EverQuest: Lost Dungeons of Norrath

It is becoming an all-too familiar trend in the world of massively multiplayer online role-playing games. The days of the solo adventurer is being left behind, and the games are forcing players to band together in order to explore new territory.

This, in and of itself, is sound in concept. After all, these are Massively Multiplayer ORPGs. It does tend to ignore the player who either can’t find a group, or has a penchant for solo play in a group-oriented world.

The sixth expansion for one of the granddaddys of the genre, EverQuest, is all about fellowships. The Lost Dungeons of Norrath opens up new territory, but you cannot explore that unless you have a group of at least four avatars.

This expansion is indeed bigger than any previous one. Long-lost locations in Norrath have been rediscovered and there are 48 new dungeons to explore.

Other new features include raid adventures which will allow battles of up to 36 players, the adventures are personalized to challenge each individual group, you can choose your reward for completing an adventure, there are new tradeskill recipes, new mobs, new NPCs (non-playing characters), and you can interact with the environment in new ways (such as destroying vases or tables, or disarm and pick open chests).

The 48 new dungeons, or zones, represents 19 more than any previous expansion. To begin the new adventures, you need to find a member of the Wayfarers Brotherhood. This is a group of NPCs that have five main camps - in Northern Ro, Southern Ro, the Butcherblock Mountains, East Commons and Everfrost Mountains. You answer some questions and receive an Adventurer’s Stone. This is your passage to the new adventures. Possession of the stone enables to you take on the mission that the Brotherhood has waiting.

While all members of the party can access the Adventure Window, it is only the party leader that can accept the missions. There are four basic types of adventure: rescue, defeat a specified enemy, recover a certain item or kill a specified number of a certain type of mob.

The payoff for completing the missions is elevation of prestige and rewards from the vast horde of the Wayfarers.

The party is set, the mission is accepted and your group has portaled to the dungeon. Here’s the good part - each dungeon is tailored to challenge the average level of your party. If you have a bunch of upper level characters, the dungeon will meet their level. But lower level players need not worry - the dungeons will customize the content to challenge them as well without subjugating them to the same dangers that a group of level 50-plus avatars would face.

This is a great idea, but there is only one drawback. The game lags in these areas. But because these dungeon missions are timed, the lag can make it a bit tougher. To counter that, the mobs don’t respawn and as you kill your way through, you don’t have to worry about something materializing at your back and wiping out your party.

The reward comes in points and ranking. The points will allow you to purchase items from the Wayfarer in the camp in which you received the quests. The ranking system gives this game an arcade feel and somewhat destroys the whole grouping idea. Johnny is looking at what could be a loss on this particular quest. Rather than lose standing points, he drops from the fellow, leaving the rest of the group to fend for themselves in an area set up for a stronger group.

But generally, the whole concept of Lost Dungeons of Norrath is very well done. It does need some tweaking to make it run a little smoother, but the biggest bonus of this expansion is the instant accessibility for any player of any level. You don’t have to be above a certain level to enjoy this expansion and its replayability is obvious due to the customization of the dungeons.

This is an expansion that is smart and innovative for the series. It is also something that players are bound to enjoy, not only from the challenge aspect, but from the rewards system as well.

With EverQuest II just around the corner, it is apparent that Sony Online Entertainment is still committed to making the original EverQuest a valued experience. This title proves just that.

This game requires the original EverQuest to play and is rated Teen for blood and gore, violence and suggestive themes.

Gameplay: 7.5
The dungeons are great and popular, but there are some lag issues here that need to be corrected.

Graphics: 8.2
While not entirely new, the graphics are somewhat refreshing. The new mobs are well done and the dungeons are well designed.

Sound: 8.4
Little has changed here. The game still sounds very good.

Difficulty: Medium
The dungeons do provide a lot of challenge, but it is tailored to the average level of the group. This should prohibit a level 10 player from fellowing with a group in the 50s or 60s.

Concept: 8.9
The idea is a very good one. This encourages players to seek out fellows and to work within their general level to ensure a rewarding and challenging experience.

Multiplayer: 8.5
SOE is forcing players into grouping with this title, which is, after all, at the core of the genre.

Overall: 8.2
Correct the lag issues and you have a much higher score, but when you are working against the clock, lag can wreak havoc. That said, EverQuest: Lost Dungeons of Norrath is a dynamic expansion that should appeal to all EverQuest players. The customized dungeons are a welcome addition to this series and really propels the game play forward.