[Dantes]

I've played AO off and on since beta. I still go back every once in a while now that classic AO is free. It's really sort of a mindless level ladder, there's not much too it. I really dig the graphics and I enjoy the music, the atmosphere is cool but there's just really not much to the actual gameplay.

The mission system was an early implementation of instancing. You could level up entirely playing your own custom "missions" where you can get loot items from chests and rewards for completing the missions. (Boring) They added dungeons and a newbie area to try and keep up with newer MMORPGs, with newbie armor quests and all that crap. Basically that just means nobody lower level has to hang around cities anymore, so it left them kind of empty and weird.

The mission templates get boring, and the dungeons are far and few between. PvP has some very bad class balance, as with many games there's some god classes who basically kick ass at everything and everyone else sucks in comparison.

There's not many uber rare items, rather items have levels. So you try your best with implants, buffs, etc to equip the highest level weapon or armor you can. Because of this, there's never poopsocking, but the downside is everyone is the same. Eventually they all have the same gear and weapons. There are a few dungeons with rare drops, and some items that are often camped but it's nothing compared to camping a rare in EQ.

If you've never played it before, it's worth a try. Has it's good and bad points.