Massively

It is a great time to be a MMO gamer. We have a catalogue of spectacular games readily available that can satisfy any gaming palate. Granted, some gems shine brighter than others but there is no doubt that it is indeed a good time to be a fan of MMO games.

But, as the song goes, "the times, they are a changin'". Not only are we being presented with shiny, new games with graphical muscle enough to conquer small countries but we are also blessed with new gameplay mechanics designed to streamline and enhance our gaming experience.

Are we witnessing the birth of a new era? Or will we talk about the failed gaming revolution of 2008?

How would one make an expansion to a game called Last Chaos? Second-to-Last Chaos? We-lied-there's-more-Chaos? What would you do? Seems like pigeonholing to me. The title of Aeria Games' free-to-play MMO, Last Chaos, might seem a bit misleading. There is plenty of the usual fare running around: knights, mages, rogues and ... purple horses? While it may not be chaotic, Last Chaos is certainly a little different and by different, I mean in the way that your distant cousin is a little "different". You know the one.

Last Chaos may not be grabbing any big headlines lately but that doesn't mean there isn't a game here. The people at Aeria Games know what they're doing. They've certainly done it enough and while Last Chaos might not sweep you off your feet, the game is worth taking for a spin. Especially if you've ever said to yourself "I'd really prefer to run through this dungeon in a leather miniskirt and some fishnet stockings." If that's the case, Last Chaos is for you.

Let's enter the last chaos you'll ever enter ... again.

Ask any gamer, hardcore, softcore, nerdcore ... whatever, if they have a particular game in their gaming history that holds a special place in their heart. Their eyes might swell with tears as they wax romantic over the joys, perils, challenges and victories of their beloved game from days gone by. Then they'll stare off into space as their mind swims in fond memories. Maybe not but you get the picture. Most of us have a special game from our past. For me, and for many out there, that game was Diablo II.

I could go on and write an entire piece dedicated to the grandfather of action RPGs. It was and still is that good. Wait ... still is? The game is nearly eight years old and still finds relevance in today's crowded, over-hyped, multi-billion dollar gaming industry full of failed blockbusters and strange game announcements? How can this be? I'll tell you why: Diablo II presented a game full of refined mechanics and gameplay that is still being used today and while it wasn't a true MMO, many of those conventions are used in modern-day MMO development. The mechanics were good but after eight years can some refinement and advancement be too much to ask? As much as I loved, and still love, Diablo II, I'm also anxious to move on.

My therapist keeps telling me video games are addicting. She says they provide brain stimulation very similar to narcotics or a very productive afternoon of watching the home shopping network. They will grab hold of your very soul and whisper vile thoughts straight to your subconscious telling you things like 'Forget the garbage, it can take itself out' or 'Shower? Who needs a shower?'

I'm just kidding. I don't have a therapist.

I do wonder, however, about this draw, this interest that turns to desire. With so many games out there, presenting different worlds, different rules, different ways to play, what is it that grabs hold of players and, for some, doesn't let go? One thing is certain: it grabs hold of both male and female gamers. The big question we hear often today is "Are video games addicting?" We're probably not going to definitively answer this question but we'll have fun laughing at doctors and crazy politicians along the way!

You've got to love that "new world smell". Sword of the New World or Granado Espada was created by imcGames and the creator of Ragnarok Online, Hakkyu Kim. K2 Networks has brought the game to North America and has made it free to play via the GamersFirst network. I'm not one to pass up a free to play game and since I had already been eyeing Sword of the New World with interest, it seemed like the perfect setup.

The first step was to create an account on GamersFirst. The site/network plays host to a number of free to play games you can gain access to and manage from their site. They also have giveaways and who doesn't love giveaways? Brace yourself, however, the game client is a 3-gig download and then you need an additional 600mb patch once you start the game. My advice: start the download before you go to work, provided you have a job. Then, start the patch when you come home for lunch. By the time you get home, the game should be ready to play and you'll be ready to go where no one ... well, where a bunch of people have gone before. But it will be new to you!

Do you like anime? Do you crave Kung-fu? Do you salivate over anything with "Naruto" in the title? If so, Zu Online might be a game for you. Zu Online is the latest free-to-play game to come from the Internet Gaming Gate (IGG), a prolific MMOG developer. It seems this crew launches a new MMO every month. What does that mean for the masses of players out there? Well ... good and bad news.

I decided to take a little tour of Zu Online by giving it a few hours of my time. What I found might surprise you.

Richard Garriott did it. A critically acclaimed game designer, whose previous modus operandi regulated itself to PC and console games, created a successful MMO in a market overshadowed by Thrall and Co. Some say that his only claim to fame is the Ultima series but then again, those that say such things, their only claim to fame is a blog read by their mother and a few old college buddies.

Big names attaching themselves to MMO projects are becoming commonplace. With 38 Studios making the news and podcasts these days, with starry-eyed fanboys salivating over visions of Drizzt vs. Spawn in an MMO that may or may not contain baseball, one wonders: who else might throw their hat into the MMO ring? Of course, each such entry runs the risk of the 800-pound gorilla, with epic gear, stomping it into oblivion.

But what if ...

In case you missed it while madly dashing about for your festive hat, 2008 has arrived. Since it is the New Year, we have all seen the articles making predictions and projections of what is to come in the following months. Some of these articles are great while others seem lacking. My problem with all of them is that they are too firmly grounded in reality.

That's about to change.

Several hours of sleep depravation, a couple candy bars, and the last few drops of that glorious orange liquid called "Game Fuel" have lead to the following list of wishes that I would like to see granted in the next 12 months. So, game companies, get out your barbed whips and chain your developers to their desks! You've got a lot of work ahead of you.

2007, by some accounts, has been one of the best years for video games ever. While most would think of the tremendous console releases, MMOs have also seen their fair share of greatness. However, as the saying goes, you can't win them all.

We're going to take a look back at 2007 at some of the higher, and lower, points in MMOs and game development. New Year's is over, so take some aspirin, get yourself a stiff cup of coffee and take a brief stroll through MMO memory lane.

Lord of the Rings Online is a great game. It has been met with much acclaim and has managed to establish itself in an ever-growing field of MMOs that reside in the shadow of World of Warcraft. The game, however, is not without its critics and detractors. However, what they cannot deny is that LotRO manages to wrap itself comfortably in Tolkien's lore of Middle-earth.

When first logging on to LotRO and presented with the choice of races, the one that arguably stands out the most would be the loveable (or loath-able) Hobbit. Elves, dwarves, men; been there done that. Hobbits, however, unique to Tolkien's imagination, offer a different experience. What I present to you is a guided tour through the first five levels of a Hobbit in Lord of the Rings Online. So, take your shoes off and get ready to blow some smoke rings. (Note: Massively.com does not condone nor endorse the smoking of anything ... real or fictional.)