Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Pantsless: First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta headstart]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/pantsless-first-impressions-of-neverwinters-open-beta-headstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/pantsless-first-impressions-of-neverwinters-open-beta-headstar/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/04/30/pantsless-first-impressions-of-neverwinters-open-beta-headstar/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pantsless First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta
Neverwinter's launch into open beta began last week, and through the grace of my press account, my Great Weapon Fighter was lucky enough to begin her digital life alongside players who forked over $199.99 for the Hero of the North Founder's Pack. I lack any of the Founders Pack bonuses, so off my plucky human character went, surrounded on her first day almost exclusively by panther-having Drow.

Justin's been serving up a delicious helping of launch diary goodness, but he's relaxing on a cruise ship this week, so you're stuck with me! Join me as we sally forth into my launch-but-not-really-launch-it's-open-beta-okay-guys-but-we-aren't-deleting-characters-anymore-no-really-it's-still-open-beta-look-it-says-so-in-this-blog-post impressions! The first section is about thighs.

Continue reading Pantsless: First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta headstart

MassivelyPantsless: First impressions of Neverwinter's open beta headstart originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>action-mmocrypticcryptic-studiosdndf2pfantasyfeaturedFirst-Impressionsfree-to-playhands-onimpressionslaunchlaunch-daylaunchesneverwinteropinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpreviewpreviewspweTue, 30 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ascots and crossbows: Hands-on with Renaissance Heroes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/ascots-and-crossbows-hands-on-with-renaissance-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/ascots-and-crossbows-hands-on-with-renaissance-heroes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2013/03/27/ascots-and-crossbows-hands-on-with-renaissance-heroes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Renaissance Heroes
A few months ago, when New Year's resolutions came around, I decided to take broad, sweeping strides outside of my comfort zone -- I decided to play more FPS games. Long have I lingered in the comforting bosom of tab targeting, cast bars, and kill-10-boars. So when Renaissance Heroes, a newly released free-to-play FPS, came to my attention, I thought I might have finally found an FPS game that's more my style, that style being "shoot people in the face with crossbows."

I was not disappointed.

Continue reading Ascots and crossbows: Hands-on with Renaissance Heroes

MassivelyAscots and crossbows: Hands-on with Renaissance Heroes originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>f2pfeaturedfirst-person-shooterfpsfree-to-playfreemiumGamefusehands-onimpressionslivestreammatthew-lenehanmicrotransactionspreviewpreviewsrenaissance-heroesshooterstreamstreamingvideovideosWed, 27 Mar 2013 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Of MonsterZ and Men: Hands-on with RaiderZ]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/of-monsterz-and-men-hands-on-with-raiderz/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/of-monsterz-and-men-hands-on-with-raiderz/http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/of-monsterz-and-men-hands-on-with-raiderz/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Screenshot -- RaiderZ
The other night as I was perusing the interwebs for new and interesting things on which to waste my time, I was struck with a craving. I suddenly found myself wanting to get my hands on a good ol'-fashioned hack-and-slash, preferably of the massively multiplayer variety. As I wracked my brain for a game that would satiate my hunger, I remembered RaiderZ. I had a bit of time at PAX Prime to fiddle around with the game between appointments, and I thought it could be just the thing I was looking for.

As luck would have it, Perfect World Entertainment was selling RaiderZ founders' packs for the low low price of 30 bucks, and since I have all the impulse control of a gnat I decided to go ahead and pick one up so I could jump into the game's head start. Since then, I've logged something to the tune of 15 to 20-ish hours bashing in the skulls of a variety of nasty creatures, and I've got a few things to say. If you've got nothing better to do, how about jumping past the cut and listening to me rant?

Continue reading Of MonsterZ and Men: Hands-on with RaiderZ

MassivelyOf MonsterZ and Men: Hands-on with RaiderZ originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>actionaction-mmof2pfantasyfeaturedfree-to-playhands-onopinionperfect-worldperfect-world-entertainmentpweraiderzreviewWed, 31 Oct 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/23/eon-magazine-issue-24-looks-back-at-eve-onlines-apocrypha-expan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/23/eon-magazine-issue-24-looks-back-at-eve-onlines-apocrypha-expan/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/23/eon-magazine-issue-24-looks-back-at-eve-onlines-apocrypha-expan/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Issue 24 of EVE Online's quarterly official magazine EON hit the shelves this month, bringing a fresh dose of internet spaceships to coffee tables and bathrooms everywhere. Produced by MMM Publishing and written by a growing cast of writers from within the EVE community, EON provides something solid for fans of EVE to hold on to and acts as a snapshot in time or record of the game as it evolves. Recent big news stories and nullsec wars are detailed in each issue, along with editorial pieces, fiction, interviews and guides.

The latest issue is a wormhole special, with a huge focus on 2009's incredibly successful Apocrypha expansion and the hidden wormhole systems it brought to EVE. In addition to the second part of Pottsey's background on the ancient Sleeper race locked away in wormhole systems, the magazine contains testflights of the four strategic cruisers produced from materials discovered in wormhole space. A fantastically insightful article on the making of Apocrypha also delves into the gritty details of how CCP put its entire weight behind one incredible expansion during a time of real world economic turmoil.

Skip past the cut for a breakdown of everything in EON Issue 24 and my impressions from reading through it.

Continue reading EON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion

MassivelyEON Magazine issue 24 looks back at EVE Online's Apocrypha expansion originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccpccp-eveccp-gamese-oneoneveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexpansionfeaturedissue-24magmagazinenoah-wardreviewreviewsrichie-shoemakersleepersleepersstrategic-cruiserstech-3templar-onetony-gonzaleswormholeszapateroSat, 23 Jul 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A hands-on with the Razer Anansi]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/a-hands-on-with-the-razer-anansi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/a-hands-on-with-the-razer-anansi/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/05/12/a-hands-on-with-the-razer-anansi/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When I first heard about the Razer Anansi, I was beyond excited. Razer had, after all, made the supremely excellent Naga specifically for MMOs, and the Naga is as close to a perfect peripheral as has ever been made. (The original wasn't wireless, which is a big deal for some people, but it doesn't bother me -- and there's a wireless version out now anyway.) I was pretty much certain that the same team working on a keyboard would produce the ultimate one-two punch for online gaming accessories.

Sadly, the Anansi isn't the Naga. And therein lies its biggest fault -- you can't help but compare the two products, and the keyboard comes up short. It isn't a bad keyboard, but it lacks what made the Naga so excellent, and for the several things that it gets right it also manages to get a couple of things wrong. Without a doubt, it's going to serve better than the stock keyboard that comes with a new computer, but it's far from a must-have addition to your hardware.

Continue reading A hands-on with the Razer Anansi

MassivelyA hands-on with the Razer Anansi originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anansifeaturedhardware-evaluationhardware-reviewkeybindingkeyboardnagaopinionperipheralrazerrazer-anansirazer-nagareviewThu, 12 May 2011 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RuneScape's Return to Canifis: First impressions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/runescapes-return-to-canifis-first-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/runescapes-return-to-canifis-first-impressions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/03/18/runescapes-return-to-canifis-first-impressions/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Last year, publisher Titan Books released the first in a new series of novels based on free-to-play MMO RuneScape. Betrayal at Falador was well-received, with our own Rubi Bayer thoroughly enjoying the novel's story and its author's writing style. Author T.S. Church has since completed work on the novel's sequel, Return to Canifis, which is due to release at the end of the month. Massively was given an advance copy of the book, so I've spent most of this week ploughing through its pages.

When Rubi reviewed the first novel in this series, she found the book very approachable despite her limited experience with RuneScape itself. Although I've played a lot of RuneScape, I'm at a similar disadvantage as I haven't read the first novel in this series. Because of this, I got a good insight into how the storyline of the book holds up on its own and how approachable the novel is to people who haven't read the first book.

Skip past the cut to read my impressions of RuneScape's Return to Canifis.

Continue reading RuneScape's Return to Canifis: First impressions

MassivelyRuneScape's Return to Canifis: First impressions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bookcanifisfeaturedjagexlorenovelopinionreadingreturn-to-canifisreviewrunescapet-s-churchts-churchFri, 18 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Hands-on with SWTOR's next book: Deceived]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/13/hands-on-with-swtors-next-book-deceived/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/13/hands-on-with-swtors-next-book-deceived/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/13/hands-on-with-swtors-next-book-deceived/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The Star Wars universe probably has the richest and most collaborative lore of any fictional world. Literally, thousands of artists and authors have taken George Lucas' creation and turned it into the books, movies, paintings, comic books, and video games we know today. Paul S. Kemp, an author and corporate lawyer from Michigan, added his name to that list with his first Star Wars book, Crosscurrent. On March 22nd, 2011, Kemp's second Star Wars book will hit the shelves. Deceived will also be the second book to deal directly with the lore leading up to LucasArts' and BioWare's MMORPG (maybe you've heard of it): Star Wars: The Old Republic.

The wildly popular Deceived trailer for SWTOR shows us how a Sith named Darth Malgus led the assault on the Jedi Temple during the Sacking of Coruscant. Darth Malgus and his Twi'lek companion rather quietly walk through the front doors of the temple to be surrounded immediately by Jedi who are rather uncertain about what to make of the situation until a stolen transport full of Sith warriors comes crashing through the main hall. A battle of light and dark ensues, which culminates with Maglus facing off with and killing Jedi Master Ven Zallow.

As with everything Star Wars, we only get a piece of the actual story with the trailer. This four minute trailer is the spark which eventually turns into the forest fire. Deceived tells the immediate and personal effects of this battle on Darth Malgus, his Twi'lek companion, a Smuggler, and a Jedi Knight.

The novel hardback will retail for $27 U.S. ($31 Canadian) when it releases, but Massively received an advanced copy of Deceived. Continue reading to scoop up our impressions of the latest in what looks to be a series of SWTOR-related novels. (Oh, there maybe a couple of spoilers to tease you in there, too.)

Continue reading Hands-on with SWTOR's next book: Deceived

MassivelyHands-on with SWTOR's next book: Deceived originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aryn-LeneerBioWarebook-reviewdarth-malgusdeceivedDelReyeaElectronic-Artsgeorge-lucashands-onJediloreLucasArtsnovelpaul-kempPaul-S-Kemprandom-houseSacking-of-CoruscantSithSmugglerStar-Warsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorthe-old-republictorven-zallowZeerid-KorrMon, 13 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Rise and Shiny recap: Linkrealms]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/12/rise-and-shiny-recap-linkrealms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/12/rise-and-shiny-recap-linkrealms/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/12/12/rise-and-shiny-recap-linkrealms/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Over the last week I was privileged enough to participate in Mythyn Interactive's Linkrealms beta, a game that I had watched for a while now. The trailer is just neat (to use a truly nerdy word) and strikes you immediately with its awesome animations and spell effects. In fact, the animations are very cool and probably one of my favorite parts of the game. That says a lot, especially since the combat and community are such charmers. There's something about the animations that brings the game out of indie territory -- and out of Ultima Online territory -- and plants it more in the area of original and immersive.

Of course, the game is still testing. I will bet that, like many indie games, it will stay in beta for a long, long time. We players need to be forgiving when developers do this and understand that true release -- even just calling it that -- is just not that simple. I can almost sense the fear in my discussions with some of the developers: they have worked their butts off on the game, they have spent way too much time working on this digital world, and they don't want their work to be misrepresented. This fear is completely rational, especially if we think just for a second about how quickly players not only eat up content, but mercilessly blame developers for every single thing they feel is wrong with the game.

So, follow me after the jump and let's talk about why this game is so good, even if it does still need a little more time in the oven.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny recap: Linkrealms

MassivelyRise and Shiny recap: Linkrealms originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2-dbeau-hindmanbetaclosed-betaf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpindependentIndieIsometriclinkrealmsmythynmythyn-interactiverise-and-shinytestUltima-Onlineultima-online-stygian-abyssSun, 12 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST