Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach
- January 09, 2006 00:00 AM PST
Can Dungeons and Dragons Online, the O.G. RPG, rise to conquer its successors?
You enter a dark, dank cave, and detect the copper-tinged scent of freshly-spilled blood. Ahead, a door slams shut, and you hear faint giggling on the other side. To the north, a dais shines with a throne and treasure chest. But something skitters across the ceiling, and drops in front of you. Time for a saving roll!The Virtual Dungeon Master
If you grew up playing the paper and pen version of Dungeons & Dragons, the fantasy action in D&D Online: Stormreach, will be instantly familiar. In D&D Online, the DM (or Dungeon Master for you noobs) narrates the action, enhancing your sensations by laying textures of detail just like your real-life DM in the classic game. When you roll to attack, your trusty 20-sided die appears onscreen. The result is an instantly and unquestionably Dungeons & Dragons experience...but standard gaming enthusiasts and, ironically, some serious role-players, may find these elements heavy-handed and distracting. Similarly, D&D Online's dependence on group experiences may alienate some casual gamers, just like World of WarCraft's endgame.
The Live Experience
D&D Online, from the developers of the moderately popular MMO Asheron's Call, takes players into the franchise's Eberron world of campaign settings, and offers a vast array of character customization, starting with your standard D&D character sheet and advancing into a vast array of physical attributes. Fine details like encumbrance and spell preparation make the game more stat-heavy and, frankly, more complicated than World of WarCraft, falling closer in line with Everquest II. This is shaping up to be an MMO for RPG zealots, not the faint of heart.
D&D Online's smooth interface offers a fully customizable heads-up display, and the state-of-the-art visuals put the game a firm notch above Everquest II and World of WarCraft. If you've longed for a proper Dungeons & Dragons experience, D&D Online is in prime position to deliver. Look for our final verdict soon.
