Atlantica Online

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Area: Global,USA
Official Site: Atlantica Online
Publisher: Ndoors
Developer: Ndoors
Platform: Microsoft Windows

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Overview

Atlantica Online, voted the best MMORPG of 2008, utilizes a unique turn-based style of combat and allows control of up to nine characters.

Features

A huge variety of classes to pick from
Great settings filled with humor and satire
A fun and unique combat system
Historical figures fighting with you is fun
Social aspects such as guilds and PVP keep the game fresh

Area: Global,USA
Official Site: Atlantica Online
Publisher: Ndoors
Developer: Ndoors
Platform: Microsoft Windows

Review

Reviewed by Brendon Lindsey

Atlantica Online is a new MMORPG developed by NDOORS. Unlike other MMORPGs, Atlantica is turn-based, and players control a party composed of their hero and NPC mercenaries. Combat is performed like a console RPG, with opposing sides taking turns performing their actions, which include basic attacks, usage of skills, usage of items, guarding, and retreating. Players can select from one of 9 classes when starting out, and mercenaries of all class types can also be recruited, with the exception of the two newest classes, musician and power saw. Players will be better than mercenaries, however, as they have access to special player-only skills. The game takes place on an alternate earth, and various timelines intertwine, forcing historical, mythological, and legendary figures to co- exist in a fantasy setting. Players will journey in locations as different as feudal Japan and 20th century Detroit, and battle through dungeons along the way. Guilds are an important aspect of the game, as they control the persistent world. Player guilds can own towns, declare war, and complete quests to increase their notoriety. Atlantica is free-to-play with optional premium content. Players can enjoy the game for free, but premium content will allow for quicker leveling, easier access to unique mercenaries and equipment, and items such as special mounts. Years from now when free-to-play MMOs are the norm, and after dozens of Western developers have entered the arena, two games will be largely responsible for the paradigm shift that made it all happen:

Frogster's Runes of Magic and NDOORS Atlantica Online. Atlantica is, arguably, the first high-quality free-to-play MMO. Were there good ones before it? Yes, but before Atlantica free-to-play almost always meant sub-par compared to retail titles; and if you didn't pay, you were at a distinct disadvantage, or limited in some way. Atlantica, though, changed that. Instead of being Lineage Clone #10923, Atlantica broke the mold, mixing the tactical strategy and MMORPG genres in a new,Final Fantasy Tactics-like game. Players start off by creating their character, choosing from a wide variety of classes. Classes include things you'd expect like swordsman and archer and things you wouldn't like musician, power saw, and cannon. Each class excels at a specific area, making the strategy for each entirely unique. For example, the swordsman class specializes in one on one physical combat. Meanwhile, the gunner specializes in ranged combat vs multiple foes, and can attack three enemies in a single line. Many classes have different areas and methods of attack; some attack in columns, some attack horizontal rows, some attack single targets, and others do splash damage around a target. But what makes Atlantica so unique is that, even though you have your main character, you can still play with the other classes. Your hero, unlike other games, is never alone; you take with you a team of mercenaries.

These mercenaries are only slightly worse than a player class of the same type (players will get a player-only skill for each), and they use the same equipment. What that means is that, not only do you always have multiple classes to use, but you also have a use for all sorts of gear. Get melee armor and have an archer? No worries, give it to your melee mercenary. Starting out, mercenaries are generic, and named after the class they represent. As you and they level up, though, they can upgrade, you can recruit better ones, and eventually you can even recruit hero units. Most of these heroes will be names readily familiar to anyone playing. Want to have a party with Pocahontas and Napoleon? In Atlantica you can. Since it's a tactical RPG, combat is different than what most would be used to when playing MMORPGs. Instead of being realtime with timed attacks, the game takes turns between attacking and defending parties.

Your units will all get action points, and performing skills, spells, attacks, and moving will require a certain amount. Each turn also is limited by a timer, which increases as you become more familiar with your foe via your bestiary knowledge. This means that, even though the game is turn-based, battles are very hectic as you have only seconds to pull off your moves, and you'll have to plan strategies and your method of attack constantly, so that you don't waste precious seconds deciding what to do next. Another big element of Atlantica is crafting. There are dozens of crafting schools available; everything from pants to paper. To craft, you need to acquire the materials needed (after learning the skill from a guildmate or NPC), and then put them together. Rather than sit around waiting for a bar to move, you complete the items by gathering crafting points through battles. So, even if you're crafting hundreds of healing potions, to craft them you'll need to beat stuff up.

Guilds also play a big role in the game, as you can share crafting exp with your guild, control towns, and more. Towns also have guild quests available, and completing them will help increase your guild's notoriety. In a lot of ways, Atlantica is familiar. You have quests, a linear progression of areas to visit and monsters to kill, regular upgrading of equipment, and new abilities unlocked at regular intervals. In other ways, though, it's something entirely its own. People say this about a lot of games, and it's usually an exaggeration, but in this case it's true: there is no other game out there like this game. In a few years, though, you can bet there will be plenty of copies. So why not get in on the original while it's still largely unknown?

For a user-review by one of our Community members, click here.