"I know graphics don't make the game…but give me a break!"

Calm down, take a deep breath and count to ten. There, isn't that better? Now I know that Graphics shouldn't have anything to do with how enjoyable a game is to play and all that, but in this case I think they do. Now don't get angry again - just listen for a moment, and maybe I can show you a different perspective. As a developer you have the ability to choose whichever graphics scheme you would like. Some developers try to push the envelope and use cutting edge graphics to provide incredible eye-candy… and to secretly draw you away from how horrible the gameplay is (NeoSteam springs to mind here). Others deliberately use drawn or cartoon style graphics to lower the system requirements (Think World of Warcraft, or Bots). Then, you have the large variety of games like Ultima Online, Ragnarok Online and Runescape that deliberately use a dated graphics style, and subsequently make a hugely successful game by implementing fantastic gameplay.

My focus here is on the latter, as I firmly believe that it is time we moved on. Take Ragnarok for example, these graphics were hugely dated… even when the game was originally released. Now it's beginning to hit that age wall, where it's just not enough for us anymore. Games like Lineage 2 that were released over 4 years ago are the new dated graphics style, and games like Shaiya are taking advantage of that. We don't use Atari graphics to make new games, nor do we operate our PC with Windows 95 – we moved on long ago, and it's time we started doing the same with our gaming entertainment. You may not be convinced, but tell me honestly that you wouldn't like to see a remade Ultima or Ragnarok, I know for certain that Runescape is already undergoing a graphics update right now, and for the better I say.

You may have already guessed this, but Conquer Online uses a dated graphics system. Although not as dated as Ultima or Ragnarok, it is still far behind the 'times' and whilst playing it I felt like my time could be better spent. It's not that it was a bad game, many of the features that I will be discussing further down are fantastic, it's just that with such an abundance of fantastic looking and playing games on the current market, Conquer Online feels like it's falling behind the pack. Conquer combines a 2D landscape with 3D character models and is set in Ancient China. Overall the effect comes across quite well with the armour, weapons and skills all drawing from an anime background, and big powerful flashy skills and angel wings a plenty.

Choose you fighter…
In Conquer you will be given a choice of 4 different classes, Trojan, Archer, Taoist and Warrior – or Rogue, Ranger, Mage and Tank respectively. The Taoist have the option to specialize in either Water, healing and support or Fire, high damage Magic once reaching level 40. Remember above when I wrote about low graphic games that made up for it with great features and gameplay? This is the perfect example of the polar opposite. 4 Classes is almost an insult in today's MMO Race, and it was just one more thing that disappointed me whilst playing Conquer.

After selecting your type you will be able to choose your body type, from either child or adult size, your name and customize the way you look slightly. With Human being the only available race appearance customization is once again, lacking.

The Path to becoming a God.
Like most other MMO's, in Conquer you will be killing monsters and gaining XP to progress through the game. The questing system is hugely lacking, with only a few quests available per level bracket and most of them being used to obtain rare items rather than experience. So for the most part you will be grinding away at monsters to attain the goal of level 137. Borrowing from Lineage 2 Conquer has added a 'Rebirth' feature in which once attaining level 120 you will be able to start again from level 15, but with more skills at your disposal.

There is also a Mentor system in effect that can be used to help through the level grind, by which a high level player can adopt you as his or her apprentice, and help you through the game. By doing so the Mentor will gain VP (Virtue Points) that can then be spent on new items, whilst the apprentice will effectively be power leveled through the game.

In the latest expansion on Conquer a new feature named Potency was added to the game. Potency has a number of effects ranging from reduced damage in PvP to increased experience from enemies. While using the Mentor system the Mentor in a partnership will receive a small portion of any potency gained by the apprentice. Potency is gained in a number of ways, and different amounts are given for each. For example every time your character gains a level you will gain 1 Potency Point. You will gain 5 additional points for your first Rebirth, and 10 for your second. Upgrading weapons and items will also award Potency, with 1 point being added for each additional '+' on an item. So for example, a Level 30 character with a +1 weapon would have 31 Potency, and 36 if he had completed a rebirth.

Looking cool is where it's at!
As with most games there's really only three ways to look really cool – Get cool gear, upgrade that cool gear, and get cool skills to use whilst wearing your cool gear. Cool huh? Skills in Conquer are separated into three categories – Combat, Attribute and XP. Combat skills are your attacking skills, and will be the primary way of beating helpless pheasants to death throughout the game. Attribute Skills are used to beef up the stats of your character, and those around you, using these skills will require mana or stamina. Lastly are the XP Skills, the most powerful skills in the game. Whenever you attain a new level (ie. Fill your XP bar) you will have 20 seconds in which to perform an XP Skill. These skills are intended to make you a happy person, and trust me, they do.

The Weapons in Conquer are also separated into 3 categories – One-Handed, Two-Handed and Other, with One-Handed containing your Daggers, Clubs, Scythes and the like, Two-Handed with Axes, Hammers and Spears, and Other containing Fists and Shields. Armour is similarly boring, with specific armour types designated for class and level. These requirements vanish once a character has completed a Rebirth and luckily, the colour of your armour can be changed, although unlike weapons armour cannot be upgraded.


Although I know very little about it, there is an upgrading system in Conquer that works by using Gems that can be mines and collected to enhance your weapons abilities with +1-12. You can also enhance you're weapons with the use of Dragonballs which require real money to purchase through the websites premium shop. Dragonballs are used specifically to socket and enchance weapons above level 120. Although these Dragonballs can rarely be found on Monsters, and occasionally through quests to truly become the cool god you've always wanted to be you will need to fork out the cash, and with 2 Dragonballs costing $8 US, it's not going to be cheap either.

The moment you've all been waiting for…
PvP! Guild PvP! War! I've played these types of games before, and to those of you out there that like them, I found that you're usually all about the PvP. Well luckily, Conquer doesn't disappoint in this section, as the PvP system is pretty fleshed out. Aside from a few towns and areas, players are free to attack other players in the world of Conquer at whim. Although, and once again borrowing from Lineage 2, this could get you into some trouble. Whenever you kill another player, you will receive a certain number of PvP Points depending on the kill – 10 points for another player, and 3 for another player in your guild. If you manage to accumulate 30 points, your name will go red and aside from being attacked on sight by town guards, you will have a chance of losing weapons and items upon death. Rack up 100 points and you will notice that your name is now black, and if killed you will always drop a piece of your equipment, along with being sent to jail. But fear not friends, once a player reaches 1000 points, he will no longer be able to attack players with less than 30. Points will decrease at a rate of 10 per hour, so feel free to smack that loudmouth idiot spamming General Chat as many times as you see fit…I personally went with 700…

Then you have Guilds, which in order to be created require the leader to be at level 90 minimum, and to fork out 1 Million silvers. Once created a guild will have the option to join the weekly server-wide guild war event, which consist of attacking a pole in the centre of a castle until it is defeated. By inflicting the largest majority of damage to the pole, you will be declared the winner for the week and enjoy the benefits that ensue – however you will be required to defend the castle from any other guilds trying to take it in the following week. Although this all sounds very cool, I know for a fact that other games, also free to play are out there right now, and provide much more entertaining PvP action. But if this sounds like you're avenue of PvP action, don't let me stop you from enjoying it.