Ekim's Gamer View: The Year in Review
Ekim, 2003-12-19

This being my last EGV of the year, I thought it would be appropriate to look back at 2003. To be honest, there wasn't a lot to sink our teeth into this year, and what little there was often left a little to be desired. In short, this was far from a great year… Still, it's good to look back because it wasn't all that gloomy either.

Forecast: Cloudy with a chance of rain

Among the first titles to have come out this year were Eve Online, and Shadowbane. Let's just say that according to most of those who played these titles, the year didn't start all that well. Eve might have gotten a little more praise than Shadowbane, but it didn't attract a very big audience either. While I didn't personally play Eve, I can certainly speak about Shadowbane without wasting too much time on it. Suffice to say that I wanted to write a review for it, but after two weeks of playing I couldn't take it anymore. I think that alone says a lot about my feelings for this game.

Another game that came out in the first half of the year was A Tale in the Desert. Now, I feel a little guilty when that game is mentioned because I never even tried it. I know I should, but for me if there isn't any critters to kill, and quests to be taken for greater glory, then I know it won't appeal to me so much. Somehow a game that's all about crafting doesn't get me excited. But still, one has to admit that ATitD filled a nice little niche in the mmorpg market, and its concept is pretty interesting. I know that most people who tried it loved it, so it can't be a bad game even if it's not my own cup of tea.

Star Wars Galaxies… Whether it would have failed, or succeeded, this game was bound to get a lot of heat and attention. People who disliked it just because of what it represented (a big franchise name, made by a big developer with a certain reputation) wanted it to fail so badly that when it didn't they started ranting about it without even trying the game. Granted, SWG didn't turn out to be all that it should - or could have been. It's not the perfect game that some people expected, and it has many, many flaws. But the bottom line is that most of those that are playing the game enjoy themselves, and that's what counts in the end.

Still, it didn't hold my attention for an extended amount of time, and that's saying much. Although SWG has its charm, and I still like it, it unfortunately reflects the poor state of the genre in which Grinding seems to have become King. I expect to come back to SWG once in a while, but it remains to be seen whether it'll be able to hold me for longer stretches than 3 months at a time in the future. This one has a good chance of ending up on both the best mmorpg and worst mmorpg disappointment of the year awards for many people.

Is there any hope?

What else? Well, it's still much too early to tell whether Horizons will have an impact on the year or not, but I doubt it. From all accounts, it looks like it's yet another standard grinding fest with a few new little features. Final Fantasy XI is a great-looking two year old game that has another big "grinding" label stuck on it. It might be good in its own right, but that doesn't mean that it should be praised for being "like everything else, only better". I don't know, but it seems to me like it's the theme of the year…

To finish off the year in beauty (bleh!!) I went back to Asheron's call for good measure. I was curious to see what became of this game in the year since I last played it. Unfortunately little has changed as far as I can see, and the world remains barren. Huge, yes. But empty and generally lifeless. A shame. Maybe now that Turbine will be taking over the ship's wheel things might get better, who knows? That's at least one ray of light for next year.

In all this gloom the year ends on a hopeful note. The genre is healthy for now, and there's a bundle of upcoming games that should still keep us hoping for a while. My only real hope though is that we see something really different already! And although that may sound strange to someone who hasn't played as many mmorpgs as I have, I can safely say that my hope is almost a delusion. But hope is what keeps us alive, isn't it?

Well, I can't leave like this. As dull as things are these days, we still have a few things to look forward to! As you read this I'll be sitting in the theatre and the lights will probably be dimming down as the movie adaptation of "Return of the King" will be starting. If we don't have anything interesting to say about the games that we've played this year, then we can certainly talk about the movie! Seen it? Liked it? I'll let you know in the forums later. In the mean time, have yourselves some nice Holidays, and I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! See you in 2004!