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Very Promising, definite EQ killer

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 18 / 44
Date: May 31, 2001
Author: Amazon User

After spending 7 horrendous months on Everquest, Anarachy Online looks to be a saving grace. A completely new, unexplored world awaits. The futuristic setting is very attractive, and, unlike Everquest, this game changes based on PLAYER decisions. Where Everquest falls short, this game prevails. And that is saying ALOT.

I already see Everquest loyalists saying bad things about this game, mainly because they are afraid that their game is going to be wiped out by Anarchy Online. That may very well be so. I definitely call that an act of cowardice. It is best to try this game before you trash it. Everquest is a very dated game, and even the expansion that is coming out this winter, which promises to deliver a complete overhaul to the graphics and gameplay engine, it is still going to fall short.

Anarchy Online is going to end in 4 years. It may be difficult to invest 4 years into a game like this. Personal lives will definitely be affected. However, I will not let this game do that to me. Everquest was very addictive, but i found that reality is more attractive than a fake online game. Nevertheless, Anarchy Online has many qualities that put it above EQ.

The Player decisions will directly affect the game's outcome in 4 years. Game Masters, or GM's, will take the role of important In-Game characters, such as the leader of one of the many factions in the game, and assign certain players with outstanding records with tasks that range from espionage to all out assaults on enemy installations! The inclusion of in-game apartments are a very welcome change from the 'camping' system of Everquest. With your virtual apartment, you have a place to store your hard-earned items and cash, rather than having a very limited bank system as in EQ. There will be many social environments, such as bars and dance clubs where interaction with other players will be crucial and encouraged. There are many weapons to choose from, ranging from hand to hand to firearms. The futuristic setting looks gorgeous and the game is shaping up to be VERY promising. Watch out EQ, it looks like you're about to be kicked off your throne.

The future of gaming

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 13 / 30
Date: May 09, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Anarchy Online is the future of Gaming, there is no doubt about it. I felt like writing a review because I have so much confidence in this game of being the best in its kind surpassing EQ, UO, and AC in all aspects. First of all this game is not all about killing and experience, ya if you want to be stronger and go on quests you will want to fight monsters but in this game you can just stay in your city and party. Dancing going to the bar is very cool and it will appeal to many players who are not into all that fighting and experience gaining. There is great variety in this game also by having many different faces and outfits to show off your creative self. I am going to pre-book this game for sure and I hope to see many of you online!! :)

It's getting better!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 18
Date: July 18, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Back at June 27th, I might have given this game a mediocre (2-3 star) rating because of its instability. FunCom has actually been working on it, and it is getting more and more stable and less laggy with each patch. I don't want to get into much detail about the instability and lag, it's depressing.

All that melancholy aside, on to the actual gameplay, something that has hardly been touched. I play-tested this game, and it was excellent! It looked very polished, except that my pitiful PC forces me to look at the ground in most areas.

Auto-content Generation (ACG)

This is the best feature of the game. You no longer have to camp an area for hours, or even days, to get something you want. You just head to the nearest mission terminal, set a few options, hit Generate, and you can pick up a variety of missions, that actually work now! Some will challenge you with finding a person, or [geting] them. An automatic mission generator builds your own mission area that only you and those you give duplicate keys to can enter. Most areas will involve combat, but playing with the mission settings can reduce the amount of enemies considerably, such as setting the Physical - Myst slider to "Myst".

Huge World

It took me about 10-20 minutes to run from one side of a playfield to the other! This world is huge, and the weather effects are a nice feature! If you don't want to spend all this time running across a playfield, train on your travelling skills, like run speed and Vehicle:Ground. If you have enough money, you can buy a vehicle (which is permanently bound to your cell structure, so you may never lose it) and drastically reduce your travel time. Then there's always the Grid. You can use it to 'teleport' to other Grid access panels from any point in the world. Grid travel requires a high Computer literacy skill, however. Then you have your traditional two-way teleporters called whom-pah's, yadda, yadda.

A Support Team that Cares

They haven't got all the dents out in C-S yet (such as telephone support), but in my experience, the support team is excellent. A.R.K. is a group of FC employees and player volunteers that show up when you petition, and they are extremely helpful...when you can get to them. My only gripe with the support team is the slow response-time. You could petition them, then two hours later they will respond when you have already solved the problem on your own. Maybe this is a customer support feature? If Customer Support can't help you, the community might. The players, for the most part, are helpful and patient to newbies. The manual is a bit thin, but it provides some great propaganda from both the Rebels and Omni-Tek!

One other thing: considering the scope of this game, the graphics are amazing, and the sound is great.

Bottom line: WAIT! Just as Rome wasn't built in a day, Rubi-ka will not be perfected in a single month!

This is an updated review because now AO is FULLY PLAYABLE

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 22
Date: July 24, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Anarchy Online(AO) did have major launching problems with things like stability, lag(which is still an issue in cities), and CD keys not being able to be registered. First off people are whining about these problems, but they should know that every massive online game is gonna have issues when it first comes out because companies like Funcom can never predict what problems might occur when there are thousands of people on a server. Besides these inicial problems, AO is definitely hands down, the best MMORPG. AO could be considered the best in its class because if offers everything games like EQ(Ever Quest) have and more, such as the ability to take on a mission at anytime. The graphics of AO are definitely far above average, with there amazing lighting, lush detailed enviroments, and even more detailed characters. The sound of AO is simply amazing with the orchestrated music as you walk over a hill as the sun is setting. The gameplay is much like EQ with some new twist and turns that make the game more addictive and fun. Overal Anarchy Online is by far the best MMORPG and any gamer should pick this title up.

The only review you should read....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 28
Date: August 23, 2001
Author: Amazon User

If you've been researching this game and reading the published web site reviews you've surely noticed the trend to mention the great potential this game has. Then the reviewers give the game a low score because of current bugs, etc. EverQuest is probably the single most successful game currently available. However, go back and read the reviews that popped up when it was first released. EQ was also plagued by bugs and connection issues and thus received a low score. Folks, when it comes to these monumental online games, it's impossible for an open Beta test to truly cover all the bases.

Let me be the first person to review on potential and not bugs and other issues that will surely go away in the near future. Anarchy Online is gorgeous! If you have the horsepower to crank up all the detail settings you are in for a real treat. The other night I stood atop a distant mountain range and watched thunderheads roll across the valley below, peppered with the flashes of lightning bolts. Yesterday I was treking across a desert with friends when a sandstorm swept its way across the dunes. The red clouds of dust and sand filled my screen with horizontal patterns while I endeavored to watch my compass and stay on course.

In many ways AO is simply EQ with a sci-fi twist. Anyone who's played EQ will find many gameplay and interface similarities. The gameplay makes use of "nano-technology". To make it simple for those coming from EQ, nanos=magic, nano-programs=spells, nono-technicians=wizards, etc.

Yes there are some bugs and connectivity problems. They've drastically improved recently and will only get better in the near future. As you read those other published reviews keep in mind what I've said here. If you're still unsure in regard to the bugs, etc...wait another month and dive in!

and the line you were waiting for....Anarchy Online completely blows EverQuest to kingdom come. Try it, you'll like it.

This game now Rocks!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 10
Date: February 28, 2002
Author: Amazon User

When this game was first released it was a nightmare! I quit playing after about a month of suffering. I started playing again about 5 months again and IT IS GREAT!! The developers have really worked hard and have improved the games playablity. It is also apparent that they have been listening to the players. Once you begin playing and reading the forums, you'll see the changes they have made and how they really seem to care about the players more than the other current MMORPG's out there. Plus, the response times of GM's and the helpfulness and friendliness they diplay is far superior than in other MMORPGs as well. Trust me! I've played them all! It's really bad having to wait 30 min to 2 hours for a response as I have been told to in the past in other games. All in all this is currently the best MMORPG out there for your money and with the current storyline playing out, it should continue attracting players.

Great graphics, great RP and great design

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: December 16, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Anarchy Online came out after the trilogy of Ultima Online / EverQuest / Asheron's Call. It learned from many of their mistakes and right out of the gate presented a fun, immersive world.

There is more 'context' to this game than to most of the other MMORPGs out there. You are on a mining planet which a corporation is trying to get rich from. You can join the side of that corporation, the side of the rebels fighting against them, or be neutral in the middle.

Other MMORPGs featured varying levels of customization - maybe the skin, maybe a hairstyle. Anarchy Online went full tilt into this fun and let you customize just about ANYTHING. Choose which race you want to be. Choose from a wide range of classes, each with its own skills. Choose skin color, facial details, and much more.

As this is a future world, there is "nano-technology". This means you can enhance your abilities both by using the skills you want to do better in, or enhancing yourself the scientific way.

The training missions are good and get you involved in your world. There's no "hunting for friends" - you are already starting as part of a big team that has a clear agenda. You can then choose to work on missions to help your team out, or just wander around and do what you want. You can form groups within your team to take on special challenges, or you can go it alone.

The graphics are great, from the wildernesses to the big cities to the swamps and marshes. There's both the high-tech of a future world and the low-tech of the planet you're on. The monsters are really great, and in the training area you run into "L33Ts" who spout off hilarious L33T-Speak!!

While other MMORPGs tend to have lots of people who are in it for "gaining lots of points" and don't care much about actual roleplay, Anarchy Online is great for its level of roleplay. People really do get into their characters, and talk about the aims of the group and the missions involved instead of going on "experience point quests" to "get my character to the next level."

We've played every MMORPG that has come out to test it and get screenshots. Anarchy Online is one of the few that we actually kept an account for and continued to play. We still find it great fun, and the constant improvements make the world even better as it matures.

A new generation of MMORPG

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 14
Date: June 15, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I played asheron's call for months, and some of my friends tried EQ. I've only been in beta of this for a few hours, but it has tons of potential. Many missions are generated at the time you recive them making them unique and unable to be camped. The story of the game is completly dependant on the people playing the game with the whole Clans Vs Omni thing, which should be a lot of fun when it gets released. I havn't explored every aspect of this game yet obviously, but if they fix a few of the bugs, and then continue to do semi-regular good updates, on a monthy basis or so, the retail version should be great.

The first Sci-Fi MMORPG, and it works!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 27
Date: August 29, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Let's be honest, the first three weeks of AO's release were miserable for players and, I would imagine, Funcom. Funcom spent an incredible amount of time making AO an enjoyable, playable product. The initial problems have been corrected, and aside from a few minor issues, the game is in a very playable state. When considering buying AO, keep the following in mind: First: This is *very* much a Sci-Fi game. You won't find any pixies or goblins, and aside from a rather beautifully rendered area called Avalon (Which contains Camelot), the majority of cities are futuristic. You can still hack and slash with melee weapons, but Funcom managed to make range weapons a viable choice for primary combat. Second: If you're looking for an update to UT or Half-Life, look elsewhere. This game is based in a persistent world, in which character development is the primary gauge of progress. Like other MMORPGs before it, much of the action and interaction with the world is text based. You'll still get plenty of adrenaline kicks if you get into it, but that's not the focus. Third: Unlike EverQuest, AO allows for very individualized characters and professions. You can, for example, play a Doctor that uses piercing weapons, specializes in jet piloting, and constructs heavy weapons as a trade skill. The old "Cookie-Cutter Syndrome" of EQ has been mitigated by Funcom's creative and well-implemented Improvement Points system. Finally: Anarchy Online is ***FUN*** . Unlike EverQuest, you won't spend 15 minutes in between each fight, or lose 10 hours of experience per death. If you specialize in treatment, you can heal yourself effectively, cutting back on downtime tremendously. Clearly, Funcom made AO to be a fast-paced game, rather than a mind-numbing dirge of repetitive tedium, a la EQ. AO is much more light-hearted and player-centered than EQ... You won't feel like there's a vengeful Dungeon Master trying to ruin your gaming experience at all costs. AO has its problems, but in light of other games in the genre, it is a solid game with definite staying power. Don't hesitate to try it out!

Best Online game ever!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 12
Date: October 25, 2001
Author: Amazon User

This is the best MMORPG I have played so far! Its far better than EQ, AC, UO, and the newest game, Dark Age of Camelot.

The graphics are fantastic, and I never get tired of playing. And the game is not as bugged as some people would like you to think. Great gameplay with lots and lots of depth!

I would recommend this to all fans of roleplaying games!

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