Allods Online is one of the newest upcoming MMORPGs which is tentatively scheduled to be released sometime this winter. Created, developed, and published by a Russian team of Astrum Nival and Gala-Net, Allods Online (known internationally as Rage of Mages) will be a F2P (free to play) MMORPG with an obvious World of Warcraft flair, yet very unique in its own respect.
I was graciously given a chance to dive into the current closed beta, and must admit that my time in it took away from my regular playing of the MMORPGs I am subscribed to. Yes, I think it’s that good, and that fun, even now in beta, but it still has a way to go to smooth out a good many play aspects.
One of the many (and I think BEST ways) for an MMORPG to hold its’ own individuality amongst the genre is to foremost have a compelling and engaging storyline. This story has to grab a player’s interest right from the start, for it may very well decide whether or not a player keeps playing beyond the tutorial. Allods Online does this, and does it well.
Allods Online, and the world of Sarnaut, will start with two major factions available for play: the Empire and the League. This article will briefly describe the intro story for the Empire. Keep checking back to WarCry for the next article that will tell the League’s beginning story.
After going through the expected character creation process, characters begin standing alone in a cabin of a ship. Players may wish to take this calm before the storm to inspect their characters closely. Open the Settings and familiarize yourself with the hot keys, and make any graphical or audio changes you wish. One of my favorites things to do is to check out the emotes, and write down those that look and sound especially fitting for my character.
Approaching the cabin door, it opens to reveal a grizzled orc, who immediately begins barking orders at you. You learn that the ship is called ‘Invincible’, and that it is currently under attack by the League. The orc orders you to equip your weapon, then speak with the quartermaster standing nearby.
The quartermaster makes sure you have your weapon in hand, then hands you a Battle Cocktail and says for you to drink it. He tells you it’s “a potent little shot of invigorating, revitalizing, liquid courage”. Amid the sounds of incoming and outgoing canon fire, it sounds like just the thing needed for whatever is about to happen.
After you gulp down the cocktail, the orc once again sounds off with orders for you, this time with the command to fight off an incoming invasion party. Thankfully you’re not alone, as there are five others you join just as the enemy warriors and their leader rush down the steps and attack.
The leader seeks you out and engages you in direct combat, but your mates may help if they can. After a short, fierce fight, one you hopefully make it through, the orc commands your attention. he tells you the League assault troops have taken the ships’ arsenal, and it’s your duty to take it back. While you’re there, look for a scientist named Sarang Minx.
Running ahead of your fellow soldiers, you enter the arsenal and are quickly set upon by the enemy, but your battle buddies are right behind you. The fighting is fast and furious, and soon the arsenal is secured. You spot the scientist Minx tied and kneeling against the far wall and make your way over to him just as the ship’s intercom announces that one League ship has been destroyed, with one remaining.
Minx tells you that the League attack is no mere show of force, but that they are specifically after the contents of the safe next to him. The item inside is a highly classified activation key, but he declines to say what it activates. Instead, he tells you that the key is no longer safe, and that you must take it to the First Mate.
Exiting the arsenal brings you onto one of the Invincible’s canon decks, currently in flames, but still in the fight. A couple of the canons are still in operation, firing away as quickly as they can, and another canon is without a firer. Senior Bombardier Odzhi mans his post here, and upon seeing you, quickly orders you to man the silent canon and fire until you score a direct hit on the League ship. A technician is busy repairing the exit door anyway, so until it opens, you may as well make yourself useful.
Firing the canon is a simple affair, and after a couple of shots, you hit the enemy ship. Odzhi congratulates you, and says that your shot luckily hit the enemy ship’s power line, taking it down. He rewards you with a piece of equipment from a wounded crew mate, and allows you to be on your way now that the door has been repaired.
Advancing through the Invincible, you soon come to the bridge, where you see Captain Kazimiz Blader and First Mate Aleksey Grubin in animated discussion over the combat at hand. When you tell the First Mate of your mission, he says that it has changed the battle plans, and he’ll have to discuss it further with the captain. He also tells you to keep hold of the activation key, as it now seems safer in your possession.
Captain Blader then asks what is wrong with the reactor, and the Navigator replies, saying the port shields have been destroyed. Captain Blader then turns to you with new orders: go to the reactor room, speak with Sarang Kafiri there, and find out what’s wrong with the reactor.
Running through a few more bulkheads deeper into the ship, you come to the reactor room, and quickly identify the problem. It is under attack by a party of League soldiers, including three hulking Fire Elementals! Between you and the reactor is a force field being sustained by an enemy cleric. Sarang Kafiri and his two technicians stand close by, seemingly unable to halt the attack.
Kafiri grabs your attention, and tells you what is transpiring. Handing you a neutralizer, he commands you to try using it to help the techs take down the force field. if you can, you are then to go in and eliminate the Fire Elementals. The neutralizer does indeed help, and as it falls, so does the cleric. The techs follow you in as you rush to take on the Elementals, who do not stop attacking the reactor until they are hit.
Once the reactor room is secure, Kafiri tells you that a League Crusader has stolen something called the “device”. He also stops short of telling you what the device is, only that you have the activation key for it. You are to take this info to the captain and let him know. On cue, Captain Blader and the First Mate come to the reactor room. When you tell him the news, and suggest an assault team to go retrieve the device, he says he simply cannot afford to spare soldiers for an assault. Instead, you will be the assault team!
Captain Blader also informs you that the device is a highly specialized personal transporter, capable of instantly teleporting soldiers from the front lines back to the rear. He adds that, though it’s a piece of crap, it’s “the only complete prototype in the Empire right now so we need to get it back!”
Dashing out the other side of the reactor room, the corridor leads to the outside deck. You come out just in time to see the League Crusader tell his soldiers to fight you as he steps onto the ships’ teleporter and is transported back to his ship.
But that isn’t what really gains your attention. This is stolen rather by the colossal Astral Monster just off port side that is testing the Invincible’s name to the full extant! An immense blue creature, with tusks as long as near half the ship, and who is breathing some intense blue-white energy into the hull of the ship. As quick as ever, you dispatch the Crusader’s guards and sprint to the teleporter –
– and suddenly find yourself on the deck of the enemy ship, just in time to watch the Invincible succumb to the Astral Monster and explode into the ethereal, with not a trace remaining. Momentarily stunned, you manage to gain your senses to engage the smaller Astral Monsters and League Soldiers on deck. The huge beast turns its attention to this ship, and you see the League Crusader Gradimir Whiteof encased in a protective bubble shield, fighting the monstrosity.
As the final Soldier falls, you turn to face Whiteof, who doesn’t seem to notice you, or perhaps has not the time nor energy. You quickly make use of the activation key and aim it at Whiteof’s shield, and it is swiftly negated. Whiteof finally turns his attention to you, and you see that his battle with the Monster has left him weak and battered. Wasting no more time, you strike him down as the Monster makes an assault on the ship. Once Whiteof falls dead to the deck, the personal transporter and the activation key instantly connect. Just as the ship begins to explode, you are snatched away to a far away and much safer place.
Caught your breath yet? Allods Online has a lot going for it right now, and that intro is one of many. As the news of Allods Online spreads, it also seems to be garnering some high expectations. Stay tuned for the next part of this article, where I’ll show you the League side of the story. If you’d rather not wait, then click over to the Allods Online website (http://allods.gpotato.com/) and sign up for the closed beta test #2. Better yet, I have two beta keys I’ll pass to the first two I see who tweet or retweet this article on Twitter. Just make sure to include @jimmoreno in your tweet so I’ll see it!
