Into Norrath... Again

EverQuest II.

I can honestly say I have never looked forward to anything outside my family life as much as I have the opening of EverQuest II. To illustrate, the computer from which I am posting this blog was purpose-built to run that game. Yes, I was looking forward to it. A bit.

Somewhere between the character sculpting tools, the rich and cinematic musical score and the remarkable EQ2Players website, I fell in love with a game. Almost every feature on my "want list" in a massively-multiplayer online game is present in EverQuest II. It takes very little effort to become immersed in the new world of Norrath (a world 500 years after the events of the original EverQuest). Roleplay in such a richly detailed and sumptuous world are as close to effortless as it gets, and with such a panoply of interesting races it truly feels as though there are no "cookie-cutter characters".

I was able to create my characters well in advance of launch, thanks to Sony's wise decision to release the character generation tools to those who had pre-ordered the game. I will say, there was no greater ally to me than to have friends over to play with the character tools. It sold more copies of EQ2, and gave me a local group to game with. Playing with character creation was a fun and engaging actity which raised a huge amount of interest.

Once in-game, however, all that was forgotten. From the gorgeous terrain to the beautiful lighting effects, sounds and music, it was breathtaking. And that says nothing about the game play, which is itself impressive. The mechanics are innovative enough to make gameplay engaging and interesting, while being easy and accessible enough for younger and casual players. And it's only gotten better as new expansions have been released.

Please forgive the effusiveness of this post, but what I tell you is the truth. I enjoyed (and continue to enjoy) the experience, artistry and community of EQ2, and hope to do so for a long time to come. It is true, I have played other games during my stay in Norrath (notably Star Wars Galaxies, EVE Online, Anarchy Online, RF Online, The Matrix Online, World of Warcraft, Dungeons & Dragons Online, Lord of the Rings Online and, most recently, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes), but I keep returning to EQ2.

I will write more about these other games and my experiences there, and I will attempt to curb my... shall we say, robust praise. My future entries will provide more detailed and critical looks at these games with a frank look at my biases (not everyone shares the same tastes, and many will disagree with my views -- I feel it best to be open about why I feel as I do).

My next entry will discuss the nuts-and-bolts details of EverQuest II and why it remains a solid choice for those seeking good value for their gaming dollar.

Your forbearance is greatly appreciated.