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(More customer reviews)The sixth expansion pack for the 7 year old Ultima Online series is at hand. What does this mean for the many citizens of shattered Sosaria? In a word: More.
More culture. Some people have criticized the addition of an Asian themed facet claiming it doesn't fit with the primarily medieval feel of the game. I disagree. Each facet *should* have its own identity and Tokuno certainly achieves uniqueness.
More exploration. The Tokuno Islands offer a wide range of terrain from grasslands to deserts to frozen wastelands to active volcanoes. Some areas are fairly barren (no doubt intended for new housing developments), while others are rich with detail and variety.
More character customization. The addition of the Ninjitsu and Bushido skills allow players greater variety in play style. Aspiring Ninjas and Samurai will have access to many new abilities.
More creatures. The new enemies found in Tokuno are primarily based upon Asian mythology. Most are designed to be challenging even for experienced players - even powerful well equipped characters will have a hard time fighting toe to toe with some of these new creatures.
More items. A wide array of new clothing styles, weapons, armor, collectibles, etc. The ability to dual-wield certain weapons is a particularly welcome addition.
More housing. In addition to the added housing areas in Tokuno, players will have access to new tiles and add-ons when customizing their homes.
More other stuff... Various other game mechanics (such as the guild system) have also been improved. Even the much neglected virtue system has received some attention.So yes Samurai Empire is very much about making UO more than it was. But are any of the new additions truly earth shattering? Not particularly. If you are happy with UO as it is now you will no doubt be very happy with SE. If you are looking for vast changes to UO however, you won't find them here. As far as UO expansion packs go SE lives up to expectations. No more, no less.
In spite of all the additions and improvements however UO still fails to achieve one important thing: purpose. This is a failing with the vast majority of MMOGs however and not limited to UO. You are given massive worlds to explore, thousands of players to interact with, and a wide variety of options... But no purpose. Nothing you do in the game has a lasting effect, there is no epic storyline that progresses in any significant way, the virtual world and people of Sosaria remain unchanged regardless of your actions. Instead of actively challenging you, the game merely exists and expects you to amuse yourself.
It is high time for MMOGs to begin incorporating the epic nature of traditional RPGs. UO in particular has a great legacy to live up to. The original Ultima series (now 25 years old) remains the finest example of RPG gaming. Ever. Ultima X promised to bridge the gap between the genres... With UXO's untimely demise UO more than ever needs to strive for something greater.Bottom line:
Is it worth checking out for new players? Yes - as long as you don't rely on high end graphics for your gaming pleasure. There is a reason UO has been around for 7 years - there is a LOT to see and do. Whether this is your first massively multiplayer online game or you've been playing them for years UO is worth experiencing. Unlike some MMOGs UO doesn't require you to buy all the previous versions separately - every release includes ALL previous expansions. At the very least it offers you good value for your money.
Is it worth getting for current players? If you enjoy UO there is no reason not to get SE. If you've experienced the addition of previous expansion packs you already know what to expect. New landmass, new monsters, new items, new skills.
Is it worth returning to for former players? I suppose it depends on the reasons you left. If you originally quit in frustration over technical issues, SE runs with far more stability than AOS did upon release. If you quit because you felt unfulfilled with the game, SE probably won't be enough for you to return for.
It's not perfect, but it IS good.
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