Nothing New, But Still a Solid Experience for EQ Fans

Champions of Norrath was one of my favorite PS2 games of last year.  Return to Arms picks up right where the original left off and even lets you bring your character from the first game into the second.  Admittedly, the game doesn't offer very much in regards to innovation, but not too many people buying this game are looking for something completely new.  Snowblind has made a career out of this Diablo-esque, dungeon crawling, hack-n-slash game.  And Champions doesn't try to be anything other than that.  If you're into that type of game, Return to Arms will be a welcome addition to your gaming library.  If you're not already a fan of games such as Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath, Return to Arms isn't going to do anything to change your mind.  Return to Arms is a solid sequel and although the concept and engine may be aging, it offers a few new things to make it worthwhile to fans of the genre. 
 
 
Graphics 

Well the game still looks good, but graphically the game is no different than the original.  So, a year later it doesn't stand up quite as well.  The environments are well done and recognizable to veteran EverQuest players.  The character models have improved slightly, but it's hard to tell since the camera is far away most of the time.  On occasion there is a drop in the framerate when you get rushed by many opponents, but it's rare.  And you still have to love the water effects!     
 
 
Control 
Nothing complicated here.  You still have one main attack button you're going to be mashing furiously.  The game retains the control layout from the previous entry, so actions such as switching to range attack, drinking a quick health/mana potion, or casting a spell are literally one button away.  An improvement to the inventory screen would've been nice, but it's not terrible.  It does get a bit repetitive, but that's the nature of this genre.     
 
 
Sound 

The sound has taken a hit from last year.  It was obvious to me in the very first level hacking through the Plane of War.  I was fully expecting some variation of the music heard in the PC version of the Planes of Power, but what I got was pretty much silence.  I've always thought that EverQuest's themes were great and it was something I looked forward to, especially since I liked what Snowblind did in the first game.  The voice-overs are still decent; some better than others, but again, even the bad ones are better than having to read the dialogue.  Most of the sound effects are rehashes.     
 
 
Replay Value 
The game mostly takes place in the planes, rather than on Norrath itself.  At the start of the game, Firiona Vie calls for a new champion to help keep the Hate from spreading after the fall of Innoruuk.  Almost immediately, you are given the option to betray Firiona and join the dark side with Natasla.  This offers minor storytelling differences but in the big picture it doesn't mean a whole lot.  You're still going to the same places either way, just different areas on occasion.  The game does offer two new characters in the form of the Iksar Shaman and Vah Shir Berserker, but for some unknown reason, there is no female version of those two as there is with the returning characters (Barbarian Warrior, Wood Elf Ranger, High Elf Cleric, Dark Elf Shadow Knight, Erudite Wizard).  All the characters are well balanced and you shouldn't feel hindered or overpowered no matter which way you go, even in single player.  The online mode has improved, but the characters are serverside now, so your online character and offline character are separate.  They've also added some PvP elements with an Arena and medal system.  The story mode itself can be played alone or with 2-4 friends online or via multi-tap.  So with all of the character options, improved online play including voice support, and 4 difficulty settings, Return to Arms is packed with value.     
 
 
Conclusion 

Again, if you once loved the world of EverQuest, and want to revisit it in a different way, Return to Arms is an excellent choice.  The game is full of name dropping and armor that will rekindle fond memories for those of us who used to travel Norrath frequently.  The story itself is less prominent than last year's game, but it's still fun.  The game is chock full of new items and valuables to collect, trade, and sell.  One suggestion though; play Champions of Norrath first and then bring your character over.  You will enjoy the game much more if you come in with a headstart.  Return to Arms doesn't quite pack the same punch as the first, but it's still an enjoyable game and a worthy sequel.     
 
 
*** This review was written for Flamevault.com shortly after the release of the game. ***