Lord Of The Rings Online ~ PlanetSide ~ Aion ~ Global Agenda

Dungeons and Dragons Online[IMGALIGNRIGHT]http://www.entropiaplanets.com/gallery/pics/3/dundeons_and_dragons.jpg[/IMGALIGNRIGHT]
by Jamie Skelton /www.mmorpg.com

When I mentioned that I was playing Dungeons and Dragons Online, several of my friends expressed disdain. Sure, it may be free now, but they'd played it in the original beta and it sucked - and they just couldn't be convinced that it could have gotten any better. Meanwhile, it was hard for me to wrap my mind around the massive number of changes the game had gone through. Over time, it has changed from a game that I had once found nearly unplayable, to one I could barely tear myself away from. There's a lot of controversy about a game that suddenly went free to play, and has been sucking in players since. But since subscription rates are up 40% since the subscription model change, Dungeons and Dragons Online is definitely getting something right... READ MORE




[IMGALIGNLEFT]http://www.entropiaplanets.com/gallery/pics/3/planetside.jpg[/IMGALIGNLEFT]PlanetSide
by Chris Higgins /www.mmorpg.com

Planetside went live in May 2003 and after six years, the war still rages on. If you are not familiar with Planetside, it is the closest thing to an online war you will ever see. Most online FPS games have maps and time limits to achieve goals. However in this game, it is all about gaining ground by taking over bases. Each faction has a base which cannot be conquered; from there these factions fan out taking one base at a time. Each base must be connected back to your main base which creates a lattice of base connections. At the end of the day.. READ MORE






Aion[IMGALIGNRIGHT]http://www.entropiaplanets.com/gallery/pics/3/aion.jpg[/IMGALIGNRIGHT]
by Sean Bulger/www.mmorpg.com

Of Man's first disobedience, and the fruit
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us, and regain the blissful Seat.

-- Paradise Lost, Lines 1 - 5, John Milton

While NCSoft's Aion is not actually based on the library of Milton, it would be difficult to say that the developers had not taken some inspiration from his classic works. When winged angelic beings clash, it is hard to not see these parallels. However, Aion actually weaves both a tale and a setting - far different than those we see in Paradise Lost - in which players can fight and explore... READ MORE




[IMGALIGNLEFT]http://www.entropiaplanets.com/gallery/pics/3/global_agenda.jpg[/IMGALIGNLEFT]Global Agenda
by William Murphy/www.mmorpg.com

Global Agenda, a first offering from the rookie developer Hi-Rez Studios is not your typical MMO. Right smack in the middle of the official FAQ on their website, the developer tells us that their game does not have any of the following: a large, seamless world to explore, quest givers, open world PvP or PvE, or elves. They then boldly proclaim, "If you consider any of these items to be must-haves within your MMO, we may not be the game for you." So when rating Global Agenda as an MMORPG I've got to rein in my typical expectations. I can't fault a game for not having something it was never intended to have and instead I've got to base this review on what Hi-Rez Studios claims their game to be: an action-based shooter MMO. And with such an amalgamation of game mechanics in place, I beg forgiveness if I miss something crucial... READ MORE