I'm just browsing
A roundup of free, browser-based MMOs.
Hyperiums
Preceding even its closest subscription cousin EVE Online, Hyperiums was released in 2001 and has a maintained a steady and loyal following ever since. On first impressions, it struck me as a rather dry version of Dark Orbit, being heavily textual.
But delve a little deeper and there's an interesting little tactical game here. Starting off with a single planet – with the option of taking a riskier or more reserved playstyle at any time – you quickly discover that this intimidating-looking title may keep you around for some time.
For starters, you'll need to assign Exploitations to your planet which haul minerals out of its surface. These are then traded on with other nearby planets with varying degrees of success – some keen to trade more, others looking for a quieter life.
As the game progresses you have the option to form alliances with other players, assign spies to infiltrate your trading planets and build up an army capable of plucking the juiciest fruit from under their noses. All built around a frankly terrifying advancement tech-tree.
If you've ever wondered what it might be like to play EVE but lack the time to undertake an evening course in PC gaming beforehand, Hyperium will provide a lively introduction to the genre of the treacherous universe, and is well worth a look.
7/10
Mafia Returns
When I can force myself to look back at the incredible amount of time I've wasted in MMORPGs, it strikes me as strange that actual role-playing has been an almost non-existent part of the experience.
It's not for want of willingness either. Instead, my radar for imminent embarrassment – honed to perfection over the last 30 years – simply holds me back.
Rather than trepidation, there's a little bit of joy to be had in engaging with the role-play element of Mafia Returns. This level of interaction is not just encouraged by the designers but by the community themselves, and it's become integral to the success of the game.
I've yet to be approached by anyone speaking out-of character and – responding in kind – the game has become a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, one that will continue long after this review's written.
So it's a surprise that one particular aspect of the interface considerably threatens the suspension of your disbelief. With all this commitment to role-playing, it seems a shame that all communications – be they from sage hobos, fellow gang members or would-be executioners – arrive in the form of in-game e-mails.
Naturally, I don't expect the game to wire a telegram message to my local post-master, but this is 1950s gangland America.
It's a small niggle really, and one that only presents itself because the rest of the game – the back-story, the crime selection, the community engagement – is so well executed. For a game of simple presentation with an equally streamlined structure at its heart, Mafia Returns gets it all so right by caring about the experience and encouraging its players to feel exactly the same way.
8/10