Game Description and Comments
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is a 3D fantasy MMORPG that will try to be the top alternative to World of Warcraft by offering a more complex yet more rewarding MMO experience. This game has been in development for over four years by the makers of EverQuest and has been widely anticipated as a “possible” threat to the mighty MMO from Blizzard because it will attempt to go in a different direction than WoW. One of the more obvious differences between the two games is that Vanguard takes the exact opposite approach of Guild Wars and Dungeons & Dragons Online by having no instances. Thus players have to deal with other players not in their group or guild even in dungeons. Vanguard’s diplomacy system also sets it apart by depending more on strategy than just combat. With diplomacy the way players interact with NPCs is crucial and can not be overcome by simply chopping the NPC’s head off. Instead players must strategize on how they should deal with each individual NPC. This type of interaction could help to alleviate the mindless grinding that plagues most MMOs today. Does Vanguard have a chance to beat WoW? Probably not unless most MMO gamers prefer a more interactive MMO and choose Vanguard as the top MMO to deliver that interactivity.
Key Features
- Highly detailed 3D graphics.
- Major focus on being as interactive as possible.
- No instances.
- Player-owned housing.
- Player-owned ships.
- More focus on grouping than soloing.
- Diplomacy system helps take away the problem of relying too much on combat.
Select Reviews (Edited for Presentation)
Author: christwarrior
Rating: 0
Comment: Just one word describes this entire game: lag! The lag in character creation is bad enough but the actual game is even worse! I couldn’t even move around because the second I hit the “w” key the game went black. I had to do all this stupid stuff because of the lag! This game has awesome graphics but the worst lag that I have ever faced in my life!
Author: Joebeer
Rating: 9
Comment: Looks very promising.
Review Vanguard: Saga of Heroes
Pricing Model
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes charges a monthly fee.
Past Featured Online Games of the Week:
World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade
Highly anticipated expansion pack that makes the world’s most popular MMORPG even better.
Pirate King Online
Free MMORPG with cartoon graphics and large scale sea battles.
Graal Online
Former free online game that offers several different versions of the game and player-built worlds.
DragonFable
Animated browser-based RPG based on the Adventure Quest universe.
The Realm Online
One of the very first MMORPGs that is still running.
RAN Online
Free fantasy MMO with 3D graphics and a unique Japanese college theme.
KAL Online
Free 3D MMORPG based on oriental myth where you can transform into an ancient animal.
Neverwinter Nights 2
Online RPG with nearly unlimited replay value due to player-created modules.
Guild Wars Nightfall
Latest high-quality installment of one of the top MMORPGs in the genre.
World War II Online
Leading MMOFPS that drives realism into the World War II theme.
Legend of Ares
Free MMORPG with 3D graphics and a considerable focus on PvP combat.
Rappelz
Free 3D MMORPG from the makers of FlyFF.
Shattered Galaxy
Leading MMORTS where groups and teamwork are essential to victory.
Global MU Online
Hardcore action MMO that is very similar to Diablo and can be played for free up to level 60.
Eudemons Online
Free fantasy MMO with a great pet system that allows players to assemble their own special fighting forces.
Deicide Online
Free 3D MMORPG with a very innovative class system.
Archlord
Fantasy MMORPG where one player can rule over the entire game world.
Hero Online
Free martial arts MMORPG with a fighting system that can capture your imagination.
Ferentus
Beautiful fantasy MMO where you can hire NPCs to fight along side you and that is currently in Open Beta.
Titan Quest
Beautiful action RPG that plays similar to Diablo and offers free online play.
Industry Player
Online business simulation game that allows you to match your business wits against thousands of other players.
Space Cowboy Online
Free 3D MMO with both MMORPG and MMOFPS elements that has large scale nation wars and upgradeable space ships.
Furcadia
Free MMOSG or massively multiplayer online social game driven by a wide range of player-created content.
Myth War Online
Free MMORPG with a huge variety of pets hand-painted graphics and a very different combat system.
War Rock
Free online tactical shooter with realistic weapons and vehicles.
Tibia
Free MMORPG with a huge player base and multiple player worlds with different playing modes.
Face of Mankind
Innovative MMO where role-playing is key and the players are in control Face of Mankind.
Dark Ages
Often overlooked pay-to-play MMO that offers a 10 day free trial.
Kingdom of Loathing
Free Online RPG where sarcasm and humor reign supreme.
Albatross 18
Innovative game that combines a free MMO with fantasy Golf.
Lands of Hope
Very deep MUD with thousands of graphics that offers free play up to Level 100.
Dark and Light
MMORPG that boasts over 15000 square-miles of land in its game world Dark and Light.
Wheel of Time MUD
Free text-based RPG/MUD based on one of the greatest fantasy novel series ever.
Trash
Online RTS game that supports up to 24 players at once and lets you play the human side of the human-mutant conflict for free.
Blood Clans
Free Online RPG with 3D graphics and a focus on playing in clans.
Navy Field
War strategy MMO with RPG elements that can be played for free until level 30.
Guild Wars Factions
Stand alone campaign with new PvP and guild features that also offers free online play.
Starport: Galactic Empires
Free graphical strategy game where you can either play on a persistent server or try to win a 2 week game period.
Rakion
Free 3D MMO with great graphics that offers plenty of PvP action.
Auto Assault
Action 3D MMORPG where you can blow nearly anything up.
Monster and Me
MMORPG intended primarily for younger audiences that is free to play and focuses on pets.
The Saga of Ryzom
Beautiful 3D MMORPG with an intriguing storyline and considerable character freedom.
GunBound
Innovative shooting game with cartoony graphics that lets you face other players in front of an audience.
Shadowbane
A PvP oriented MMO with both RPG and RTS elements.
Silkroad Online
A 3D MMORPG with both historic and fantasy worlds.
RF Online
A sci-fi MMORPG with anime graphics that focuses on PvP.
Renaissance Kingdoms
Very interactive free online RPG with great political and economic aspects.
Xiah
Free 3D MMORPG with a martial arts theme that gamers may want to avoid for the foreseeable future.
Endless Online
Small fantasy MMORPG that has anime graphics and is free to play.
Little Fighter 2
Arcade-style fighting with very colorful characters that can be played online.
Hobo Wars
Free Online RPG with heaping doses of originality and humor.
Neocron 2
Controversial MMO that offers both FPS and RPG elements.
Anarchy Online
Major sci-fi MMORPG with both a pay-to-play and a free version Anarchy Online.
Eve Online
Science-fiction MMO that gives you considerable freedom in space Eve Online.
Supreme Destiny
Free 3D MMORPG with both an English and a Korean version.
Guild Wars
Retail RPG with free online play that won GameOgre.com’s Best Gaming Value award for 2005.
Thang Online
Free 3D MMORPG with a huge focus on action and a unique monster system Thang Online.
ROSE Online
Cartoon-style MMORPG where you can have a major effect on the gaming world.
Conquer Online
A free MMORPG set in an ancient Chinese Kungfu world with nice anime-style graphics.
Rubies of Eventide
A free MMORPG that melds 3D graphics with incredibly deep gameplay.
Ragnarok Online
Popular MMO with cartoon graphics and several innovative features Ragnarock Online.
Ashen Empires
Medieval Fantasy MMORPG that was once known as Dransik.
Pardus
Free Massive Multiplayer Online Browser Game (MMOBG) where you can trade or pillage in space.
FlyFF: Fly For Fun
Check out a free MMORPG with colorful graphics and solid gameplay where players fly on boards and broomsticks.
Puzzle Pirates
Assume the role of a pirate on the high seas in this puzzling free MMORPG.
Maple Story
Take a look at a MMORPG with cartoon-style graphics that is free to download and play.
GunZ
A game that lets you live out your action movie fantasies online.
BattleMaster
A little-known free Online RPG with strong strategy elements.
Adventure Quest
Take a closer look at one of the more colorful free online RPGs.
Knight Online
Check out one of the best free 3D MMORPGs.
RuneScape
GameOgre.com takes a closer look at one of the more popular Free MMORPGs.
For an MMORPG from 2006, it seems pretty good. Character creation in this game allows for a great deal of customization, and there are 12 character slots which is more than enough. Graphics is pretty good with adequate lighting. One feature that really caught my attention were the mounts; and not only does this game have mounts (like horses), but there are even flying mounts. PvP also exists, but I don’t think it’s as significant or even as balanced. Overall, I’d rate this game a 4.5/5; probably not to par with WoW, but I think Sigil Games Online did a great job developing this game.