Accessories

BEWARE OF USED COPIES
Sorry, this isn't a review of the game. Be aware that used copies that do not include a key code are simply coasters. EA will not give you a key code, I tried. Yes - I should have known better.

Jeff

WAR IS NOT EVERYWHERE!
Sure many of the review posts say Warhammer is great etc. But what they don't tell you is most of those people have yet to play the end game. On top of that the people that think it's the greatest thing since sliced bread post their evaluation here in the beginning. They seem to never come back and admit the game isn't fun when they find out the end game is dull and boring. War is mildly fun until you level up into the higher levels (29-40). Then it gets boring real fast. The easiest test to see if Warhammer is for you is to answer these simple questions.

1. Do you like running the same scenario hundreds or thousands of times?
2. Do you like the lack of realm vs realm combat out side of scenarios?
3. Do you like server crashes after spending hours trying to sack an enemies town only to have to start over from square one after the server comes back up?
4. Do you like a lack of interaction with other players in your own realm?
5. Do you like spending hours and hours leveling & learning how to fight with your player only to have EA/Mythic decide to change your player into something almost unplayable in Realm vs. Realm combat.
6. Do you like PvE (player vs. environment) that is dull and akin to whack-a-mole as far as repetitiveness?
7. Do you like the other realm using game hacks to give them god mode?
8. Will you like being drastically out numbered if you happen to choose the wrong realm at the beginning?
9. Do you like animation issues with your player?
10. Do you like screen chop in the rare occasion of large scale rvr situations with the best of computers/internet connection?
11. Do you like non working/bugged abilities since game release months ago that are still unfixed?

If you can answer yes to all the above questions then Warhammer is a good choice for you. If not then I suggest you save your money and spend it elsewhere. Warhammer has many issues that make it not fun to play when you get into the higher levels. I just wish I would have read a post like this before I bought the game. Ultimately it's your choice of course but you'll be wise to heed my evaluation of Warhammer. You can also check out the web boards at the address below and just look at all the negative comments by unsatisfied customers.

http://vnboards.ign.com/warhammer_online_age_of_reckoning_general_board/b22997/p1

Leveling to the last tier is very good but end game is flawed
The end game so far is seriously flawed. Many people that have reviewed this game have not played until the top tier. In this game, the game is broken into "tiers". For the most part characters level 1-11 can only participate in PVP in the tier one zones. Players 11-21 must PVP in the Tier 2 zones. Players 21-31 in the Tier three zones. And 31-40 in the tier four zones

Tier 1-3 is much more fun because most people are doing the side scenarios (like battle grounds in WoW). Scenarios are more fun in this game because they are focused tasks and the sides are even in numbers. Open RVR is there but is done in smaller numbers and consists of small skirmishes while you wait for your scenario queue to pop. (You get your turn in the scenario).

Once you get to T4 fewer people are doing Scenarios and open RVR breaks down. For these reasons... 1) the Destruction Realm (bad guys) greatly out number the Order (good guys) 2-1 on every server... So when open pvp does happen it's a slaughter or a stalemate turtle fest trying to take keeps. The population counting web sites say the numbers are even but this is a lie of numbers... Those site count every character created since the servers open... it says nothing about who is actually playing and doing pvp.
2) There is no clear objectives in open RVR. You are supposed to capture keeps and flags on each map until you gain enough victory points... Once you have enough points collected the map locks for that faction and you can move on to the next map until you fight all the way to a city and then sack the city. Problem is the victory points must also be gained by doing scenarios, PVE objectives, and Capturing LOWER ZONES... So you can capture and hold all the keeps on any map and still not advance because you have not done all the FLUFF needed to lock the zone.
3) Tactics are flawed in RVR because the only way to take a fort is fight to the top and kill an npc... so the opposing side can turtle FOR HOURS.
4) when you do lock zones and get to the fortress (last map before a city) the servers often crash (although they are working on that)
5) Bugs are too numerous to mention. Almost every feature has an issue.

So what happens is: the Tier four pvp (end game) degrades to the point when each side avoids each other as much as possible. The goals are vague and based on the PVE aspects rather than actual pvp. I spent weeks just breaking down keeps doors rather fighting the enemy

The latest patch introduced rewards for gaining points when you kill players or capture flags and keeps... but to me that's just candy canes and doesn't fix the fact that sacking keeps is nothing more than a simple tank and spank boss fight when the other side tries to block you from doing that...

A Warcraft turned Warhammer players review.
I bought this game about 2 months ago. I was a Warcraft player but then I heard that they made a Warhammer game and got it. If you have ever played Warcraft you know the pains of being ganked by level 70 players at level 6.In Warhammer there is no ganking and the game is a lot less cartoony, it really feels like war. No more saving up your whole life for a mount in Warhammer they are cheaper and its easier to save up. one of the down sides is that there a lot less professions: no fishing, no blacksmithing, no mining, only trinket making, salvaging ruined equipment, butchering [not to be confused with cooking], alchemy, growing plants from seeds, and scavenging. One downside is that being new there are new patches all the time. I read one review that said all the classes are alike well thats not true all the classes have their own abilities, specialties, and looks [who can say the floating magus and the red, spike haired bright wizard are alike]. Overall this a lot like a serious Warcraft.

Pleasantly Surprised
I have been putting off playing WAR since I tried it in beta and hated the graphics and lag. Over black Friday, I saw that Amazon was selling this game for $11 bucks so I figured what the heck I'll try it for that price. If it sucks I wont be out a ton of money. Well... I installed it and was like... this isn't the game I played in Beta. This is GOOD!. So much seems to have changed. The graphics are awesome now! Game play is smooth and lag free and there are a ton of quests. I think they really got something that's a sleeper here. WAR had such a bad wrap on release. Wrath of the Lich King was released and WoW lovers bashed WAR. But I can tell you im an old WoW head myself. And this game has alot to offer over WoW. So if you are on the fence about it, or are looking for an alternative to WoW, I say pick it up. If you have the same reaction as I did you will find yourself getting lost among the troops and carnage that is WAR.