I’ve been playing this game for a couple of weeks now and I must admit, it took some getting used to, but I’m really enjoying it. I like that it is different. I’ve gotten the hang of the lingo and the currency and the like. I’m still working on understanding enhancements and powers and the combination of the two.

One feature I really love is the SideKick feature. Between not being able to play daily, and hating to be “forced” to play to keep up like you do in EQ, this is great. The first 8 months of EQ I played one character. An Enchantres. She leveled slower than dirt. No one wanted to group with her because enchanters are near useless until higher levels. I spent three hours one day giving “breeze” (first mana regen spell an Enchanter gets) on a dock in a very popular zone while shouting “LFG”. No groups wanted me. Now this was early on in the days of EQ as well. This meant I basically didn’t do anything, except improve my skill at casting breeze. No XP or money made for the most part because even then, hardly anyone wanted to pay for a breeze. If an Enchantress tried to solo it was certain death. Even conjuring one of the weak pets an Enchantress could conjure. Those pets sucked eggs big time.

So on to why I love the Sidekick feature! Well, if you have a friend you’ve made who out levels you, as most of my few friends have, you can still group with them! I’m used to having to be within x many levels or you really can’t group. In the games I’ve played even those with less strict group level guides, the higher levels take all the xp and the lower levels move at a snail’s pace. Well the deal is that your higher level chum sidekicks you, turning you into Robin or something. So it elevates your battling level so you are close to your “mentor” in level. Does nothing to your security level and therefor no nifty powers, but at least you can fight! Your current powers get the bonus of fighting at that level as well. Woohoo! And you get xp built up as well. The catch? You gotta stay close or your mentor can’t help you and you drop back down to your regular level! EEEK… The plus? Hello uber PL abilities!

Last night I was playing with my usual friend, Natasha. She’s level 20 something. At any rate, I went from 11 to 22 with her after she SK’ed me. Wahoo! She also joined a SuperGroup (guild) and got me in! How fun! You can actually go into “supergroup mode” and wear your regular costume but in your group’s colours. Nifty! So now I have my regular purple outfit, plus I have my SG coloured version. Black and red! Fun fun! It’s like two costumes in one! But can be neat for grouping because you can look for all the guys with your colours! Plus it plants a logo on you for your guild so that’s cool as well. We’re the 3 Dragons XTreme.

I like guilding because this allows for a chance of more hunting partners plus it just allows for more chatter while you are out doing stuff. And of course resources like “Yo, I’m in zone x and need to sell bad… anyone know where I can go?” or the like. Mostly the guilds I’ve been in other games, it’s someone to chatter with as you go around doing stuff. Of course with the cross level grouping ability, you could in theory hang with the high levels even if you are low!”

Last night I made 12. So I suppose I need to go figure out what power to put on my mutant blaster. I couldn’t decide so figured I’d look in the nearly useless book. Try to find SOME details.

I am really loving this game. However the biggest downfall that drives me nuts? I can’t bloody stay connected. I get way too many “Mapserver disconnects”. There’s a patch coming up and I pray to the game creators that they FIX this. Even when the servers aren’t very full, tons of disconnects. Can really put a crimp in your playing.

All in all, right now at about two-three weeks playing… I score it a 7.5. The ease of getting around is still taking some getting used to, the mapserver disconnects, and the bloody bad documenation on some things are what brings the score down. If you choose to play, look for Arleya on Liberty!