If you go to
www.gamerankings.com , you'll see that WoW received consistantly higher marks.
I don't understand why. I've read reviews for both and found that EQ2 get's slighted on almost every one. They praise WoW for ingenuity with quests, quest journals, no death penalty, being able to pick up and get into some action for only 30 minutes if you want.
EQ2 also has the almost exact same types of quest journal, yet it is discredited in the reviews for being unoriginal?? I don't get it. They are also ragged for a remake on their penalty for dying. Instead of 1 person getting the sole penalty, if you're in a group it is split among the group. This is a great idea. Why should the tank always picking up the death penalty tab while everyone else runs? This forces the group to work as a team and not say- as Cartman puts it, "Screw you guys- I'm going home!" Yet, again they are trashed because you'd get penalty if you didn't die.
You NEED death penalty.
You NEED group XP grinds. Why is that a bad thing? It's fun when you get a successful group together- So make friends and relationships.
Without these things, you'll get a game full of ADD people talking trash and making the game shallow. IMO, WoW caters to these types... the type who needs to log in for a short time to get their fix to kill something. The same people who loved Diablo. This isn't the kind of game I want to be immersed with. I want a game where I can be lost in the world- where I can find a small band of people and work to gain exp by killing things much greater than me.
EQ2 is not a solo game, but very heavy in group dependency. IMO, this is the heart of RPG's. All the great games, books, and movies focused on a **group** of fighters- Lord of the Rings, Baldor's Gate, etc...). I just want to simulate those things.
Sorry if I sound like I'm venting, but I kinda am, hehe. EQ2 is the most beautiful game I've played. It keeps my attention and gaining XP is not difficult. Leveling goes quickly and is not a chore. The people who hate this game usually solo frequently. Join a group. If you can't find one, create a group. There is ALWAYS someone who is LFG in the zone. Grow a set, show some leadership, and start a group.
-L-