Yearly Archives: 2009

Sword of the New World Review: Innovative and Challenging

By Jeffrey Kerkdijk, Onrpg writer

Sword of the New World: Granado Espada is an MMORPG, developed by famous Ragnarok developer Hak Kyu Kim and published by K2 Networks which is also a winner of the Korean awards for best graphics and best gameplay in 2006.

Welcome to the 17th century

…where fast combat, multi-character control and battles with NPCs await you.

As you begin your game, you’ll notice that instead of a common character selection screen, Sword has you create your characters in the barracks. First you need to fill in a family name which will be your character’s surname. Then you can create your characters, and pick one of the 5 classes in game:

Fighters are the main melee class and have the ability to use swords, shields, big swords, dual swords, poles, guns and even one sword and one gun at the same time. Musketeers are a ranged class and stand out in using guns and rifles. Wizards are a magic class, which means they are good at doing AOE’s (area of effect damage) and other magic. Then there are the elementalists, a magic class using elemental powers, which is the best class to do AOEs. Finally, there are scouts, the healer class or assassin class depending on how you want to use it. Scouts can heal the party, buff the party, place traps and it can assassinate monsters and/or players with their deadly daggers.

If that isn’t enough you can get UPC (universal player character) cards too, which are like the NPCs in game but then you can use them as characters. Some have their own unique stances and they can be obtained by doing quests. After obtaining the card you go to your barrack and then select the option to create a new character. Now the UPC is listed as being on your team, and they will travel around with you and help your combat against monsters. Every UPC has its own starter level so it’s not like you have to level them all from the start.

But sadly there are no ways to change faces, hair color, body frame, or anything else until you get into the game and start collecting new armor, weapons, hats and other accessories or costumes.

Play with three characters at once

Multi character control.

After the creation of your first character a tutorial will start giving you info on how to start the game, and what to do next. When you get the message that you can now use multi character control. You can create two more characters and start the game and if you want to you can do a battle tutorial against guards, just to get the hang of things.

That’s right in Sword of the New World you can control not only one character but three characters, this is called multi-character control. This might seems pretty confusing but when you play the game you get the hang of it quickly as its fairly easy.

You move by clicking, skills are being done with the keyboard the first character uses the QWERTY row as its skill bar, the second the ASDFG row and the third uses the ZXCVB row. By hitting the F1 – F3 keys, players switch between there avatars, while F4 brings the other characters to the selected party leader. CTRL-A selects the entire group which you will be using a lot, but CTRL-Left clicking orders the team to Assault an area, meaning they’ll cut through anything in their path to reach their objective. And witch CTRL-SHIFT-CLICK they pick up any drops around the click location.

Now about skills, a feature I really like about Sword of the New World. Instead of buying one skill, you can buy stances which are sets of 3-5 skills and its own style of battle, this allows you to develop each character differently. It’s a good system and works good in Sword of the New World.

Quests are varied from kill-quests, gathering-quests or delivery-quests to instanced missions and even NPC battles. Sword of the New World has a good background story and it’s a bit of a pity that it isn’t showed in most of the quests but the ones that have a storyline behind them are pretty fun and interesting.

Combat is very fast paced and when you see a group of monsters and you can send them flying in all directions, in less than 10 seconds. This makes the game exciting as you go adventuring and completing your quests.

PvP

Royalists versus the republicans, Colony wars or do you like to kill in baron-mode?

The PvP in Sword of the New World is good, it’s pretty tactical but also quite gear dependent, you will notice that when the other has better items it’s almost impossible to win, unless you are skilled and have a good tactic.

There are many different PvP aspects in the game: normal 1 versus 1 PvP, Royalists versus the Republicans (both are factions which you can join) or Colony Wars in which you gain a territory with your clan versus others. Or just go make your own PvP room like in a lobby of a shooter or a room based action game. Go to the PvP NPC and create a room, set the type to PvP and wait for others to join you.

There is also an open PvP if you choose to play on a baron server. After reaching family level 6 (which you just gain by leveling up with your characters) you can PvP with others of that family level and higher. There is however a penalty system: you become a murderer if you killed other players, towns will not accept you and NPCs will be scared of you (not that they’re going anywhere, but they won’t sell you anything). So then you will need to visit a different starter town: a very small wreck hidden in a secret location, where you can buy your things and teleport to other locations just like in the regular towns. The penalty can be lifted once you killed enough monsters but while the penalty lasts you’re a target to all players.

Does it look old?

You’ll be surprised.

The first thing you notice when you start the game is that it looks really good, detail is stunning and the 17th century baroque style of the game fits just perfectly. Towns look really amazing and the buildings and architecture are just incredible. Character detail and clothing is excellent and fits perfectly in the style of the game. Not to mention that the game is easy to run, and even lower-end PCs can easily run this game. The only downside of the graphics in my opinion is the glow effect; it can be a bit overwhelming, but you can turn it off.

Sound of the New World

The music in Sword of the New World is great; it’s a mix between classical and trace, with pure classic music in towns. The music is strong positive part of this game, as it’s very enjoyable and never intrusive. The others sounds are good too, there is nothing wrong in the sound department.

Personal Recommendation

Sword of the New World: Granado Espada is a decent game. I really like the graphics because they are amazing and it doesn’t require a high-end PC to run the game. The music is great, I love the atmosphere it portrays. The PVE has a good amount of quests and things to do, but once you run out of those the game can get pretty repetitive. However, once you have reached a good level and got some good equipment you will find other things to do in this game.

The PvP is fun, I really like how it works with three characters, which make the game tactical and really fun. All in short Sword of the New World: Granado Espada is a good MMORPG.

Pros

– Good story

– Great graphics

– Good music

– A good class development system

– Multi character control

– UPC system

Cons

– The grind that is needed to level

– Character customization

– Quest can be a bit hard to follow

– The interface still needs a bit of tweaking

– Combat feels a bit too automated

Combat Arms reaches 2mil users

Nexon America, a world leader in free MMO games, today announced its free-to-play first-person-shooter title Combat Arms surpassed two million users. This achievement comes just three months after hitting the one million user landmark. Since its highly successful commercial launch in October 2008, the game has quickly gained popularity among users for its intense, frontline, player-versus-player gameplay and exciting customization and community features.

Combat Arms is available free for download, where gamers can also learn about upcoming in-game events Nexon America will be hosting to celebrate the two million mark.


“Combat Arms really hits the mark with core FPS veterans playing alongside casual gamers,”
said Min Kim, vice president of marketing for Nexon. “This latest milestone is further evidence North American gamers want to play high quality, free-to-play games.”

Cabal Online

 

CABAL Online is a 3rd person 3D role playing game that will put you in a graphically vivid world of non-stop hack & slash action. Designed to let everyone play, CABAL Online runs even on older computers while still maintaining its scintillating action scenes, lifelike environments, ornate decorations, detailed characters, and non-stop fast action.

 

 

Features

Intriguing Plot Tied into Quests: Unravel the mysteries of Cabal as you complete epic missions and quest lines.

 

Mission Wars: Compete for the honor of your nation in epic PvP battles.

 

6 Classes: Take up arms as a blader, wizard, warrior, force archer, force shielder, or force blader and fight your way to greatness with a level cap of 190!

 

Achievement and Title System: Recently added in the episode VII update, Cabal now offers a way to keep track of all your great adventures, as well as display titles showing off all you’ve accomplished.

 

Angels Online: New Instance Preview – The Lost Region

To help players find out more about the new instances in Angels Online and how to play the game more smoothly, the Angels Online team are very happy to make a brief introduction of the Lost Region, one instance in the new expansion "the Lost Atlantis".
 
Before the fierce war between Angels and Demons it was said that the most flourishing city on the earth was Yatiss. Blessed by the Gods, people lived and worked in peace and contentment in Yatiss. Apart from its abundant fortune, one of the most amazing developments in Yatiss was its technology. It is even said that people in Yatiss had found an endless energy source and then manufactured many Giant Soldiers to protect their city.
 
Yatiss was a peaceful city until the fierce war between Angels and Demons burst out. The demons occupied the beautiful city and made a series of powerful weapons to fight the Angels using the help of the high technology. In order to punish the demons, the Gods destroyed Yatiss and it sunk under the water.
 
But do endless darkness and a myriad of demons still surround this once civilized city? It seems that the past prosperity was only a legend. Nobody can confirm whether or not Yatiss really existed. But the peaceful ocean is not as safe as it looks. If players would like to explore this mysterious region, they should first work hard to reach level 85.
 
In fact, there is also another legend about the origin of the Lost Region; which states that the relic of the Atlantis was torn into two parts. The smaller one was called the Lost Region and was the land forgotten by the Gods. The merman army and scale fish always steal materials from here. They will attack everyone who dares to come near.
 
The whole instance is divided into three parts, Atlantis’ Armory, Parade Platform and Lab Site.
 
Atlantis’ Armory: Remains of ancient machines are scattered everywhere along the way. It seems that either people deposited their ammunition here or it was an important place which should be guarded. Although those Giant Soldiers are broken now, they still seem to keep watch and look as though they could spring into action at any moment… This place is over-run by Mermen.
 
Parade Platform: It used to be a parade ground. A Giant Soldier stands guard; it wasn’t completely destroyed by the deep. Its joints are covered by moss but it seems as though it has been active recently… Many Scale Fish come and go here.
 
Lab Site: It used to be a lab in Yatiss. However, it has been completely covered by sand and dust because it sunk under the water for so long. Now, there are only a few control crystals around in this vast ground. It is difficult to imagine its past glory.

Ijji extends Valentine’s Day promotion

Saint Valentine is sticking around a little longer this year.  Until Wednesday, Feb. 25, ijji.com, a popular portal hosting a diverse suite of fast-action online games, is giving its community members a chance to collect dozens of free "heart candies."  But unlike the candy handed out on Valentine’s namesake holiday, ijji.com is offering more than just a sugar rush.   Depending on how many heart candies players collect, they can redeem the tokens for more than 20 pieces of in-game content, or coupons for a percentage off of G Coins, the portal’s currency. 
 
The Valentine’s promotion has three parts.  The first involves collecting the heart candies.  Three times each day, every day, players can simply to log onto www.ijji.com, and click on the button labeled "Register for Rebate" in order to start redeeming the candies.  Once collected, various amounts of candies can be exchanged for several themed items, from artillery and armor to chocolates and pets.  The second part of the promotion involves a 20 percent discount for a limited time when gifting to other friends and players.  Lastly is the raffle portion of the event where the first 50 players that collect 20 or more heart candies will be entered in a drawing for 100 free G Coins

Guild Wars 2 has not been delayed

Mike O’Brien from NCSoft wrote an open letter to Guild Wars fans through the official website to address the rumors that wanted Guild Wars 2 to be delayed until 2010. Here’s the letter:
 
To our fans,
 
There have been some published rumors over the past few days about Guild Wars 2 delays, and I’m writing you today to set the record straight.
 
You’ve all seen announcements about restructuring at NCsoft West, and it’s natural to wonder whether that restructuring impacts ArenaNet’s Guild Wars 2 development. In fact, the reason NCsoft West is restructuring itself is so that the company can put all of its focus into its top-tier games like Guild Wars 2. Our team continues to grow, and has the strong support and financial backing we need to achieve our goal of making Guild Wars 2 the best online role-playing game ever created.
 
On Friday, NCsoft released investor materials that showed a very broad release window for Guild Wars 2, with the explanation that release timing is still "to be announced." ArenaNet has never given a release date for Guild Wars 2 other than "when it’s done." NCsoft’s investor materials are a reflection of that philosophy.
 
I know some fans had hoped for a smaller gap between the launch of Guild Wars: Eye of the North and the start of beta testing for Guild Wars 2, but we communicated last summer that it would be some time before we could commit to any beta or launch dates. Guild Wars 2 is a large and ambitious game, and we’re going to take the time to do it right.
 
I’m immensely proud of what our team has accomplished and continues to accomplish with the development of Guild Wars 2. We’ll have a lot more to say when we’re closer to release. Until then, we thank you for your continued interest and ask you to stay tuned.
 
Mike O’Brien

BlizzCon 2009 to be held in August

Wowinsider.com published the following news regarding the BlizzCon 2009:
BlizzCon 2009 will be held from Friday August 21st through Saturday August 22nd at the Anaheim Convention Center outside of Los Angeles, CA. This year’s BlizzCon will feature an expanded space, going from three conventions halls to four. This is no doubt due to the extreme demand for tickets last year. The announcement is present on the press release section of Blizzard’s EU site.
 
This year’s BlizzCon will feature:
    * Hands-on play time with upcoming Blizzard Entertainment games
    * Discussion panels with Blizzard Entertainment developers
    * Competitive and casual tournaments for players to showcase their talents
    * Community contests with great prizes
    * Commemorative merchandise based on Blizzard Entertainment’s game universes
    * A silent auction
    * More exciting activities and attractions to be announced

Everquest Seed Of Destruction video

EverQuest Seeds of Destruction is the fifteenth expansion to the genre-defining series. For the first time in EverQuest history, players can hire non-player characters (NPCs) to aid them in their heroic endeavors. Watch this video introduction to the latest Everquest MMORPG expansion!

Nostale US Review: More Than Just Eye Candy

By Vincent Haoson, Onrpg writer

Nostale is a 3D FaNtasy MMORPG from Uforia. The game is set in a different world named Eastmile, a peaceful continent where humans have been living in peaceful existence. Behind this back drop is a struggle between the angels and demons that have been separated from the humans of Eastmile.
The demons have slowly corrupted the lands of Eastmile and it is your missiOn, as an adventurer to thwart and protect the citizens of Eastmile.
 
The Game
NoStale offers only a limited amount of customization options. You’re allowed to decide the gender of your characTer, two hair designs per gender and ten choices when it comes to the hair color.
Even with the limited choices you have in your character, you won’t have to look at the same character during the duration of your play in Nostale. As you progress through the game your character’s looks would chAnge, either through the equipment you wear or as you job change in the game.
Nostale has only three jobs to choose from. You can either become a swordsman, an archer or a mage. The difference the job cLasses have here in Nostale is that each job can double wiEld. The swordsman can carry a melee weapon and a crossbow, while the archer can carry a bow and also a dagger, for mages their alternative weapon besides the staff is that they also have spell guns.
Another thing that’s different in Nostale is that there’s not stat point system. Your character’s stats and attributes are reliant on what your character has “learneD”. You can increase your character’s damage, HP, MP and defense via the training center found in towns.
Furthermore, you cAn also learn “Basic Skills” from the training center as well. The basic skills in Nostale are basically the active spells or skills your character uses throughout the game.
 
Competition outside PVP
Found in the whole contiNent of Eastmile are large crystals that have been part of its history even before the founding of the human cities. They are called Stones of TimeSpaCe. These stones are the portals where evil is slowly spilling out into Eastmile and has corrupted its inhabitants.
The quEsts in Nostale circle around these crystals that are found scattered on maps. When you click these crystals you are telePorted to a new map and go through rooms in a labyrinth-like fashion. You are faced with monsters along the way and your goal is to get out of the map as soon as possible. After finishing the quests you get to earn points and maybe, if you earn enough you can get your character’s name recorded in the rankings of the Stone.
The Stone of TimeSpace is another PVP system in Nostale thAt can really get your competitive blood rushing. If PVP is not enough of a challenge for you, or that you’re getting tired of PVP as a whole, yet you want the competitive feel. Nostale has the Stone of TimeSpace challenges to fill that space for a competition in you. If you’Re itching to get your character’s name etched someplace in Nostale then try to beat the players who are currently on top in the point board in the Stone of TimeSpace.
 
Conclusion
Nostale is a game that has a loT of things to offer players even though the lack of customization options, the unique attribute system, and the small amount of job class maY affect its appeal to those who would like to try the game.
There is always something interesting happening within Nostale, and with its numerous system eVents, quests and the Stone of TimeSpace challenges there is always something that you can either finish or beat. Or if you are more of the personal-touch type of person, you can always strive to make your miniland as grandiose as you want.
Another feature of Nostale that can keep you interested is the Nosmate system whIch also serves as the game’s pet system. What’s addicting with the pet system is that it provides you the “caretaker” feel as you collect those that belong to your “must haves” pets. Plus, the game allows you of about ten pets to capture giving you enough space in your stable to choose which one you want to go with.
The game’s pet also has levels therefore adDing another reason to stay in the game and play. Your pets in Nostale are like an extension of your character. Therefore, in order for you to have the most effective buddy in either PVP or PVE, you should level or “train” your pet too.
As I mentioned earlier, the miniland in Nostale is another feature where you can really sink your teeth into. As you continue your stay in Nostale you’d get to have pieces, and objects that could “accessorize” your land in Eastmile. Your miniland can be your online home away from home, or you can compete against other players in having the most extravagant of minilands in all of Eastmile.
The challenge systEm via the Stone of TimeSpace adds the competitive aspect of the game. Thus giving you more reason to stay and at least try beating other players outside of the PVP room.
Behind all the eye-candy that Nostale has is a game that thrives in competition and cooperation. Having these two contrasting elements harmoniously coexisting in a game that has a lot of interesting systems is sure to bound to tickle anyone’s fancy. However the game is not perfect, the lack of numerous customization choices and having only three jOb class branching off from being an adventurer can be quite a disappointment especially to those who are more into the “uniqueness” of their character.
All in all, Nostale is a game that has a lot of elements that can really make a player play it through and through. The game has a lot of elements that can offset its obvious short comings. If you have spare time and want to explore a game that can is really interesting you could try out and play Nostale.
 
Pros
– There are a lot of things you can do in Nostale
– Nostale’s Pet system/ Nosmate
– Miniland sets a whole new meaning to the term “in-game home”
 
Cons
– There are only three job class available
– Limited Customization options
– Quests can become tedious