The Goods

An MMORPG set in the Conan the Barbarian universe. Seriously? Yep.

The Down and Dirty

It's hard not to like Gaute Godager, the Game Director in charge of development for Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. With his thick accent and aw-shucks manner, he exudes boyish charm and enthusiasm. No sooner had the demo begun than he warned us that it would crash. Not that it might crash, that it would crash. It is only in pre-alpha, after all, so if we could cut him some slack and grant him a little patience, he'd really appreciate it. As he loaded up the first demo environment, he explained that Hyborian Adventures, true to the Conan mythology, will focus primarily on stealth, diplomacy, and sly cunning.

Ha! Just kidding. This is Conan, people! Combat, combat, and more combat await players who long to crush their enemies and hear the lamentations of the women. The combat will come in a few different flavors, however, balancing between up close and personal hand-to-hand and massive, tactical, RTS-style engagements. The hand-to-hand combat is handled somewhat differently than in previous MMO outings, as in Conan, players can actually aim their strikes at particular regions of their opponents' physique. Combos can be strung together to produce a hefty slash from stem to stern, or the sword can be swung at random, hacking into whatever body part is convenient. Players will also be able to mount various types of beasts (though, sadly, Grace Jones does not make an appearance), including camels, mammoths, and even enemies. Not only do mounts make traveling faster and easier, they can also provide a tactical advantage in battle.

The first 20 levels of the game comprise the single-player campaign, which then evolves into the MMO aspect of the later levels. Although no pricing has yet been decided for the multiplayer game, the single player levels will be completely free of charge, and can be replayed as often as the gamer sees fit. The multiplayer game experience will, as might be expected, be PvC and PvP, but an auto leveling balancing system will make the game far more enjoyable for gamers who simply can't devote hour upon hour to leveling up their characters.

So far, the game is breathtakingly beautiful, with some marvelously detailed character models and genuine-feeling environments. Any location that is currently visible to the player is open for play, and the outdoor locations are huge.

The Verdict

It's tough to say much at this stage, simply because it is so very early. If everything the developers are planning comes through, and if the graphics stay as lovely as they were in the demo, Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures could join the ranks of World of Warcraft and City of Heroes as freetime-stealer extraordinaire.