The name says it all: ArchLord. This is where you want to be, what you want to be. This Codemasters game which was originally made for the Korean audience is now being translated and refitted for Western audiences, and it promises to deliver that harder edge that seems to be lacking in MMOs nowadays.
Up for grabs in this game is the status of ArchLord, the ultimate player achievement. But the road to power isn't easy. Laid out before you to the road of ArchLord-hood are a series of trials meant to test the endurance of the most dedicated guilds. As expected, it is highly competitive, and would require massive efforts in both PvE and PvP. Given the perks of the game - summonable guards, a flying dragon for a mount, and a control of the in-game weather system - you sure could bet that laying siege to NPC castles and battling the powerful creatures that guard them are not the only things that you'll be worrying about. But of course, you can't have it all too easy if you're to get the prime ArchLord status.
But despite this hefty price, the rewards are great, as even a single player can have the status of ArchLord and possess incredible amounts of in-game power. However, all good things do come to an end, as being the ArchLord is not permanent. You can only bask in the title for one month, upon which other guilds who have completed the trial can challenge you for the throne. Your challenge then would be to defend your status.
The population of ArchLord is classified into eight classes, divided among the three races of the world of Chantra: Humans (Knights, Archers and Mages), Orcs (Berserkers, Hunters and Sorcerers) and Moon Elves (Rangers and Elementalists). Genders are hard-coded into the race/class combinations - there are no female Human Knights, no male Orc Hunters, and no male Moon Elves at all, except for the NPCs you see in town.
It is in the PvP system that the the game's hardcore sensibilities are made most evident. Come the sixth level, the game becomes a free-for-all, as you can be attacked by other players inasmuch as you can attack them, regardless of Race. As for the much-talked about XP penalties on death , well, it ain't a walk in the park either. While you can't drop in level from an XP penalty, if you don't play your cards right, you will end up right back at square one and you have to keep working your way to the next level. Now, that's tough luck.
While the game is far from being flawless in a technical aspect, as it is obviously still just coming together (the WASD movement controls, for example, don't seem to be fully implemented at this point), what is certain so far is that ArchLord will make all your troubles worth it, and more. So if you're craving for some hardcore MMO action, this royal title just might suit you right.
Source: MMORPG.QJ.NET
