Kingdom of Drakkar: Really Good Among Oldschool Games
By Kei Beneza (dividelife),Onrpg journalist

I remember the year 2001 being the world’s first step towards actual game graphics. After seeing this game, it took be back to my childhood days when these graphics were very much enjoyable and simple features such as picking classes were more or less godlike. Kingdom of Drakkar is an old school MMORPG that runs on the lowest end of the graphic meta. Despite being visually handicapped compared to other games however, Kingdom of Drakkar has established a healthy community that runs even up to this date.

You’ll be surprised how a lot of people are still playing this fossil even with its outdated features and visuals. But what exactly separates this game from other fossils? What makes it so good as to have people play it knowing that there are much better games out there? Fanboy-ism or is it just plain awesome? I guess we’re about to find out.

Starting Up

In this game, you can create a total of four characters per account. You’ll be taken to the character selection screen where you get to decide your character’s gender and race. The races are as follows: City Dweller, Forest Dweller, Mountain Dweller, Outcast, Underground Dweller, and Woodlands Dweller. What makes this really hard is the game’s lack of descriptions. You basically have no idea what race you’ll be choosing unless you’re familiar with the game. The only thing that’s clear so far is that the Outcast doesn’t have the word ‘Dweller’ next to it. After picking your race, you will be entitled to reroll you starts if they ever fail to achieve your approval. Rerolling your stats is quite important if your stats don’t meet your desired play style.

Much like Dungeons and Dragons, you have to make sure that you character will function well under any circumstances. There are no limits to rerolling your stats, which is weird because they could have just let players distribute the stat points (but if that’s what makes their boat rock, then fine). Classes are picked soon after you receive experience points and excessive training. The game has seven classes all in all: Fighter-Paladin, Barbarian, Martial Artist, Healer, Thief, Mentalist and Fighter-Mentalist.

Tips: You really have to know this – so you won’t get lost

First of all, the controls are fairly simple yet confusing due to the game’s lack of animation. You’ll find your character teleporting to the area you click in, so you might want to go easy on the clickfest. Three clicks would get your character to random places, and due to the game’s lack of the map function, you’re bound to get lost.

Another thing is the pub system. I have to admit, I haven’t seen a single game out there that requires you logout just so you can access the pub. Here in the Pub, you can gain allies as well as new quests so go out and get a good drink.

Blood Pools

Then, if you’re really confused, there are golden blocks nor far from where your character will spawn first. Stepping on these will fill you in on the game’s basics (or at least some of them). A little legacy of Oz.

Finally, the game lacks tutorials and explanations. It would be wise to access the website before playing since it’s probably the only way you’ll be able to learn the ropes.

What To Expect

There isn’t really much to expect here. It’s basically a game that managed to live through eight years thanks to its loyal players. The Kingdom of Drakkar is built mostly of dungeons so you’ll be strolling around, killing monsters upon arrival. The game has a series of quests which is quite a breakthrough during the old gaming Meta.

Flames Lap At Your Clothing

For an Old school MMO, the features are pretty advanced. There are a lot of adventures to keep you busy as it lets you team up with other players to pursue your goals more effectively. The game is still expanding, which is really awesome since there is still new content to look forward to. The world gradually extends, letting players explore more dungeons and areas (which, unfortunately, look exactly the same).

Equipment

The game does have a bunch of magical items. You can dress up your character to buff him up but his default sprite stays the same. Equipments are one of the best reasons why players refuse to leave their favorite MMOs. The items in this game does lack the modern justice, but hey! It does preserve the realism factor.

Monsters and Mazes

One thing that most MMOs today no longer have is the maze factor. It’s always a thrill to figure out where to go after facing countless monsters. Since most of today’s MMOs don’t respect this system, its dungeon system still prevails over all. This by far is a very good example why classics should never be forgotten.

Work Your Way Out

Limitations

One little thing that I would have to go against would be the game’s lack of PVP. Yes!  You cannot kill players, so if you’re itching to prove your worth, then go ahead and kill monsters (maybe someone else is watching and would praise you for your awesomeness). There’s also the lack of movement so you might not be able to move your character the way you want it. Adventuring is a breeze especially when you get the hang of it. I’m afraid it gets old at some point.

Controls and Graphics

The controls are (yet again) fairly simple that it makes everything so hard. You basically click on spot where you want your character to go. After a few seconds, your character will be teleported there in an instant. There are command buttons which allow you to attack, go up or down the stairs (yes those are 2 different buttons), rest and even drink. Logging out is as simple as closing the client, so if you’re looking for the logout/quit button, just click the application’s x button.

Kingdom of Drakkar Sewer Graphics

The graphics are horrible, and when I say horrible I mean super outdated horrible. There are no movement animations, attack animations, or any other form of animations! If you’re a total graphics buff and won’t play anything that doesn’t have cool visuals then you might want to stay away from this game since it has no graphic value whatsoever. The game is built entirely of 2D spites that don’t have any spec of detail. Running it on a higher resolution would only stretch the blank parts of the game and not the game itself, so if you want a bigger interface then I suggest you lower your desktop’s resolution.

The Verdict

It didn’t really take me long enough to know what this game is all about. It’s so basic, it’s super hard. The game is pretty good but would definitely have a hard time keeping up with today’s games. The thing is, it’s not a bad game at all. The only thing wrong with this game is that it’s no longer 2001. What we have here is a good MMO that is at the peak of its own age. It is basically a example of a living and breathing MMO ancestor, so if you’re willing to see where it all started, be my guest.

The Good: Considering its age
– Lots of classes and races to choose from
– Extensive roleplaying
– It’s still alive
– Lots of Equipments
– The game gradually expands.

The bad:
– Outdated graphics
– Features are no longer new
– Not much players nowadays (Probably saw something else)
– It’s just plain fossilized!

Faldon Review: Mostly for Hardcore Role-Players
By Rick Charbs (Jammart), OnRPG Journalist

My journeys in the world of Faldon Online showed me how small development teams really shine. This particular MMORPG was developed by Illusory Studios, a tiny group of only a handful of developers. It is inspired by old-school MMORPG games like Ultima Online, and this is easily determined once you step inside the game world. Unfortunately, unlike its more popular counterpart, it has a very small community and updates once in a blue moon. It seems like the owner/main developer for the game does not show himself so often in the game or on the Faldon boards. This does not seem to stop the veterans of this MMO of playing this game. Some of the players in Faldon have been casually playing the game for 5 years or more-that has got to say something about the game!

S..s…simple?

A minimalistic game could never be so complex! The download for this MMO is a mere 103 MB and is playable on just about any machine imaginable. This sets the game up for an easily targeted prejudice, but I have experienced it myself and it was far from “simple”. In fact, I did not particularly enjoy this game because it was so cluttered; it felt bland and slightly confusing. The upside to this is that there is just so much to do!

Faldon Online offers a little more than 20 odd skills to train and level up. You do have a choice of a few classes to pick from early on in the game, which will limit your spell arsenal, but this does not limit you too much as you can still train the tons of skills every character has access to: scribery, goldsmithing, snooping, thaumaturgy, telekinesis… to name a few. Unfortunately all skills have a certain level cap until you pay for a premium service (upgrade from peasant to citizen status). This has its perks although for the amount of players I saw online I do not really see the importance of paying for this game.

Miners Beware of Gremlins and Bats in Faldon

Among the game’s interesting skills, many unique features are available such as owning a zoo to store tamed animals, stealing goods and being placed on wanted lists, immersive PvP (but not large scaled), and tons more.

Like Role-playing?

If your answer is yes, this is definitely a game for you to look into. Faldon Online may have a miniature community of 20 (players online simultaneously), but what they all share in common is that they all role-play in the game. This MMO is rich in storyline and in campaigning, which is but pure bait for those who enjoy role-play. With a huge array of areas to visit, things to steal, towns to conquer, monsters to slay, and taverns to party in, you will most likely never get bored of this game so long as you stay in character.

Play Out the Deals at the Bank

Your actions in Faldon have a great affect on the outcome of your character. You can even be placed in jail for wrongdoings, and townsfolk may engage you in combat if you are regarded as an enemy.  

Graphics and Sound

Contrary to popular belief, there is actually a lot of quality to this game’s graphics. They are both very old and very suitable for this game’s play style. The colors do need a boost, though. The towns look wonderful as does the terrain. Even the spell animations are decent. The sound, however, I was not fond of and just muted it most of the way through. I can see that it was still made with great attention back in the day, though. If the developers were more interested, an upgrade in these fields would give this game a whole new outlook; possibly even a whole new audience. I do think this game lacks uniqueness in the graphics field. It just resembles too many older MMOS to really stand out on today’s MMO market.

Vicious Wolf in Faldon

Personal Recommendation

Faldon Online was a mediocre game in my opinion. I am a fan of classic gaming inspired MMORPGS but this one did not do it for me. The textures were a little too bland, even if they are dated and of great quality. I need my MMORPGS to have vibrant colors and a lot of variety in the design. Faldon fails to accomplish this, no doubt. I was also not very fond of the game’s basic gameplay systems. The menus, chat box, and NPC interaction was too closely bunched up on my screen, and I was unable to find means to fix this problem. It was tolerable, but it surely did not keep me interested in the game.

All negatives aside, I can see how I would have enjoyed this MMO, and I understand why there have been players playing it for over five years. This game is easily accessible to anyone, and runs without lag. It is very basic, but it is deeply enhanced by it role play qualities.

Especially considering the age of this MMORPG, and not considering it as an excuse, Illusory Studios really did a wonderful job at developing and publishing this MMO. If people still play it today and continue their adventures, or just simply play casually to kill time and PVP, one must come to the conclusion that this game is actually pretty decent. As a final note, I do suggest this game if you loved Ultima Online and like to role play frequently. Otherwise, I would stay far away; this game does not have the community for a typical non-role playing gamer. You would probably get bored out of your mind! Happy gaming!

Pros:
– Lagless, runs on any computer
– Tiny download (103MB)
– Pretty decent customization
– Classic gameplay style
– Tons of skills to train and level up.

Cons:
– Bland and somewhat confusing
– Graphics and sound need revamping
– Absence of developers (lack of updating as well)
– Very small community.