Meta-review: Warhammer Online

by Michael Zenke Sep 12th 2008 at 11:00AM

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Launches, Reviews, Warhammer Online

We've been talking pretty much constantly about Warhammer Online for a few months now, and launch is less than a week away. At this point, there's only one question left: Should you buy it? Beta-based viewpoints have begun to trickle in across the internet, to the point where we can put together a meta-review that will hold together. Overall, the response seems to be a cautious 'thumbs up'. There are still serious concerns expressed by some commentators (pathing issues, dependence on fickle player populations), but overall the outlook seems to be good for Mythic's opus.

Eurogamer (8/10): "Until it's been out in the wild a while, this extremely well-made and highly enjoyable MMO remains unproven. And it remains - until our first re-review, at least - one step short of true greatness."
Kill Ten Rats (Buy): "If you would like a sequel to World of Warcraft with a team-PvP focus, buy Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning. If you are waiting for something new and original, keep waiting."
Tobold (Buy): "Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning is a good game, albeit not perfect, and it will have some problems living up to the excessive marketing hype from Mythic. It is certainly worth buying and trying out for a month or two."
Common Sense Gamer (B+): "Overall, I'd give WARs game experience a B+. I've come to enjoy the RvR and accept that the PvE game experience is the same as everything else out there. That fact is also counterbalanced by the PQs...which are just fun."

Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out all of our previous Warhammer Online features, and don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

Tags: beta, featured, joystiqfeatures, launch, metareview, mythic-entertainment, review, war, warhammer-online

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

george said on 11:21AM 9-12-2008

I would say that WAR is at LEAST a 9/10 the game has amazing pvp... the outside scenario gameplay is amazing, check out the video I created yesterday showing a small example of the gameplay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oym2JNMWcQ

(make sure you play it in HD, youtube's standard quality sucks)

Lone said on 11:41AM 9-12-2008

Everyone is looking for "New and Original" - in today's profit motivated MMO market, new and orginal is too risky.

This is why they build on proven formulas.

I wonder why we dont hear these "new and original" complaints from the first-person-shooter market?

Most games nowadays are variants of older games. It is rare that a truly unique and original game is released.

On WAR, I hated that WoW was too PVE centric and the PvP in WoW meant nothing to the ongoing world. Not so in WAR! I love that fact that I can start at level 1 killing the enemy and not a wolf or bunny.

A big thumbs up on WAR from me. The WoW interface is familiar and easy to use, the combat is not twitch based and required strategy and team work to be successful. Well done.

Tony said on 11:43AM 9-12-2008

I'm not one to get hung up on one point differences or Bs instead of B+'s... so to me these scores seem fair based upon what I played. They're certainly good scores.

It's become clear these mean little, if anything, in the scheme of things. Several places have given completely ignored MMORPGs good scores and I remember AoC had its share of good ones too.

Lars Petersson said on 3:57AM 9-15-2008

So far I would say 9/10, and that's based on the Open Beta...

Shame GOA gets 1/10...

I'd say definite buy if you like MMOs or you'd like to try one out...

Bigfoot said on 2:15PM 9-12-2008

Good to see WAR getting positive comments.

Arcaria said on 3:42PM 9-12-2008

I played DAOC for about 2 years and liked it quite a bit. I pre-ordered the WAR collectors edition the same day I canceled my AOC account due to lack of post 80 gameplay. After getting into the closed beta and then checking it out again a few days ago I have to say that I'm very disappointed. I actually canceled my pre-order. The gameplay might be pretty good but the graphics are so bad that they're actually a step back from WoW. How can a game that's coming out almost 4 years later have worse textures and poly details? The spells look awful and the time that your characters wait between attacks looks downright awkward.

I was disappointed going back to WoW's graphics after delving into Age of Conan but after playing WAR I gotta say that Blizzard's doing pretty good.

No amount of pvp gameplay can force me to endure that crap.

Lone said on 4:36PM 9-12-2008

@Arcaria

Take a peek at these pics.

WoW:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wrath/images/screenshots/ss29-hires.jpg

WAR:
http://mythicmktg.fileburst.com/war/us/home/images/screenshots/WHandIB-01.jpg

Graphics have much improved in WAR beta recently.

thirdeye said on 12:48AM 9-13-2008

you are comparing 2 completely different scenes. war has higher poly models and game world and larger textures, but the weapon and armor textures are still ugly compared to wow. the spell detail is also not as great as wow.

after playing the war beta for a few days, i see nothing that would make me want to switch from wow, especially with the wotlk expack coming out in 2 months. war is a good game, but it all feels the same to me.

Lone said on 11:47AM 9-13-2008

Well, keep in mind that WoW is high fantasy - meaning glowing fantastic armor and over the top spell effects and creatures.

WAR is low fantasy - a bit more gritty realistic than high fantasy and less use of magic.

Not trying to convice anyone that WAR is better but its not fair to say the WAR's graphics suck - it seems that most of the complaints are geared toward the aesthetics of the art style more than the number of polygons.

Vince said on 4:55PM 9-12-2008

In my opinion the graphics actually look far better than WoWs with forced AA and AF. The client version will probably look better as they're still exploring other options to add which will further enhance the graphics.

danarchy said on 5:08PM 9-12-2008

Heh their is no way in hell that wow looks better than war. War has some failing but the graphics are not one of them.
My only complaint so far is minor balance issues and how the pq award system fails to award healers efforts. Other than that its a fine game. My only fear being that mythic, in classic mythic fashion, over does class balancing fixes so we end up with another game of tapioca pudding classes like daoc turned into.

Kevin said on 3:18AM 9-13-2008

I get first all the time when I'm healing. You must be doing it wrong.

Kyle said on 5:37PM 9-12-2008

A few nice screenies:

http://warhammervault.ign.com/screenshots/full_res.php?ss=1252

http://warhammervault.ign.com/screenshots/full_res.php?ss=1357

http://warhammervault.ign.com/screenshots/full_res.php?ss=1358

Kyle said on 5:37PM 9-12-2008

http://warhammervault.ign.com/screenshots/full_res.php?ss=1328

http://wo.gamona.de/images/screenshots/2071.jpg

http://img.war-europe.com/syndic_img/screenshot/de/WAR_ss_080425-29.jpg

pufonthis said on 11:40PM 9-12-2008

If you think that WOWs graphics even come close to WARs you must be blind. WAR is one of the most detailed, best looking games out there right now.

pufonthis said on 11:41PM 9-12-2008

You be the judge.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f229/Shadowski/WAR%20Comparisons/Goblin-Comparison.jpg

Kevin said on 3:16AM 9-13-2008

I dont get how anyone can make the argument that WAR feels like more of the same and also state that tey are waiting for the WoW xpansion. I guess 10 more levels and one more class til you get to fight new raid content is different enough. But damn these people for making a whole new game.

Also WAR's Graphics are sexcellent. You blew it cancelling preorder based on that. Chaos marauder's mutation animation is awesome. Druid's transformation... a poof of smoke.

recursive said on 6:32AM 9-13-2008

http://www.massively.com/2008/09/11/burning-crusades-quality-delayed-war-says-jacobs/

Scott said on 11:11PM 9-19-2008

Graphics are horrible just like WOW. Why all the cartoon look I hate it.

John said on 12:25AM 9-20-2008

Don't kid yourselves, fellas. Most of the character and spell animations look horrible in war. Some spell animations look good, 3d, as in good, but others look like they're 2d spell animations that came from final fantasy 7. Most character animations look like they're done in 3 minutes, i.e. the witch hunters' pistol arm looks like it's either broken, or he's carrying a pistol made of lead, the chaos zealot is leaned over like he's got down syndrome, and both high, and dark elf males move like they're women. I played WOW for 4 years so i'm not going to kiss WAR's ass, and i'm not going to kid myself by convincing myself this game isn't horrible.

-If my character choices depend on which class has the least shitty looking animations, then i'm going to find another game. And the sad thing is is that I honestly think this game could be better, or 'beat' wow if they fixed their animations. YOU GUYS CAN HELP! In game, you can write constructive criticism petitions, make a complaint about fixing or, touching up on character and spell animations. After all, it's your 15 dollars you'll be paying monthly.