June 16, 2009

Domain of Heroes: Caught Between Progress Quest and a MUD

Domain of Heroes, a free web-browser MMOG, has caught my attention as of late. Part text-based MUD, part graphical adventure game, DoH is:
Unlike any other browser RPG

Other games feel like...well...like using a website. Not us. Domain of Heroes uses the most modern technology - you never leave the game page!

Play anywhere, anytime, for FREE.

Domain of Heroes is a FREE browser-based massively-multiplayer web RPG/PBBG. What a mouthful!

You can play at home, at school, at work (yes, we condone it), or at the coffee shop — as long as you've got a browser and an internet connection, you are ready to be a Hero!

You can play on PC or Mac, PS3, Wii, even iPod Touch!
Unlike Free Realms or Quake Live, Domain of Heroes is operating system agnostic and requires nothing outside of what a normal web browser provides. This makes it a TRUE web-browser based game in my book.

The true beauty of the game is that it almost plays itself ala Progress Quest. Players simply "set it and forget it". Journey to a location, search for monsters, and a player's character will do all of the work as battles cycle infinitely until the character dies or the player leaves the area. This makes it great for the casual gamers out there or the "no worries boss, I am really working, not playing web games" gamers.

With that said, combat can be involved as well. Characters have multiple skills and options during combat. In the early levels these are not needed as much, but the higher up a player levels (max being 75), the more involved in the combat a player will want to be.

Outside of combat, the game offers a surprising level of depth. There is a PvP conquest system where warring factions can take over areas of the game world. There is an open trade channel and a market to play for items. Guilds and guild tools are offered as well.

Lastly, there is an amazing amount of possible class and race combos. To exemplify this, I am playing as Heartless the Squirrel Illusionist! Yes, I am playing as a small, furry rodent most often found in one's backyard.