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

But it was at that point I realized that Darkfall is not a "questing" game. It's not a game where grinding out the quests from NPCs if the objective. On the contrary, Darkfall is much more akin to a game like EVE Online. Your destiny isn't set by a group of developers, nor is it limited by some yet unknown mechanic. Your actions are what set you apart in Darkfall. Not only is there a whole host of political and siege options in the game for higher end players, but gamers are also encouraged to stray off of the beaten path.

Don't be so busy taking screenshots that you don't see an enemy riding you down on a war sheep. GANKED!

And also like EVE Online, guilds and alliances form the backbone of the higher end engagements in Darkfall. While solo players can certainly entertain themselves by wandering around the world looking for monsters or other lone adventurers to fight, most players will probably try to join a guild to experience some of the siege warfare and politics that are intrinsic to the game's foundations. These tight knit communities will certainly be looking for more adventurers as the game continues to gain popularity throughout the West.  Every guild needs legions of players to defend and attack their enemies, so if you're eager to join a competitive guild, the time is now.

That said, Darkfall isn’t without its bugs and design flaws. The magic and combat systems are fun for the first few days, then you soon realize that you have only four abilities as a melee combatant and a very limited number of spells as a magic wielder. The skills that your character accumulates pop at every 25 skill points – so 25, 50, 75, 100 – and before that mark you won’t have ANY increase to your actual in-game sword/magic slinging. So when you encounter another player, especially one that's riding some sort of mount, I'd advise turning and hauling ass and hope he doesn't see you. Or else you'll end up like my inadvertent screenshot: Ganked.

However, the concept of a “sandbox” game still exists in Darkfall, even with its flaws. On my initial foray into the world of Darkfall, it was readily apparent that my character was never on rails. Not once did I feel like I was being directed to a location. For better or worse, I was shoved out into the wilderness and left to fend for myself. At some point, I felt confident enough to go explore my surroundings and really try to get a feel for my surroundings. What I found was a world that's full of beauty and danger; one that surprises as often than it frustrates.While Darkfall may be "hard," it certainly isn't impossible. Gamers that are looking for a challenge or want to stray away from the theme park mode of World of Warcraft need look no further than Darkfall. Even if you're content to stay with WoW, make sure you keep an eye on Darkfall and the numerous games that are set to come out in the next few years that are taking a similar path to this PvP adventure, albeit with a bit more money and support behind their development teams.