Champions of Norrath

Sony Online Entertainment’s newest console addition to the EverQuest universe is impressive indeed. In fact, the amount of content Champions of Norrath offers is almost too much of a good thing (if that’s even possible).

Developed by Snowblind Studios, the company behind the original Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance, Champions of Norrath offers up the deepest dungeon crawling experience in the console universe to date.

Champions‘ list of features reads like a perfect recipe for success. There are five playable character classes each with a wide variety of customization, including the ability to name your own avatar. All the dungeons in the game, save the city hubs that connect the whole world together, are randomly generated so that each and every time you play the game the experience is different. There are more than 10,000 randomly generated items in the game, and players can even modify them to create their own unique items. The list, as they say, goes on and on.

But perhaps the biggest and best piece of the Champions puzzle is the fact that the game can be played online with friends. Using the Network Adapter, PlayStation 2 gamers can take Champions online to explore and level up their characters. In fact, the game has three different difficulty settings so that you can play it again with your leveled-up avatars.

This title can be played offline as well. In fact, you can insert or remove your character from an adventure any time you want. Play with three friends at Jimmy’s house, and when his mom kicks you out for being a deviant, you can download your character to a memory card, and then continue playing with different players online.

All told, Champions of Norrath is a very compelling dungeon crawler. The ability to play online definitely makes it a standout in the sea of recent releases in the genre. However, the game isn’t perfect. At times, it bogs down from the sheer amount of content it offers. Sometimes I felt like I almost had too many items to wade through or too many pointless dungeons to clear.

These simple complaints aside, if you love leveling up and searching for the latest and greatest weapon for your characters, you really can’t go wrong with Champions of Norrath. It’s a solid game that gets even better if you have the ability to go online and set out on adventures with other players from around the world.

Concept:
Use the EverQuest license to create an all-encompassing dungeon crawler

Graphics:
The graphics and effects are top-notch in the genre

Sound:
Obviously done by someone who has watched The Lord Of The Rings too many times (and that’s a good thing)

Playability:
It’s all about the hack n’ slash, however the battles still manage to be fairly challenging

Entertainment:
If you love dungeons and finding items, you can’t go wrong here

Replay:
High

Rated: 8.75 out of 10
Editor: Andy McNamara
Issue: February 2004

2nd Opinion:
With four-player online play, and the original Dark Alliance team fueling the development fires, you’d think that Champions of Norrath would be an easy pick over Dark Alliance II. As it turns out, both games excel in different ways and are equally rewarding. Norrath’s greatest strength is its ability to make gamers come back for more. Both the online and single-player components have legs. With random dungeon generation, three difficulty settings (which require higher level characters), and over 10,000 items, there’s more than enough content here. While both games play very similarly, Dark Alliance II edges out Norrath with little additions along the lines of dual-wielding and sprinting. Norrath is better suited for players who seek extensive multiplayer, whereas Dark Alliance II is the perfect fit for those who simply want a polished adventure to play through once.

Rated: 8.5 out of 10
Editor: Andrew Reiner

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Everquest II: Sentinel’s Fate

The sixth expansion of the groundbreaking Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) EverQuest II franchise, EverQuest II: Sentinel’s Fate is an all-in-one compilation pack which transports players into a universe of legend and lore where adventures are just the beginning. The fabled lands of Odus, filled with epic quests, magnificent dungeons and limitless content provide the ultimate MMORPG experience for new players and seasoned veterans alike.

All-In-One Compilation Pack
As an all-in-one compilation pack, Sentinel’s Fate contains all five previous expansion packs and three adventure packs for EverQuest II. Together this provides for the most complete overall EverQuest II playing experience to date, and presents the next chapter of the EverQuest II legacy which will be written and rewritten by the passion of players and fueled by the hunger for adventure.

Gameplay
EverQuest II is one of the preeminent MMO’s in PC gaming market, and as such gameplay in the Sentinel’s Fate expansion pack sticks with the classic RPG elements that have made the series one of the most popular since its 2004 release. Set in the fictional world of Norrath, players create a character from a variety of available races and character classes and subclasses. From there they are free to quest to their heart’s delight, by themselves or more likely in the company of members of guilds that they join or create. Success in these quests earn individual characters and their guilds rewards that can be used to aquire new in-game equipment and abilities that are crucial to leveling up characters and proceeding through the game. As with all MMO’s, socialization is a major component of the game, encouraged by features such as voice chat, a mail system, global chat channels, and a global marketplace where items can be sold and/or traded. The game requires an Internet connection and a paid subscription for online play. A 30-day subscription is included with the purchase price.

Key Game Features

• Includes the new expansion pack, plus the entire award-winning content from five previously released expansion packs and three adventure packs.
• Explore up to 90 levels of breathtaking content in more than 300 expansive and dangerous environments both new and nostalgic.
• Two expansive new overland zones to discover, The Sundered Frontier and Stonebrunt Highlands.
• 12 new dungeons to battle through.
• 400 new quests based on the legend of Odus.
• Five new Heritage Quests with valuable new loot.
• Over 2,000 new weapons, pieces of armor and items.
• All new alternate advancement abilities to expand your arsenal of powers.
• Hundreds of new dangerous and cunning creatures.
• Up to a 7-day headstart of gameplay access before the digital release.
• Coveted Guarding of the Reasoned in-game armor piece to provide extra protection on your journey.
• $10 Sentinel’s Fate digital download discount coupon for Station Store and 500 Station Cash to spend on virtual items.
• Legends of Norrath The Fall of Erudin scenario.
• Free 30-day subscription included for new accounts.

System Requirements:

Everquest II: Sentinel’s Fate

The sixth expansion of the groundbreaking Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) EverQuest II franchise, EverQuest II: Sentinel’s Fate is an all-in-one compilation pack which transports players into a universe of legend and lore where adventures are just the beginning. The fabled lands of Odus, filled with epic quests, magnificent dungeons and limitless content provide the ultimate MMORPG experience for new players and seasoned veterans alike. In addition, Collector’s Edition bonus items include: an exclusive in-game mount and collectible figurine and DVD documentary.

All-In-One Compilation Pack
As an all-in-one compilation pack, Sentinel’s Fate contains all five previous expansion packs and three adventure packs for EverQuest II. Together this provides for the most complete overall EverQuest II playing experience to date, and presents the next chapter of the EverQuest II legacy which will be written and rewritten by the passion of players and fueled by the hunger for adventure.

Gameplay
EverQuest II is one of the preeminent MMO’s in the PC gaming market, and as such gameplay in the Sentinel’s Fate expansion pack sticks with the classic RPG elements that has made the series one of the most popular since its 2004 release. Set in the fictional world of Norrath, players create a character from a variety of races and character classes and subclasses. From there they are free to quest to their heart’s delight, by themselves or more likely in the company of members of guilds that they can join or create. Success in these quests earn individual characters and their guilds rewards that can be used to aquire new in-game equipment and abilities that are crucial to leveling up characters and proceeding through the game. As with all MMO’s, socialization is a major component of the game, encouraged by features such as voice chat, a mail system, global chat channels, and a global marketplace where items can be sold and/or traded. The game requires an Internet connection and a paid subscription for online play. A 30-day subscription is included with the purchase price for new accounts.

Key Game Features

• Collector’s Edition bonus items: The exclusive Highlands Stalker in-game mount and collectible figurine; “EverCracked! The Phenomenon of EverQuest” DVD Documentary.
• Includes the new Sentinel’s Fate expansion pack, plus the entire award-winning content from five previously released expansion packs and three adventure packs.
• Explore up to 90 levels of breathtaking content in more than 300 expansive and dangerous environments both new and nostalgic.
• Two expansive new overland zones to discover, The Sundered Frontier and Stonebrunt Highlands.
• 12 new dungeons to battle through.
• 400 new quests based on the legend of Odus.
• Five new Heritage Quests with valuable new loot.
• Over 2,000 new weapons, pieces of armor and items.
• All new alternate advancement abilities to expand your arsenal of powers.
• Hundreds of new dangerous and cunning creatures.
• Up to a 7-day headstart of gameplay access before the digital release.
• Coveted Guarding of the Reasoned in-game armor piece to provide extra protection on your journey.
• $10 Sentinel’s Fate digital download discount coupon for Station Store and 500 Station Cash to spend on virtual items.
• Legends of Norrath The Fall of Erudin scenario.
• Free 30-day subscription included for new accounts.

System Requirements: