Preview

Asheron’s Call is an online game that will probably replace Ultima Online. I have chatted with a lot of players within the game that have forsaken Ultima Online for Asheron’s Call and haven’t looked back once. The world of Asheron’s Call lends itself to adventuring within groups and complete quests, you are free to do almost anything you want in the online universe. There are very few bugs at this point, and it looks like it is right on schedule with its release date. The 3D graphics are stunning and offer a marvelous world to explore, from beautiful vistas of lush valleys to vast trackless wastelands.

The interface is simple and thorough, offering many possibilities in developing your character. Right from the start you are capable of creating a unique character. You can choose from three different races, each with a near infinite combination of physical characteristics. You can also choose a pre-made character class to quickly get into the game, or you can take matters into your own hands by customizing your skills and abilities to fit your liking. Give your character a name, select a starting town, and you are ready to begin an epic adventure.

Upon entering the world for the first time, you are placed outside of a training hall, in which you will learn valuable skills and how to perform tasks within the game world. Then it is time to venture out into the world. A few of the starting locations I have found to be advantageous are around the towns of Holtburg, Rithwic, Yanshi, or Yaraq. It is best not to take unnecessary risks at first – although if you are defeated in a combat, you can restart with a slight temporary health penalty. When you first start out, you will learn that running (more often than not) is your best option.

The game at higher levels becomes less challenging unless you start to take up some of the more difficult quests or venture into the Direlands. My only complaint is that it seems like magical items are not very common at lower levels; and by the time you find a potent item, you really don’t need it. Advancing through the levels is fairly straightforward: gain experience for killing monsters and, in turn, spend the experience on skills you would like to increase.

The combat system utilized in Asheron’s Call is very simple so as not to bog down your connection, although lag time has been a common occurrence lately. More on the lag issue later though. Combat in Asheron’s Call has a very unique feel to it, the 3D rendering left me feeling like I was playing a single player adventure game. Although the animations are pretty streamlined, it is still the most graphically advanced online adventure game available.

Presently, The Zone is purposely overloading the system with players to test their systems’ capabilities. So, understandably the toughest creature you will have to encounter is Lag. Lag can swamp your system so bad that the smallest creature has a chance to kill a player character. Hopefully by release time they will have this problem solved. Until then, I will avoid crowded areas and peak hours.

Installing the game is not as straightforward as you might think. First, install the game off the CD, then download the required Zone software and install it. Next, set up your Zone account and sign up for Asheron’s Call. Finally, wait for Asheron’s Call to be patched and/or updated as needed. If you are lucky, you may be playing within a half hour of opening the box.

Asheron’s Call is a very competent game that is like a breath of fresh air to the arena of online adventure games. The concept is refreshed and packaged well. I would gladly recommend Asheron’s Call to anyone, specifically adventure gamers. I enjoyed my time playing it and look forward to seeing what is done with it before the finished product is released.