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Feb 4th, 2008 at 22:39:08 - Guild Wars (Prophecies) (PC) |
Summary:
Guild Wars is a blessing for those seeking a MMORPG without a monthly subscription fee. It has a wonderful story that is told through the completion of a series of missions. One organizes a party of players in a central location, and embarks on a mission or quest in an isolated world exclusively with the members of that party.
Gameplay #1:
I started out like any other player would by creating my own character, choosing appearance, gender, and profession. The game opens with mild exploration and narrated cinematics that set up the story. I completed a series of quests and then the main story started to unfold. I began to gain momentum in leveling up my character and started to acquire skills by completing quests. As I leveled up, I also gained attribute points that I could spend in a variety of categories that are specific to my chosen profession.
The game is very fun to play and flows smoothly. The game takes you through a fairly linear path with one mission leading to the next area, and later the next mission. It is not hard to find other players eager to join your group, yet I found many players act immature and can be classified as n00bs.
I have a few friends who currently play the game so I met up with them during my time playing. It is fun to interact online while completing quests together. I experienced priceless camaraderie during intense PVP sessions. They also taught me how to watch one of the main town’s public chat and scan for good deals. With experience, one can develop an eye for that sort of thing and can make large amounts of money purely on buying and selling merchandise in the game.
Gameplay #2:
After playing another round of this game, I got more familiar with the players go about playing the game. There are certain things that go on that were not intended by the game designers initially. For example, a strong warrior character might travel to a low-level area and offer his services as a “runner.” What this means is that, for a price, he will add you into his party and run through the enemies of a certain area in order to advance you the next area (all members in a party unlock the new area). This saves one the time of fighting through enemies and allows you to advance at a quicker pace. This should only be done after completing the game and starting a new character so that your initial impression of the game doesn’t seem rushed and so that you don’t miss anything.
This game was a very enjoyable experience and gets extremely fun later in the game when one has a variety of skills and weapons to choose from. Leveling up is a fast process and the level cap is 20. Yet most of the game is played at 20 so there is no feeling of sadness when you reach it, as if the game is almost over.
Design:
The world in this game is well crafted. There are many expansive, 3D areas to explore and unlock. The graphics are nice (not the best) and work well with tone of the story. This fictional epic adventure takes you across multiple worlds filled with scenery and interesting level design.
The overall game economy seems to be balanced. CPU characters in each town sell armor and other goods at a fixed price that set a base for the human player economy. Rare items dropped from enemies in the wild can be extremely expensive but worth it. There is a large amount of items constantly being dropped in this game, which allows everyone to have a chance at getting what he or she needs.
One useful design element in Guild Wars is the ability to warp to a town or previously unlocked area at the click of a button. It takes time to travel and fight your way through hordes of enemies, so it is nice to be able to visit past locales without too much effort. Another helpful element is the bank storage system. One gets a certain amount of inventory space available on their character and, in addition to that, there is a bank in every major city where you can access your account and store items.
The game is fairly flawless overall and is constantly updated online every time you play (if there is an update available). I highly recommend this game especially if you are hesitant about MMORPGs because of their price- this is free!
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Jan 25th, 2008 at 22:31:09 - Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) |
Summary:
The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time is an acclaimed 3D action/adventure game for the Nintendo 64. The player follows an intricate story as Link, a Kokiri child, who stumbles into the midst of a grand scheme of evil to rule the world. Link ends up fulfilling his destiny as the Hero of Time and saving the world from Ganondorf, king of the Gerudo. One completes puzzles and acquires items in this enticing, well-balanced game.
Gameplay 1:
This game is wonderfully crafted and has one the best stories ever seen in a video game. The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time won game of the year when it came out in November 1998. It was the best selling game of that year as well. It is extremely fun to play right from the beginning.
There are multiple fundamental aspects of gameplay that Ocarina of Time perfects. The opening is inviting and it allows you to get accustomed to the controls scheme of the game. This game flows smoothly in its narrative, level design, and character development. The story unfolds little by little as the player learns more by interacting with characters and defeating bosses. The story is pleasantly original and intricate, and incorporates details observed during the beginning of play throughout the game’s span. This is one of the best games released to date.
Gameplay 2:
Ocarina of Time has two distinct parts to the plotline. As a child, you get a feel for the map and how the game plays while beating three dungeons and accumulating weapons. Later, more storyline is revealed and a cinematic plays when you pick up the ocarina of time. You wake up as an adult, the hero of time, and you continue playing in a world much changed. It is 7 years later and the world is corrupt. The game really picks up at this point and has a heroic feel to it. It is very rewarding to systematically clean out the dungeons one by one and work on hunting down Ganondorf.
I have many fond memories of playing this game as a child and did not hesitate for a second to pick it up again and examine its design elements. For me, it is one of those nostalgic games that I played with my brother and felt so happy when I acquired an item or beat a dungeon. This type of game has a magical quality to it and is what gaming is all about- having fun and feeling happy while playing.
Design:
After playing farther through the game, one can get past his initial gawking of its beauty and delve into the finer details of its design. The level design is simple yet outstanding with scenery ranging from a rainy graveyard to a sunny ranch to a lava-filled mountain. The variety of levels and dungeons is satisfying.
The controls for this game are innovative considering what was released at that time and in the past. Z-Targeting is a major battle tactic that allows for useful and quick camera orientation during puzzles or in a fight. The musical score is superb including sound effects for every little instance and event. As one progresses through the game, you learn various songs for your ocarina that can be played in certain instances for a desired effect. Useful and catchy, this idea was groundbreaking at the time.
This is a single player game that does not allow for any multiplayer whatsoever. That is not to say you can’t be with friends as you battle Ganondorf in the final showdown, but there is no online functionality nor multiplayer function in the game. Despite this detail, the game’s story is captivating beyond measure and is in itself a reason to purchase a Nintendo 64 system.
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Jan 13th, 2008 at 20:37:04 - World of Warcraft (PC) |
World of Warcraft
Summary:
World of Warcraft (WOW) is a massive multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) made by Blizzard. One creates a character and levels up their abilities through the gaining of experience and completing of quests. Interaction with other players is constant due to the games online nature. Player versus player (PVP) combat is also available throughout the game.
Gameplay:
I played WOW for several months before writing this review. That time included much joy for me as a gamer and proved that this game is one of the best and most addicting games of all time.
When one starts a character, there is a brief narrative on the history of that character’s race and some story elements on how they have interacted with other races in the past. The game is based on the RTS series Warcraft, and much of the story comes from those games. Other than the initial intro, there is no main plot. As one completes quests, little stories are told and one can learn about the locals of a particular area.
The gameplay is amazingly addictive and enticing. It feels wonderful to have your character level up and learn new skills, spells, and fighting moves. Also, as you progress through the game you acquire new, more powerful items and gear. This process is surprisingly satisfying and is one of the reasons players continue to put up with the monthly fee for this game.
Design:
After further time spent playing this game, one starts to see how magnificent and cohesive it is. The world is gigantic and contains a large variety of different level characters and dungeons. There are certain parameters that ensure balance throughout gameplay. For example, there are high-level computer characters (NPCs) guarding low-level areas so that a person new to the game, who is inexperienced, will not get completely annihilated while they are tying to level up. Some of this “ganking” still occurs though, and is part of the excitement of the game.
The PVP element to the game is also an important one. It allows players to utilize their hard-earned gear and weapons in combat against their peers. It is extremely fun and also gives one honor, which is an incentive that unlocks items for purchase. As a social interaction as well as a team-building activity, PVP is major part of WOW.
Area design and dungeon layout in this game is quite spectacular. Although graphically WOW lacks the latest in technology, it has a certain animated feel about it and enhances the magical RPG experience. Dungeons (called instances) are the one area in the game where a party of players is separated from the rest of the game’s population. This way, nobody can take advantage of a party’s hard work and steal the final reward at the end of a dungeon. WOW has wonderful landscapes and a variety of climates and locations that make it seem like the player is in another world, literally.
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