In the land of computer games, there is a giant known as the Massively Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Game (conveniently abbreviated to MMORPG).  Many avid gamers avoid these games as best they can, as they are known to literally consume lives.  Additionally, they are known to be endlessly complicated and have no true resolution (you cannot “beat” these games).  Basically, you create a character based on one of many available archetypes and then adventure in an expansive world, gaining experience and power as you advance in levels.  You can work alone or with others, and even face off against other players in PvP(Player Versus Player) combat.

There have been many MMORPGs over the past 20 years, from the text-based MUDs (Multi User Dungeons) to Everquest (the first MMORPG in true 3d) to World of Warcraft, the current favorite.  WoW (pardon my abbreviation) upped the ante when it was released in 2004.  It added a level of ease and polish unknown in past games, as well as increasing the scale.  Its huge world offers endless opportunities, from simply questing for gold and experience to participating in large “Raids,” where as many as 40 players come together to complete an epic-scale series of tasks.  Also, WoW sports an innovative PvP system, pitting two sides (Players can either play in the Alliance or Horde factions) against each other in large battles.  A PvP system like this was pioneered a few years back in a game from Mythic Entertainment known as Dark Age of Camelot, but WoW perfected it.

Even with WoW’s seemingly endless world and glut of options, and the addition of an expansion pack (The Burning Crusade, and another called Wrath of the Lich King is on the way), players got burned out.  Many games since WoW’s release have tried to challenge it, but most have fallen short (Such as this year’s Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures).  In my opinion, Warhammer Online is the first big player since WoW in this realm.

I have played nearly every MMORPG that has been on the market in the past 10 years, and only World of Warcraft succeeded in holding my interest for an extended period of time.  However, since last Wednesday’s release of Warhammer Online, I have rarely left my computer room.  No game in some time has held my attention so well.

Warhammer Online borrows heavily from WoW, but uses a pre-existing universe.  The Warhammer Fantasy Battle tabletop miniature game has been around since the 1980s and has attracted a sizeable fanbase.  This rich universe is tailor-made for a MMORPG, rife with conflict and amazing design.  Like WoW, the game pits two factions (Order and Destruction) against one another.  In the Order faction are the races Human, Dwarf, and Elf, each with their own careers and specialties.  For example, Dwarves can become Engineers who wield complex muskets and build defensive turrets.  Humans can be Warrior Priests, armored and carrying enormous blessed hammers, dishing out pious justice while healing their compadres.  On the Destruction side are the Greenskins (Orcs and Goblins), The Hordes of Chaos (which are human…mostly), and the Dark Elves.  Careers on this side range from the massive, cockney-accented Black Ork, to the spindly, fanatical Chaos Zealot.

A Warrior Priest faces off against a Chaos Zealot

It is from the faction of Chaos that I made my first character, a so-called “Marauder.”  Think of a Viking Berserker, gifted by his dark gods with the ability to mutate his limbs into weapons.  This is the sort of over-the top, brutal design that separates Warhammer Online from other games: every class is just so awesome. In many online games (such as WoW), players are more hesitant to play the more support oriented classes.  “Tanks” like the aformentioned Black Ork, are tasked with soaking up damage, using their shields and heavy armor to save the lightly-equipped magic users from harm.  Healing classes like the Warrior Priest and Zealot must keep their companions healthy and alive.  These two archetypes are hard to come by in WoW, as they are known to be somewhat boring.  In Warhammer, however, they are so brilliantly designed that few can resist the temptation to play them.  The Chaos Chosen, for example (a massive warrior encased in demonic-styled armor), has an ability called “Hold the Line.”  This ability allows them to temporarily cast aside their weapon and place both hands on their shield, gaining defensive bonuses for them and their surrounding allies.  Abilities like this make the more stereotypically boring classes among the most fun, which really helps to balance the game out.

A mighty Chaos Chosen

A fearsome Chaos Marauder, my class of choice

PvP in this game is also unlike nothing I’ve seen before.  Players can play against each other in groups, fighting to complete objectives.  This is like the Battleground system in WoW.  Also in Warhammer there is a large amount of conflict just out in the open world, with numerous keeps that can be sieged (complete with cannons and boiling oil), so there is always a way to crack some player-controlled skulls.  Of course, you can also choose to go it alone or cooperate with other players to complete larger-scale “Public Quests,” which help to tell the game’s story.

As I sit here, itching to finish this review to get back to playing my Marauder, I have to give a hearty thumbs up to this game.  As it’s newly released, it has its share of bugs, and the servers are frequently crowded.  However, these issues are being resolved with frequent patches and server upgrades.  Also a note: this game is rather resource-intensive, so make sure you have an up to date computer.  While WoW may be more friendly to new players, and have an excellent reputation, Warhammer online brings the player endless opportunities to engage in epic fantasy violence, which is what MMORPGs are supposed to be about.

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