Vendetta Online

Vendetta Online is a new MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game)  that incorporates many different types of games into one. First, it's a 3D first person shooter. You can travel in any direction you want to, and have real-time battles with other enemies just like in a first person shooter. Second, it combines the skills and level-based advancement of any role playing game. There are many different skills and you can develop your character in almost any way you wish. Third, it takes all of this, and puts it online, with thousands of other players.

Space is a slightly bland place in Vendetta Online. There are highly detailed ships, space stations, and enemies. You will see many moons, planets, and stars on your journeys throughout the universe. Overall, the game does a good job with the limited amount of content there is in space. Ships are customizable, but players are only represented by their ships, not avatars, even in space stations. Having avatars in the space stations would be a nice touch, instead of the endless menu screens. All of the lasers, tractor beams and other sound effects sound exactly as they should. There is not much else in terms of sound besides the normal emptiness of the depths of space.

Interestingly, the game includes distributions for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux. All players are on the same server, no matter which distribution you have. This is the first time that this has been attempted in an MMORPG. Also, if you go to the Vendetta Online website, you can download the game, and play for 8 hours for free before buying the game. One complaint I have about Vendetta Online is the registration process for a new game. There is very little documentation included with the game, and when you load the game the first time, you immediately have to enter a username and password. You have to go to Vendetta Online's website before starting the game to register for an account.

Combat is fun in Vendetta Online. Lock on to your target, follow, lead them a little, and blow them out of the sky. Weapons are upgradeable, and there are many different kinds available. Besides basic combat, there are many missions available to complete; become a trader, complete missions for whichever of the three available factions you are working for, or fight against other players in the player versus player areas.

There is a large community of players available to join up and have fun with. The community is a fairly tight knit group of players willing to help when needed, and provide suggestions for how to progress through the game effectively. Player guilds and factions can battle amongst each other, as well as have battles with some non-player run factions. 

Overall, Vendetta Online is a fun game that will appeal to experienced MMORPG players, fans of space combat games, or fans of both.

Gameplay: 8.5
This game is fun to play. It combines the twitch gaming of a first-person shooter and some of the best aspects of other MMORPGs.

Graphics: 7 
The graphics are fairly standard for a space exploration game. Planets, suns, moons, space stations, and ships are highly detailed, but there is not much else to look at in this game.

Sound: 6
The sound is fairly basic space fare; laser blasts, booster rockets, etc. The sounds in Vendetta Online are serviceable.

Difficulty: Medium
Like most MMORPGs, the learning curve is fairly steep. The game ramps up the difficulty fairly nicely, though.

Concept: 8 
First person shooter + 3-D space + role playing game + online play = Vendetta Online.

Multiplayer: 8.5
As an MMORPG, Vendetta Online is all about multiplayer. You can join up with other people, form guilds, battle together, and do all kinds of other fun with other people.

Overall: 7.8
Vendetta Online is an interesting kind of new MMORPG. It combines many different genres into one game fairly successfully. Any experienced MMORPG player with an interest in space battle should enjoy this game thoroughly.