(3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
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Atlantica Online

Description: Atlantica Online is a MMORPG with RTS elements. It features good graphics and a great auto-route system.

Atlantica Online Review by Kristine Ann Juan-Gajitos

I have played Atlantica for some months now and it’s games play is something I have not seen since playing console RPGs. The background story of the game revolves around finding the Lost City of Atlantis. The game incorporates real life locations albeit with surreal surroundings and fantastical creatures.

In Atlantica Online, you get to play with a whole posse under your command. You can have a nine-member party including your own character and fight monsters and do quests. It is a turn based game much like the usual RPG games played on gaming consoles. It is quite interesting as it is a complete deviation from the usual hack-and-slash manner of playing in other online RPG games.

In Atlantica Online, you have to have a strategy in grinding with mobs since your characters’ turns do not always reset at the start of every battle. Another thing is that the monsters are not your average cookie cutter ones. They come in two flavors - always. Like one version of a monster has healing abilities while the other  has a knockout skill. You will really be hard pressed on how to deal with them effectively from micro-management to forming viable party formations.

Also, there is the idea of stamina. This stamina gives you a bonus while leveling up though it gradually runs out as you encounter monsters. It replenishes every day, though for a max of 100 points for levels 50 and below, and 60 points for levels 51 and up. It decreases slower when you are in a group as opposed to playing solo (i.e. just you and your posse). You can also replenish your stamina by sitting / resting in game between fights.

Leveling up in this games takes hard work as your characters level at different paces. For example, fighting characters level as they hit monsters, while healing characters level as they heal your other characters. It is quite interesting to look at the party dynamic in this way since you really have to balance your party to get the maximum benefit from all your characters. Also, skills are learned from books and you need to read books to level those skills up.

There are many quests in game and each of the quests are incorporated into the main story line.
The premise may be cliche, the world is in mortal peril and you must save it, but the presentation and delivery is unique if not ingenious. It makes for a very interesting game play.

As a final word, this game is one of the best I have ever played and I’d stay with it for as long as I could.