| Review entitled 'A browser based game with plenty of content' |  | Lands of Hope is a browser based game in which players begin as a servant to the Baron Drako. The tutorial is based in the grounds of the Baron until the players are released from his service at level five. Set in the land of Myzan, players are able to complete quests, craft items, battle, complete dungeons and more! Of course, then there is the storyline which slowly unfolds.
Graphics:
As a browser based game, Lands of Hope does not rely on fancy graphics for enjoyable game play. The graphics throughout Lands of Hope consist of avatars, maps, room layouts, etc; they are pixel based and reminiscent of the Super Nintendo era of RPG games. Although simple, the graphics of Lands of Hope are sufficient enough to give a feel for the game without being overbearing.
Soundtrack:
The sound track for Lands of Hope consists only of sound effects (for example, when travelling, picking up or using items, crafting items, etc). Admittedly, the sound track isn’t exciting or interesting, but it has the benefit of not driving you insane (unlike the sound effects of many games)! Some of the sound effects can be helpful if, like me, you never usually notice when you level or when items have finished being crafted, but there is the option of turning them off for the more diligent player!
Performance:
Performance of the game is good; being a browser based game there aren’t too many issues with lag. Occasionally the browser takes a couple of seconds to load, but in general the game is rather smooth and quick to load from page to page.
Customer Service:
Customer service consists of an extensive library which can be easily accessed in game, forums and e-mail support. The library is very well written and includes a wide range of information from a walkthrough for beginners to in depth information about classes, items, etc. It is very easy to search through the library or to browse through topics of interest. The forums seem to be a place where new players can go to ask questions and find the answers they need with ease, and I’ve not heard any negative comments about the e-mail support either. There is always support available from the game developer too (provided that he is online); he seems to be very helpful to all players.
There is also support for new players in the first five levels of playing; all of the quests are aimed at helping players to understand the basics of the game and to get to grips with exploring the UI and world of Myzan.
UI:
The UI of Lands of Hope relies on point and click play and as such it is easy to use.
At first the content of the UI seems to be rather complicated; there is a lot to take in as a new player. Although there is a walkthrough guide, this deals with player interactions and the basics of the UI rather than going into great detail. A helpful aspect of the UI is the tips which are displayed when hovering over a command or item with the mouse. Although the key is to play around and find out what certain things do, the UI can certainly seem daunting at first.
The browser window is broken up into different sections; a menu bar, a chat window, a status window (where your interactions with the world are displayed, in this example the character information is shown) and a “world” window (which shows what you are currently doing, whether that be fighting, crafting or exploring the map). It is possible to customise the UI to a small extent: there is a bar available in order to make any shortcuts you may wish to have, as well as being a separate window in which you can choose to display topics such as help, messages, friends, etc. There are also some options to change the display setting for some aspects of the game.
There are a lot of things to do in the game, and although complex, the layout of the UI is rather instinctual once a user has grasped the basics.
Community:
In Lands of Hope the community can be a very important aspect of game play, although it by no means has to be; a player can choose to interact with others or to play “alone”. The community of Lands of Hope consists of several components: duels and PvP, guilds, chat, trading and auctioning items, player shops, player dungeons and other interactions such as identifying items and unlocking boxes for other players.
In Lands of Hope it is entirely possible to play the game as a single player, although it is much more fun when interacting with others; the community seems to be very helpful and friendly. The game is also made easier when interacting with the community since developing your trade-skills (such as blacksmithing, cooking, leatherworking, etc) relies on materials made from other skills; players can work together to make items more easily.
Unlike some games, the community in Lands of Hope seems to have an important role in the development of the game. It is very easy to submit ideas to the game’s developer by using an in game form. The ideas which are submitted are then read by the game staff and either accepted or rejected. If accepted the idea can be voted for or against by the community before a final decision is made regarding the implementation of the idea. Compared to many MMORPGs, the ability to have such input to the game’s development is easy and unique.
Role-playing:
In game there are different chances in which to role play; players can role play by interacting with other players, characters can also develop by following and by making choices. Some example of in game choices are trade-skills, character class and evolution (for example, a rogue may choose to evolve into a pickpocket, trickster or shadowstalker), quests taken and completed, etc.
Lands of Hope provides the ability for players to play a small part in role-play or to immerse themselves fully.
Fun:
This game is, by all means, a fun MMORPG. Having chosen one of the six classes (for example, fighter, caster, animator) players are introduced into the world of Myzan through a well thought out tutorial. Once a character has been made, players can easily become involved in the land of Myzan.
The tutorial takes players through the first five levels of play; characters are encouraged to take quests, equip items and to use the interface for different reasons. The tutorial is a great way to help players become accustomed to the game play throughout Lands of Hope whilst learning the basics.
Once a character has moved into the main realm there is plenty of content for players to enjoy; there are many quests (usually of the “kill x number of y” and “retrieve z item” variety), plenty of monsters to fight, several trade-skills, dungeons and more. Players certainly shouldn’t be at a loss as to what to do next! There is, of course, also the chat feature and guilds which make the game more enjoyable for the social player.
Character progression can occur in a few ways: gaining experience through battling, gaining experience through completing quests and gaining experience through levelling trade-skills. Since there is variety in the ways to gain experience, levelling a character does not become tedious and is certainly more enjoyable than in those MMORPGS where levelling can only occur through battle. If, however, a player does want a break from levelling then there are some in-game distractions too, these include mini-games (some located on the game menu, others are found whilst exploring the map) and virtual trading cards to collect.
A unique aspect to Lands of Hope, as mentioned when discussing the community, is the ability for players to add their own input (by suggesting ideas and voting on them). Lands of Hope also contains frequently updated news which is shown when logging onto a character’s account. By maintaining the fact that players are important in the lands of Myzan, the game becomes more enjoyable and well balanced for all.
The only downside to this MMORPG is that the actions can become a little tedious; the battles look similar, trade-skills look similar when in production, exploring the map only ever takes one click, etc. From experience, however, most games are similar in this aspect.
Lands of Hope is an ideal game for those players who enjoy browser based games with plenty of content.
Value:
Lands of Hope has a free account available to players; this account level has access to five character slots and can access the first two realms (the tutorial/first five levels and the world for up to level one hundred). For paying players there is a one time fee of $15 which allows players to level to one thousand and gives access to nine more realms; these realms contain more content such as quests and dungeons as well as giving access to skill trainers for those higher level skills. Expansion packs are available too, for those players who would like a change of scenery.
Lands of Hope also gives players the option of buying extras in the game; these extras include different appearances and profiles, custom pictures, bonus items and character enhancements. These extras are paid for by varying amounts but all are one time fees rather than a subscription.
If you enjoy this game then the one off fee is great value for money since it more than doubles the game play content! The extras available allow players more customisation and variety, without taking away the balance of the game; they aren’t necessary but can make the game a little more fun.
Tilt:
Whilst reviewing this browser based game I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. Although some aspects of Lands of Hope are difficult to grasp at first (such as navigating the UI) the game soon becomes easier to play without losing its appeal. I would certainly recommend Lands of Hope to any players who are looking for a browser based game with the content of a client based game. |
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| | Review Scores | | | Graphics | 6 | | | Soundtrack | 5 | | | Community | 9 | | | Roleplaying | 7 | | | Performance | 9 | | | Customer | 10 | | | Fun | 9 | | | Value | 9 | | | UI | 8 | | | Tilt | 9 | |
Total Score
81 |
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