I have not reached WarhammerвЂ™s highest levels, and probably wonвЂ™t until after the holidays (so many games, so little time), but Warhammer does not seem to suffer that problem. Droves of players flocked to Age of Conan earlier this year, only to discover after a few weeks of play that broad swaths of the gameвЂ™s more advanced content were largely unfinished. It is only with extensive play that subscribers can determine if they are faced with another Age of Conan situation. 18, so it is only now that the early adopters have to start thinking about whether to maintain their initial 30-day subscriptions. Warhammer provides a more engaging and diverse experience than either Lord of the Rings Online (unless youвЂ™re a serious Tolkien fan) or Age of Conan (unless you really need topless barbarians in your life), the other major online fantasy releases in recent years.

I spent more than 70 hours with the game recently, and it is clear that Warhammer is the best new massively multiplayer game since World of Warcraft, which was released in 2004. That is a high bar, and very few games meet it. Making a top-grade online game means creating an entire universe that an intelligent, motivated player can expect to enjoy spending years exploring (and paying $15 a month for) without getting bored. Of course the average American spends more than 30 hours a week watching television, but he doesnвЂ™t spend all 30 hours watching the same show (one hopes). Subscribers who log 30 hours weekly are fairly common, and for people who play any online game at an elite level, it becomes a significant part of their lives, not only in the sheer amount of time spent but also in the bonds formed with other players. In most of them someone who is online for 15 hours a week is considered casual. Such a game is not merely consumed, or even played. Designing a successful massively multiplayer online game may be one of the supreme challenges in all entertainment.

Warhammer online age of reckoning