Restricted to Asia: Ragnarok 2 Beta

Ragnarok Online 2 had a rocky start in late December, with publisher Asiasoft having to delay the open beta date due to high server congestion which caused the game to be unplayable for most. The new open beta date was set for today, January 3rd and as promised Asisasoft has released RO2 into open beta, but with some changes that have the community absolutely furious.

Originally Asiasoft had marketed their release of Ragnarok Online 2 as the first English version of the game with fans being led to believe they could access the game in the west despite the actual servers being located in the SEA region. In a quick turn of events however, Asiasoft released a message yesterday via the game’s Facebook page stating that the game would only be available to gamers from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam due to “Asiasoft’s “licence agreement with the game’s developer, Gravity Co.” Which means unless you are from those areas you wont be getting in.

There is no question that it was a severe oversight on Asiasoft’s part to not announce the change in service areas sooner, especially since the company seems to pride itself in being the first ever publishers of an English version of the game, yet the largest English speaking areas cannot actually play!

The question as to whether or not Ragnarok Online 2 would actually be a subjectively good MMORPG is a whole other topic. If Duke Nukem has taught us anything, the wait can often times be more memorable then the game itself.

Editors Note: Some players have reported that despite the official FB announcement, the game appears as if it hasn’t implemented any IP block. Perhaps the company was alluding to just player support and payment options. Nevertheless, don’t be surprised if an IP block is implemented soon.

More infos about Ragnarok 2 HERE

Your Games-F2P

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Games-F2P's Tip: War of The Immortals

War of the Immortals, which went live a year ago, is from free-to-play specialist Perfect World Entertainment. PWE should sound familiar. The growing Chinese company is responsible for publishing multiple titles on this side of the pond, including Perfect World, Forsaken World and Rusty Hearts, backed by numerous content patches for each.

Character Selection: The character selection screen looks quite nice and polished. Nothing unexpected from a PWE title. It has a nice temple in the background and the hellbears are certainly not misplaced. Right of the bat, the player can choose from a relatively high eight different classes, each of course specializing in its own unique gameplay. All characters definitely do look flashy when the player is choosing one, showing how their aesthetic design can look at the end of the leveling curve.

Tutorial & Story: The story and tutorial at the beginning are not a distinct drag of rudimentary quests and basic commands. The starting aspects are superbly woven into each other. When the player first starts a character, he will learn immediately why he is there and the first couple of quests he receives sneakily reveal themselves as a tutorial. Yes, secret learning. Showing some of the things the selected class is capable of. After the start, the tutorial will begin popping up now and again as the player hits a certain level and it will detail new-found gameplay enhancements and abilities for that just-reached level. What PWE overlooked is that at the start, the player doesn’t know a thing about leveling his skills. A new player is in there blind, flailing around and potentially wasting leveling time. The tutorial eventually details the crucial bit of information, at level 30. It may be to avoid information overload, but it might be a better idea to tell the player how to level up his skills, much, much earlier.


User Interface: The interface has nice look to it, clean and simple. Everything you need is quite easy to find and doesn’t get in the way of playing the game, which can be all too common in today’s complex MMOGs. The only part of the interface that will irk many is the chat screen. It doesn’t take up much space and is easy to manage, but when someone uses a warcry (a Warcry, like a Yell, can be seen by everyone) it pops up on your screen right in front of the player and might get in the way. The same system is used when the game wants to inform the player something, which happens often. Mind you, this isn’t just the regular announcements the player will see, this also includes hearing when someone did something ‘great’ in the game, a server-wide acclaim, and with the player base it has already and everything being so new, it does pop up regularly.



Combat: There isn’t much to say about the combat in this game besides that it looks really flashy but gets repetitive after a little while. Sadly, this is a common trait of PWE’s products. The core gameplay, combat, is often repetitive and shallow, with little complex strategy involved. The player only gets a set amount of skills to use in combat and the player will just be using one or two a lot. There is not much of a rotation to worry about.

Quests, Leveling and Dungeons: The quests in War of the Immortals are the generic kill X amount of this, gather set amount of that, perform this FedEx delivery because I’m lazy. Sometimes there’s a twist. Still generic quests – i.e. go kill that man – but before the player goes out and commits the despicable act, he will need to gather a set amount of a certain item, go to another person to get some sort of blessing and than go the the guy he needs to kill and throw the items in his face so he gets angry. These kind of quests are a nice twist, even if they remain relatively generic and a bit time consuming. It gives players more of a direction, a reason to the mayhem and an avenue to a plot.
The leveling I have seen in the game is fast. At the start it will only take a brief 15 minutes to become level 20 or so. Eventually. the pace begins to crawl. When I neared level 40, it began to take hours instead of minutes to level 5 times. As for the dungeons I have only seen one, but I presume they work the same way. The player talks to the dungeon portal, chooses what kind of level (easy, normal or hard) he wants and the task begins. The player does need to be in a party. How to circumvent that if the player can’t find a party…? Create your own party but be the only one in it. The dungeon doesn’t mind that and the player can walk right in. I did the first dungeon, both easy and normal, on my own and did so with ease. The first dungeon is far too easy and the glitch doesn’t promote working together at all.

Polish: The game does look quite nice. Barring the minor issues mentioned above, the only major polish needed is some polish for the camera system. When the player wants to rotate his camera just a small bit, it just doesn’t go as flawless as it does go when the player wants rotate for 180 degrees or 360 just to look at his character. Minor tweaks are commonplace, and having them be a hassle is disappointing.

Cash shop: The cash shop is far more complete than Rusty Hearts was. Even more important to an end-user, the shop is easy to navigate and organized with nice tabs. One monetary concern, there is so much stuff available that the hardcore player needs that it is almost mandatory to have ZEN to progress efficiently and perform at a high level in War of the Immortals (some of those items do drop in dungeons).
The different tabs include “Functional” which contains utility, specialty and remedy items. Remedy items are the generic (better) potions, special has the wedding pack and utility has resurrection items, bag expansions and warcry trumpets (so the player can actually use the warcry command). Yes, you have to pay for the privilege of being annoying. After functional items, we have the “Forge” tab. In this tab, the player finds the gems to socket into their weapons and armor, but also the items to remove those gems from their equipment. This allows players to socket items with any old gem they have for starters, and conveniently remove them as better perks become available.
Going over into the “Pets” tab, this area has new attack skills for player pets, as well as new pets to buy (which include pigs and bears!). Also available are items to fortify pets and obtain even more pet slots. The “Mount” tab hosts a couple of neat mounts and the items necessary to upgrade the players mount. These will be all but required upgrades for most players. Last but not least, the “Fashion” tab. Oh what frivolous yet attractive items are possessed here. Different costumes for characters, items necessary to redo your head, hair and portrait and not to forget, different wings that the player can buy. The joys of vanity. For me the mounts are definitely worth it – especially the Phoenix mount – and the gems become an integral part of any min-maxing player. The pet items are far more important than your average non-combat pet, as any min-maxer will point out, making the section worth the ZEN.

Overall: “Does the game have redeeming qualities?” I hear the players ask. Sure it has them. The pet system in this game is done well. An expected feature from PWE products. Most players would love that type of camaraderie in other, even AAA, products. Surprisingly, the story is done well too.

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Champions of Regnum Coming Soon

Champions of Regnum is the latest expansion to the beloved Regnum/Realms Online franchise. The full release of this intense free to play RvR MMORPG is coming soon, but a VIP Preview for existing and former players will start on Dec 20, 2012.

One of the largest changes coming is a complete overhaul of the Invasion system, the very core of Regnum Online's intense gameplay. Players will also be able to use combat skills in new PvP and RvR instances that will expand the content available.

The new Instances open up a universe of possibilities for each hero to stand out and become one of the Champions of Regnum. Finally, with this release, we plan to consolidate both Realms Online and Regnum Online into a new global brand...Champions of Regnum...starting a whole new era for the game.

New Invasion rules: Relics & Dragons:
Unique magical relics that can be found in each fort and castle will be the basis of the new invasion dynamics. The enemy will now become vulnerable when its full set of ancient relics is stolen.

In addition, if a particular Realm collects all of an enemy's relics, there will be an opportunity to summon its own legendary ancient Dragon!

Alasthor, Vesper, or Tenax, will haunt the enemy borders to help each Realm capture the enemy's Realm Gate and achieve the ultimate goal: Invasion!
 

Instanced based PVP and RVR Action:
Champions of Regnum brings a new form of combat gameplay to the world with the introduction of Instanced Coliseums and Battlezones paired with a new Matchmaking system. This matchmaking system allows players to be auto-matched for 1vs1 private challenges in the new Coliseums.

The Battlezones, on the other hand will be the most visually compelling and strategically challenging battle sites featuring Multi-realm battles hosting up to 24 players in a 3-way battle for glory!


 

New content:With the release of new instance-based combat, a whole new set of equipment awaits for those who prove themselves to be the best! Also, new armors and weapons are being added for high level players.

If you are a fan of large scale realm vs. realm battles or want to challenge the leaderboard via smaller group or individual PvP, jump into Champions of Regnum... Battles await!

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Top 10 MMORPG 2012

We want to present you the top 10 MMORPG Games of 2012

10. C9 (Continent of the Ninth Seal)

C9 (Continent of the Ninth Seal) represents one of the better hack and slash MMOs available. It features an indepth combo system which allows players to chain multiple unique abilities together to form long and complex attacks. With the first major expansion just launching and an already established competitive PvP scene, C9 aims to keep gamers busy with new classes and new instances to explore. For those looking for a fast paced action MMORPG with a competitive PvP scene C9 is a notable conteder.

9. DC Universe Online

Since DC Universe Online has gone free-to-play, the number of players and revenue increased drastically, once again proving that the F2P model is a great choice nowadays. It’s great to fight with iconic DC characters and the action is fast and spectacular. A nice choice for some occasional superhero brawling, you should definitely give this one a go.

8. Dragon Nest

Dragon Nest is an action RPG published by Nexon where some of the greatest visuals ever seen in a free MMORPG go hand in hand with charming anime characters and exciting real time combat. There’s a lot to be amazed at in this game, an all-round polished offering that any self-respected fan should try.

7. Dungeons and Dragons Online

DDO seemed to have everything going for it upon its initial release, but never seemed to find an audience. It had great graphics, a unique play style, and the pedigree of one of the best MMO developers behind it in Turbine. Despite its failure as a pay-to-play game, don’t be fooled into thinking that was due to the quality of the game. Though it suffers from some of the repetition that other instance-based games suffer from, it’s still an incredibly challenging and enjoyable experience.

6. The Lord of the Rings Online

LoTRO went free-to-play recently, and surely stands as one of the best free-to-play games on the market. A massive world, challenging combat, haunting music, and beautiful graphics await all those who wish to enter the enchanted realm of Middle-Earth. Player-owned houses and mounts, a unique monster-play PvP system, epic raids and gear, legendary crafted gear, and much more exists in Turbine’s masterpiece.

5. Runes of Magic

Runes of Magic was dismissed by some people as a World of Warcraft clone upon its release, but others viewed this as a great compliment. While there was a definite comparison to be made in terms of graphical and gameplay style, the overall quality that exists in every aspect of this game was also comparable to WoW, and cause for celebration. RoM’s most unique feature is its dual class system, which allows you to choose two different classes for your character and enjoy the skills of both. Runes of Magic has enjoyed numerous major updates which introduced a lot of new content to the game – Frogster has done and continues to do a great job. If you’re looking for a free MMORPG that rivals the best games in the genre, RoM is it.

4. Vindictus

Vindictus was probably the most hyped free MMORPG ever when it released. The combination of stunning graphics and an action-based battle system that still retained the RPG elements we all know and love had gamers giddy with excitement. While the hype surrounding Vindictus has now died down somewhat, it still remains an enjoyable and unique game, with some thrilling combat. And those graphics… (drool).

3. Allods Online

It’s easy to make the comparison to World of Warcraft when looking at Allods Online. The graphical style is eerily similar, though the art direction is actually quite original, and melds fantasy and sci-fi elements like few other MMO’s on the market. Allods features two distinct races in conflict with each other, and this conflict spills over into the game’s PvP mode. Humorous writing and scenarios are another hallmark of this charming little game. Don’t be put off by the WoW look, and give this one a shot.

2. RaiderZ

MMORPGs have begun moving away from the classic hotbar style of combat to a more open action combat system which focuses on aiming your skills rather then have your character automatically lock on. RaiderZ has one of the best action combat systems currently available, allowing players to join others in large dynamic confrontations against some of the largest and most varied open world bosses in an MMORPG. Players are also not bound to a specific class, but instead are free to choose among different weapon and skill types, allowing the player to choose what style of combat best suits them. All of this combined offers a refreshing experience for players looking for a more skill-based MMORPG.

1. Aion: Ascension

Aion was released in the west as a pay-to-play game and quickly fell out of the limelight due to the games incessant need to grind for level progression. However with the release of the 3.0 update and the switch to a free to play model, Aion has gone from a traditional Korean grinder to one of the most promising and enjoyable F2P MMOs around with true depth and diversity. Players now have access to all content in Aion with no restrictions allowing them to enjoy the full range of the game. The MMO features breathtaking visuals, air combat, large scale PvP, raids set atop sky fortresses, competitive dungeon runs and much more. One of the most notable features is the large scale keep assaults players can participate in where players must deal not only with the imposing raid bosses within the keep but must also fight off players from the opposing faction who are also fighting for control. With Ncsoft continually updating the game with huge content releases players can expect a long and enjoyable MMORPG experience with Aion

Remember that we are featuring only the most recent free to play MMORPGs so we are not including big free mmorpg classics such as Maplestory, Ragnarok Online, RuneScape, and others. We wanted to include all the relevant MMORPG games but we can only choose 10.

With these and other great free games on the market, 2012 promises to be an amazing year for MMORPG lovers. So grab your weapon of choice and maybe an energy drink or two and get prepared for thrills to last a lifetime.

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Path of Exile - Open Beta

The free-to-play action RPG Path of Exile now has an open beta date stamped on it. Developer Grinding Gear has announced that the game will be in a public state on January 23, 2013.

Path of Exile is a free-to-play fantasy action RPG, and according to the game's official website, features "a strong barter-based online item economy, deep character customisation, competitive PvP and ladder races."The game is currently in a closed beta state, with the game's first two acts playable. When the game hits open beta, a character wipe will be done and the entire third act of the game will be added. Before the date hits, Grinding Gear will be increasing the number of beta testers, community events, and beta key giveaways. The developer has not announced the date for the full version of the game yet.

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