1. Misery Index - Traitors
Some of us have the ability to write insanely catchy, memorable, and downright awesome riffs. I am not one of those people. Fortunately for all of us Metal fans, Jason Netherton and Sparky Voyles of Misery Index ARE two of those people. The riff to Occupation alone makes me want to grab the closest blunt object, walk into a crowded place, and just start bashing people's faces in. Trust me, this is a good thing. If you're into heavy music at all, go fucking buy this album, you have no excuse.

2. Bloodbath - The Fathomless Mastery/Unblessing the Purity
Imagine what you would get if you crossed Old School Entombed with over-the-top lyrics, better vocals, and amazingly catchy songs. You'd get Bloodbath's latest offerings from 2008. Unblessing the Purity was released as an EP back in March and Fathomless Master was the full length that followed in October. Every single fan of Death Metal should own this album, it's quite simply their greatest output to date. Listen to Mock the Cross or At The Behest Of Their Death and if you're not headbanging by the end of it you have no soul.

3. Warrel Dane - Praises to the War Machine
I am just about the biggest Nevermore fan in the whole wide world, so when I heard that their frontman was going to be doing a solo album without Jeff Loomis (except for a guest solo on Messenger) I was skeptical. I don't know if it's because 2008 was such an amazingly shitty year for me personally, or if it's just that you can literally feel every emotion ooziong out of this album that makes it so great. Definitely did not listen to any album more that this one throughout the year. Pick it up if you like your music sorrowful, angry, bitter, and catchy.

4. Metallica - Death Magnetic
When I realized where this album was going to end up on my year-end list, I already knew the tremendous amount of shit I was going to receive for it. I don't fucking care, best Metallica album since 1988;'s masterpiece ...And Justice For All. If you disagree with me, fuck you.

5. Facebreaker - Dead, Rotten, and Hungry
Do you like Zombies? I know I sure do! Good thing for you then that Facebreaker (lol at that name) wrote an entire fucking album about Zombies! These guys probably stole all of Grave's instruments and amps after they recorded their last few albums because the tuning sounds exactly the same. Holy shit though if this album doesn't make you want to stand up and start jumping off your couch in glee. Fucking amazing, catchy, and Zombies! I fucking dare you to listen to "Burner" and not run around your office singing "I'm the one that eats your soul!!! Oooooohhh BURNER!!" (not recommended for career longevity). Or the chorus to "Unanimated Flesh", come the fuck on...awesome. I am thrilled I discovered these guys this year, and hope to see more of the same in the future.

6. Gama Bomb - Citizen Brain
2008 was the year of the "Thrash Revival", this is both good and bad. As a child the first Metal I ever listened to was Thrash. The unfortunate thing is that, for the most part, the newer bands trying to do what the older folks did back in the 80s fail miserably at it. there's far more bad shit than good. This is not true for Ireland's Gama Bomb. These guys can play their instruments to perfection, their lyrics are hilarious (Zombies like to get pissed too!!!), and the songs are well written. An absolute must purchase for fans of Thrash at all.

7. Amon Amarth - Twilight of the Thunder God
What can you say about Amon Amrth? They're fucking Vikings for Christ's sake, what more CAN you say? Not a lot except that they write some pretty goddamned awesome Melodic Death Metal. I was worried that they had possibly peaked with their last effort "With Oden On Our Side", but Iw as wrong. Twilight of the Tunder God is every bit as good as WOOOS, if not a bit better in some spots, like the title track for instance.

9. Exmortus - In Hatred's Flame
I never heard of these guys before this year, but man are they good. Thrash-inspired Death Metal with some insane soloing and groovy songs. I mean, come on, the album is called "In Hatred's Flame", do you even have any idea how many people I wish I could set on fire using just my Hatred?

9. Poisonblack - A Dead Heavy Day
Well, well, well, the lead singer of the now defunct Sentenced decided to make a new band called Poisonblack. I had never really heard of these guys either, and was never very into Sentenced, but this album is fucking killer. Groovy, bluesy, angry, bitter, egotistical (Me, Myself, and I), and just flat fucking awesome, especially the first half. Go buy it and stop sucking.

10. Protest The Hero - Fortress
I love Protest The Hero, these guys are truly innovators in the world of Metal. If I had never heard their previous effort "Kezia" I probably would have rated this album much higher on my list. It's really, really, stupid of me to not be more in love with this album, it's heavier than Kezia, and the riff writing is sensational. If you're into thrashy, groovy, A.D.D. inspired Metal, this is right up your alley.

11. Testament - The Formation of Damnation
I waited 9 years for this album. It delivers for sure, but it's no "The Gathering" the 1999 offering from this Thrash powerhouse. The title track in particular will rip your face off, and More Than Meets The Eye may very well be the best Testament song in history. The one thing I have a major problem with is the horribly awful song The Evil Has Landed. Preachy, awful, terrible, bullshit song, and it's the 2nd "real" song on the album? Fuck You.

12. Miseration - Your Demons ~ Their Angels
Now THIS was a fucking surprise. I didn't know this band existed, but I heard it had something to do with the lead singer of Kalmah (who are a fucking awesome band) so I snagged it straight away. Melodic Death Metal at it's finest, and one of the very few times you will ever hear me say "awesome use of keyboards". The song "Seven Are The Sins" makes me happy in my special place. This album was originally released in 2006 actually, but it was on some fuckface label in Europe and never saw the light of day in North America. It has since been re-relased in the U.S. by Lifeforce records. Go buy it!

13. Whitechapel - This is Exile
Mmmmm, brutal death metal, hooray! Another band I just discovered this year, and in a sub-genre that is chock full of complete bullshit these guys shine through. The lyrics are terrible for the most part, but the music itself will have you headbanging at red lights and holding up traffic like the asshole that you are.

14. Warbringer - War Without End
Behind Gama Bomb, these guys are the best thing going in the current Thrash Revivbal. the big difference here is the seriousness of the lyrics, whereas Gama Bomb sings about Zombies who drink beer, Warbringer sings about...well, bringing war. It's fucking awesome Bay Area-inspired Thrash and you should purchase it immediately.

15. Motorhead - Motorizer
This is a first folks. Motorhead is in a Top Albums list for me for the first time in my whole life. This alone should tell you something. This album is Motorhead through and through (read: fucking awesome). From the first song to the very last this album will have you thrashing and cursing and talking in a British accent before the whole thing is over. And seriously, on the song Rock Out, Lemmy actually says "Rock Out, With Your Cock Out, Impress your lady friends!". Need I say more?

16. Illdisposed - The Prestige
Thrashy Melodic Death Metal from Europe. these guys just went through some major lineup changes, but have been around forever, I think most would agree that this is their best output ever. Really great shit.

17. Death Angel - Killing Season
Welcome back to the fold Death Angel, we missed you a really lot. This is a return to "Act III" form for the Bay Area Thrash Titans. I actually got the pleasure of seeing them here in Columbus earlier this year on this tour and it was goddamned fantastic. These guys are back, in a big way, go buy it, listen to it, and punch someone in the throat.

18. Eluveitie - Slania
For me, this was a completely random find. I literally picked up this record based on cover art and band name alone. Something I haven't done in at least a decade. I am thrilled that I did, folk-inspired, epic, Death Metal for your asses. These guys actually toured with Paganfest in 2008, and I am super upset that I missed that tour as these guys are really fantastic. If folky, viking-themed, non-english speaking, epic, awesome Metal is your thing, buy this. And no, I don't know how to prounounce their name, fuck you.

19. Destinity - The Inside
More Thrashy Melodic Death Metal from Europe, who apparently just has better musicians than we do, because the vast majority of bands coming out of Europe lately have just been melting my face. Destinity is no exception, groovy, inspired songwriting and catchy choruses have this album in my rotation on a regular basis.

20. Cryptopsy - The Unspoken King
This doesn't sound like your Daddy's Cryptopsy! In what can only be called a "change in direction", Cryptopsy decided to move away from the ultra technical, (and for the most part very boring) and venture into the land of Groove. The result is...mixed, just about every previous Cryptopsy fan was up in fucking arms about the whole thing. Personally I think it's a step in the right direction, if they can improve upon what has been put down here. Also, I would further suggest to these fine musicians that they no longer address the "internet nerds" as a way of opening their show. It makes you seem like a bunch of fucking amateurs, and as a long time fan of your work, I know thaT you're not. All that aside, this really is a solid Death Metal album, and the first half especially, had me headbanging for months. Check out some of it on their Myspace, if you like it, buy it.

21. Lair of the Minotaur - War Metal Battle Master
Ahhhh, Lair of the Minotaur, I dare you to say that this isn't the best band name in history! These guys are really unclassifiable, but they are fucking awesome. Fantasy-themed lyrics without all the homosexuality usually found in some of the more prominent Power Metal acts. this album, is like getting punched in the face 15 times and loving it. their best offering of their careers, and it's just fucking scary if they can continue to improve on what is an exceedingly unique formula.

22. Origin - Antithesis
Never in your whole life have you heard drumming like this. Also, you've never heard a 9 minute Death Metal EPIC like the title track of Origin's latest offering "Antithesis", seriously. That song alone is worth the price of admission, I would buy the album, skip to it, and then start all over again at the beginning to take it all in. Fucking fantastic and an enormous improvement over their last album.

23. Opeth - Watershed
Opeth is one of my favorite bands of all time, this record however, is not. It may just be that the release of this album was stuck in between too many other things that had my attention at the time, but I just don't know. It doesn't sound as good to my ears as past albums. If you're not familiar with Opeth's work, it's Doomy Death Metal with long songs, excellent lyrics, and some clean singing. They are not to be fucked with, if you like your music depressing, angry, sorrowful, and just awesome, these guys should be checked out in all haste. This IS a good album, it's just not up to par with the rest of Opeth's catalog in my opinion, but it s certainly worth a purchase for songs like "Porcelain Heart" and "The Lotus Eater".

24. Rotten Sound - Cycles
How do you like your Grind? I like mine with an old-school Swedish Death Metal sound, unintelligible lyrics, and shotgun-to-the-face riffs. Which is of course why I love Rotten Sound. These guys are the 2nd best band in Grind (behind Pig Destroyer) and it fucking shows on this album. It's a shame I didn't pick this record up until later in the year, as it likely would have been higher on my list.

25. Scar Symmetry - Holographic Universe Scar Symmetry is one of those great bands that can combine traditional Death Metal growls with excellent clean singing. Their previous effort "Pitch Black Progress" had me riveted for months. I cannot say the same about this album, but that doesn't mean that "Holographic Universe" isn't a good album, far from it, it's a great record. I think this is yet another album that would have been higher on my list provided I could have spent more time with it during the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Cradle of Filth - Godspeed on the Devil's Thunder - Another album that deserves more listens, I'd say that this album offhand is way better than Thornography.

Daylight Dies - Lost to the Living - Doomy, depressing, Death Metal ftw!

Dismember - Dismember - Dismember is fucking BACK, with a vengeance.

The Faceless - Planetary Duality - The Faceless are on of my favorite tech-death bands out there. This album delivers in that department, it also delivers in the "robot" vocals department...which is...strange.

Krisiun - Southern Storm - Fast, brutal, satanic, from Brazil, and awesome.

Meshuggah - Obzen - Easily Meshuggah's best album since Chaosphere, I just couldn't get into it as much as lots of other people did. Perhaps this type of Metal has passed me by...

Soilent Green - Inevitable Collapse in the Presence of Conviction - Groovy, brutal, long song names, from New Orleans, lead singer of Goatwhore, crazy time changes, fucking awesome.

Kataklysm - Prevail - These guys were so over-the-top fucking awesome live that I really hated to not have this album on my Top 25. Bottom line is that this album is a good, solid death metal record, but it is nowhere close to "In The Arms of Devestation".

Biggest Disappointments:

Deicide - 'Till Death Do Us Part - THIS is what you choose to follow your best album in over a decade? Fuck You.

All That Remains - Overcome - What the FUCK happened here? "The Fall of Ideals" was an awesome album, this sounds like you planted your instruments firmly up your asses, ran up and down a flight of stairs, put it to tape, and called it a day.

Children of Bodom - Blooddrunk - Just. Fucking. Stop. You're disgracing yourselves.

Guns 'N Roses - Chinese Democracy - I think Slash should sue Axl for royaLLY fucking up the Guns N Roses name. I waited 15 years for this? Really? Fuck You!

Slipknot - All Hope is Gone - I don't know how it is possible that the same band wrote the first 4 songs of this album and the rest of it, because it goes straight to hell in a fiery handbasket after "Dead Memories" Try harder guys.

Shit I wish I had discovered a lot sooner:

Volbeat - Rock The Rebel/Metal the Devil - Holy shit! What happens when you mix The Misfits, Johnny Cash, Elvis, and Life of Agony together? You get Volbeat. Fucking AWESOME.

The Absence - Riders of the Plague - Blackened Thrashy Melodic Death Metal that is flat fucking awesome. All fans of Metal should own this album, great shit.

Sentenced - The Cold White Light - This whole Genre of Metal was completely lost to me before I discovered Katatonia a few years ago. After hearing this album I plan to go back and purchase Sentenced's entire catalog.

Novembre - The Blue - See above, more melancholy Metal for you here, though the vocals are a bit more harsh. Great shit though! Would listen again! A++++++++!!!!

Overall 2008 was a really excellent year for Metal, especially for me as I discovered a shitload of new bands. The one thing I will say, is that no album on this list is better than 2007's top pick The Black Dahlia Murder's "Nocturnal".

Discuss

Hi. My name is Nighthawk and I'm an achievement whore.

For those of you who don't know, achievements on Xbox is an award you receive for doing something specific in a game. Be it things you would do anyhow like kill however many enemies to things you'd never think to do like collect every hidden item in the game. Most games you buy in the store have achievements that have values that add up to 1000 gamer points (AKA 1000G) - Xbox Live games generally total 200G.

I've always been something of a completionist, but these achievements have gotten me to really take it to another level. I even have a spreadsheet to track what I need to be shooting for, I research the best ways to get an achievement and I always have them in mind while I'm playing. I get frustrated at games that you have to have skill beyond what I possess to get a lot of the achievements (like Guitar Hero III) and I especially get pissy when an achievement is buggy (like the Saints Row 2 all missions Co-op one).

Oh yeah, and I mock Joe for his paltry 9% completion ratio while mine is sitting over 60%.

Basically, this concept has really satisfied both my gaming habit, my desire to research things and my OCD. Of course, it drives people around me a little crazy, but hey... that's the price of being around me I guess.

Discuss

- Nighthawk

11.17.08

Consoles->PC->Consoles Again

I have been a gamer basically my whole life. I've always loved board games, sports and video games. I very distinctly remember the first time I saw a video game. I was about 7 years old and at an ice skating rink when I saw a Space Invaders game - I was in love immediately. When the Atari 2600 came out, I couldn't beg my parents enough for one. Eventually I also bought an Atari 5200, an NES and a Sega Genesis.

In there somewhere I also had a couple of computers: an Apple IIc and my beloved Amiga. They could play games, but compared to the consoles they were only passingly fair. Consoles had better, faster, crisper and more plentiful games.

During the 90s, I got a PC and stopped buying console games. The PC had plenty of good games for it and if you wanted to go "hardcore", there was always the local arcade at a mall somewhere. Then came games that could not be played on consoles or in arcades... the Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) game. My first was Ultima Online, as I'm sure most of you are aware, but I've tried a good majority of MMOs since.

As we have been discussing on the WTFMan Forums, I really believe that since World of Warcraft has brought so many people into MMOs - it has really diluted the player base skilllevel. Not to mention the fact that WoW's success has really made gaming producers come out with games that are designed around the WoW concepts instead of something truely groundbreaking. Vanguard, Age of Conan, Warhammer.... all could have really been something, but fell short.

Without a solid MMO to replace WoW and with no desire to play WoW (even with the new expansion), I have turned to console gaming to fulfill my gaming needs. I got a Wii last year for my birthday from my wife and then we bought an Xbox 360 Elite just before Thankgiving. The Wii was a lot of fun, but the Xbox 360 is just such a great gaming system that is just about all we play. From Rock Band, to GTA4, Saint's Row, etc. I tend to play a game to death (much like I did with MMOs), but I haven't felt wanting at all. Xbox Live play supplies me with all my online gaming needs without me having to be so invested in a character that the ineptitude of other people doesn't drive me crazy.

So, for now, I'm a fulltime console gamer. Darkfall or something else coming down the pike may get me back to MMos, but I'm not holding my breath.

Discuss

- Nighthawk

10.24.08

The Pollution of Our Air

So it's time to get back on track. Let's all gather around and look at the current state of shit.

The metaphorical air we breathe is that of video games when it comes to our entertainment. People who read this site almost invariably have played either UO or AC Darktide in one form or another at some point. Those were good times - gamers were certainly more of a niche back then.

We all know that WoW was full of knuckle-dragging mouthbreathers that I wouldn't trust with a potato gun, but I wonder how many people have thought of the far-reaching implications of the phenomena that is WoW.

By now many of you have probably at least tried WAR. Is it enjoyable? On some level I would say yes. I appreciate that they embraced the notion of letting people progress their character level through pvp as well as pve. I like 100% drop rates on quests. I like only have to kill 5 of something instead of 50 all the time like in WoW. I like having my hand held on the minimap showing me in red where my quest objectives are because let's face it, I want to fucking pvp at max level ASAP, and so do you.

Piss-poor targetting system aside, there is something wrong here. Why is it that as a Bright Wizard, I find myself at the front of the offensive line in pvp scenarios? And when I turn around I realize that I *AM* the offensive line while everyone else is huddling off 50 yards behind at the bottom of a hill twiddling their dicks and spinning around in their chairs to see how far their drool will fly. Why is it that whenever people actually DO run up to engage in combat, they never target healers? This is not WoW. People don't die instantly in WAR if they have healing. It's a simple concept that I had assumed most people would figure out.

........How wrong I was.

This led me to become quite frustrated with the game as the rest of my Evil Bastages all outleveled me and capped while I was stuck at lvl 18 because I have too much shit to do in the real world. Now I was forced into playing with cross-eyed little nitwits as I solo-queued for pvp scenarios and quickly realized that leveling would be an uphill battle. Much of my interest was deterred at this point. Sure I can still level, but the game is more entertaining if I have good players to play with.

So I got to thinking, and came to a realization.

WoW has destroyed the golden age of gaming.

That's right. I said it. FUCK YOU. I thought I was safe by avoiding all the 13 year olds on Xbox Live with the thought that I would just play MMO's and the like. This plan was quickly foiled by the rumprangers at Blizzard who produced a game that was so incredibly simple and based on an already popular franchise, that it drew in the most asinine amount of subscribers for an online gaming service that the world has ever seen. It introduced the masses to the world of MMO's. No longer is the landscape populated by people who actually have a clue how to game. And let me clarify what I mean by "having a clue". I'm talking about people who actually take time to look at all of their abilities, the abilities of other character types, and learn the dynamics of the game. Not the people (average person) who just want to be the hero and 1-shot wallop somebody with the Ultimate Dragon Sword of BlueblahblahLookWhatIFoundInTheDungeonsOfZagzabar bullshit.

The problem with this that I see is that now, regardless of what game is released, we have 20x more people picking up a copy and trying it out and in some horrendously unfortunate cases actually keeping their account active (provided the game is decent), and to people like you and I it feels like there is no escape. The aggrivating thing is, we didn't need this. You and I were perfectly fine with the prospect of games like Darkfall (no longer vaporware, by the way, but again will probably be overrun by pointdexters). Companies still had money to develop. The online gaming industry was thriving without bringing the masses into play.

Now, I know what you're going to say - "BUT RISKZ LOL COMAPNIEEEZ JUST WANT THE MUNNIEZ AND THIS IS HOW THEY GET IT DURRRRR". There is a fine line between making a profit on something to see good margins and pay your employees well with some bonuses, and all-out greed. Sadly, the latter usually wins the day at the corporate offices. So in turn - SHUT. THE FUCK. UP. Next question.

Development shops are keeping these rejects on the hook by constantly giving in to asinine complaints about balance that generally have no credibility whatsoever. CUT THESE PEOPLE OFF. To quote the late George Carlin - whatever happened to the kid who swallows too many marbles doesn't grow up to have kids of his own? This is just like that, except in terms of video games. Let these bitches cry their eyes out and quit if they really want to because they are just terrible at gaming. I feel like the video game arena has become like public college - let's just let everyone in regardless of if they have any business being here. Who the fuck cares? It's college and everyone should be given a shot at success, right? Make it as simply accessible as possible and profit.

Wrong.

If you're a selfish, ignorant moron that thinks shows like Paris Hilton's My New BFF (or whatever the fuck that shit is called) is a good show, then no you do not belong in college. You will be another dropout who is going to be my tenant and pay me rent every month. That's right. Fuckin' pay me. Just read my business card.

....Ok so that is the company but it isn't the real slogan, but FUCK IT THE POINT STILL REMAINS.

Our landscape is littered with people like this and it pollutes our games and in essence the very air we breathe. No matter where I go there is a monstrous influx of these new-age gamers who are just ignorant masses when it really comes down to it. The industry has changed forever, and for someone who's been doing this shit since the days of text-based MUD's like Dragon Realms and Gemstone, it's enough to drive me away completely.

Once upon a time, me and Ron would run around Emain Macha in DAoC and 2v6 people. Remember when games revolved around semblance of ability and you could actually win 2v6? I do.....but just barely.

WAR account cancelled.

Discuss

- Risks

10.02.08

Delving Deeper

After playing this game for nearly the last month or so and trying out all the different class combinations I could, I've come to the conclusion that it suffices for my MMO/PvP needs - for now. Being the masterful PvPer that I am - and yes I am fucking bragging - this game isn't as challenging as I'd have hoped though. There are some serious idiots in this game that probably require intense supervision to maintain their mental stability. I want to thank all the players from WoW for jumping ship and trying out something new, but for fucks sake guys - learn to kill some healers. Right now. Seriously. Alright maybe not 100% serious but come on!

Choosing to switch from Order to Destruction to play with my friends was a hard thing to do. I know not every teenage kid playing this game wants to play the 'evil side', but it sure seems like we received the wide end of the paddle on this one. Try as I might to help these lost souls find a place in this MMO world, it's all in vain. Well, at least I know I am helping out my evil brethren.

I mean seriously, getting results like this...

...and receiving tells like these...

...confirm that I am indeed a powerful force. Again, bragging. Anyway, the other day I set out for Altdorf looking for a challenge (and no, I do not mean the Swiss town). After making a stop to our major keep lord and being severely disappointed in it, I began my journey.

After dodging endless amounts of boredom while running, which required a sincere amount of skill not everyone can behold (seriously I don't think there is any tier 4 content yet), I finally found the Order's keep!

Fuck yo' Keep!

After mouthing off to every NPC I found and hearing echoes of myself, I decided to try and take on one of the little mobs I found. Before I could follow through with my fucking masterful plan, however, I was found by an intense hunting dog who promptly proceeded to eat me.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!

In conclusion,

Fuck dogs.

- cr0ss

09.10.08

WAR

So I got into the Warhammer Online beta via Fileplanet, just to see what the game was all about. Being an avid fan of hating just about every MMO out there, I felt sure I was going to hate this one too. After the severe disappointment that was Age of Conan (Why was that piece of shit hyped so much? Disney could have made a better MMO.) I thought this was going to be another repeat.

After loading into the game, I had to choose either Destruction or Order for my faction. Seeing all the Destruction sides on every single North American server as "full" and the Order side as "Low" or "Medium", the choice was clear. Fuck all of you zerging pussies. There are 3-4 'classes' of each race to choose from. There is a Healer, Tank, Melee DPS and Ranged DPS. Two races don't have tanks, they are the Dark Elves on Destruction and the Empire on Order. I rolled up an Empire - Bright Wizard - and went about seeing what I'd hate about this game.

The leveling via PvE is a lot like World of Warcraft meets Everquest 2. There are 3 different tiers (that I know of so far) of mobs - normal, champion and hero. The higher the tier, the harder the mob of course. The interface is a lot like WoW, hell half the hotkeys are the exact same. The cool thing I like about the PvE in this game is the Public Quests. There is a storyline of sorts for each race, and with this comes public questing to go about the story. There are areas in the world where you go for these PQ's in which you are basically teaming up with everyone else there to accomplish the quest goals. Usually it's a "kill this many mobs before the time runs out" kind of thing. Once completing the quest, there is a reward chest at the end. The game decides who gets the loot out of the chest based on a random roll of 1-1000. Those who helped contribute the most (based on damage and healing done I believe) get a bonus to a roll. To put it into perspective, the person who helped the most gets an automatic +500 on their roll. Now you can still get fucked over and roll like a 100, therefore having a total of 600, and not get shit. Usually there are 4-7 'bags' in the chest, and the top 7 rolls get them.

Now to the PvP. You can essentially queue up the Scenario (Battleground) right when you create your character. You can PvP at level one all the way to max level if you want. Depending on the 'tier' of scenario you're in, it will temporarily level you up to ~75% of the max level (level 8 in the first tier) - giving you the stats of a level 8 player. The max level of the first tier is a level 11. Levels do matter in this game sadly, but thankfully not a huge amount. When you're leveled up temporarily, you do not have the skills/spells of the level 8 however. So at level 1, you go in with your single ability and try to act tough. The damage scales though so you're bound to fuck someone up eventually.

This is my Bright Wizard owning shit up and just hitting Renown Rank 8.

So there are Ranks (levels) and Renown Ranks (realm points, for those of you who played DAoC). The Renown Ranks are used for special passive training, whether it be a bonus to your stats or a bonus to the amount of XP gained in PvP, etc. There is also Renown gear that is probably the best gear in game next to finding loot off peoples corpses. Yeah, there is loot in PvP but it's not a take away kind of thing. Just a random drop from a corpse. Once you hit level 11 you get to 'specialize' into a tier. Each class has 3 tiers. For instance, my Shaman has a tier for healing, one for damage, and one for DoTs/Buffs. Each tier has 15 points to spend into as it were, and you get a total of 25 total points your entire career. Therefore you can get one and a 2/3 tiers specialized or spread them around.

Alright, so I rolled a Destruction healer to play with my friends. Fuck you all.

Overall the game is pretty fun so far. The PvP is simplistic in its format, but pretty diverse for the right classes at the right times. There are not only the Scenarios to play in, there is also World PvP where you capture keeps and key points. Each race has a specific enemy they are against, due to the landmass and areas of their towns/camps. The Empire vs Chaos, the Dwarves vs Greenskins, and the Dark Elves vs High Elves. I am sure there is more to the game other than just this right now, but being low level and all, I can't really make any judgments yet.

Yeah, I'm a badass.

Due to the fact you can level via PvP, get loot (sort of) from PvP and get rewards from PvP, I think this game will hold me over for awhile. Until I start hating this game, I think I'll keep playing it. Or, you know, until Darkfall comes out so I can play a real PvP game.

Discuss

- cr0ss