style="width: 581px; height: 130px;"
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/79390/preview">
style="background: rgb(57, 65, 76) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; overflow: hidden; float: right; display: table; width: 300px;">

style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Top
Ten
Free-to-Play Games

Week
of May 23 - May 29, 2010




1. Dungeons
and Dragons
Online: Eberron Unlimited


2. target="_blank">Atlantica Online href="http://allods.gpotato.com/" target="_blank">

href="http://everquest2.station.sony.com/"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://allods.gpotato.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;">3.  href="http://us.runesofmagic.com/us/index.html">Runes
of Magic

4.  href="http://atlantica.ndoorsgames.com/center/default.asp"
target="_blank"> href="http://www.freerealms.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/856"
target="_top"> href="http://www.freerealms.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;">FreeRealms

5.  target="_blank"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2394"
target="_blank">Allods Online

6.  target="_blank"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/856"
target="_top"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/771"
target="_top"> href="http://allods.gpotato.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/1841"
target="_blank">Alganon

 7.  href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/581"
target="_top"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/856"
target="_top"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/581"
target="_top"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/181"
target="_blank">Sword of the New World

8.  target="_top"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/856"
target="_top"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2433"
target="_blank">Aika href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/856"
target="_top">

9.  target="_top">The
Chronicles of Spellborn
href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/581"
target="_top">

10.  target="_top">Requiem: Bloodmayne href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/581"
target="_top"> href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/taxonomy/term/2433"
target="_blank"> href="http://heroesofgaia.gpotato.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://www.gamersfirst.com/swordofthenewworld/"
target="_blank">

style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://www.freerealms.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://atlantica.ndoorsgames.com/center/default.asp"
target="_blank"> href="http://allods.gpotato.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://us.runesofmagic.com/us/index.html"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> style="text-decoration: underline;"> href="http://allods.gpotato.com/" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;">



We knew it would happen sooner or later didn’t we? I mean it was only a
matter of time before the immovable object of Facebook met the
unstoppable force of MMOGs. Susan Wu of Ohai games told us at GDC 2010
that this collision was unavoidable and her team had begun creating
games that were a marriage of both worlds. A new game is coming on the
scene that takes that concept one step further and puts a playable
MMOG. And no, this isn’t another mafia/farm game, it’s as close to a
real persistent world as one can get on a social media site.



In our continued mission to sniff out all things MMOG, we have come
across Fantasy University.
Being students of the genre we donned our mortar boards, put on our
fanciest robes and are eagerly awaiting our diplomas. Join us this week
as we hit the books and get our study on.







At its inception, Facebook was originally only available to users with
a dot.edu email address. Of course the idea of making big money from
the service soon opened it up to all interested parties but, be that as
it may, the social networking site has its roots in the education world
so it is only fitting that the first application with a real MMOG feel
would be based in a university setting.



Fantasy University,
commonly abbreviated F.U. in game, is a pop culture reference laden
affair that evokes equal parts Hogwarts and Animal House (though much
more subtle than the Belushi flick). With so many humorous references
sprinkled throughout the game it would make Seth McFarlane blush, F.U
has elicited more genuine laughs and enjoyment from me in my few short
hours of adventuring than most other games have given me in the years I
have played them. 


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84978"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 200px; height: 195px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/84978">

I know, I know, enough of the hyperbole and ha ha--what exactly IS style="font-style: italic;">Fantasy University?
Well, F.U. is an embedded application for Facebook that is in its alpha
test stages. It is a free-to-play game with a microtransaction store.
The game starts when you install the application and then “apply” to
the school, once your application is accepted (everyone gets in, it’s
like a community college, so don’t worry) you begin the road to your
academic career. Players will be able to choose from one of five
classes – Cheermonger, Dodgebrawler, Emomancer, Slackninja or
Mathemagician. Other than the Cheermonger being the healer class here
the rest are fairly self-explanatory and hilarious.


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84975"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 200px; height: 195px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/84975">

Fear not about solo viability here; any class is equally capable and at
lower levels they are fairly interchangeable. You start the game on the
docks waiting to be ferried across to the school by a gentleman who
bears a striking resemblance to a childhood icon and purveyor of
several flavors of super sugary crunch cereals. Once you complete the
short tutorial which familiarizes you with the movement, quests and
combat mechanics, you set sails for the hallowed halls of F.U.



Continuing in the mode of linear questing that introduces you to the
game world and the cast of characters, you visit most areas of the
school (including your dorm where Ron Wheezy and Harmony Lounger share
floor 14 with you) and the nearby town. In fact, by level five you will
have met so many characters you may need a notepad to keep track of
them all. Aside from the humorously named  NPCs you meet
throughout the game, the game’s many mobs are also infused with side
splitting monikers ranging from lolcats to my favorite, the Carnivorous
Cake who shouts at you “Cake or Death!?”



When you’re dealing with mobs you’ll notice that the combat interface
is laid out in the same style as the rest of the game, which is done up
in a mock college rule spiral notebook look with all graphics, from
avatars to icons, done in a sketch style.



Unlike the vapid updates from the girls you friended just to look at
their spring break pictures, you’ll not only want to read the text in style="font-style: italic;">Fantasy University
for its dripping sarcasm, wit and pop culture hilarity, but you’ll need
to read it because it’s the main delivery method for all vital game
information. Combat itself is turn-based and follows standard table top
rules. Initiative rolls and various other stat checks are handled by
the application. As you gain levels you increase your stats, health and
ability power (mana) and gain new abilities at various increments.


href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/84980"> style="border: 0px solid ; width: 225px; height: 305px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/84980">

Since the game is still in alpha testing phase it is, of course,
subject to change, but from what I have seen so far style="font-style: italic;">Fantasy University
has a solid base and a great sense of humor. Even if you don’t have a
warped sense of humor there is something here for you’ from crafting to
adventuring, most of the major MMOG hook-factors are present. Even if
your gaming interests don’t reach past an addition to Farmville there’s
something here for you– Porkin Farming, which has three very funny
rules that you simply must read.



Microcosms, and Ten Ton Hammer would like to thank the folks at style="font-style: italic;">Fantasy University
for letting us explore the Alpha test and we look forward seeing more
of this unique gaming experience in the future. Until next week gentle
reader, stay safe and keep it free.



src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/84981"
style="border: 0px solid ; width: 640px; height: 585px;"
alt="Fantasy Universe">

style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">
 






style="background: rgb(57, 65, 76) none no-repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; overflow: hidden; display: table; width: 632px;">

style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 51);">Hot
off the Press!


  • target="_blank">Black
    Prophecy Closed Beta Begins


    Highly anticipated space combat MMOG has its first launch
  • target="_blank">Perfect
    World International Launches New Rising Tide Trailer


    What  will you do when the tide rises?  New race
    coming to the popular free-to-play. href="http://www.tentonhammer.com/node/83302" target="_blank"> style="text-decoration: underline;">






Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

Comments