Everquest Online Adventures: Frontiers

Written by Tony Kennetz  on November 17, 2003

Hands-On Preview: ..And the saga continues.

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EQOA was just one of those games, one of those that you know won't do well right from the start, but you hold your hopes out for as long as you can because, well, its origins were just to great to dismiss. I was one of those who was highly under whelmed by Sony Online's attempt to bring massively multiplayer gaming to the consoles. After that outing, I was more than willing to sit on the sidelines and wait for Final Fantasy XI came out. Not to say that it was a terrible game, far from it, but the errors and mistakes that were made just added to the tedium I've always felt while playing online RPG's. From what I hear, a lot of other people agree with me, as sales for the game were far down from expectations. That said, the team behind the game have sucked it up, and are ready to release this Уsecond edition.Ф Could this be the game the first should have been?

It is really hard to say, at this point, but to deny that it has a significant amount of promise would be flat out criminal. For starters, there really were a lot of things that went well that are still present in this edition. All the trademark Everquest elements will be featured, and going off the beaten path with a group of teammates will still be the most entertaining way to do things. That's all right though, most people don't get online with other humans to fly solo, right?

A new race and class have each also made their ways into the EQ universe, the Ogre and Alchemist, respectively. The Ogre is one heck of a brutal being, isn't likely to Уtake it easyФ on anyone, and if that's your personality then let's say you'll be right at home with this character. Then there's the Alchemist, a master of abilities and spells that are more than able to manhandle anyone who isn't ready to play. That's all well and good, but, you know, how much damage can one do once they hit the level barrier and can't evolve anymore?

The answer to that is a hell of a lot of damage, and now that number will be even greater as said barrier has been raised from fifty to sixty. I can only imagine the sheer destruction that will be capable of those individuals able to reach that upper echelon, being the most elite of the online gamers. With these additions alone I'm sure many an RPG'er would be more than happy, but it certainly appears SOE wasn't ready to rest on its laurels just yetЕ

New items, non-playable characters, and quests have also been thrown into the mix to show even the most seasoned veteran a true test of skill. These three items all play off of each other in both the original and second edition, doing so even better in the latter. Visit the NPC's, topple their most fearsome challenges and reap the rewards of hard earned success, that's the staple mechanic of MMORPG's, and it is certainly to be looked upon with a smile in Frontiers.

The other big complaint about EQOA were the graphicsЕscratch that, the ugly graphics. Those are being taken care of as well as can be seen in motion as well as in screen captures. Is this going to bring down current graphical powerhouses like Final Fantasy X(-2)? No, but it doesn't have too. Where the original just got the job done, the incarnation looks to improve, and would appear to have succeeded.