that practically offsets a battle between to imbalanced robots in stats. Luck comes into play, and sometimes even the best made robots can fall prey to a weaker robot out of sheer luck and a little touch of Mr. Murphy on his side.

 

Bots II

 

What makes the game fun?

This gives you all the more reason to stay in the game and try to make the best robot there is. Who in their right mind would not want to have the urge to make a better robot than anyone else right? The game successfully squeezes out the competitive nature in you and as a result you would get to ignore the low-quality graphics the game has. Also,  the various battle elements gives your game such more dimension than just ‘I-hit-your-robot-you-hit-back’ game that it makes each battle you go into exciting and to look forward to.

 

The Downsides

There are some minor issues that the game has however, first would be the color of the texts. Sure, there the various colors of the text during battles is helpful to at least determine how well your robot is damaging its enemy and how hard in turn is it damaging your bot. The problem with that the fonts hurts the eyes when you try to read the especially in a dimly lit room. Furthermore, it gets harder to read when you are in battle because of the constant stream of texts you have to read. You can save yourself the trouble of getting your eyes strained however by not minding the whole thing. 

 

Another downside is that you can’t really multi-task that well if you need to use the browser. I’ve experienced my browser bogging down because I am in a middle of a battle with another robot. This can really prove irritating because you expect that a browser game does not really take too much resources from your computer. So if you decide on getting a little action in BOTS II I suggest you make sure you do not have anything to load in your browser.

 

Conclusion

BOTS II is a browser-based game that has successfully concentrated on the one thing that can make a robot-themed game work: competition. The idea of setting aside anything fancy and just centering on the one thing that really makes people stick to a game like this is a great idea. The addition of real-time exchanges in each battle makes the game more exciting and enjoyable to play. The game does however have a few setbacks but it is not that big enough to make you stop playing the game. If you are a fan of robot-themed games and you do not really want a text based game that is too easy to pick up and play then I suggest you try BOTS II.

 

Pros:
– The battles in the game are done in real time and you can see how it goes as it happens
– The game is newbie friendly
– The administrators balances the games out in a constant manner and is open to suggestions from players.

 

Cons:
– The text colors hurts the eyes
– There’s not much to talk to in the game chat
– You better make sure that your browser is clear from any other apps because the battles puts a heavy strain on your browser.