DDTank

DDTank is a 2D turn based MMO shooter. Players must hit opponents across the map by aiming and correctly angling their shots. DDTank has the same gameplay mechanics as the classic ‘worms’, but adds RPG elements. There is a wide variety of weapons to use, item buffs to acquire, and other equipment to earn.
 


Publisher: Aeria Games
Playerbase: Medium
Graphics: Medium
Type: MMO Shooter
EXP Rate: Medium
PvP: Multiple Modes
Official: http://ddt.game321.com/







DDTank is very similar to Gunbound, but runs right on a browser window. With no need to download or install any files, DDTank is very accessible and casual friendly. Gameplay is easy to learn, but difficult to master. Players must align their shots properly by taking into account angles, elevation, wind velocity, and other factors. There are multiple game modes, and plenty of different weapon types to use in DDTank. The game also provides players with tasks to complete which give the game direction. DDTank has two game modes: Adventure and Sports. DDTank supports up to 4 players per match.

04.57 | 0 komentar | Read More >>

Pockie! Ninja

Pockie Ninja is a 3D anime themed browser based MMO by NGames. Players become young ninjas on a mission to save Angel City. Choose your favorite characters from popular manga series like Naruto and Bleach. Tackle challenging quests, fight hordes of monsters, and compete in fierce PvP arena battles. Unlock the secrets of a mystic ninjutsu art and earn your name in the history books.






Publisher: NGames / Games321
Playerbase: Medium
Graphics: High
Type: MMO
EXP Rate: High
PvP: Duels / Arena
Official Site: http://ninja.game321.com/

Pockie Ninja is a 3D anime themed browser MMORPG where players step into the role of a young ninja chosen to save the world. In order to prevent demons and their minions from conquering Angel City ninjas must learn powerful skills. Master over 40 different moves. Perform the strike of one thousand birds or the death mirage jutsu to eliminate foes. Battle various monsters from the deadly Sushi to the Grinning Monkey. Fight difficult warrior bosses and complete challenging quests. Participate in lucky draws or tournaments. Duel other ninjas in the PvP battle arena to boost rank. Become a legend and restore peace to Sakura once again in this innovative brawler.
Protecting Angel City, the Gameplay
Most of the gameplay involves completing quests and battling in the arena. Players start out in their selected tribal village and slowly unlock new areas in the map as they progress. NPCs stationed in various locations delegate tasks for ninjas to accomplish. There are plenty of missions to tackle. Rely messages back and forth between non-player characters, explore certain territories, or defeat a couple of demons to earn XP. Quests vary but often require some form of monster killing in the process. Players have to repeatedly go to destinations like the Peaked Whetstone to kill stinger bees and collect venom stingers or take down troublesome monsters disturbing villagers. Daily reward quests with different levels of difficulty refresh every hour. Users click on their desired location on the map to transport instantly. Clicking on a monster’s icon will also start an attack. Players do not control their character during combat. Pockie Ninja’s automated battles may not be for everyone. Once a fight is initiated users simply watch the turn based fight sequences. Battles are relatively fast paced with virtually no lag. Ninjas will perform randomly any of their equipped skills. The high quality graphics add to the appeal as heroes summon spirits or send flames to devour opponents. At the end of each match stats details are displayed along with XP or loot rewards. If a player dies the price for revival is costly. Free resurrection requires a significant loss of equipment durability and experience. Although the monster killing quests can get very repetitive they’re essential for leveling up and increasing your hero’s abilities.
When Sweet Potato Demons Attack
Every time a player levels up they’ll learn a new skill. These skills improve the odds of a ninja’s victory during battle. The animation for each move is quite impressive similar to Ninja Saga. Execute the Blood Boil, Static Field, Detonating Clay, Great Strength, Gale Palm, Flying Thunder God, Chakra Blade, Snared, Bomb, Cursed Seal of Heaven, or the Dead Demon Consuming Skill. As players complete more quests and win battles they’ll unlock new ninjutsu moves for defeating enemies. Two unique features implemented in the game is the class and synthetic system. Players are not committed to any particular class. In Pockie Ninja a hero’s status is determined by their attire. Each outfit represents one of the three primary classes consisting of Fighting, Dark, and Secret Ninjas. Depending on the shirt, pants, hat, and shoes a player will be that particular class. At any time users can switch their character’s clothing changing their current class. This option adds a bit of variety in the range of fighting styles and skill combinations possible.
The Pockie Ninja Shop
In the armory shop players can use a special synthetic system to combine any three objects to produce a new item. To have fun with this feature a user must possess talisman, scrolls, or special gemstones. The enhancement, refinement, and upgrade of clothing or weapons also require these trinkets. Items can be won through Lucky Draw a jar smashing option which presents players with a random gift or from shopping in one of the village merchant shops. There are only a handful of items available in the merchant shop. Buy healing capsules, pet food, iron plated chest armor, enchanted rings, Bamboo Gloves, Hammer of Blessing, Banana Fists, Agility Ravenous Wolf Claws, or the Barbaric Child’s Hat. In the item mall or Pockie Shop specialty items such as VIP cards, magical beans, pet egg gift packs, and food that boost attributes temporarily are sold. Most items cost in-game stones or gold. Coupon medals won through participating in arena battles can substitute for gold occasionally. There’s also a nice trade system that makes it easier to obtain various attire or weapons. Players must reach level 25 before they can freely use it.
Arena Battles & Duels
Similar to Ninerift players can purchase pet eggs and raise a furry companion to assist in PvP battles. In each village there is an arena. Clicking on it will display a list of available opponents to fight. Depending on the other player’s level the winner will receive bonus experience and increase their rank status. In Pockie Ninja users are limited in the number of battles that they can participate in daily. Options at the bottom of the screen allow ninjas to duel, enter a tournament, or swap skills and items with other players. Duels function in the same as arena battles only players have the ability to carefully choose their foe. A drop down menu opens up with their rank and level. Players can randomly or carefully select their opponent. Another cool feature in the game is the World Tournament. Ninjas can participate in the tournament or just bet and watch it. Heroes can check out the competition and take a chance at doubling their medals.
Final Verdict: Great
Although the gameplay in Pockie Ninja is pretty basic it’s still entertaining. Players become young ninjas in a world of mystery and magic. Kill ferocious Sunflowers, Sweet Potato Demons, Man-eaters, and Riceball monsters. Complete quests. Add a virtual pet to assist in combat. Fight others in PvP battles and duels. Watch and bet on tournaments or chat with friends on your mission to save Angel City from a hostile invasion. Comparable to games like Ninja Saga or Ninerift this MMO brawler sets itself apart with a unique class and synthetic system. Play as your favorite anime characters like Ichigo Kurosaki, Gaara, Grimmjow, or Toushiro Hitsugaya. Fans of the Naruto and Bleach series will thoroughly enjoy this 3D MMO inspired brawler.

04.49 | 0 komentar | Read More >>

Ministry Of War

y Ministry of War is a 2D browser based strategy game with real time combat and four playable civilizations. Build up an empire throughout the ages while making alliances and waging war with neighbors. Fight for supremacy in Ministry of War!

Publisher: Snail Games
Playerbase: Medium
Graphics: Medium
Type: MMO
EXP Rate: Low
Official: http://ministryofwar.com/






Ministry of War hopes to take the browser based strategy genre to the next level. The game is developed by Snail Game, the same Chinese studio behind Heroes of Gaia. MoW boasts real-time combat where players can battle other users, or computer controlled opponents. Chose from four ancient civilizations and progress from the Wild Age to the Imperial Age. Like Travian, Ministry of War has an end-game goal. After one civilization conqueors the rest, they will be declared the winner and a new age will begin. With a huge world to explore, oceans to sail, and tons of gamepaly features to experience, Ministry of War is defiently one of the most impressive free to play browser based strategy games.
Civilizations - Rome, Egypt, Persia, China

09.13 | 0 komentar | Read More >>

Might and Magic Heroes Kingdoms Full Review

Might and Magic Heroes Kingdoms is a 2D browser based strategy MMO based on the Might and Magic franchise. The game blends traditional strategy elements with in-depth hero customization. The game looks and feels different than other browser based strategy MMOs.














Publisher: Ubisoft
Playerbase: Medium
Graphics: Low
Type: MMO
EXP Rate: Low
Official: http://mightandmagicheroeskingdoms.ubi.com/
In recent years, more browser-based strategy games have been appearing as the genre becomes more popular with both hardcore and casual gamers. Ubisoft’s first MMO, Might & Magic: Heroes Kingdoms, capitalizes on both the popularity of browser-based strategy games and the strong following of Might & Magic to bring the game series to players for free. Unlike other browser-based games like Evony or Three Kingdoms Online, Might & Magic: Heroes Kingdoms uses its own unique game engine with a strong familiarity to the Heroes of Might & Magic game series. It must also be said that the game shares very few similarities with Heroes of Might and Magic Online except for sharing the same background.
A Land Torn By War
Like any good strategy game, Might & Magic: Heroes Kingdoms begins with a land torn by war. There are four factions fighting for dominance in this land, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and unique units, buildings, and heroes. The Haven, a Holy Empire, has a strong army but weak magic and expensive building cost. The Academy is a magic-based empire, with a weak economy and weaker units. Inferno is the kingdom of demons, with strong units and powerful but expensive magic. Finally, the Necropolis is the kingdom of undeath, with weak units but fast early development and a fairly balanced power between the power of their troops and their magic. Whichever your choice, it becomes permanent, and while it will reflect and adapt to your personal play style, it makes no effect on where you are placed in the land or who you can ally with.
Once a kingdom is chosen, players also get to select their name, a special player icon (combination of color, pattern, and icon), name their city, and then choose their first hero’s portrait and name. Placement on the world map is random, although new players will be placed in newer areas where they won’t be under direct threat from more powerful players once their newbie protection wears off.
A Steady Foot Forward
While some browser-based strategy games offer meager tutorials, usually in the form of a huge series of quests dumped into a quest log, Might & Magic: Heroes Kingdoms tries a little harder to incorporate the tutorial through the natural beginning game-play. Your guide will take you through freeing your city from a siege, mastering basic combat techniques, and building the foundations of your city as well as expanding into nearby territories. A practice server is also available to play on, which has accelerated growth, but a maximum time limit.
To Battle in the Wilderness
Players begin in a starter city surrounded by wilderness and the four basic resource nodes (gold, lumber, ore, and sulfur). Everything, including resources, must be captured through battling NPCs that dwell there. This means that a strong hero, and a strong army, are important to beginning strategy. Heroes must be equipped with units, and then sent out on missions to fight and hopefully conquer each piece of territory.
Combat is a rock-paper-scissors, turn-based combat that the player does not directly control. Ranged units best infantry, which bests cavalry, which in turn bests ranged. Units fight in an ordered succession, listed from top to bottom, and will get bonuses if placed against units that they are strong against. However, if the first player unit wins against the first enemy unit with survivors, they will go on to match the second unit, possibly with bonuses against them instead. Combat strategy, therefore, requires careful balancing of unit numbers and stacks to avoid heavy losses against the enemies.
Heroes Matter Too
While you begin with a single hero, more heroes are easily available to be hired for a moderate sum of gold. After building a tavern (part of the introductory quest), a new hero can be hired from a selection of two random types and portraits. Each hero has strengths and weaknesses, and styles of growth (how quickly or slowly they grow in their powers), so a balance of hero types as you expand your kingdom’s arsenal is key, as is considering what each hero will be used for.
In addition to leveling, gaining stats, and equipping items, heroes also can specialize in up to three different classes/careers. There are several of these to choose from, some with bonuses for combat, while others have bonuses for city building, trade, scouting, and more. Each class also has several specializations they can put skill points into, as defined by their class, and some actions – like building research buildings – can only be done by specific classes. A good grasp of all required roles, and the best way to specialize each hero, is also key to success.
A Little Empty Outside
One of the key problems with Might & Magic: Heroes Kingdoms as an MMO isn’t the depth of strategy required to succeed, it’s the pace of the gameplay itself. Each action taken has a certain time which it will take to complete, whether it’s building something new, recruiting a hero, training a hero in a new class, or heading off to battle. This is typical of all browser-based strategy games, except that in this case, actions take hours to complete even when they’re adjacent to the city a hero is in. The design is intentional: the developers wanted the game to be played for a few minutes at a time, a few times a day. Unfortunately, the design leads to a very slow paced game, resulting in little social interaction between players other than messages for joining alliances, and other diplomatic mail. Despite being massively multiplayer, the game generally feels like a single-player game.
Final Verdict: Good
Might & Magic: Heroes Kingdoms requires a great depth of strategy for success, something that tends to be rare in browser-based strategy games. With a real difference between kingdoms, units, and classes, and little evidence of a push for a “cash shop” strategy, the gameplay is incredibly rewarding. However, the slow pace and decreased social aspect may also deter some from enjoying the game to its full potential. If you enjoy strategy games but don’t have a lot of time or money to spend on becoming the best or socializing, Might & Magic: Heroes Kingdoms is a sure winner; for those who want to spend more time playing and less time waiting, other strategy games may be a better choice.

07.09 | 0 komentar | Read More >>

Adventure Quest Worlds

Adventure Quest Worlds (or AQ Worlds) is a 2D fantasy browser based MMORPG by the same team behind the original AdventureQuest. AQ Worlds is a much bigger game that boasts real-time combat, a large persistent world, and the ability to interact with thousands of other players! Both fans of the original and new players alike will find something to like in AQ Worlds!









Publisher: Artix Entertainment
Playerbase: Popular Games
Type: MMORPG
Official Site: http://aqworlds.com/


After the release of AdventureQuest in 2002, Artix Entertainment quickly rose to fame. The bright art style and simple gameplay made AQ a great online game for casual gamers. In late 2008 Artix took the franchise to a whole new level with the release of AdventureQuest Worlds. The new MMORPG is based on flash and plays on web browsers, which makes it just as accessible as its predecessor. But AQW brings much more to the table than the single-player AQ.
Play Your Way
Despite being a browser based game, Adventure Quest Worlds offers players a large array of play options. The game screen can be set at four size options including tiny, normal, large, and HUGE. A full screen mode is also available but one of the advantages of browser games is the ability to play them casually while web surfing, so I doubt this feature as useful as the others. There are several server types available as well, some allow free chat while others limit player communication to predefined phrases. Like Club Penguin, AQW tries to be as child-friendly as possible and nothing scares parents more than the idea that their kids could be chatting with a stranger on the internet. At least one server is reserved for premium users who pay a monthly fee, but players are free to hop servers at any time.
Create a Hero
Character creation in AQ Worlds is actually done prior to registration, which is handled as the last step before playing. There are four classes to chose from and all are standard fantasy MMORPG archetypes. Warriors are the best choice for beginners since they have the most powerful standard attacks. Rogues also mainly fight at melee range but rely more on skills to inflict damage.Mages are the offensive spell casters while Priests play a supportive role. These four are only the base classes, but as players increase their base and job level they can switch to dozens of more advanced ones. Appearance customization consists of choosing a hair style along with hair, skin, and eye color. After entering the game, long time Artix fans will recognize the distinctive graphic style and feel right at home. While AQ Worlds bears the name of the original AQ, it is more similar to DragonFable, which also allowed players to walk around and explore a virtual world.
Into the Fray
Adventure Quest Worlds is a dynamic game that mixes story-driven quests with with the option to simply grind things out. New players are advised to run through the ‘prologue’ which starts with a comedic cutscene showing the player fall down a cliff and into a forested area. Here they will encounter a small devilish cat creature known as an Ebil. The dialogue with this NPC will reveal the laid back attitude of the game’s lore. Internet speak and irony make the text interesting to read but does come at the cost of immersion. In my opinion this casual style is a plus but players looking for a game world to get lost in may be put off. Movement in AQ worlds is entirely mouse controlled, as is combat. The game world it self is broken into a series of tiny zones connected to one another. Manual movement can be cumbersome when covering long distances, but a handy map allows instant teleportation to nearly anywhere in the game world. The world itself (known as Lore) is currently made of 7 large areas, each containing multiple zones. If the map is any guide, there are plans to add much more content as only a tenth of the area is currently marked as ‘explored’.
We’ve Got a Quest For That!
Combat in AQW is simple but much faster paced than in previous titles. Players will encounter monsters as they travel and can engage them by left-clicking on them. This will initiate combat and generally keep other players from butting in (unless they’re partied). Besides exchanging auto-attacks, players can use skills or spells which cost mana. Casters are much more reliant on mana, which makes them slightly harder to play, but the hard work pays off at the end with more powerful high level spells. Experience and gold are accumulated by defeating monsters. Gold can be used to purchase or enhance gear and it is vital for players to keep their weapons up to date. Most enemies that are worth grinding off at any given level are too weak to seriously harm players, but an up to date weapon makes the hunting process much more efficient. Quests also play an important role in the game and are readily available in nearly every zone. Most quests are repeatable and require players to simply kill a certain number of a nearby monster, or to retrieve items that they drop. Oddly, quest items are placed into a ‘temporary’ bag as they are looted and will be lost upon logging off or closing the browser window. This means player will have to either finish the quest they’re working on or lose out on time if they have to get off the computer in a pinch.
Life in the Browser
Adventure Quest Worlds joins the ranks of a small but growing group of persistent browser-based MMORPGs. Comparisons with Runescape are inescapable, but the two games are entirely different. While Runescape is more of a traditional RPG that happens to be played in a browser, AQ Worlds caters to a casual crowd and can be played in much shorter bursts, with far less time spent traveling, resting, or otherwise not playing (also known as ‘down time.’) It is by far Artix’s greatest game to date, but since it relies on the same art style and themes, it is unlikely to win over many fans who weren’t fans of their previous titles.
Pay-As-You-Go
While AQ Worlds is free-to-play, there are a number of payment walls that players will encounter. Firstly, subscription membership unlocks access to many features unavailable to the free player. Of these, the most prominent are access to advanced classes, player housing, and member only areas. Membership can be purchased in blocks of 3 months ($19.95), 6 months ($34.95), or 1 year ($49.95.) In addition to paid membership, players may purchase ‘AdventureCoins’ which act as currency in the game’s premium shop. Despite being a full fledged MMORPG, AQ Worlds manages to keep a segmented gameplay experience. Heading from zone to zone, and the multiple levels of access granted to different tiers of players still feels a lot like moving from page to page on a browser. Because of this, AQW is never as immersive as browser MMORPGs like Earth Eternal but is far more approachable, especially for casual gamers unaccustomed to or uninterested in MMO power sessions.
Final Verdict: Good
Adventure Quests Worlds is a fun, casual, friendly MMORPG. The game stresses ease of play and boasts a humorous atmosphere. While it was designed with children in mind, AQW can be enjoyed by a broad audience. Limited graphics and the fact that many features are only available to paying users prevents a higher score.

12.28 | 0 komentar | Read More >>

Tribal Wars

Tribal Wars is a medieval strategy game played right on your web browser. Players start with a single village and must built it into a powerful city by gathering resources and constructing new buildings. But be careful, Tribal Wars has open PvP so be sure to train soldiers to defend your realm and don’t be afraid to raid your neighbors.







Publisher: InnoGames
Playerbase: High
Type: MMO

Oficial Site : http://www.tribalwars.net/


Tribal Wars is exactly as the name suggests – an all out war between various ‘tribes’ and clans in a free to play web MMO. Every individual controls a village, and must struggle to expand it in order to survive. Set in the medieval ages, it is through the sword, shield and bow that each player will set out to conquer another – in real time.
Starting the game

Upon registration new users will be prompted for a location (North, South, East, West) to create their new village after selecting one of various ‘Worlds’ to join. The World and geographical location don’t make much difference at the start for a total newbie, although for friends who play together it becomes extremely important due to the fact that Tribal Wars places a strong emphasis on teamwork. Be sure to co-ordinate with your friends on which world to join and where to start for maximum deadly force.
Tribal Wars has an optional interactive tutorial. I was glad that the game developers actually took the time to structure it in such a way that the guide was actually easy to follow, making the usually daunting task of learning game mechanics much less intimidating. Straight to the point, simple and not too much clicking.
Building structures and units
The most important aspect of Tribal Wars in the early stages of the game is to quickly expand the resource collection process. Tribal Wars is a turn based strategy game, so players must move fast and micro-manage their resources well in order to position themselves for an attack. This can be done by upgrading buildings such as the timber camp for faster wood production, the iron mine for faster iron and the farm for an increase in the max population levels. All upgrades are done through the Village Headquarters, the building at the centre of the village marked by a flag. Gameplay wise Tribal Wars does little to differentiate itself from other strategy themed MMOs like Evony, Travian, Space Invasion and Ikarium,
In order to begin constructing military units to attack another village, players needs to first upgrade their headquarters to level three. The barracks will then be available for construction, and units such as Swordsmen, Axemen and Archers will be available to recruit. Further down the line, Stables producing Calvary units and an Academy training specialized ‘noblemen’ to assist in conquering other villages (taking over) will be available. Building times vary depending on the complexity and the type of upgrade.
By continuing to expand, players will be presented with the opportunity to build more and train stronger troops. Like almost all other MMO’s, the whole point of expanding and gathering more resources is to become as powerful as possible. By expanding to a stage where the population has grown immensely, players can ‘noble’ a village under their control, creating fortified stone wall defences and the ability to train some of the strongest troops to pillage and plunder the enemy. It doesn’t stop there, but how far an individual can climb up the Tribal War ‘food chain’ depends on the surrounding villages. There will be always others that are watching to make sure that one village doesn’t become too powerful, so always be on the alert for a raid.
The paladin hero
Players have the opportunity to recruit, in the early stages, a ‘paladin’. The paladin is a hero of sorts which is stronger than a standard unit, and boosts offensive power on raids / defence back at home base and also allows for items to be found, which will be covered later on. Premium membership is required in order to construct more than one building at a time, so there will certainly be unfair disadvantages against those who are paying members as they will be able to train all of their units faster.
Weapons and Special Items

In Tribal Wars, paladins have the ability to find and equip certain ‘items’. These items can be found faster if the paladin is sent regularly on raids, as the chances of finding an item increases as a result. There is a progress bar which can be viewed at the Statue building on the remaining percentage until a new item is found. Any found items will be stored in the weapons chamber and can be re used even if the paladin is killed (another paladin can then be immediately appointed). One such example of an item that can be found is the ‘Halberd of Guan Yu’ which increases the offensive power by spearmen by 30%.
The Fights
In terms of graphics and animation, there isn’t much to say about the combat in Tribal Wars. In fact, players won’t be seeing soldiers loot or pillage other villages at all, since the game is browser based and all the fighting is ‘calculated’ and done by text. Successfully attacking other villages will present your army with a bonus in looted resources as well as devastate your opponents and leave them with heavy setbacks. In Tribal Wars however, it pays to be smart. Smaller villages will usually group together to form a tribe, and if players pick on one of the larger more organized tribes, be prepared for a counterattack. The game provides a simulator that will let players predict the losses and gains of an attack by entering a certain number of troops attacking and defending before proceeding with the march orders from the ‘Rally Point’ building. Players may soon find themselves bored of a game that offers no animation in fights, even if the strategy and empire building mechanics are undeniably addictive.

Don’t get caught out – take a look at the map!

The map is a player’s best friend in Tribal Wars. There is nothing worse than being unaware of your surroundings, especially when you’re the ‘farming’ target of some stronger villages. There are two maps available in the ‘Map’ section. The map on the left shows the villages in the player’s immediate neighbourhood and gives an estimate of power based on ‘points’ and also the geographical establishment (walls, barricades etc). The smaller map on the right allows navigation of the entire continent and the presents players a chance to take a look at some of the really strong members of a particular ‘World’
Mental Warfare – Communicate or Die

Like the great Roman Empire in ages past who sent out threats to rebellious countries, players have the ability to send messages and communicate with nearby villages before making a move. It could be a request to join a tribe, create a small alliance or a death threat demanding them to start over because the village is about to be plundered. This is the where I believe the fun part of Tribal Wars really comes into perspective. Aside from the ‘physical warfare’, there is also the battle of human minds through use of diplomacy. From six year old ‘I hatez you go diez’ to ‘Beware, I’m part of XYZ, the greatest tribe in this continent’ to no reply at all, players will have to decide for themselves whether an option is really worth the risk. There’s always a chance that the opponent is bluffing as well – the really clever players know which tricks to use.
Final Verdict: Good

While I would love to say that Tribal Wars is a fast paced, action packed strategy game on the equivalent of Warhammer: Dawn of War, I must present the sad truth that the game is simply just a 2D text based web MMO. But for a game with near static animation for just about anything, Tribal Wars has the right combination of ingredients to make the game an addicting and enjoyable experience. The aspect of building up resources and conquering holds its appeal to many, whilst the real time strategy provides a challenge to others. Well worth a play if you’re into empire building games.

01.41 | 0 komentar | Read More >>

Travian

Travian is a browser based strategy game where players chose from three tribes (Romans, Gauls, or Teutons) to form alliances, make war with each other and race to construct a Wonder. Only by skillful management of resources and cunning diplomacy can players hope to defeat the AI controlled tribe of Natars and claim victory!






Publisher: Travian GmbH
Playerbase: High
Graphics: Low
Type: MMO
Official Site: http://www.travian.com/

Travian was originally released in 2004 by a German team and quickly gained an international following.  Today, the game is available in over 40 languages and has over 250 servers worldwide servicing 5+ million players.  While the gameplay mechanics are similar to another German browser based strategy game, Tribal Wars, the two now offer very different gaming experiences.  The most recent version of Travian (version 3) was released in 2006 and offers several new features including heroes, higher building level caps, and the ability to annex oases territories which previously only served a visual purpose.
Pick a Tribe!
Account creation in Travian involves picking a region, server, and then a tribe.  Region selection can easily be missed since the default is set to ‘Europe’ on the top left of the homepage.  If you’re from a different region, be sure to click the arrow and open the drop down menu to make your selection before clicking ‘register.’   There are two types of servers available to chose from; several regular servers, and one ‘Speed 3x’ server.  As the name suggests, things move three times faster on the speed server and I highly recommend it for beginners.  Gameplay in all browser based strategy games are painfully slow so do yourself a favor and go with the slightly-less-slow server.  Players will have to provide a valid email address since a verification code is required before logging in.  Newer games like Evony don’t require this extra barrier to entry which slows things down a bit, especially for first time impatient players.  Once your account is up to speed, the final phase is to select from among the three playable tribes.  The Romans are recommended for beginners since they have balanced attack/defense and powerful (but slowly trained) units available.  The Gauls are the intermediate tribe focused on defense while the Teutons are the advanced tribe with high defense but slow defense & speed.
More Alike than Different
Each tribe has its own 10 military unit list, though they fall into the same mold.  There are several types of infantry, cavalry, and siege units with varying costs, speeds, attack, and defensive power.  Each faction also has several special bonuses, for example the Teutons have a ‘plunder bonus’ which allows them to steal more resources in a raid than the other tribes can.  The early game progression is very similar despite which tribe you chose to go with.  Players are welcomed to the game by an advisor who offers tasks to help new players learn the ropes.  These tasks are activities you would have to do anyway, so be sure to accept them since they come with generous rewards.  The first few tasks ask you to upgrade your city’s resource spots.  There are four kinds of resources in Travian; lumber, clay, iron, and crop. I’m not sure why they decided to call it ‘crop’ rather than ‘food’ but that’s what it is.  The starting city comes with six empty crop spots and four spots for each of the other three resources.  The reason crops are given preference here is because every soldier you train requires a constant stream of crops to maintain.  I found the interface in Travian very outdated, especially having just played Evony the day before.  Even Tribal Wars has been upgraded with isometric graphics and a little animation to give the game more life.  Travian still languishes with a dated text & image combo.
One Step at a Time…
It doesn’t take long before new players are stuck with nothing left to do in Travian.  After the first few tasks, players are simply instructed to wait while an army the NPC adviser has sent arrives.  This takes about three hours and in the end the player is awarded with one rat as a combat unit.  Resources are generated quite slowly in Travian and there are far fewer bonuses given out than in Evony so the rate of resource tick is of greater importance.  Of course, Travian wasn’t meant to be played for hours on end in one sitting.  Even veteran players managing several cities can play the game in short bursts throughout the day without much loss in efficiency.  Free players can only construct one building at a time (per city) but by completing tasks, players are rewarded with temporary access to “Travian Plus”, which offers several benefits including the ability to construct two buildings simultaneously.  Additional premium features can be purchased with gold, the game’s premium currency.  Purchased at an exchange rate of 1 gold per 4-8 cents (depending how many you buy at a time), gold is used to provide temporary resource production bonuses and troop strength/defense bonuses.  It costs five gold to receive a three day long +25% boost per resource and three gold for a three day boost of 10% for attack and defense (separately.)   Additionally, players can pay two gold to have their current buildings under construction in one city complete instantly.  The final premium bonus costs three gold and allows players to exchange resources at a 1:1 ratio.  For example, if you have too much clay, you can exchange it for lumber.  The obvious problems that this premium payment method causes are in the realm of game balance.  While it is possible to play entirely for free, it is nearly impossible to win without spending money.
The Purpose Driven Life
Unlike most browser games, Travian does have an end-game purpose.  Each server enters an end game mode after about 300 days (~100 for speed servers) at which time the world is attacked by an AI controlled tribe known as the Natars.  Players must steal blue prints from the Natar, construct a Wonder, and defend it while upgrading it to level 100.  This takes an enormous amount of resources, especially since both the Natars and other players will attempt to stop you from completing it.  Team work is the only way to accomplish this feat.  Large alliances are required simply to defend a player who is pouring all his resources into construction and city defense.  Eventually, when a player completes his level 100 wonder, the server is reset with all players reverting to an empty starter village.  Gold that hasn’t been spent is preserved, however.  Some have praised the sense of purpose and urgency that Travian places on servers while others have found the need to restart every year or so bothersome.  In any case, it isn’t difficult to see how difficult it would be for a free player to ‘win’ when competing against players pouring money into bonus resources and instant construction of buildings.  Players who don’t want to spend money can still help their alliance and take heart in the fact that they at least contributed to victory.
Final Verdict: Fair
Travian is a widely popular strategy game that is beginning to show its age.  New players may have difficulty adjusting to the old interface but may be attracted by the sense of purpose Travian offers in the form of an actual, winnable game experience.  Unfortunately, gamers will have to shell out real cash if they hope to compete for the crown.

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