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Having been on the market for over two years now, (Release: June 27, 2001) this review will discuss the past, the present and the future of Anarchy online.
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An Overview
A new breed of MMORPG, one that allows up to 48 distinct combinations of race and profession and introduces an interesting new skill and advancement process. Set on the planet Rubi-Ka, a dangerous new world to explore, you are given the choice of one of three major roles:
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Omni-Tek Employee: The Omni-Tek Corporation, an inter-galactic powerhouse known for its shady dealings has discovered a new resource on this desolate planet and has established mining operations throughout the landscape.
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Clan:
A member of a rebel group of settlers and miners that is fed up with the corporation and bent on supporting anything Anti-Omni.
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Neutrals:
Comprised of groups and individuals who have decided to separate themselves from the two factions and attempt to live out a peaceful existence on Rubi-Ka.
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The past
The well publicized and highly anticipated release of Anarchy Online was just that, Anarchy - Online. With scores of angry gamers trying to beat down their doors, the folks over at Funcom had to regroup, and fast. Numerous crashes, incredible lag and some serious balancing issues plagued the release of the once touted "Everquest killer". The promise of science-fiction action in this unique fantasy world of Rubi-Ka had many gamers excited, but due to the initial release problems many became jaded and never returned. It was Funcom's job to get them back.
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The Present
-- The good
Through countless patches, dedication, an exciting booster pack (The Notum Wars) and good old hard work, Funcom has done just that. Correcting many of its initial foul-ups, AO has become a quite stable and lag-conscious MMORPG. Coming from an experienced Everquest player, one of the things that really intrigued me about AO was the reduction in "camping". The unique concept of customized, dynamic "missions" geared towards you or your party’s abilities was a breath of fresh air for me. Not only did it reduce on the monotony I was used to, but allowed for 30 - 60 minute gaming sessions with a noticeable reward. Indeed this is truly a cool feature.
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The Notum Wars introduced a solid foundation for an oft-controversial element of MMORPGs, PvP. This booster pack allows for the creation, purchase and deployment of loads of high tech equipment which can add bonuses to your faction and organization (guild). Although not perfect, it is definitely a much better system than many others currently out there.
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-- The bad
A definite area of improvement is quests. While it was never meant to be an intricate part of AO, the quest system is "ok" at best. What quests they have implemented (few and far between) cause several bottlenecks in the gameplay and can be extremely buggy at times.
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Although not near what it was, the lag continues to be an outstanding issue. Even on Rubi-ka2 (The second server) where there is a reduced player population in comparison to the first server, the lag is still noticeable and often complained about.
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The future and beyond....
With their new expansion "Shadowlands" slated for release in late July, 2003 Funcom can definitely be proud of the hole they've begun to dig themselves out of. Shadowlands promises two new professions and a vast number of new play areas as well as interesting new features such as profession specializations and of course, what would an MMORPG expansion be without more loot! While not quite an "Everquest killer", Funcom has brought AO a long ways and it is definitely well worth taking a look at!
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