Dungeons & Dragons Online: StormReach

This game has been out 4 a while out but one couldn't tell. The graphics are pretty well done overall. The landscape is gorgeous & mosters are very cool looking. The community is very friendly even is sparse in some servers. It's a shame this game is not more popular which is mostly due I think 2 a bad start & poorly written reviews.

Dungeons will keep you on your toes when you run them 4 the first time. Traps come out of nowhere, doors slam shut separating you from your group & leaving you 2 fight angry creatures alone. Puzzles & hidden doors also populate dungeons all over the world. Knowing your enemies is important; some creatures can only be defeated with certain weapons.

Character creation is pretty customizable. You can build all sorts of interesting characters. Unfortunately most choices are set once picked so there isn't much room 4 error. But like most other games players have created character builders online where you can test your builds on "paper" before you put time into a character.

The combat is not click & forget like most MMORPGs around. It is something more like a third person adventure game. You can dodge attacks, melee & projectiles, if you are quick enough on the keyboard.

Overall this is a pretty unique & interesting game. It's not perfect by any means, but what game is. I would definitely give it a try. You can find it pretty cheap here on Amazon & the first month is free like all MMOs. [...]

Fans of D&D based role-playing games - such as Bioware's Baldur's Gate & Neverwinter Nights series - will find a lot 2 like here. I never played the pen-and-paper game, but I felt instantly at home. The races, classes, skills, & spells are exactly the same, with the difference being that your party members are other players, not the computer A.I. The dungeons & monsters are very well done, the graphics are the best I have seen in an online game. Its quite easy 2 find people 2 group with, & the players are, by & large, intelligent, friendly, & mature. I'm not saying its perfect, but this is a pretty great translation of Dungeons & Dragons 2 an online game. There is an over-arching story, but the emphasis is - as it should be - on small groups of adventurers, exploring fearsome dungeons 4 treasure & glory. Highly recommended!

Let me start out saying that I bought DDO without any background in DnD at ALL. I've been with DDO since launch, after the second module (Titan) was released, I left due 2 bugs & just flat out being bored. I went 2 WoW with a few friends & that didnt last long, but thats neither here nor there. I came back during the last "Welcome Back Weekend." The level cap had increased, & the quality of people had improved as well. Turbine has come a long way since launch, & I absolutely love the game. Granted you need 2 know a decent amount about DnD 2 start a viable character, but anyone can do that with just a little research. MOST of the community on my server (Khyber) is helpful & welcoming 2 new gamers. Teamwork is a must in most quests. Guilds are numerous, yet most are still of high quality. The only let down I can see is the minority of players who, dare I say it, are the "elitists". Thats anywhere you go, so it doesn't constitute the deduction of a star.

Recommendation: Go 2 the website, download the 7-day trial, & TRY it. Hopefully you love it as much as I do.

First off, I'm a bit shocked the low ratings this game has gotten. Most of the ones I've read are completely undeserved & without merit, IMO.

Second, this game drew me in a few minutes. Sure there's LOTS & LOTS of things 2 learn, but that's what makes this game fun -- i.e. it requires thinking, planning, etc. It's definitely *NOT* geared 4 the folks who just like 2 shoot/kill things 4 the sake of it. Neither is 4 those who like 2 do things by themselves -- most if not all quests/adventures are team-oriented.

Third, many have cited the lack solo play. This, while partially true, IMO is what makes this game stand above the rest of MMPORPG's. I'm a team-oriented person & take great satisfaction when my group/team achieves certain goals not by individual skill, but as a team where every team member does his or her job. Also, as I understand it, D&D was never meant 2 be a solo game, thus why this is reflected in the online version.

Fourth, the graphics are stunning! I'm impressed how beautiful & (sur)realistic the graphics are -- even in my 1.5-year-old computer with little or no game-enhanced hardware.

Fifth, this game becomes extremely challenging once characters reach level 7 or so. However, this is when all the learning (or mistakes) done in the first levels surface & become obvious. So, just as in real life, every action has consequences, so think before you choose (feats/enhancements).

In short, I believe this game is worth EVERY penny. It's very fun, graphically attractive & definitely NOT 4 the first-person-shooter and/or the instant reward crowds.

This is like playing Pen & Paper D&D, but you get visuals beyond poorly-drawn sketches. Its like tabletop without the expensive pieces & confusing rules.

It has streamlined the rules 2 make them a part of the background, useful only when its time 2 buy gear & level up. The rest of the time is spent swinging swords & spells at crazy monsters & exploring amazing landscapes.

The graphics are amazing & detailed. I didn't really notice the attention 2 detail until I was exploring a farmland covered in mist & heard the squish of moist earth being stepped on. Its truly amazing. Weapons have many appearances, making you sometimes choose between the weapon that's statistically superior or the one that looks really friggin awesome (its best when you get a statistically superior weapon that looks really friggin cool!).

If you're a DnD-style nerd that ever enjoyed Runescape, WoW, or NWN, This is 4 you.

Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach takes you into a classic fantasy world, 4 incredible MMORPG gaming. Travel 2 Stormreach 4 exciting adventures where you'll face impossible challenges & unbeatable monsters, all 4 fortune & glory. Choose from nine classes & five races, including the Eberron warforged race - then enter ancient dungeons & complete missions 2 find gold, magic & treasure. Beware: Each dungeon has multiple paths 2 success. While a fighter is best off slaying the enemies before him, a rogue with Hide & Move Silently skills might be best off avoiding their notice. Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game 2 feature voice chat integrated into the service. Follows the D&D version 3.5 Core Rules. DVD 4 Windows. Gather in taverns 2 meet fellow adventurers, find new allies & quests, & rest up between battles Integrated voice chat lets you coordinate your team efforts more effectively

Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach recreates the essence of the classic pen-and-paper roleplaying experience - with an emphasis on non-grinding, instanced quests that provide a unique, immersive experience 4 each party. Authentic features in the game include customizable characters; dungeons filled with devious traps; monsters & stories from the Eberron campaign setting; an on-screen d20 (20-sided die) & a dungeon master. The unique online world of Stormreach is a bustling city with thousands of players from around the world. It represents a new paradigm 4 the MMO genre with unique features including party-based quests, integrated voice chat, real-time action combat, & award winning graphics. DDO is based on the world-renowned Dungeons & Dragons brand.

The included Twilight Forge module offers new content 4 players of all levels ranging from new soloable dungeons in the harbor 2 additional advanced-level quests that culminate in a new raid encounter with the legendary Warforged Titan. The player experience has been vastly improved by including new features that make grouping easier, an improved user interface, & enhancements 2 the dungeons in the harbor that enable more solo-play & more diverse monster encounters.

In addition 2 the ability 2 create characters based on the drow, also known as the dark elf, players can expect 2 encounter eight new monsters from the D&D universe, including the Mindflayer, Ogre Magi, Warforged Titan, Mummy & Lich. Finally, the Twilight Forge module includes a new award system that gives players bonuses 4 completing dungeons on all difficulty levels.