Risk Your Life: Path of the Emperor is one of the new MMO RPG games released this year. Walking in the footsteps of legends, RYL is trying to make a name for itself as a player- and conflict-based MMO. It is up against games like World of Warcraft and Lineage II for its competition, so it has its work cut out for it. The graphics are simple and run smoothly and the sounds are a treat. The fly in the Emperor’s ointment is the gameplay - the control system for Risk Your Life takes a bit of getting use to.

When players enter the game world they have the option of choosing which nation they wish to serve. This has an immediate effect on how the game progresses. The nations are drawn along racial lines in-game and players are restricted to one faction per server, like the Dark Age of Camelot system. The two races, Humans and Ak’Kan, have different classes available. The Humans have more choices, but the Ak’Kan are just as versatile.

The world of Risk Your Life: Path of the Emperor is rendered in vivid 3-D images. It is a little dark at times, but overall it looks good. It is not as visually stunning as Lineage II, even though they share the same style of graphics, but it runs significantly smoother than L2. Walking into a bazaar might still make your machine run a little slow, but unlike L2 you don’t have to turn the graphics down for mass combat.

The music for Risk Your Life is a bit different from what I was expecting. Most games of this type have lyrical or symphonic soundtracks. Risk Your Life stands out with its music selection, starting with the log-in screen. A nice mix of rock and a few more classical elements make a surprisingly entertaining soundtrack. The combat sounds are also well done. Players can listen to the clang as a sword rebounds off of a shield, or the thunderclap of a mage’s spell. Combined these two elements help players immerse themselves in the world.

Once a player gets into the game they have to adjust to the interface. A cross between a traditional keyboard control and a first-person-shooter system, RYL uses both mouse and keyboard for maneuvering. There are several versions of the interface available at the touch of a button, for example hitting escape toggles between the “mouse look” driving system and having a cursor available to interact with the world. Players have to click through each of their attacks manually. The flavor of the game is similar to the hack-and-slash days of Diablo, which helps draw players into the game. Combat is much more intense and players won’t hear the perennial complaint - no one can hit the auto-attack and wander away from their computer to get a sandwich.

The interface itself is less intuitive than most games. It takes a bit of practice to be able to move and fight competently. There is a tutorial available from a series of NPCs, but they are not easily marked. This can lead to some frustration if a player runs right past the trainers to get into the game. In addition players can only have one skill selected to be ready-cast at a time. The left mouse button is reserved for the basic attack. The right button triggers the active skill. Hotkeys allow players to quickly and easily trade out which skill they are using, but it still requires a mouse-click to use a skill. It is a small thing, but it is one more step that is required to get something accomplished.

Risk Your Life: Path of the Emperor is a worthy entry into the crowded field of MMO’s. The gameplay difficulties are made up for with quality music and sounds to help players immerse themselves in the world. The character classes and the specializations allow for a wide number of possibilities for players to enjoy as they explore the world of RYL. With the “first-person shooter” interface system that Risk Your Life uses its appeal will not be limited to MMO gamers. Fans of shooter games like Half-Life 2 or Doom 3 will be able to enjoy the game just as well. If you can master the interface you can go far - perhaps even claiming the title of Emperor for yourself!

Tips:
Talk to every NPC you can find in the starter areas. They are not visibly marked, but they hold the beginner quest series to help you get acquainted with the game.

Before picking a fight with monsters in your area bring up the map and take a look. One of the helpful functions in RYL is color coding on the map to tell you what level critters roam the area. You can avoid fights you cannot possibly win with a little planning.

Gameplay: 6.7
I’ve played “first-person shooter” style MMO’s before, but RYL was the first one I’ve played where the interface bothered me. It is cumbersome and has a tough learning curve - too hands-on for my tastes.

Graphics: 7.0
The 3D world of Risk your Life is vivid, but it is not as clear and crisp as one would hope. The graphics load quickly and run smoothly. Not as dazzling as other recent games, RYL is about average for the genre.

Sound: 7.5
Listening to the music of RYL was a treat. I found myself enjoying the music as much as the game. I’m not driven to rush out and try to find the soundtrack on CD, but I did have the volume turned up as I played.

Difficulty: Medium / Hard

Concept: 7.0
Risk Your Life: Path of the Emperor is diving into the crowded field of MMORPG’s. Conflict driven online games are becoming common. (World of Warcraft and Lineage 2 are prime examples.) RYL is a decent game, but it doesn’t have anything that really stands out from the crowd.

Multiplayer: 7.0
The fan-base for RYL has its good points and it has its bad points. The good points are that there are lots of options for grouping, sharing the fun, and adventuring with your friends. The bad points are that the fan base can be fairly negative at times and the PvP system takes some getting used to.

Overall: 7.0
Risk Your Life: Path of the Emperor is about what gamers expect from a game. The interface is problematic, but the sounds make up for it. You won’t find a lot of dazzling graphics or brilliant innovations in the game, but sometimes gamers just want a game they can pick up and run with. Risk Your Life may be right for you, but if you have a low frustration threshold you might want to look elsewhere. The initial learning curve is steep.