I know this may sound cheesy and possibly even dim, but I really like the fishing in EQOA Frontiers! It offers some really fun past-time when you are trying to regenerate health or just relax down by the river (Chris Farley reference not intended, but it is nice to have!). Each pole can offer different stats and allow you to have greater chances of catching fish with higher levels. All fish you catch you can eat and gain back health points, some fish will continue to heal, like it has a spell quality to it (Very nice to have in battle!!). You can even get bait with higher levels to attract fish of higher levels. The higher level you are, the better fish you can catch. I would advise any who decide to play this game, become a master fisherman, it will pay off! Plus a fact, it is fun!
One of the negative sides I have found to this game is the controls. They work very fluidly and the default settings are excellent, although, it would be much nicer to connect a keyboard to, especially while trying to communicate with other players. Simply typing one letter at a time can get very agitating and tedious. The keyboard would then be yet another cost to add to the purchase of the game and membership (With the purchase of the game, comes a 30 free subscription!).
Being that EQOA Frontiers was published by SOE as was
Star Wars Galaxies (PC), EQOA Frontiers has a lot of the same qualities. Creatures and foes are rated on a colored scale of green through red; green being extremely easy and red being extremely difficult. As in Galaxies, you are able to accumulate trade skills to become a better blacksmith, jeweler...etc. You can acquire pets and hold elementals at your command to assist in your leveling struggle, similar to Galaxies; well minus the elementals (wrong time period). Also, each game offers questing missions to obtain respect and faction points among your higher powers and citizens of towns the likewise can happen to the negative side, so be careful with who you mess with.
As for replay value, well, there is always replaying capabilities, considering the game will always be different and changing due to the other players who log in to assist you or hinder; which brings me to the next aspect of negativity to this game. There is absolutely no Player killing on any servers. Every character, even though they may be evil, is considered “friendly” in the gaming world. I personally believe that if SOE was going to produce an MMORPG and label it Everquest, they need to keep to its roots, being that on the PC versions of Everquest P-killing is allowed. Was this some sort of security measure so people who play this game won’t go irate when someone kills their character and loots their corpse? Maybe. But let’s face it, P-killing is fun and would be a great aspect to add to the game. Possibly even a future update?! That would be really nice.
Finally, I need to add in a Surgeon Generals warning for EQOAF. This game is very addicting and may very well eat your days away. I know from experience. I would find myself making excuses not to do things so I could play longer. It would sometimes feel like the controller was a new appendage that just grew out of my body, and getting rid of it would require extensive surgery. So please, be careful with this game and the hours (days) you put in. Enjoy!
B
Sony Online Entertainment has done it once again. They have taken Everquest to a new level. The current release Everquest Online Adventures Frontiers is a great sequel to the original PS2 release. There is more to do, more to see, more to kill, just an all around great thought out game.
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