X-Kings - A Great Freeware MMORPG, try it! Jan 14 '05 (Updated Sep 18 '07)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music The Dirtchamber Sessions, Vol. 1 by The Prodigy From $11 Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 The Bottom Line A very nice MMORPG - and it's FREE!! :-D Visit www.xkings.darscom.net for more information and hints about X-Kings. X-Kings is a new MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) that seems to be increasing by a bit more than a hundred extra players each day. You play a king (duh) and, as you’d expect, you have to control your kingdom to the best possible advantage. You take control of aspects like defence, trade, alliances, and all that malarkey. It’s completely browser-based, no downloads required. The design of the game is designed to make it very simple to play and for it to load quickly even on narrowband. The look and feel of things is minimalist but stylish; it is very much text-based (though what graphics there are look okay) and all of the main options are available to you at all times. Creating an account is very quick and simple, and since the game is completely free you don’t need to worry about any sensitive information being kept on it. In fact, all you need to do is choose a name and password, then supply your email address. Follow the link from the email to activate your account. Each time you log in, you’ll need to verify the characters on a small graphic onscreen as an extra security measure. Without going into too much detail about the game (after half the fun is finding out!), it is deceptively simple at first. Many options are only available once you’ve researched to a high enough technology level, so initially there seems to be little you can do, and few decisions to be made. After a few days however you begin to realise that there’s a real need for strategy here or you’ll never succeed. The interaction with other players is also more involved than it seems at first. You really do need to read the tutorial first (I didn’t…. and made quite a few mistakes before I did and realised why things weren’t going so well!), but this is concise and well written, so it’s not really a problem. The server seems very stable and the game runs quickly (very quickly on broadband but dial-up users shouldn’t notice too much slow-down on it). One of the things I like about it is that much of the game keeps going even when you’re logged off – people can still attack you (doh), your workers still generate points, turns are added to your pool (it is sort of turn-based though it doesn’t actually feel like it is!), etc. Another nice thing about the game is that it’s designed in such a way that you gain less from attacking weaker players, thus ensuring that you can’t get completely killed off by a stronger player when you’ve just started playing the game. Here are the options always available to: Main - takes you back to your main screen (duh) Units - you can train soldiers / untrained them to become workers, etc. Each unit has information showing you how much gold it produces / uses each turn and other relevant stats. Technologies - if you want to get anywhere in this game you must develop technologies. These may increase the productivity of your workers, allow for trade or intelligence operations, allow building of defensive positions, better attack units, etc. Of course, this all takes up more of your precious gold… Buildings - as above! At first you can’t build anything as you haven’t researched anything yet. More gold is required to build, naturally. Trade - one way to get more money… but you need to have a high enough technology rating. Defense - or, to spell it correctly, Defence (hehe). As you progress in the game different options will become available, but at first the only thing you can choose is the direction your commander faces, t Attack - here’s where the money is to be made! Or… not, as the case may be. Choose carefully who you attack… History - who you’ve attacked and who’s attacked you, and what the outcome was in terms of gold won or lost, soldiers killed, etc. Intelligence - find out what’s going on… once you’ve got the technology available… Support Points - you can give support points to other players, that are converted into workers at the end of the day. You have up to 3 per day to give. Normally you’d do this as an exchange. Officers - if people choose you as their “Commander” (or vice-versa) you both get certain benefits. Messages - short messages can be sent to other players. This method is an unfussy, fast and efficient means of communicating with other players. Voting - if you vote for X-Kings on certain websites, you will receive 50 gold pieces. (Most of these websites only allow one vote per week etc.) Preferences - er… your preferences… Help - the tutorial files. Well-written and very helpful. Problems - bug reporting. Logout - um… what it sys! Overall Scores Presentation – 7/10 Simple, unfussy, effective. Functionality – 8/10 Loads quickly, works well. Gameplay – 8/10 Some may find it a little lacking in scope, but personally I like the fact that you can just play it for a few minutes each day or even leave it for a few days without many negative effects on your performance. Community – 7/10 The interaction is a bit limited but better than I realised at first. I guess to a large extent it’s what you make of it. Tech Support – 10/10 Courteous email received and problem fixed within a few hours of telling them about a problem. I wish commercial sites were this helpful… Overall – 8/10 For a relatively simple and enjoyable online gaming experience, X-King is excellent. And, of course, it’s completely free! (There are sponsored links and a Donate button, but these are very discreet and are never pushed in your face.) ---------------------------------------------------------- Related Game Reviews (RPG & Strategy) Might & Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer Civilisation 3: Call To Power Shogun: Total War – Warlords Edition Worms Armageddon Pharoah Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown See also: My Top Ten Freeware Adventure Games (September 2007 Edition)

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