Armada Online Game Review

Published on: 30th March, 2009

Armada Online

EvStream
Genre: Space Shooter RPG
Release: January 9, 2006
MSRP: FREE
ESRB: RP
Rating Pending


The alien Armada that conquered Earth seeks to end our journey to the stars.

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First I must start with a little back-story on Armada Online. This game began as a title on the Dreamcast. For whatever reason this game did not do well. Personally I think it was due to underexposure. There was even a plan to make a sequel, but that fell though the cracks. I must say that I absolutely loved Armada on the Dreamcast. The captivating experience of exploring the galaxy completing mission with three of your best friends was the best. One of the best things was the ability to save your characters progress. The game allowed for another player to bring there character and load it up right in the middle of the current game. There were also plans to take the game online, but that never materialized, until now with Armada Online. I was elated to see the game revived and the original vision realized with online play.

Armada Online is built on a solid core and is keeping real to it. The best way to describe the game is an Asteroids like RPG. In other words its a third-person top down space shooter with role-playing game elements. The just of the game is the same as its predecessor. The alien hordes called the Armada have destroyed earth. Why? You don’t know. The remains of the human race have been scattered across the galaxy and each group has evolved and developed unique traits. Each race of these evolved humans has its on ships which have pros and cons based on the races particular strengths and weaknesses. The races in Armada Online are the Terren, Vorgan, Drakken, Nomad, Eldred and Scarab. The game drops you in the middle of this intergalactic war ,and its your job to take the fight to the Armada and find out why they want to destroy all humanity.

Armada Online is one of the few games that captivates you with the music. The music is grandiose and drives the game experience along. The emotions the music invokes while exploring or fighting is an amazing feeling to say the least. Each composition is worthy of the best Sci Fi space movies and shows. This is one of the clear positive about this game. Add this with the wonderful sound effects of blasters, missiles and engines ,and you have a wonderful mix that you could enjoy even if you were just watching someone play.

Visually Armada Online is stunning. Flying past nebulas, stars, and planets is breathtaking. Aramada Online takes advantage of its small scale to bring a big visual presentation. The detail of building you find flying over the surface of planets is amazing. The particle effects in my opinion are being used properly in this game. The effects fire of with grace and adds to the overall experience instead of just flying all over just because some programmer wanted to show off. This is a game that is visually done right and not over done trying to distract you.

Playing the game is really simple using the mouse to direct your ship and the number keys to active weapons and other items. Due to the lack of detailed help files it will be difficult starting out trying to feel your way around the Armada Online universe. Once in game click on menu and help for a small guide on whats going on, but don’t expect much more than that right now. Being that this is the alpha of the game I expect more to come as they push out updates. Another good resource to help you get going is the user forum on the Armada Online website. I hope as time goes on this is one area that they greatly improve upon.

This is an amazing game that I believe hasn’t got the attention it deserves. Its meld of epic music, larger than life visuals, and strategic game-play make this game an instant classic that has long lasting appeal. Prepare to lose lots of time getting lost in Armada Online.

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