Soul Master is an Interesting MMORPG

Yeah, I’m dedicating this entire post to an MMORPG called Soul Master from GamesCampus. Why you ask? Simple. It’s one of the most creative / original free to play MMORPGs I’ve ever played. It’s in closed beta as I write this, but I’m very impressed by it. It’s a unique mix between an Action MMORPG, a strategy MMORPG and Pikmin. It may sound a bit weird, but it all works together really nicely. Progression is a bit linear, much like Lunia from ijji and Fists of Fu from Outspark, The progression is actually EXACTLY like Fists of Fu / Dragonica Online, as players need to complete a stage before being able to advance to another one. Come to think of it, it’s just like Dungeon Fighter Online as well. Each level can be played in numerous different difficulty settings. The toughest a level, the more rewarding it is.

I also like the graphics in Soul Master too. They’re anime inspired and bright. I don’t know why, but I have a thing for brightly themed games. I guess it’s why I enjoyed Bright Shadow from GamePot USA and Cloud Nine from Netgame. I also tend to like anime MMORPGs for some reason. It’s weird, because I don’t even watch anime in real life. The fast paced gameplay in Soul Master is actually a lot of fun too. They actually a lot like GhostX from GameKiss, as players can rack up combos with each attack. Come to think of it, I’ve grown very fond of action games lately. I guess the slow paced combat systems in other MMORPGs bores me after playing so many action MMORPGs lately.

Even though Soul Master is in closed beta, I recommend MMORPG Players give the game a try. Even though it’s yet another 3D MMORPG set in a fantasy setting, it’s quite original. You actually have to micro-manage your individual units as well as your character to do well. It’s the only game that mixes action MMORPG elements with strategy. The PvP is really neat too, because it takes an enormous amount of skill. PvP MMORPGs like Aika Online are fun too, but they don’t take a lot of skill. It usually comes down to whoever has the best gear wins, but in Soul Master that isn’t always the case. Sure, better gear helps, but whoever micro-manages better ends up winning. If you already have an Asda Story account, you can use that to log in to Soul Master, as it’s by the same publisher. Anyway, props to the developers behind the game for making something unique.

Browser MMORPGs Will Rock in 2011

2009 and 2010 have been great years for browser MMORPG Games. With the incredible growth of free to play gaming, browser games like RuneScape, Earth Eternal, Dark Orbit and Heroes of Gaia have enjoyed incredible growth. These games are all incredibly high quality and offer a gaming experience comparable to traditional downloadable MMORPGs. Earth Eternal for example has graphics that are easily better than most free to play MMOs. For example, the graphics in Earth Eternal are easily better than the visuals in older 3D MMORPGs like Talisman Online and 2Moons. It may not be much, but those visuals on a browser is ridiculously impressive. It opens the door for HUGE possibilities in 2011 and beyond. Who knows, maybe we’ll be playing Eve Online on the browser sometime in the future.

Another aspect of the browser MMO industry that’s really been taking off is strategy MMORPGs. Ever since Tribal Wars and Travian pioneered the genre years ago, the genre has REALLY exploded in popularity. I was surprised to hear that even Electronic Arts made their own free browser strategy MMORPG – Lord of Ultima. A big Western game developer launching a free browser MMO is news to me. This means that more and more western developers will likely enter the arena, raising the bar in terms of quality. I say this because Lord of Ultima is an awesome browser based strategy MMORPG. Maybe even the best. The visuals are top notch and the interface is good too. I’m not too surprised though, as EA’s studio that’s in charge of the free to play department made Battlefield Heroes and Battleforge – and both of those games are amazing.

If it sounds like I’m a bit too optimistic about browser games in 2011 and beyond, it’s because I am. I’ve been a gamer since my father first bought me Super Mario World 2 for the Super Nintendo, and this free to play MMO revolution is intense. So many awesome high quality games coming out, and the entire free to pay space is still niche. What do you guys think? Am I too optimistic ?