Set to be unleashed upon the online gaming world in early February, the title is based in the world of Telon. Vanguard involves a war torn world of magic and fantasy in which the inhabitants, all coming from different races, must seek peace and respite from their own wars in order to quash the onslaught of undead and other evil elements that threaten their existence. Three lands make up their world: Kojan, Qalia and Thestra, and all these areas offer very diverse environments and inhabitants.
Hanging with my dogs.
The peoples that make up the vast lands of Telon vary immensely. From the game's outset, there'll be the option of creating a character from the list of 19 races, spanning from the anthropomorphic fox-like Raki, to the more straight-down-the-line human characters. There's a nice blend of racial groups, and some new additions alongside those from the role-playing worlds that many will be familiar with. Along with this list of races is a huge (almost too extensive) set of classes available. Stemming from four areas, which include arcane casters, offensive fighters, defensive fighters and healers, players will have a busy time of trying to level each to what is the current maximum level of 50.
The sheer amount of customisation you can apply to your character is extensive. There's all the regulars - height, weight, sex, etc. - but along with this there are some incredibly interesting additions. Avatar's facial characteristics especially can be modified in numerous ways, even down to the mood you wish them to convey. All this is done with the familiar slide bars. Coupled with the vast array of choices you have in regards to your race and class, you should have a reasonable chance of picking your friends out amongst the passers-by on Telon's highways.
Great two bedroom country house, not far from shops, just waiting for some fat loot to turn it into a first homebuyer's dream home.
Much of the game's style will be instantly recognisable to those who have played a modern MMORPG. The icons used to interact with the world, and even their placement on screen, will mean that the game is reasonably easy to pick up and play, even for newcomers to the genre. While a great deal of the gameplay is similar to that of other MMOs, Vanguard aims to change the focus of the game to that of a more community-based approach. Many areas of the game rely on the collaboration of two or more people.
There's also a fairly new area of the game that focuses on diplomacy, and which aims to get players earning rewards for more than just simple questing, by instead offering a sort of card-based mini-game affair. Using different responses and expressions such as demand, reason, inspire, and flatter, players looking for a new way to play within the genre will be able to take on quests that involve outsmarting faction representatives in cities, rather than just the hacking and slashing that we're used to.
The visuals are nothing short of impressive. Scattering plains and hillsides, grass sways back and forth, and off in the distance and high above the canopies of trees dances in an invisible virtual wind. With its backbone formed by a highly modified version of the Unreal 2 engine, Saga of Heroes definitely has the technical chops behind it to drive some smoth textures and pump out some sweet-looking polygons. That said, it shouldn't be overly restrictive to players with slightly lower-end PCs either, as the graphics are incredibly scalable.
We understand that Vanguard is not going to allow characters the luxury of making their way across its lands with the same shortcuts that many other MMOs do. Instead, players will be encouraged to explore the stunning worlds that the developers have created, finding hidden gems along the way. You'll not be expected to travel across the vast maps at a dawdling pace however, as mounts will be available from as early as levels in the single digits. As you progress through the game, the mounts that will be accessible will move from simple horses to flying creatures, offering you more freedom and faster travel. Boats too will make the list of travel accessories for the heroes of Telon, and you'll be able to learn how to build these.
The visuals contained within the areas you'll travel through in Vanguard are all fairly impressive.
Continuing with the theme of community, Vanguard also offers players the chance to act as home maker and create their own house. Like a bowerbird searching for cries of W00t rather than a mate, players will be able to litter their abodes with many of the glittering prizes that the world of Telon offers up.
It's a shame that almost every discussion of MMOs turns to the current heavyweight of the genre, World of Warcraft. And although Vanguard appears to have the legs to stand against it, the developers are definitely fighting an uphill battle with this game. With the recent WOW expansion Burning Crusade being released this month, Vanguard's job is certainly going to be a tough one. It looks however like Saga of Heroes, through its new additions to the genre and its fanastic looking worlds, may offer up a reasonable challenge. Given the pedigree of the designers of the game, and going by what we've seen in the beta, it's sure to dish up some excellent gameplay and provide many hours of escapism for those that decide to enter the world of Telon.
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