Dungeons & Dragons Online MMORPG Re-Releases

I've almost had enough of all those fantasy MMORPG's. However, the internet just gave me another reason to keep going. (Re)Released earlier this week, this might just be the best free game to play MMORPG online.

With new questing systems, exciting worlds and hideous monsters. Oh, and it's based on one of the biggest nerd phenomena in existence - Dungeons and Dragons - need I say more?

Read our review of Dungeons & Dragons Online - Eberron Unlimited, and give it a shot. Yes, it's most definitely worth it.

Dungeons & Dragons Online - Eberron Unlimited

The digital spin-off of the popular (old school) D&D role-playing game was originally released three years ago in February 2006. The game, then still working under the monthly subscription strategy, didn't live up to expectations. Even though gameplay was great, the anticipated user-mass stayed out and the under-populated servers were not the MMORPG place to be.

Three years later, Dungeons & Dragons Online relaunches with Eberron Unlimited. The hefty price? - zero USD per month to access this Dungeons & Dragons online free server!

A success is the least we can say about DDO - Eberron Unlimited. Only a few days in the running, new sign-ups to this Dungeons & Dragons online free server are rising greatly. This time it's not too hard to see DDO reaching the top - in my personal expectation, it's only a matter of time.

Gameplay and Quests

Similar to most MMORPG's, DDO focuses on quests for game progression and rewards. Nevertheless, do not expect solely monster-bashing gameplay like in World of Warcraft. DDO is filled with exciting puzzles and the like and often the creature-killing isn't even central in a quest.

At the start of the game, low-level quests can be played solo. However, as the game progresses, it becomes necessary to work in teams of up to 6 characters, usually with multiple roles, like tanks (melee), healers and casters (magic).

Overall, quests can be played on 4 different difficulty levels - Solo, Normal, Hard and Elite. Solo is only available in low-level quests, and hard and elite raise the stakes with additional XP and monetary bonuses.

Innovative New Pricing Model

The marketing guys behind DDO preach their "innovative new pricing model". To the critical public, this could easily be written off as 'micropayments -- again'. However, it's not as simple as that.

Evidently for a free to play game, you don't need to put any money in it. There are plenty of worlds to explore and quests to enjoy that you'd wonder 'why bother'.

However, for those gamers who are willing to spend an extra dime, there are two available systems. New lands, quests or items that might be released later on can be purchased through micro-payments. Alternatively, people who continue to enjoy the game on a monthly fee basis receive this goodness automatically and get an additional amount of 'credits' to spend on various other in-game items. To sum up, premium members can now have the menu, or order a la carte.

But whether you're free or premium, you shall play the game. Download it here.

Minimum System Requirements

Processor: P4 1.6GHz or AMD equivalent with SSE

Memory: 512MB RAM

Graphics Card: 64 MB Hardware T&L-compatible video card

Network Connection" 56.6K modem

Software: Windows XP, DirectX 9

Disc Space: 3GB, 5GB for high resolution

Recommended System Requirements

Processor: P4 3.0GHz or AMD equivalent with SSE

Memory: 1GB RAM

Graphics Card: GeForce FX or better with 128MB of memory