Alganon Review
Alganon is a new mmorpg created by Quest Online. It’s been touted as a WoW clone, but I assure you, it is vastly different. Alganon is a game created by gamers for gamers – the Dev Team really is listening. They plan to form the game around the desires of the gamers themselves. Sure, there’s a grand scheme in place with lots of lore and history. But as for how the game develops, that’s up to you, the player. Yes… it’s quite a concept! And one we’re all drooling about.
In fact, the entire Alganon site is socialized for gamers. MyAlganon.com is a direct link to all in-game items, monsters, quests, zones and even players – the entire database at your fingertips (see more on the Library below). If you are familiar with popular social media sites like Facebook and Hi5, you’ll see some familiar features. In addition to posting in the Alganon forums, you can start your own blog on the main site. MyAlganon.com will also support guild websites.
Speaking of socialization, there is a Family system built into Alganon. Based on your play style, you automatically join a family in game. No, you don’t get lumped with some pre-chosen last name or family name – you can choose that yourself.
There are 5 family types in Alganon:
- Achiever – Players focused on building their character, collecting things
- Competitor – Players who focus on competition
- Explorer – Players who prefer to explore the game
- Socializer – Those who prefer social interaction foremost
- Crafter – Those who prefer to gather, build and sell items
You choose your Family at character creation. Once in the game, there is a family specific chat channel and only those in that family can use it. Read more about Alganon Families.
Finding your way around the new world of Asheroth is fairly easy, even if you didn’t choose the Explorer family. After you’ve gotten a few quests, just click a quest in the quest log and see an arrow on your mini map (and a number on the larger map) that will lead you to the area you seek. Your location is also noted on the large map as well as group members while in a party. For those that don’t want so much help or want to discover things on their own, know that the quest helper only gives a generalized location – you still have to do some searching.
Ashla Ravenhart on a Plains Arvak
If you do get lost or have questions, the Alganon Library can give you answers. Like a wiki, the Library lists everything that exists in the game. This isn’t a new concept for an mmo, but the way it is laid out for both in-game use and online view really works. Just enter a search term, or browse the main pages.
Alganon has crafting and gathering like most mmo’s. But what is different is how each profession relies on the other. I know, you’re groaning mentally and thinking, “Oh, great!” but read on. Each armor making profession focuses on a type of base stats. Tailoring, traditionally a craft only cloth wearers want, has Offensive based stats. This means that if you are a dps type, you want to wear tailor made gear. While Leatherworking has a mix of both dps and defense, its base stats are Balanced. Blacksmithing made gear stats are Defensive based. Each profession can make light (cloth), medium (leather) and heavy (plate) gear. It’s an amazing concept really. And not just gear too, but trinkets, bows and ammo and other useful things like scrolls and potions in Alchemy.
In addition to the usual mining, skinning, and herbalism you see in traditional mmo’s, Alganon has added another profession called Salvaging. Salvaging is the breaking down of item parts. Many recipes require these parts. So if crafting isn’t your thing, you can sell gathered items like ore and herbs as well as salvaged parts from Salvaging.
While there is no real group content yet, or any instances, there will be. The game launch features a world-wide event called The Dawning where all players work together to open up new areas (and instances we hope). And, while there are currently only 4 Alganon classes (Magus, Healer, Soldier and Ranger), the ability trees enable dual roles. A magus, in Alganon, can actually tank! And Rangers can fulfill the role of healing. Read more about the Dual Role System and the currently availble 2 races. PVP is also planned, but not for the first 6 months or so (according to the Dev Team). Read more about The Dawning in the forums.
Recently released on Dec 1, 2009, Alganon is a fabulous new option for those of us desperately looking for a change from WoW (which I played for many years, right after many more years of EQ1). The environment is spectacular, especially the water and lighting. It really is breath-taking to see the light come through the trees at dawn and dusk. Plenty of flora and fauna abound with more than the usual background noise – such as hearing a bird startle from the brush. Even the trees sway realistically in the wind. The player models are pretty plain (for now) but the mobs in game are quite different than anything else you’ve seen before. For crafting fans, this mmo has a system that works! I’m looking forward to everything Alganon has to offer. The growing pains of bug fixes and client stability are actively being worked on – even so, it’s worth downloading and playing NOW.
And for you trolls out there crying, no, whining about a WoW clone – try the game and play it a while before you decide. You’ll find out how different it really is.
