Ten Ton Hammer - Taking MMO Gamers to the Next Level!

Darkfall is hard.

Your first view of a naked newbie.

I’ll admit it. Darkfall is a game unlike anything I’ve ever played in the MMO space. After coming off of another recent stint with EverQuest, I felt primed and ready for some challenging, old school, hardcore MMO action. 

And I got what I asked for. The developers of Darkfall toss you into a world with a few simple instructions - basically a multi-step tutorial - then they set you free to make your way around the continents. The first time I logged into the game, I felt like I was a new MMO player all over again. I was wet behind the ears, my skin color was green (alright red and furry), and my eyes hurt from squinting to see all of the unknown details in my UI. Little is explained up front, and even looking into the "Help" menu reveals only a few scant details about the game. To make matters worse, I hadn't explored any of the "Here's what to do in Darkfall" threads on the official forums. Much like the early days of EVE Online, if you aren't prepared or at least slightly invested in the world of Darkfall, you may be in for a hard beginning experience.

The first quest that I participated in was a giant splash of cold water in the face. While the first questgiver in my home area was directly in front of me (a common practice in modern MMOs), I couldn't find the destination that she wanted me to go towards. With inexorably slow walking, I began exploring the areas around my city. After twenty minutes of searching, I eventually found my destination.

"Whoa," I thought to myself as I stared at my Mahirim warrior. "What have I gotten myself into?"