Vanguard: Saga of Heroes Review

V:SoH is a game brought to you by Sony Online Entertainment, the creators of other successful MMO's such as DC Universe Online, EverQuest and EverQuest II. It switched from subscription based to a hybrid payment system. It is free to play but added benefits come with a monthly gold membership. It has many varied races and classes to choose from and boasts some impressive graphics. The large world to explore and the various quests and activities means you will rarely be left standing around bored.

Pros: Many races and classes, Beautiful open world, Good gameplay.

Cons: F2P restrictions, Getting a little dated now.

Storyline: Facing the challenges of a war torn world, the diverse people here struggle to rebuild their once great civilizations. A fragile alliance has been struck, and with the lands set upon by invading forces, the races must band together to survive. Telon is in desperate need of heroes. Your journey begins now.

Features: There are so many races to choose from, you will have no problem picking the perfect one for your personality. The races are; Goblin, Half Elf, Kojani, Orc, Raki, Wood Elf, Dark Elf, Gnome, Kurashasa, Mordebi, Qalianthari, Varanthari, Dwarf, Halfling, High Elf, Lesser Giant, Thestran, Vulmane, Varanjar. Some as you can see are familiar races to MMO games and others are unique to V:SoH.

The classes are also extensive, and it may be confusing as to which to choose unless you have a particular favourite archetype. However, the beginning of the game is complex enough to be able to test out classes effectively without wasting too much time. The classes are; Warrior, Paladin, Dread Knight, Inquisitor, Ranger, Rogue, Monk, Bard, Berserker, Cleric, Shaman, Blood Mage, Disciple, Sorcerer, Psionist, Necromancer, Druid. These roughly follow general MMO archetypes of tanks, damage dealers, healers and support but with a few unique twists.

The world of Telon is massive and covers three continents, all with amazing scenery. These are all in one open world and places can be reached directly by air or sea.

The crafting system is well thought out and you can gather the materials for crafting via digging, lumberjacking and other such ways. Each continent has its own crafting style, and crafters are not forced to engage in combat to gather crafting materials.

Diplomacy focuses on contests of verbal wit between the player and various non-player characters (NPCs) throughout the world of Telon. A successful diplomat can alter the course of politics in an area. Small tasks might be to convince two sentient swords to resolve an old dispute so that their owner can wield them harmoniously in combat (see Competing Egos). Most difficult challenges might ask you to investigate rumors of a merchant rebellion in a major city. The Diplomacy process, which is called parley, manifests on your screen as a turn-based card game of sorts. Players who have experience with Magic: The Gathering or Triple Triad from Final Fantasy VIII will have an advantage coming into Vanguard's Diplomacy system.

Overall, Vanguard: Saga of Heroes is a game that any MMO player can enjoy as it is a solid game with some nice and enjoyable features. In many ways it is a tyical MMO but is unique enough to not feel like a clone.