Back in Action

Alright! I know it has been a while since I last posted, but I am back in action and ready to do this right. Let’s get started.

To start, I’d like to say it is great to be able to do some proper gaming once again. I’ve been hitting four games pretty hard in the last week and a half and those are: WAR, EQ2, L4D, and EQ2.

WAR

Whoa – This game is awesome. While I was deployed, I was following mainly Keen and Graev’s and The Greenskin for my WAR news (only two I could get), and it was looking pretty gloomy at one point, but Mythic came through. Keen and Snafzg wrote about the improvements and how Mythic was drastically improving the game almost every day, so while I was still a little worried, there was hope.

I was definitely going to give it a try either way, and I am glad I did. I started off as a Black Guard and have gotten him to rank 10 but playing a tank isn’t really my style, so I made a Zealot. The Zealot is a definite pain to solo PvE, but in RvR, I love him. I enjoy playing a healer in any MMO, and this one is no exception. My Zealot, Odius on Phoenix Throne, is rank 20, and I am finding myself topping or being in at least the top five for healing during most scenarios. I am also lucky in the fact that I have a great guild (Scorn) that is great to play with, and we dominate in RvR often.

Look out for more WAR news because this is a definite keeper for me.

EQ2

I’ve played EQ2 off and on since launch, and I still find it enjoyable. There are plenty of things to do, and since my friend didn’t like WAR and went back to EQ2, I am splitting my time to hang out with him. My Troubadour, Cloy on Antonia Bayle, is currently level 57, and I am having a blast playing him.

I’d like to also thank Stargrace from MMOQuests for reigniting my interest in this game while I was deployed.

L4D and TF2

L4D and TF2 are my current FPS games of choice. I played a lot of TF2 right before I deployed, but it was only about a month. The new upgrade system they have put into the game is really cool, and I look forward to the upgrades for the other classes. As for L4D, what can you expect? I’m a zombie survival horror fan, and this game definitely gives you the feel of that experience. I have played this game a little but am waiting for some buddies to come home still so we can tackle this beast as a team.

All in all, I have a great week and a half of gaming, and these are just some highlights. I will be posting more in depth articles about the individual games as I play them.

WAR Excitement

Apparently, I am missing out on some exciting stuff in Warhammer Online. Not only are they having the Halloween event, but they are having an event called Heavy Metal where players can compete to have the option of playing the new classes early. They, the players, do this by completing special quests that are given daily. This is some pretty exciting stuff. Throw in the fact that they are also releasing a new albeit limited time only scenario, and Mythic has themselves an event worth trying out. I’m really excited for this event even though I can’t play, but I look forward to checking out the opinions of those who can play.

I’m impressed with the way Mythic is handling the issues in WAR. From what I have been reading, they seem to really listen to the player base and make adjustments where appropriate. The simple fact that they are introducing two of the four removed classes (Knight of the Burning Sun and Black Guard) so soon after release is amazing. I was seriously expecting to be waiting for an expansion before seeing these two again.

My hype meter for WAR is still really high. I have guilds in both factions already with people I’ve gamed with for many years in both and just can’t wait to get into it. I’m looking at about 84 days people!!

Jedi Madness Online!

I, of course, am talking about Star Wars: The Old Republic. I like Star Wars and Jedi, but man, this game is going to be swarming with them. Maybe that’s the point? I know Bioware says there is going to be other classes besides Jedi and Sith, but who is going to play them? Here are my concerns:

• Jedi/Sith overpopulation – Honestly, who is going to pass it up?

• Variety – Are there going to be multiple types of Jedi/Sith, or will we be stuck playing a very base class?

• World – This better be huge. I mean, it’s freaking Star Wars…

• PvP – Jedi and Sith are in the game. There better be some hardcore PvP

That’s pretty much all I have on the subject. The last Star Wars MMO was such a let down it is almost hard to believe it can be done right, but Bioware knows how to make a good RPG, so there is hope.

*Note: I’ll be all over this. I’m such a fan boy nerd…*

The Glorious Arcane…

Priests of Fire store your power and bring me the effulgent beauty of Armageddon! Oh how I dance in joy amidst your 9+ Fire power of damage to my opponent and all his creatures. The battle shall be mine… Oh… I was just having a Spectromancer flashback.

After my stint on how I can’t game online while deployed, I happened upon a little demo on Greenhouse called Spectromancer. The game is similar to and, if I am not mistaken, developed by the creator of Magic: The Gathering. So, basically, it’s a virtual trading card game. The amazing thing about it is its simple graphical interface which allows me to play it online off my thumb drive! This is a big deal. You see, I can’t take my laptop to the closest, free net café here, so being able to play it off my thumb drive allows me to use it on the provided computers.

I played the demo version online for about an hour, totally losing track of time, and I felt hooked like I haven’t been since M:TGO. I also sat at work last night playing the sneak peek of the single player campaign and have decided it’s definitely worth the 20 bucks to unlock the whole game. Spectromancer has its downfalls such as will there be more cards or campaign options, but it is a fun little time passer that at least allows me the social aspect of playing online.

Maybe I’ve been out here too long and have lost touch with coolness, but IMO, the Spectromancer demo is worth the download.

On a side note, I added a review for Ninja Gaiden Σ.