The Silkroad
was the major cultural and economic trading route connecting ancient China with
Islamic and European civilizations. It was a hazardous byway, often haunted by
thieves, merchants and those who would protect the merchants from the thieves.
In an
increasing trend, yet another Asian massively multiplayer online game has been
translated over to English and is in the testing phase. Silkroad Online does
carry some Asian influences, and some of the combat styling could be likened to
KOEI’s Dynasty Warriors franchise (in a tiny way), but the game also carries
some of the influences of other Asian-generated MMOs, like Lineage II.
Currently in
beta, Silkroad Online is – on the surface, a simple game that is rather
crowded with players (was it mentioned that this beta is open and free to play?
However, due to the crowded nature of the servers it is sometimes very hard to
get into the game) who drown the starter castle of Jangan with player stores and
make it difficult to target the non-playing characters (NPCs) for the few quests
that are available.
The quests
are generally those involving killing ‘x’ amounts of a mob, but what gives the
game added depth is that the world is one where player-versus-player combat is
very active.
Players who
take on the role of thieves are supposed to be bad, and some play that role well
– killing younger players the moment they step outside of town (death will cost
a loss of experience points – experience points are used to level).
Players
logging into the game are presented with only eight servers to play on, and you
can select male or female avatars from the 13 pre-created looks (13 for male
and 13 for female. Customization also includes height (five choices), volume
(which seems to only affect the size of the chest), three clothing options
(armor, protector and garment – each with properties) and five starting weapons.
The garments each affect the consumption of mana and agility.
From there
it is into the game.
This is very
much a point-and-click game, and at certain levels you will receive missions to
accomplish. A pop-up will tell you when to go see an NPC to get a mission. As
you accrue experience, you will level. Once you level, you are given stat points
that you can distribute between intelligence (affects mana) and strength
(affects hit points). But you also gain skill points for each mob you kill.
Skill points can be used to level your skills and herein is where the game gets
interesting.
There are
three weapon trees – Bicheon (sword), Heuksal (spear) and Pacheon (bow). There
are also four Force skill trees – cold, lightning, fire and force (the latter is
the healing trees). However, skill levels cannot be higher than your character
level, and even though it seems that skill points are easy to achieve, the
higher the skill, the more it costs to level. Killing will also cause the
berserker gauge to fill up. Once that peaks, you can trigger a berserker mode
that will cause your avatar to glow red, take on horns and move very fast.
There are no
rats to kill to start; instead there are straw creatures call mangyang. Many of
the mobs in this game are rather imaginative, and a nice departure from the
typical fantasy fare. Sitting will allow your character to rest and heal. And
yes, there is downtime in this game. Potions can sustain you, for the most part,
during a battle, but if you get the chance, it is wise to sit and heal up when
your health and mana dip low. Armor, jewelry and weapons can all carry stats
that affect combat, though some items are attached to level requirements.
At level 20
players can choose one of the three main professions – trader, thief or hunter.
And that is when the game starts to pick up in intensity. Until the point, much
of it revolves around hunting near the castle, picking up kill missions and
grinding the levels.
The music is
very well done, with a grand orchestral feel. The combat sounds are somewhat
typical and the game also features environmental sounds as well. The graphics
are very nice, with solid animations. This game lacks some of the bump mapping
that gives great textures, but still manages to be pleasant on the eyes. The
special effects are also nicely done, thought the game does have a few clipping
problems (of course, that could be seen as being in lieu of collision paths,
making it easier to navigate).
If the game
has a failing, at this point in the development, it would be that there are not
many quests and there are a lot of players doing the few there are. Still, the
richness of the game’s visuals, and the overall feel of the game is rather nice.
Silkroad
Online may be another one of the Asian-translated MMOs, but this game has
potential to attract a solid player base as it continues its development cycle.
