Product Reviews
Developer Snowblind Studios follows up the acclaimed Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance with an action-oriented take on yet another established role-playing game series in Champions of Norrath: Realms of EverQuest. As in Dark Alliance, players will experience the same style of sword-swinging combat, spell casting, and character development, albeit in a game based on Sony's persistent world of EverQuest. Up to four players can form a party -- online or on the same system -- as they begin a storyline set 300 years before the original computer game. The adventure will commence in the besieged forest city of Kelethin, where players must stave off an orc and goblin invasion, but will continue to many different locales within the EverQuest universe, including the Plane of Hate. Players will be able to improve their character's abilities by casting spells and using items, and some classes like clerics will gain experience by helping others and staying true to their character. To simulate the ongoing nature of the PC game, Champions of Norrath lets established characters continue their adventure on new difficulty levels that vary in the strength of enemies, experience, and items available. As in Diablo, each of the game's environments is randomly generated, and players can navigate their surroundings using a similar overhead map. A dynamic camera system gives users full control of their surroundings, letting them zoom in or out as the situation dictates. Five available classes include male and female versions of the Barbarian Warrior, Wood Elf Ranger, High Elf Cleric, Dark Elf Shadow Knight, and Erudite Wizard. After naming their characters, players can assign points to strength, dexterity, intelligence, and stamina, with more points becoming available as characters grow in experience. Characters will also develop an estimated 20 different skills, using a tree system similar to the one used in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide