In the end, while the web game was fun, and the RTS was... well, it passed some time, MMORPG understands why Lockpick ended up in a bad financial position. They give them props for trying to tackle the MMORTS, as it is a daunting genre to go after, but this one is just another failure. In the end though, the game does do exactly what the designers intended for it to do, and it is solid.
MMORPG Center have chosen their MMORTS of 2008 from the five finalists. Check out the video.
Eurogamer reports:
''Last night, I travelled home angry. I nicked a seat on the tube, I bullied stumblebums out of my way; I was generally a bundle of passive-aggressive geekery. Why? Not because my day had been bad or because I'd messed up in the office. It was because the Chancellor (boss) of my Convergence (guild) had kicked me out, after I'd pressed the "mistrust" button on Dreamlords' rudimentary web interface.
Why had I pushed that button and doomed my place in the Convergence? Because I didn't know what it did (apparently it tells the chancellor you think he's composed entirely of poo and weasels and, as for some reason it's not anonymous, he entirely fairly boots you out). Why didn't I know? Because very little in Dreamlords is explained with communication skills exceeding those of an embarrassed six-year-old mumbler with a mouth full of pebbles. The 60 per cent of the game that is adequately explained comes from a confusing tutorial (the first question most newbies ask is "where's my dreamlord?" to which the answer is "he's the giant glowing thing just off-camera") and some badly organised FAQs, forum posts and half-written online manuals. Not the best way to ease newcomers into the game.''
Uninspiring, confusing and often tedious, Dreamlords: The Reawakening seems to have learned little from its predecessor. If it wasn't free-to-play (a merit Dreamlords lacked), then it would be a prime candidate for a Dump award. As a result, it's more of a fart than a full blown follow-through.
You'll love:
- It's free-to-play
- Rare MMORTS
- Excellent collection of items
You'll hate:
- Poorly designed
- Terrible camera controls
- Threadbare RTS elements
