What We Liked..
Realistic Ortiental atmosphere
Rather exciting
Battle system that works well with the game
.. and what we didn't
The game's main shortcoming is its technical qualities
Age of Wulin is a free-to-play MMORPG directly from China off of which all of the game's lore and environment is based. Age of Wulin’s gameplay also has a strong Chinese base, featuring martial art moves and abilities in place of the usual fantasy setting and abilities that are found in MMORPGs.
Once you create your character the game lets you pick one out of eight Schools of martial arts which decide the base attributes to which your character will have access . Luckily every skill is available to each class, leaving the game with a lot of customization.
Periodically Age of Wulin adds new content in the form of competitions which are
essential to your success, building your School based stats and also giving you access to new skills You have the choice to either improve your hand-to-hand combat skills or instead, other equally important disciplines that have their own advantages compared to hand-to-hand combat.
If you're interested in a world of Oriental legend proportions, Age of Wulin is a game you must try
What We Liked..
Immersive sci-fi atmosphere
RTS elements
A lot of complexity for hardcore gamers
.. and what we didn't
Difficult for beginners
Small community (but it's still a closed beta)
Watch the trailer:
When reviewing a MOBA in 2015, the n. #1 question to address is: do we really need another one? Is there anything original enough to make it worth playing? The short answer, in Supernova's case, is yes.
Apart from the original-but-not-so-much sci-fi \ space setting (which at least is not the same ol' fantasy one), Supernova brings an appreciated dose of strategy and complexity thanks to its RTS elements: minions don't spawn at predefined intervals to follow the same, computer-defined path, but are controlled directly by players.
You'll have a tech tree to research, and resources to spend to buy the most appropriate units for your objectives, just like in a RTS game.
This really adds a lot of gameplay opportunities, and we're sure that hardcore players looking for a deep, complex game will find in Supernova a great fit.
What We Liked..
New take on the genre
Easier to pick up than traditional MOBAs
System to disable abusive players
Excellent graphics
.. and what we didn't
Less challenging for seasoned players
Strife is a new MOBA by S2 Games, the maker of Heroes of Newerth. Despite its name, Strife has been trumpeted as the answer to the MOBA genre’s highly competitive - even toxic – community, and playing the game it’s easy to see why. S2 have worked hard to create a softer, more accessible game without compromising on the key elements that make MOBAs so enjoyable.
From changing the farming system so that gold is shared among team members when one makes a successful kill, to the introduction of a rating system that rewards good behavior and bans multiple offenders from in-game chat, Strife is all about encouraging team play and a friendlier online environment. Gamers who love a serious challenge might prefer to stick to the high-stakes play in other MOBAs, but Strife is perfect for new and casual gamers.
It may be easier, but that doesn’t mean it’s without challenge. Strife does try to change things up. There is a giant ape who can be freed by one side to wreak havoc on the other, super useful pet companions to train and customise and a crafting system that rewards loyal players. Far from just being a novice version of a regular MOBA, Strife is a serious step in a more positive direction for the genre, and a great opening point to any gamer who’s hung back from MOBAs so far.
What We Liked..
Good graphics
realistic character movement
excellent map and locations
detailed tactical battles.
.. and what we didn't
Cocky dialogue with misplaced emoticons
dialogue skips very quickly at times.
One of the latest team-building MMO games, Dragonbone Dynasty, has come in with a lot of hype.
Class selection has taken an extra step allowing users to choose the gender as well as the non-playable allies.
Serious thought has been given by the developers into battle tactics allowing you to place your allies in a good position to be of best use.
One of the core elements of Dragonbone Dynasty is combat, and that doesn't disappoint either.
The action is semi-automated with you having the option of removing a move from your character's skill-set altogether to present a more precise, yet lethal combination.
The map size, graphics and character movement and physics are particularly impressive and make playing this game worthwhile.
What We Liked..
Well-written and voiced quest dialogue
Polished graphics
Play in your browser
.. and what we didn't
Full screen mode necessary
Simplistic combat
Watch the trailer:
Genre: managerial, strategy
Setting: fantasy, historical
Graphics: animated artworks
PvP: all vs all guild or factions PvP
Stormfall: Age of War is a browser-based MMO strategy game by developer Plarium.
In the game you must create and upgrade your castle, while also building an army to pillage the castles of other players and defend yourself from their attacks.
While the combat mechanics of Stormfall are not particularly interesting, there is enough to do in this well-crafted game to make up for it.
Between the endless buildings, units and skills to construct and upgrade within your castle, and the different kinds of conquests to plan and execute outside it, the game can almost feel too busy for a beginner.
However, this also ensures that you won’t get bored of Stormfall too quickly – there’s almost always something new to learn.
What We Liked..
It's Star Wars
Morality and conversation system
The customizable personal history of your character
.. and what we didn't
A lot of restrictions on the free-to-play option
Another World of Warcraft clone
Star Wars: The Old Republic is a recently released free to play MMORPG developed by Bioware and published by EA and LucasArts.
On one hand, its RPG aspects are excellent but on the other, its MMO qualities aren't so good. The game's creators definitely opted for the pay-to-win model with this one. The cash shop is graciously supplied and gives too large of an advantage compared to the in game stores.
Off the bat, the game had tons of potential for enjoyment. Its Star Wars licensed storyline and the opportunity to make your own customizable Jedi doppelganger had Star Wars fans hooked since their announcement.
Taking all that into account as well as its excellent graphical presentation this game is a worthy detour for any Star Wars fan looking to immerse themselves in an online community of Star Wars fandom.
What We Liked..
Creature recruitment is a good idea
It's a stylistic delight
.. and what we didn't
Way too much grinding
Technically not as good as the artistic direction
Dragomon Hunter is a free-to-play downloadable MMORPG.
The title presents a typically oriental concept, with deliberately unrealistic characters and a vibrant and colourful game world.
The gameplay is typical of Korean MMORPG, made of fairly repetitive missions with plenty of farming and unrestrained grinding.
To diversify things a bit, there is a system of recruiting defeated enemies, through which we capture monsters and take them back to help us in combat.
Dragomon Hunter, far from representing an excellence in the genre, has proved to be an effective pastime. It's not without flaws, but still manages to entertain and amuse. It is recommended especially if you have a soft spot for the atmosphere and style of manga.
What We Liked..
Realistic strategic warfare
Long-term game
Rewarding social aspects
.. and what we didn't
Unattractive graphics
Very slow progression
No sounds and music
Setting: city, fantasy, historical
Graphics: animated artworks
PvP: all vs all guild or factions PvP
Thirty Kingdoms by Bytro Labs is a free to play empire building strategy game for web browsers. As the ruler of your kingdom, the gameplay will have you look after your provinces by managing your resources, building new structures from well fleshed out tech trees, and players will need to expand by taking over hostile territories. To do that, players can build up an army of various units and send them away in real time to do battle, and the outcome is decided by multiple realistic factors such as army morale and terrain.
The most interesting thing about Thirty Kingdoms is its level of realism, and actions such as moving armies and building structures will take a long time to complete. Game progression will be slow which means that not everyone will enjoy it. However, the game does provide multiple socializing options that allows for diplomatic and cunning styles of play.
Thirty Kingdoms is a good immersive kingdom building game that offers hours of fun that lasts for prolonged periods of time. While the graphics are minimal and there are no in-game sounds, players who enjoy strategy games without the hassle of additional downloads or slow internet will definitely find something to like in Thirty Kingdoms.
What We Liked..
Unique hero system
Large player base
Neat UI
.. and what we didn't
Steep learning curve
Graphics
Genre: strategy, war, managerial
Setting: city, historical
Graphics: plain text and images
PvP: guild or factions PvE PvP
Travian is a 2D browser-based military strategy game that was released in 2004 to critical acclaim. For strategy enthusiasts, the game features resource management and empire building in the early game which supplements its mid-game combat and PVP expansion gameplay.
The hero system is a unique feature that allows players to explore an alternate RPG progression, by embarking their heroes on quests and missions to gain powerful equipment which will aid in attacking and defending villages.
While Travian isn't a perfect game it is a staple title that offers hours of addictive fun to players seeking a strategic browser-based masterpiece.
What We Liked..
New universe based in ancient Greece
Available directly via Facebook
.. and what we didn't
Pretty similar to games of the same genre
Watch the trailer:
Genre: strategy, war, managerial
Setting: city, historical
Graphics: animated artworks
PvP: guild or factions PvP
Developed by Plarium, Sparta: War of Empires offers enjoyable albeit rather typical browser game entertainment, which is a mixture of strategy and war, with a few characteristics that set it apart from its brethren.
In addition to the usual game processes and progression, Sparta: WOE gives you the added option of enlisting help from King Leonidas and his Spartan army, using a combination of strategy and diplomacy.
Graphically, the game is very well presented: the artworks are rather inspired and the environment and design of the buildings work well.
Finally, the fully voiced dialogues and immersive soundtrack add more points to the atmosphere.
Sparta: War of Empires is good title – even if ultimately it does not offer anything special, the setting in historical Greece brings a little novelty of its own, and all the traditional aspects of a browser game are implemented in a convincing manner.