Gamespy's excellent ongoing
MMO column OnLife has been regrettably on hiatus for some time, but it looks like it is back with a vengeance. Its first column back in the saddle is all about the online free-to-play FPS
Battlefield Heroes. While not technically an MMO, author Miguel Lopez notes
numerous similarities between Heroes and high-end PvP in MMOs. As he observes, the fact that he can even make these comparisons is bad news for the folks at
DICE. The stated purpose of the stylized online shooter has been to offer a simple, fun, low-cost experience for FPS players. Instead, even in the game's extended Beta, the game is already beginning to resemble
World of Warcraft's sometimes-arcane PvP build strategy game.
Says Lopez,
"I'll admit that much of what makes me want to play Heroes' is its promise of varied abilities, full of potential for synergy and experimentation. But I hope that its designers will tread thoughtfully when it comes to implementing them." Check out the article for his full assessment of the game, then click below the cut for a look at the hyper-cartoony graphics and strange sense of humor found in
Battlefield Heroes.
_thumbnail.jpg "Aion Beta: Asmodian Ascension Quest")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
James Egan said on 1:50PM 9-05-2008
I have seen the future, and it includes running around in skeleton costumes like the Cobra Kai at the Halloween party, only with gatling guns. Sign me up.
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recursive said on 2:51PM 9-05-2008
While I haven't played this beta, it seems logical an MMO column would see things from that perspective. That's actually what I thought interesting about the article, nice view into how people perceive changes to the traditional like this.
There is other gaming outside of MMOs though, in fact a lot of "our kind of features" come from there. On paper it's not that far fetched to go a bit more hybrid the other way as well, especially in an online game.
I'm also not sure how knowledge of multiple aspects of the game and strategy exclude each other, in fact, I'd think them birds of a feather, but I can see how you could expect a lot more of a casual approach from the looks (and apparently marketing) of this one. But well, marketing, you know..
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