Gamers dread that sequence of events; I've tiptoed a new character around for hours to survive the horror of level 0 stats. Most roleplaying games aren't worth the time. That changed with the release of Origin's Ultima Online in 1997. EverQuest, released in 1999 by 989 Studios, proves that the online environment was the twist needed to resurrect the genre from the ashes of games like Dungeon Master II.
EverQuest catapults ahead of Ultima Online. Attention to detail shows at every level. Not only are the graphics flashy, the game plays well. The character generation system pushes the limits of imagination, with classes like the stock fantasy elven mage to exotic dwarven shadowknights. The world's economy is realistic. Buy, sell, barter, or trade skills like blacksmithing with the shopkeepers and other players.
With thousands of players online, banding together is simple, and a matter of survival. Check out the EQ haven,EverWorld, to find a troupe looking for new members. EverQuest demands cooperation between players. Monsters at level six and above eat solitary heroes as snacks. Honor among thieves is coded into the game- treasure is automatically split among the party, and.you can't mug a player unless you're both using a server designated for just that sort of fun. These features deftly avoid the player-killing goons plaguing Ultima.
Is EverQuest perfect? No. Sometimes the sequence of events runs like this: play, play, lag.. laaagggg...server crash. Low level combat is tedious, coded quests are sometimes pointless, and the game manual is skimpy. Like any roleplaying game, online or off, EverQuest is a work in progress. It's a sublime start. Delve into the world with a few companions, and odds are, you'll get so immersed in the game that the problems fade away.
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