Publisher: Turbine Entertainment
Category: Role-Playing
Release Dates
Online - 09/09/2009
Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited Preview
In many ways, Eberron Unlimited is not a “new” release for the Dungeons & Dragons Online massively multiplayer online game from Turbine; it really qualifies more as a re-imagined upgrade for the game.
While not launching until August 4, Turbine agreed to allow a look at the model in development during a beta release and what Eberron Unlimited brings foremost to the table is a micro-transaction window that will allow players to open the window and buy items from just about anywhere in the game.
What does that mean? If you have the coin in the account, which you can purchase with real-world currency, you can be in the midst of a dungeon and buy health potions. But there is much more to it than that. There is a new race that can be purchased from within the game, and a new class – the Favored Soul.
The level cap is being raised to 20 and under the new model, players can buy the adventures they want rather than pay a monthly subscription fee. The system is geared to allow players to pay for what they want, rather than be saddled with the elements of the game they do not care for.
The rise in the player cap means new skills and the new class is one of those where players can go either on the healing side or go damage-oriented. But the Favored Soul is more than just spells. The class is also pretty handy with weapons as well.
Improvements are being made to the combat system as well and the marketplace is one again thriving.
For those who have not played D&D Online (often referred to as DDO), this is one of the quintessential dungeon crawlers that allows players to gather in main city areas, and then either group for dungeon quests or enter them solo (as you enter the dungeon you are given many options as to the difficulty level and one of them is the solo dungeon). Each of the quests tells part of the overriding story and it is all about the drops as well as the adventure.
There seems to have been some graphical updates to the game since it was rewied on Just-Gamers back in May of 2006, and this is now looking much crisper and is more of a treat to the eyes than previously remembered.
It was a nice journey back to Ebberon, and the EU edition was a surprise in many regards.
There are new adventure packs available (for purchase) and these even include a 12-player raid.
The taste of DDO: EU was a short one, to be certain, but the game sparkled in many ways and fans of the D&D ruleset, role-playing games and fantasy dungeon crawlers should find much to like about this game. The micro-transaction format might not be to everyone’s liking, but the way it seems to be implemented in EU is a thoughtful one that puts the premium on players getting the most out of their experience by being able to customize it.
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