EverQuest: One Week Later

It takes a certain kind of game to slow GameSpot's productivity to a halt, and while we want to believe that such a game does not exist, the truth of the matter is we've been playing an awful lot of EverQuest in the past week. This new online RPG has suffered through some serious server-side problems in the past few days, making it impossible to log into the game more often than not. Still, we've logged long hours already, and what follows are our first impressions, including a bevy of screenshots from some of the more colorful areas of Norrath we've encountered.

EverQuest is most impressive in its 3D-accelerated graphics - and, while not up to the standards of first-person shooters, the graphics still seem unusually good for an online RPG. Performance - server problems notwithstanding - has been nothing short of first-rate, with lag-free gameplay on a T-1 line or a 56K modem.

Gameplay isn't particularly fast paced, but it is considerably more entertaining from the get-go than most RPGs. It's a lot of fun just to try out all the different races - from tiny gnome to massive ogre - if only to see these races' unique hometowns and populations. Beyond inherent racial distinctions, choosing from the various classes also drastically affects the way the game will be played, since a warrior can't go about doing things like a wizard, and a monk can't act like a shaman. Most of the classes and races already seem well represented within the game.

Whatever race and class you choose, you're better off not traveling alone. Fortunately, the game cleverly encourages community and benevolence among its players by making some of its monsters a little too tough to defeat alone. You'll find willing party members easily.

The game automatically splits experience points among party members (which means low-level magic users needn't endanger themselves in close combat), and you can also make it split any money you find. There's plenty of exploring to be done and plenty of monsters to fight, and while the going can be pretty dangerous, if you're cautious and don't travel alone you'll earn wealth and gain experience quickly.

Thankfully, player killing isn't possible except on designated servers, although we have spotted some perverse high-level players that get their laughs by finishing off low-level characters' kills. Still, much like any Internet-based forum, you'll encounter a range of players, some of whom are serious about role-playing, but most of whom are not.

Almost all the time you spend with the game will involve killing monsters and gaining experience, or otherwise interacting with fellow players. As you fight, your skills will improve quickly and noticeably. By about the fifth or sixth level, you'll be able to take down any of the monsters near your town easily. But since you'll gain experience a lot slower than you did before, you'll be encouraged to team up and explore if you haven't done so already.

Your character won't develop quickly; gaining skills, levels, and money becomes a very deliberate process, and resting to heal your wounds takes longer the more hit points you have - all the more reason to travel with a friend, so that you can pass the time chatting.

We've already faced dozens of wild creatures of all shapes and sizes, learned all kinds of skills, from necromancy to fishing, and visited all kinds of beautiful places - forest, swamp, desert, mountain, plains, city, you name it. And we've hardly scratched the surface. EverQuest immediately comes across as a huge game, and thus far it's captured the sense of exploration and adventure that all role-playing games, online or off, aspire to.

It's a lot of fun if you want it to be, though you'd better be ready to log long hours.