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EverQuest II: The Fallen Dynasty


The Far East just got a whole lot closer
Words: Susan Barnes

When EverQuest II launched, we were promised plenty of online role-playing quests and immersive story lines. The new Asian-themed Fallen Dynasty adventure pack delivers that in a convenient, low-cost downloadable chunk.

In order to gain access to the Tower of the Four Winds and its quests, players must gain favor with the nearby villagers. As you progress through the quest line, you learn about the pirates who are invading the area, a mysterious missing tome and the Whistling Fists Clan of Monks.

Like the rest of EverQuest II, the new outdoor zones are gorgeous. Much of the adventure pack was designed in Taiwan, and the zones have a distinctive feel that set them apart from the rest of the game. There is no new armor, but the new samurai weapons look like they will slice into enemies into sushi.

Anyone can enjoy the starting quests in the Village of Shin, but you’d better be at or near level 55 if you want to venture into the hostile area called Mystic Lake. Solo instances in the Tower of the Four Winds scale to your level, but if you’re not a Scout, Mage, or some other player who can pour on a lot of damage in a short amount of time, you won’t be able to complete them in the time given. To add insult to injury, you get no experience for the monsters you do kill in the solo missions if you don't finish; you only get XP for completing the mission. So it's all or nothing - bleh. Of course, if you go in with a group instead of solo, you'll be fine.

tekno1

Final Fantasy XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan

Review Scoring Details for FINAL FANTASY XI: Treasures of Aht Urhgan


Gameplay: 9.0
It's really the first large-scale multi-platform game going; the controls are solid, gone is the overly complicated feel of the last expansion, now players are rewarded with a game that is as much a joy to control as it is to play.

Graphics: 8.8
Again with the kick-butt looking monsters, environments look great and the game only has slowdown in the rough "besieged" mode, which is only a problem because when the monster comes a calling and everyone is called to defend the city, everyone wants to play so the processing becomes so bogged down with the hundreds of people joining in the battle.

Sound: 8.0
I almost would have preferred this on my 360 just because I can only imagine how it sounds being pumped out of a seven-speaker system. But I must say it does sound pretty good coming out of my computer's speakers. Monster noises, in-game sound effects are sound clear and strong.

Difficulty: Medium/hard
It is what you put into it, but the developers also made a game that is a challenge to all. For some that may mean a moderate challenge, for others a very difficult one, the point is when you are dealing with these massive online adventures you need to err on the side of the more difficult so as to create a challenge for all players.

Concept: 8.9
It's great, one of the best "comeback" expansions out there. It has completely reinvigorated FFXI and is drawing entirely new players to the fold.

Multiplayer: 9.1
A great game to keep up your online time. With the addition of the new modes for combat, players will constantly be challenged. I have a buddy who is probably going to be getting a divorce because of this game and all the time he spends playing it (joking).

Overall: 8.8
A great experience for those who want to really walk the mile. It a solid expansion that not only refreshes the original title, but is good enough to pull gamers into it that never even played FFXI.

courtesy of PC gamezone.com

tekno1

The Movies:Stunts & Effects
Review by Tyler Whitney

The Movies: Stunts and Effects is the latest installment for the hit game from Activision and Lionhead studios. The latter developer is best known for it’s creator, Peter Molyneux, the gaming genius behind such titles as Black and White, Fable and the timeless classic, Populous.
The Movies itself is another god-type game, only one that pits you in the middle of the Hollywood scene, managing a movie studio, crafting films, tending to your lot and more.

Inherently, The Movies is one of the deepest, and most replayable games around. No two movies will ever be alike, nor will any studio really resemble past incarnations. Add to this the wealth of new additions ranging from sets, costumes, stunts/stunt “persons”(gotta be politically correct these days ya know…). You can’t go wrong with value here. There is an unlimited amount, and with the player generated content floating around, you can only find more and more things to enjoy.



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The Movies: Stunts and Effects is a great addition to an already stellar title. The new features only add to the immense fun-factor and “sandbox” feel you reap from this game. However, $29.99 for an expansion (only $10 less than the original) may be a tad steep for some folks, and even though there is a nice chunk of content, it doesn’t necessarily reinvent the wheel…well, unless that wheel is set ablaze and covered in poisonous spike.
Despite the cost, no true fan of the original game should go without this solid add-on.

Desiree

I play Monopoly on the computer its better then trying to reach across the game board or sorting all the fake money out. I love it I can play with a real person online or I can play with a computer oppenent and its still strategic and fun.