I have been a WAR beta-tester for the past several months. As a tester, I have not been permitted to discuss the game. Unfortunately, this has not yet changed. However, I am contemplating a process of preparing pre-release review for Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. Once the Non-Disclosure Agreement is lifted and I know what I can and can not discuss, expect to read some of the most up-to-date, nitty-gritty details of the game. Tell your friends, set your bookmarks....

In the meantime, I recommend reading-up on WAR to get caught up for the forthcoming review.

WAR is coming...

Update [Jun.16.2008]: Age of Conan has been out for nearly a month now, and I have yet to play it. Judging from all the reviews and reports, it is a good game with much potential -- but not for me. If you are itching to play a new MMO, or have only played World of Warcraft, I recommend you give AoC a go for the next 3 to 6 months. If you fancy yourself patient or an MMO connoisseur, just hang in there a few more months before you jump on the new MMO bandwagon. You'll thank me with your inside voice someday.

Original article:

Thanks to Gamespot and Funcom, I was able to play Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures last weekend during a PvP test. I've been itching to talk about it, but at the time I wasn't even sure if I was allowed to mention I was in beta... so much silence about betas these days. Well, as it turns out, not only am I allowed to tell you I was in the PvP beta last weekend, but I can also tell you my impressions of what I experienced in that short time-span.

The game truly leaves a good first impression. Character creation is detailed and varied. You can scale your class model proportionately to your tastes, slecect various face and hair style, and add a large handful of special markings. The opening and subsequent quests are also narrated. Unfortunately, the tutorial island could have used a little more polish and balance for being single-player only. My caster felt a little underpowered at first with respect to the island. The PvP, however, was the focus of the test. I created a level 20 Ranger to really wreak some havoc -- as it was mentioned in the patch notes they were temporarily overpowered. I only had the weekend to test, after all.

All PvP this weekend was conducted through instanced matches accessible through a quick menu system. Each match began after a very brief queue time. Once the game begins, each player is placed on either a red or blue team. In one mini-game, the two teams attempt to capture a few objectives. It takes a very short time for the objectives to switch hands, and the games only tend to last a few minutes. In another level, each team attempts to capture its opponent's flag -- but I never even got that far.

Combat in AoC feels like a scaled-down version of the standard MMO model. Everything moves along at a decent pace, but the battles felt a bit too simplistic and gimmicky. With my level 20 character, I had about five unique abilities. Battles consisted of my character running around, sometimes sneaking, and shooting people with arrows in the back. Depending on the type of shot, each would be capable of yielding normal damage, high damage, or slowing them down respectively. Although my character was also capable of melee, it proved generally foolish in practice. There are three types of swings: a slash from the left, and overhead swing, and a slash from the right. While the various attacks deal well with multiple foes, they feel somewhat gimmicky and non-fluid.

While I realize that instanced PvP games are only a small part of AoC, it became obvious that the combat complexity was pushed aside for a sense of speed. With its large interface buttons and player controls, Age of Conan feels like an MMO designed to accommodate a console controller. Considering the console version isn't due out 'till much later this year, I would recommend waiting altogether -- or at least for the PC review. If you are looking for the next great PC MMO, this may not be it. While your mileage may vary, you have been warned

That's it. Not another word about it, as I consented to a legally binding agreement. I'm practically busting at the seams here. Hopefully, in a few months time, I can tell you all about it.

Until then....

-Erebus

My knowledge of gaming borderlines trivial. It shows my dedication to a point that proves useless to all but other gaming aficionados. Of course, that makes me, at the very lest, a self-proclaimed analyst.

...I will just spoil it for you a month in advance: Super Mario Galaxy will take Gamespot Editors' coveted 2007 Game of the Year Award. This is not a statement of bias, nor do I have any personal investment one way or the other. After careful consideration of the competition, the choice is quite simply obvious. While many gaming editors and sites may pick the latest shooter with the same-old gunplay, I trust Gamespot's judgement a bit more than that.

Many superb games were released this year: Crysis and Call of Duty 4 (PC), Halo 3 and Mass Effect (Xbox 360), Assassin's Creed (PS3/Xbox 360), and The Orange Box compilation (PC/Xbox 360) -- just to name a few. However, Super Maro Galaxy (Wii) is more unique, polished, universal, and entertaining than them all. There really is no single reason why the game is so superb, rather a cacophony of them.

First of all, Super Mario Galaxy (SMG) has a unique control set never before experienced in a video game. The combination of aiming the remote (or using it in various ways), motion controls, analog movement, and button pressing combine to form an enthralling interaction with the game. Next, SMG's game-play and style are brilliantly intertwined. It is so abundantly clear the amount of care and detail that went into making as many creative and unique experiences as possible to cram in one video game. Finally, it's fun and challenging. While the game is easy enough for a child to finish, it offers significantly deeper challenge for gamers willing to go beyond the bare minimum to complete the game.

Not only has Nintendo created a game that everyone can enjoy, they made it more innovative and at least as fun as any other game released in 2007.

[UPDATE- DECEMBER 28]: Gee, what a shocker, I was right. This isn't going to hinder my gaming arrogance any, you know. The developers really earned this one.

I have received some impressive feedback from a few of you regarding my experience with Dark Age of Camelot (see my review) that has inspired me to write a quick summary on how to better enjoy your next MMORPG.

If you're looking for something as wonderful as DAoC was, you should know that much of the charm has faded away from MMOs since then and left many players bitter and/or jaded, yet still playing. Further, since the MMO has gained mass appeal, thanks to World of Warcraft, many immature players have set foot in these worlds and flaunt both their victories and curse their failures in the face of everyone -- even their own allies.

However, there are a few tips I can give you to assist in creating an immersive experience in your game. The first is by far the most important: play on a role-playing server. This is a little secret that yields profound results. It will tremendously cut down on the number of immature brats you have to play with. Fear not, most people on role-playing servers do not actually role-play. These servers ultimately act as a sanctuary for people looking for a more fulfilling game experience.

Second, look into the MMOs coming out in the future and try to get into their beta tests. If you are unable to beta test, at least get in on the day of release. There is something uniquely special about being among the first to pioneer a new MMO. If you want to create memories, this is how you do it.

Finally, play a LOT. Yes, that sounds like bad advice, and it is -- if you want a life outside the game. However, if you want to be successful in any online MMO, you need to dedicate yourself to it as you would any hobby. I highly recommend having a stable job and a significant other who will play with you (or at least tolerate it), as you won't have time to go looking for either of these once you begin playing.

There are two MMOs coming in the next several months worthy of your attention: Age of Conan, and Warhammer Online. Both are unique in their own right, and both are still accepting beta applications. If you apply in the near future, expect to be able to play each game for about a week before they hit store shelves via open betas or pre-order promotions.

Good luck in your adventures!

After participating in the Hellgate: London beta test for a few weeks with some friends of mine, I am prepared to talk a bit about the game.

First of all, it is not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination. The weapons are highly varied and customizable, the pacing feels good, and the overall premise is unique. As most previews state, HG:L is a First-Person Shooter and Role-Playing Game hybrid. This approach feels fresh, and is an excellent model for the game to be built upon.

However, right now, Hellgate feels just a little more like a proof of concept rather than a completed game. The player will traverse through many quests and locations with very few surprises along the way. Most enemies and bosses act in similar ways and do very little to get the player thinking or acting differently. You just go in with guns blasting and swords swining. Once the novelty of the FPS/RPG element wears out, you're ultimately left repeating the same tasks of mopping up areas filled with bad guys.

Making things even worse, the game starts out way too easy for all but the most inexperienced of players, and there is no way to start playing on a higher difficulty setting until the game is completed at least once. Many players will be put to sleep trudging through the first few hours of the game.

Finally, I am not fond of the business model that Hellgate is being built upon. Inventory management is an absolute nightmare with its limited space, and the only way to get more room is to pay a monthly subscription fee. That's right, you have to pay a monthly fee to play a non-crippled version of Hellgate London.

While these words may sound a bit harsh for a game with so much potential, in its current state, I simply cannot justify paying full price for a game that clearly has a long way to go before it is worthy of both my time and money.