Age of Conan: Hands-On Preview

At an event in San Francisco last week, WarCry had the chance to play Age of Conan's early game experience, some mid-level content and even got our teeth into arena PvP. We preview all of this and more.

The strongest part of the first few levels - and I would suspect the game in general - is that for the first time in a long time it feels like a world and not a guided trip through Disney Land. There are challenges and creatures along the way that have nothing to do with the mission at hand, and combat doesn't always wait for you to get ready. For example, right out of the tutorial, I started on a road that led down into the town. My goal was to gain access to that town, and had I wished I could have stuck to the path and got it done, but unlike so many games, there were not sheer cliffs to make sure I stayed on the rails. To my left, I saw a camp of bandits, way above my level and clearly not on my side. The simpleton that I am, I decided to fight them, and I even got one's head before they took me out. I died, but I had fun, and it had nothing to do with the mission at hand.

Read more after the click.

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Great article, Dana. Actually got me looking forward to this.

Two questions--how does combat work for non-warrior classes like casters? Is it based on the same directional swinging that you experienced or does it work like a more traditional MMO?

How did death/respawning work in PVP (like the CTF)? was it the same "Oh crap res sickness, find your gravestone quick" you described for PVE? Or was it handled differently like WoW battleground group penalty-free resurrections?

CantFaketheFunk:
Great article, Dana. Actually got me looking forward to this.

Two questions--how does combat work for non-warrior classes like casters? Is it based on the same directional swinging that you experienced or does it work like a more traditional MMO?

How did death/respawning work in PVP (like the CTF)? was it the same "Oh crap res sickness, find your gravestone quick" you described for PVE? Or was it handled differently like WoW battleground group penalty-free resurrections?

1) Didn't try one - I am a purist - but I believe they're basically the same in that there is a cone in front of them. The cone is of course longer.

2) I believe its just run back in, but I am only 95% certain of that.

Great and honest review. Many thanks.

Personally I think they need to rehash the game. More magic/spells. Redo dungeons. ...and don't whimper on moves and abilities. You either aim for adult play or target kiddy gaming for xbox market.