Customer Reviews

Asheron's Call

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

When EverQuest came out it was clear that the developers from Verant had learned from the mistakes made in Ultima Online. Now with Asheron's Call, it's clear that the developers at Turbine have learned from the mistakes made in EverQuest.

The evironmental graphics are superb, easily better than EverQuest's eye candy. Unfortunately the character/monster graphics aren't quite as well done.

Sound is wonderfully well done. You can actually identify many monsters by the sound of their footsteps, something that can't be said for EverQuest with a few notable exceptions. There's no repetitive midi music to get on your nerves every time you go to town.

Unlike EverQuest, Asheron's Call won't force you to group with others. That means that you can still play even when you can't find a group to join. In EverQuest I almost never ventured into dungeons because I was usually playing solo and dungeons just weren't viable. In Asheron's Call I've spent a lot of solo time in dungeons with no trouble at all.

Camping is not as much of a problem in Asheron's Call as it is in EverQuest. It still happens because people know they can get certain items in certain places but you can actually get better items off of random kills.

Kill stealing also isn't as much of a problem. Whoever does the most damage to the monster still gets primary looting rights to the corpse but at least you earn experience as you fight monsters instead of when you kill them, which means you'll at least get your fair share of experience.

Derath is a huge world compared to Norrath so overcrowding isn't as much of a problem. If there are too many people where you are now, just pick a direction and run off a little ways and you'll be all by your lonesome.

When you die you temporarily lose some hit points and stamina, but you get them back as you gain more experience. You also only leave behind half your money and one or two of your most valuable items on your corpse so if you can't get back to it for some reason, it's no big deal. That's a lot better than EverQuest where you lose increasingly large chunks of experience and leave all of your gear on your corpse, losing everything if you can't recover it for some reason.

Customer support is good. I've actually seen advocates wandering around asking people if they need help with anything. Turbine also announces planned updates well in advance giving full details and explaining why the changes are being made. And Turbine plans to have monthly developer online chats so the players can make their opinions known.

Turbine also plans to have a special event every month that will advance their ongoing storyline and so far the special events have been designed so that everyone can participate in some manner. Thats a lot better than EverQuest where a special event is defined as letting the GMs see how many 10th level and lower players they can kill with an army of 20th level warbone skeletons before the high level players step in to help the newbies out.

Asheron's Call does have some drawbacks, which is why it only gets 4 stars instead of 5. As I've already mentioned, the character/monster graphics aren't all that great. The interface is a bit clunky and could definitely be better. The chat system also needs work to make it easier for players to communicate with each other. Monster AI isn't all that good, often making monsters easier kills than they should be. Since the game is being bankrolled by Microsoft, you have to play it on the Zone which means you're getting lag from people playing other games and you have to use Internet Explorer instead of Netscape Navigator or another web browser.

On the whole, though, if you're looking to get into a massively multiplayer online role playing game, Asheron's Call is the way to go. At least until another MMORPG comes out that's learned from AC's mistakes. ;-)

Asheron's Call, the latest addition to the Massively Multiplayer Role Playing Game Arena offers more then any other game in its marketplace. ONE: The World Feels HUGE. They did a good job here and made "Teleporting around" a very difficult skill so to get from place to place you must use the limited portal systems, or you must simply run. Running is a pleasure in this immersive environment, and the adrenaline caused when a pack of mean critters chases you off their land, is an added bonus to the lush landscapes and incredible skys. As you traverse the land, you can actually see the sun slowly setting or storm clouds roll in. Again, these effects make you feel like you are really in a large, mystical, distant land. TWO: The allegiance system in the game is unique, and a very fun experience. With the allegiance system you can gain vassals and followers or a mighty patron who will aid you in your adventures. From your vassals you gain extra experience points so you grow faster in the land, and from your patron and Monarch you gain valuable aid and teachings. The best thing about the allegiance system is it forms an extended family. People within your allegiance will come to your aid at any time, and are always fun to fellowship with when you are going out on new adventures. THREE: Unlike the other online RPG games, Asheron's Call's character development system and combat system are relatively complex and exiting. It really does matter how you develop you character, and in battle you must think quickly as the enemy attacks .. "what type of armor/hide does that enemy have .. should I use my Mace or sword, or perhaps the mage should use Fire against it? Wait, how will it attack me? With a fierce blade, or a cruel bludgeon?" It makes a difference and forces you to THINK .. not just Hack and Slash. FOUR: The Forts and Dungeons are a pleasure as taking on a fort with 100 monsters may require a large party, or several partys, and it will certainly need a good strategy. Other games in the category just don't offer the same mental challenge. FIVE: Server Events and large quests. Recently a strange happening occurred in Dereth. The entire world is covered in snow. No huge patch was necessary, I simply logged on and the world was snowing. After a couple of weeks of searching for information, I found that a party traveling north had not been heard from and was feared to be lost, and the word was out to aid them. After an extremely fun quest with a few dead ends and strange twists and turns across Dereth, my small party discovered what happened to the lost adventurers ( I wont give away more, but it was related to all the snow) I spent at least 100 hours on this quest, and there are countless others like it in Dereth, and they add at least one new one ( like this one was added) each month.

SUMMARY: I have Played UO and Everquest extensively, but I feel that Asheron's Call is by far the most immersive, enjoyable Online RPG experience to-date.

Positives? Allegiance system (higher level characters help lower level ones), lush 3-D graphics (I'd recommend a 3D card to get the full effect), evolving world, wonderfully complex magic system, customizable characters, huge variety of monsters, weaponry, armor and locations of interest, massive world, oodles of opportunity for expansion, great interface, very helpful admins, lots of player support (websites, lists,etc.), non-player killer worlds.

Negatives: Large emphasis on hack and slash, occasional lag.

I've looked at all the online RPGs and AC is without peer. The point of online RPGs are two-fold (imho): (1) immersive world experience and (2) online interaction with real people. AC delivers both of these objectives more effectively than any other online game.

IMMERSIVE WORLD EXPERIENCE

The graphics of AC are quite simply beautiful. They are fully 3D based polygonal rendering (not the sprite-based cartoons of other online games). The scenes are so beautiful I often screen capture various scenes and use them as my background in Windows. The sounds, the environment, the variety of perspectives (including first person) allow for a wonderfully beguiling experience.

ONLINE INTERACTION WITH REAL PEOPLE

Again, AC delivers like no other. The Allegiance system of AC is a master stroke. Other games are plagued by "gods" who are on 24/7 and roam about in gloating elitist snobbery. On AC, the high-level characters help you out! Why? Because they want vassals to advance in allegiance rank. Vassals (low-level characters) get help in the form of money, items, spells, etc. Patrons (high-level characters) get experience points based on the amount of experience points their vassals generate. Its extraordinary. Rival allegiances produce grand challenges. An extensive communication option allows for communication with friends online, allies, and enemies.

AC is the only game I play. I thank the makers of AC for creating a wonderful game and raising the bar for all the other developers to have to rise above.

First off, I've played Ultima Online as well as EverQuest and found Asheron's Call a very refreshing change. I feel the game creators actually learned from their Beta testers and from the mistakes made by the other two previously mentioned games. The game does not FORCE you to group with other players, but you can CHOOSE to group and gain experience either way. You can become an expert alchemist or fletcher and you do gain experience doing these and other skills. There are no annoying zones unless you count dungeons. Your character CAN actually outrun most monsters provided you decide to 'run' soon enough. I like the numerous spells and sophisticated spell system and do not mind purchasing components as money is fairly easy to come by in this world. The game is huge and the background graphics are beautiful. At first, I was disappointed with the character graphics but quickly got past this misconception and realized the graphics are just...different. There are no blatantly provocative-looking female characters running around scantily armor-clad as in EQ, which definitely got in the way at times. Even though the servers are crowded, I have not had the usual problems associated with overcrowding as in 'lag' or 'camping', although the dungeons are often full of people during peak gaming times. Also, you can choose to be a casual player or a power-gamer and either way, find that perfect balance of enjoyment suited to your needs. Lastly, the world itself has an actual ever-changing as well as fascinating storyline which I find definitely enhances my gameplay experience.

After countless hours of frustration and disappointment with Ultima Online and EverQuest (although UO still retains a great deal of potential), Asheron's Call was a great relief.

One of the best features is that the monsters aren't "typical" sword 'n sorcery fare. In other words, don't come looking for orcs, goblins, giants, etc. While the bestiary of AC obviously derives from these fantasy fiction archetypes, it develops them differently, adding to the strong sense that one is truly in an "unknown world."

AC is a bit quiet as far as ambient sound goes. Honestly, I like that. I usually listen to music while playing and this arrangement suits me just fine (and for any veterans of EverQuest, it's certainly nice to not dream about that incessant and irritating gnoll barking).

The graphics are a bit basic, but again, I find that a likeable feature. And if nothing else, it shows that the game developers and programmers are more concerned about the FUNCTIONALITY of the game than the appearance. However, the environment (and most especially the night sky) are detailed and quite stunning in their own right.

This MMORPG is also excellent for the casual player (such as myself). Other games requiring endless hours of sitting, practicing skills, fighting, etc in order to make the smallest headway. AC's rewards are more commensurate with one's efforts, and those rewards are satisfying.

AC is admittedly not for the power gaming types, although they are there. Since I'm not a power gamer, I feel more comfortable with the people online there and have a much better online role-playing experience.

As this is the first online RPG that I've tried, I must say that I am fully impressed. It was a toss-up for me between Asheron's Call and Everquest. After trying the beta of AC, I was hooked. I'm using a P200 with 32MB of RAM and a 56K modem, and the game world runs quite smoothly, but sometimes gets bogged down with lag.

The world is literally 25 miles by 25 miles. It took me 2 hours to run from Yanshi to Cragstone! The fighting system is quite sophisticated, with multiple attack heights, speeds, and power. I find the magic system challenging and fun, because it's up to the player to discover the formulas to all of the magic spells. The social system is quite complex--you can swear allegiance to another player, and other players can swear allegiance to you, forming a social pyramid.

The character system is skill-based, and skills are raised through practice or by allocating experience points to them. Thus, players can customize characters to a very deep degree.

There are no 'zones'; it's one long, continuous world. Dungeons, ruins, caves, and other areas are varied, and challenge low, medium, and high level characters alike.

This game has kept me playing for hours on end, and I still haven't discovered more than a small part. Highly recommended!

Asheron's Call *IS* a massivley multiplayer game that will suck you in and keep you in! It is the BEST(or worst) enemy of resposibility ever invented. But, as with everything, there are pluses and minuses.

My system recommendations: Windows 95/98 3D graphics accelerator (I use ATI RagePro) Run a Pentium II at 333 mhz or better with at least 96 MB of RAM. Connect at 56k via modem, or go with DSL or cable, otherwise, you'll pay the price! I also recommend a nice sound card. (The game comes with Direct X 6.1.)

Visuals: The developers at Turbine paid attention to the details... at the expense of your system. The 3-D graphics and texturing are fantastic, but you must have a 3D graphics accelerator to enjoy them.

Ambience: No annoyingly repetative soundtrack here! Unlike other games, there is no background music. A wise decision by MS/Turbine. There is no MUZAK running 24 hours a day where I live... and I like it that way. The sounds that you do hear are birds chirping, bees buzzing, and monsters coming at you! With a good sound card and 3D speakers or headphones, you can tell where a monster is before you even see it.

Playability: Laughably simple interface. Your hands do move from the keyboard to the mouse, but only when wandering around towns and talking with other players. In battle, you can use the mouse by itself or go strictly with keybaord commands. (Thank you Turbine!)

Game features include:

Constantly evolving world: The game is ALIVE. New Quests come and go, world altering events happen, new monsters appear to plague the human element.
Fully customizable characters: Well, you can't adjust hieght or wieght, but you can choose eye shape and color, hair color and length (or no hair), skin color, clothing, armor, weaponry, skills, abilities... You can have a nicely unique character.
New Monsters: No standard orcs and dragons here! Lots of different monsters with different attacks and weaknesses. You have to learn what works well on which beasties.
No Player Killing: There is a specific game "world" for player-killers. You won't get bumped off by someone who wants your armor! Helpful game staff: Have a question? Ask an Advocate! Stuck on a hillside? Ask a Sentinel! The HELP line is built into the game interface. A PLOT: Yes, there is an ever-evolving plot on Asheron's Call. In so many other online games, there is no plot. How can you have a RPG with no plot?
MASSIVELY Multiplayer: A blessing and a curse. There are lots of people who are willing to help you and answer any questions you might have. But, there are lots of people who are just waiting to trick you. AND: there are LOTS of people. If you find a nice spot to hunt, chances are you won't be alone.

I love this game. It rates so much higher than EQ or Diablo in my book. So why did I only give it 4 stars instead of 5?
1. Too many other players.
2. To enjoy the true beauty of the game, you need a top-of-the line computer.
3. Lousy pre-made character "classes". You don't have to use them, but they are a good place to start. Just don't use the template as-is. You'll hate your character.

Don't bother with those other online RPGs... Asheron's Call is the ONE.

Asheron's Call is a very immersive, addictive game. Its beautiful 3D terrains are captivating to say the least. Characters are unique in appearance and ability. There are no set "classes", you make your character and improve it however you wish. There is no player killing for those that do not want to harrassed, yet they have a server set aside for those that do. The three human races and many monsters are unique, and do not follow the traditional fantasy standard, but instead it is a refreshing creative world.

There is a political system like a pyramid. A monarch is at the top who has vassals under him. He is their patron and generally looks after them with help, gifts, etc. while his vassals generate extra experience for their patron at no extra charge to the vassal. These vassals may in turn have vassals under them, and that's where AC gets interesting. If all this sounds confusing, or you prefer to play solo, AC makes it easy to do. You can team up with other real players, or you can go off by yourself. The world of Dereth is huge! It is detailed in real-space 3D with a 26x26 mile map!

Whether you are a solo adventurer, or are looking to conquer the world and vie for power in a virtual world with real people, Asheron's Call is for you. *infomercial fades out, money exchanges hands* :-)

Halken the Bold, Harvestgain server

Asheron's Call is an incredibly addictive game. From the moment I started playing, I was immediately drawn into it, with its deep backstory and unique features. The allegiance system, as described in other customer reviews here, is an interesting aspect found nowhere else. The magic system is also unique, creating an incentive for secrecy. The graphics are beautiful, but I would definitely recommend a 3D card (make sure it is compatible). Also, Turbine has promised to hold monthly events, involving the whole gameworld, adding new monsters, items, and quests. Many things make AC different from Ultima Online and Everquest (such as the non-traditional monsters..nothing from Tolkien), and I heartily recommend it! See you in Dereth!

...And when they say massively multiplayer, they aren't kidding! (On a busy night, there are about 7,600 people on Dereth... and this is before Christmas!)

The Character Generation is fabulous. Not only do you get to give your character specific skills and abilities to surivive on this foreign planet, but you get to customize their appearence. From skin color and eye shape, to haircut and clothing.

Once you are in Dereth, you can bash monsters or just hang around towns. There are some players who have never left their hometown and still gain expereince and money.

You can chat with other players and team up to dispatch baddies, or go solo adventuring. The game works equally well for teams and solos. Some dungeons are geared specifically for solos, some for teams... but it's up to you to discover which is which.

The game interface is very intuitive and easy-to-learn. With a simple click of the mouse, you go from pleasant chat to battle mode. Choose hand-to-hand combat, ranged weapons, or cast magic.

Unlike so many other online RPGs, Asheron's Call has a PLOT. YES, there are goals, events, quests... PLUS, the team at Turbine pops in and throws "spur of the moment" events at the players. (Ask any of us old-timers about the Tremendous Monogua!)

If you do get this game, be warned: You will spend many hours in front of your PC playing! It is the "enemy of responsibility"!

Signed: Quinn Crowfire of Thistledown