When it comes down to it, nearly every RPG ever made has “Dungeons & Dragons” to thank for laying the foundation. As time goes on they’ve evolved to the point where they share only the slightest similarities, but the core game has remained the same in the thirty or so odd years since D&D launched in basements around the world. Needless to say, the name carries some weight, which is why Turbine needed to be careful when they brought it to the MMOspace in the form of “Dungeons & Dragons Online,” the furthest evolution of the idea they originated.
“DDO” began as a retail, subscription-based MMO, “Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach.” In 2009, however, Turbine switched models, turning it into a free-to-play MMO, “Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited.” The Positive: Action-based gameplay. Most MMORPGs use a combat style that focuses on ease of access, with avatars automatically attacking and players only managing special moves. “DDO” abandons that, and instead has a more intuitive system, more similar with that of an action game. It still has the same Dungeons & Dragons rules as people expect, just masked well with combat that makes the player feel involved. The same can be said about traps and occasional platforming, both of which are more entertaining since they are presented in a way different from the average MMO. Stellar presentation.
It’s not the best looking game, but Turbine absolutely nails Dungeons & Dragons. Quests have narration and a dodecahedron shows the die rolls during combat. It takes several steps away from D&D to fit into a video game, there’s no arguing that, though it does it well. Not only that, but built-in voice chat and an unrivaled “Looking for More” party system make it one of the easiest MMOs to get into. Despite not being the best looking or most popular game, it might be the most advanced in terms of presentation, something “World of Warcraft” is lagging behind in.
A great community. MMOs are too often populated with unhelpful jerks. Ask a question in chat and you’ll be lambasted; take too long to complete a quest and you’ll be berated, and good luck finding a group if you’re not in one of the four large guilds in the server. Thanks to the game’s community (and the previously mentioned LFG system) there’s really no better experience. Expect to meet some idiots from time to time, but there’s something about the people who play this game that simply comes off as kinder than usually experienced.
The Negative: Exploits by necessity. “DDO” is unlike any other MMO in a number of ways. One area that doesn’t really work in its favor is the when combat requires strange mechanics in order to succeed. Some of the bosses attempt to be exploit-proof by having weird rules placed upon them, which means players need to ironically find even weirder ways to fight them. This can mean one player standing on one specific spot, another in a different spot, and the rest not actually participating in the battle at all. There’s no reason that the Red Dragon should glitch and summon a bunch of party-wiping enemies whenever anyone uses a ranged weapon. It’s silly, and feels archaic. Repetition and a lack of open world. “DDO” is just barely an MMORPG. It’s more similar to “Diablo II” and “Guild Wars,” with nearly every quest being an instance, and the instances being accessible through a series of hub locations. In this case, the hub is the massive city of Stormreach, which, to be honest, doesn’t feel that big, and is split up into instances of its own. While this would work if the city was more immersive and large, it’s bare bones in DDO.
Recently, more open adventure areas have been added, but there’s little to satiate the MMO fans lust for a large, open world. The problem (or, rather, the conundrum) is that Turbine has handcrafted the instances in “DDO” to create a compelling storytelling experience with each one. Regardless, in order to level up, many need to be repeated, since the item rewards and experience given in some of the chain quests are so good it’s almost a necessity. It’s a good thing they’re run, or else it would be a game breaker -- though it still ends up being something about the game that will likely turn off some players. Expect to run Tangleroot Gorge -- a lot. In the end, “Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited” is one of the most unique MMORPGs on the market, giving gamers a different experience in a genre too filled with carbon copies.
It’s not your typical MMO, and that might turn some off, but if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary it’s definitely worth trying out, because great rewards lie in wait. And it's free now and growing in players every day, so there's no more excuse of not wanting to subscribe to a “dying” game.
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