I have just finished testing a recently released commercial MMORPG. The premise was great, races varied, and it?s a finished game. However, when I got playing.. I just couldn?t play it after playing PlaneShift. The buildings and rooms were meaningless. Just boxes made to house NPCs who stand detached in the middle of unfurnished rooms. The whole world just seemed there ?for the sake of it?. In fact, that?s the same feeling I get playing WoW or virtually any other MMORPG I?ve tried. Everquest 2 is a little more immersive, but where?s the mystery?
No. Planeshift is the only MMO with NPCs and players worked into a world handcrafted as it would be - as it should be. City epicentres, residential centres, mysterious dungeons, meaningful temples, everything saturated with history and purpose, everyone existing with roles and context. The setting is deep and more coherent, the tavern is lovely, and the people are more interested in each other than running loops around levelling boxes.
With an unfinished game you have achieved something that already leaves paid MMOs wanting, all under your own steam. Congratulations. I?ll stay here :]
