When you are a direct descendant of greatness, the expectations bar
will always be set high, and when your predecessor is widely viewed as
the granddaddy of the MMOG genre that bar goes up a few notches more. style="font-style: italic;">EverQuest II took
on that seemingly impossible task, and while it may have stumbled out
of the gate, it has never relented in its pursuit of greatness. With 6
expansions under its belt, and another announced and well into
development, the team at Sony Online Entertainment recently took a huge
leap and added a free-to-play component. With tons of content, a strong
development team, one of the most influential publishers in the
industry and the pedigree of the original behind it, style="font-style: italic;">EverQuest II Extended
looks to become the next legend in the SOE stable. 

Cautions

EQ2X is new to free-to-play, but not a new game. While the free-to-play iteration does not share the same servers as the pay-to-play version, here are many established players who have already reached max level or transferred high level characters over from the premium servers, so new players may feel a bit behind right out of the gate. The community of EQ2X is a bit more of a mixed bag than that of the premium servers. Although the overall tone is still friendly by comparison to the communities found in many other games, there are a lot of WoW expats running around and it comes through in general chat.

EQ2X is also among the most heavily gated of the recent AAA conversions, requiring some form of payment to access most of even the more basic features

Gameplay - 97 / 100

Few games can rival the depth and complexity of EQ2X, and fewer still
can offer so much without feeling overwhelming to a new player. At
launch EverQuest II featured
a tutorial phase that took players on a wild journey to a refugee
island, introducing them to both gameplay and lore before shipping them
off to their starting areas. That system has been scrapped for a more
traditional quest-based model that keeps players in the same level 1-20
starting area. The new system allows for both faster leveling and a
more seamless integration into the game world. EQ2X also benefits from
several more starting areas than the original had at launch, giving
more choice to new players and making the process of playing alts a
more enjoyable one.


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Players are initially restricted to 4 of the 19 available races and 8
of the 24 available classes. Upgrading to a monthly subscription
unlocks all the classes and upgrading to a pre-paid yearly plan unlocks
all races and classes. Those who wish to stay away from a subscription
can unlock both via the Station Store. With the exception of some
casters at low level, each class feels fairly unique.



EQ2X features a dynamic combat system that works well in both solo and
group play.

Unlike EQ1 before it, EQ2X allows players to put all their available
spells on hotbars, and basic spell and ability upgrades are learned
automatically upon reaching the required level – no hunting or scribing
necessary to get the base power. EQ2X employs a Heroic Opportunity
system that can be triggered in solo or group play, allowing for some
massive damage when abilities are used in the correct sequence and
timeframe.


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One of the most interesting aspects of EQ2X is a direct descendant of
its predecessor, EverQuest – Alternate Advancement. Like most features
that are found in both games, the EQ2X version is expanded and
improved. Alternate Advancement allows players to continue to gain
levels and power even after they’ve reached the traditional level cap.
Combat experience can be adjusted via a slider to grant any combination
of AA or level XP, provided you are not a basic member – basics are
restricted to a 50/50 split. There are several trees available to spend
points in, as well as selections that are offered at various level
increments. Like most other aspects of EQ2X, this process can be as
simple or as complex as the player wants to make it with results doing
everything from providing a bit of flavor to creating powerful
combinations.



In addition to common forms of currency, EQ2X features a status system
that rewards players for their heroic deeds. Status can be gained in
several ways and is used to purchase and maintain player housing as
well as for purchasing unique in game items that typically pertain to
housing, tradeskills or titles.



Guilds in EQ2X are dynamic and evolving, gaining levels and status and
have their own unique housing – the Guild Hall. Guild Halls serve a
myriad of purposes and range from smaller 5 room buildings to large
castles. More advanced guilds are able to stock their halls with
merchants, crafting stations, bind locations and other various
amenities. 


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Living up to its name, the real strength of EQ2X lies in the more than
6,000 discovered quests. Boasting everything from kill 10 rats to
level-spanning epics and everything in between, questing is the heart
of EQ2X. Quests are separated by adventuring, collection and tradeskill
and are easily tracked in the quest log. Most quest locations and NPCs
are viewable in both the mini-map or the main map and players can opt
to let a glowing trail lead them to their destination. Questing is
hands down the best way to gain experience in the game even if the gear
rewards are somewhat lacking.



Crafting in EQ2X is so robust that players gain artisan experience and
levels as they progress. Crafters are required to specialize in one
area, but can create basic items from all areas as they level up. With
a dynamic system that requires attention and active participation,
crafting is more than just a time to take an AFK and can result in some
powerful items when done to perfection.




Graphics - 97 / 100

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Few computers were capable of running EQ2 at full settings when it was
first released, and in the 6 years since most systems are just now able
to handle its graphics at higher quality settings without dying a
horrible lag-infested death. The world of Norrath is beautifully
rendered and everything from flora and fauna to water textures are
configurable here. Player models have undergone a revamping since
release, with many races having an alternate appearance available. Low
level armor and weapons look haggard and boring, but it is by design –
higher end items are stunning.



EQ2X allows players to select appearance items to help set them apart
from each other. These weapons, armor items and adornments have no
statistical values and are equipped via a separate window. Mounts are
also available in appearance form, allowing players to determine how
they are viewed in nearly all aspects

Sound - 100 / 100

SOE spared no expense when it came to the development of EQ2, and sound
was one area where that money was well spent. Ambient sounds are top
notch and lend a level of immersion that is hard to duplicate, but
voice acting is the true gem here. EQ2 was among the first MMOGs to
feature extensive  voice acting and the quality is second to
none with some famous voices among the 1700 used including Heather
Graham, Christopher Lee and Wil Wheaton just to name a few. Combat
music is not only good for dramatic effect, but it can actually clue
you in to a mob’s difficulty and can change based on how the battle is
faring. 

Multiplayer - 95 / 100

EQ2X is teeming with players, a luxury that many of the live servers don't have. In many other solo-friendly MMOGs an overabundance of bodies wouldn't necessarily bode well, but the community here is top notch so far and it's easy to find people willing to group up for questing, killing or dungeons. One item of note, DPS in EQ2X is the archetype that seems to be most lacking as healers and tanks are coming out of the woodwork. With lots of new players and many low level characters still about the raid scene is still in its infancy, but interest is high and the future looks promising.

Value - 87 / 100

Perhaps the trickiest aspect for SOE to pull off is in how to properly
price EQ2X. Restricting too much content creates the risk of alienating
new players before they have time to really sink their teeth into the
game. EQ2X has four subscription levels; Basic for non-paying players,
Silver for those who purchase any amount of Station Cash, Gold for
monthly subscribers and Platinum for those who purchase a yearly
subscription. Currently too much of the game is shielded behind monthly
subscriptions. I would like to see more options available for purchase
via Station Cash or for subscription players to be given a monthly
allotment of Station Cash similar to the system Turbine uses. Given
SOE’s ability to survive and adapt, it follows that they will be
tweaking and fine tuning this system to find the best balance as time
goes on.

Lasting Appeal - 90 / 100

With 6 expansions under its belt, style="font-style: italic;">EverQuest II has
already
shown its resilience and ability to evolve and adapt. While no game is
immune
to aging, SOE has breathed new life into the franchise with the
addition of the
EverQuest II Extended
free-to-play server and there is no reason to think that
the game is going away any time soon, especially given the track record
and longevity
of the original.

Pros and Cons

Pros –


  •     Large immersive world
  •     19 Races and 24 Classes
    provide a ton of replayability
  •     Quest, quests and more quests
  •     Robust crafting system
  •     Player customization
  •     Top notch development team
  •     Outstanding community

Cons –

  •     Established community can be
    intimidating to some newer players
  •     Higher system requirements
    than most games
  •     Restricting key features may
    inhibit new players from sticking with the game

Conclusion

What happens
when you take the most complete MMOG on the market and remove the
barriers that hold back potential players? You get an unmitigated
success of a game with a vibrant and populated server. SOE capitalized
on a down time in the market as many players had grown bored of their
current games. Hopefully the strength of their product will convince
many of these gamers to make a permanent switch. style="font-style: italic;">EverQuest II Extended
earns an A with top notch graphics, sound, gameplay and community
combining for a solid gaming experience.

Overall 100/100 - Superb

Metacritic

To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our EverQuest II Game Page.

Last Updated: Mar 29, 2016

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