Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach

 PC
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 79 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 45 out of 79
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 79
  3. Negative: 19 out of 79
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  1. whitepawn
    Oct 23, 2014
    6
    The last holdout of D&D 3.5 which offers the best character building options for a fantasy grade toon. I judge MMOs by their dungeon availability. Lack of dungeons = Lack of quality IMO. I don't want to fetch and carry, kill for other people, or compete with other people in an open wilderness. All of that feels like running in a hamster wheel. Dungeons = meat of an MMO. Choice inThe last holdout of D&D 3.5 which offers the best character building options for a fantasy grade toon. I judge MMOs by their dungeon availability. Lack of dungeons = Lack of quality IMO. I don't want to fetch and carry, kill for other people, or compete with other people in an open wilderness. All of that feels like running in a hamster wheel. Dungeons = meat of an MMO. Choice in character creation is the other piece. You will never have more choice or variation in character creation than in this game. 3.5 wins on that mark.

    In game voice on auto that works. Not the crappy stuff of WoW or other games, a bonefide quality ingame voice system. Makes group work easy and available. Social, same. Creates an oddly supportive community. Hop in a group and you can all communicate immediately. This does create a "must have ears" culture in game.

    This game is nothing but dungeons...with a couple slayer areas that you traverse to get to dungeons...which makes it far outshine most MMOs.

    The game, sadly, is dying for two reasons: raid bypass timers and out of control duping. Raid bypass timers are sold by Turbine in their cash shop. They allow you to bypass the timeout period between raids and thus run, say, 12 of the new raid in a row to get that item you want. They also remove all motive to continue playing because you can get what you want in a day...if you spend the cash. That cash became moot with duping. Buy 1 raid bypass timer and copy it into the thousands. Rinse/repeat with the rare raid crafting items for the best gear. Again, removes all motive to keep playing because the reward system for playing no longer exists. Turbine's punishment (a buddy duped and this was his): a 5-day ban, and you keep all your duped stuff. The dupe is now fixed but most people now have as much platinum as their accounts will allow them to hold. And bypass timers. And stat tomes. And dragon scales. And tokens. And...    … Expand
  2. Hdiz
    Nov 14, 2013
    7
    I've been playing DDO off and on for about 5 years. I've played alot of MMO's but this is the game I always come back to. The content and game play is the best. The developers do a good job at making each dungeon unique or adding little secrets and puzzles that adds challege to the dungeons. This isn't a game you race to reach the max level and stand around so people can gawk atI've been playing DDO off and on for about 5 years. I've played alot of MMO's but this is the game I always come back to. The content and game play is the best. The developers do a good job at making each dungeon unique or adding little secrets and puzzles that adds challege to the dungeons. This isn't a game you race to reach the max level and stand around so people can gawk at your gear. This is a game where you want to take your time leveling, were you like building up your charcter and learnign more about stories.

    DDO is not the MMO for everyone. No one will compare DDO to WoW or EQ2. DDO has it's own MMO style.    … Expand
  3. nikkoleth
    Aug 25, 2011
    7
    DDO is game with a lot of great aspects, and a few very bad ones. Unfortunately the bad points, are so bad it weighs the game down to an almost unplayable level.

    Good: The combat is very fun once you get used to it. It is almost a prototype for this new era of "action mmo's" we are seeing today. The jumping and swimming mechanics are some of the best in any game, especially for its time.    DDO is game with a lot of great aspects, and a few very bad ones. Unfortunately the bad points, are so bad it weighs the game down to an almost unplayable level.

    Good: The combat is very fun once you get used to it. It is almost a prototype for this new era of "action mmo's" we are seeing today. The jumping and swimming mechanics are some of the best in any game, especially for its time. It's D&D, plain and simple, if you are a fan of Dungeons and Dragons, you should like this game. Building your character, is a large part of the game, rather than just something you do for 5 minutes before you begin. Also DDO's f2p/p2p system is a real gem, and should be an example to the rest of the mmo world.

    As for endgame, the true reincarnation feature is wonderful. the ability to start your character back at level 1, with an xp penalty, but higher stats is pretty unique.

    Bad:
    The entire game is instanced. This is my biggest complaint. It really makes the game feel less like an MMO and more like a large scale co-op plat-former. You are never doing anything game play wise with more than 10-12 people. There are no large outside wilderness areas, where you just see a random player running by you. The only area in the game where you will ever see other players on a large scale is Stormreach. And even that is instanced.

    The endgame is extremely weak, rudimentary raid designs and poor tanking and healing mechanics make for just a pretty basic raiding experience. When an entire game is instanced, you would want the instances to be well designed.

    Finally the "crafting" is likely the worst I have seen in any mmo. Even worse that WoW's crafting, and that is pretty bad.    … Expand
  4. JasonF.
    Jun 5, 2006
    5
    Too far from pnp, too far from balanced, not ready for release.
  5. RalphW.
    May 29, 2006
    5
    The mmo everyone was waiting for with baited breath. Then they managed to butcher it. The choice of world wasn't bad, but is vaguely uncomfortable for alot of long time d&d players, the spell system mechanics are absolutely hideous, and the game has no real end-game. Everything is instanced and more or a less it feels like you're playing slightly less fun guildwars with a The mmo everyone was waiting for with baited breath. Then they managed to butcher it. The choice of world wasn't bad, but is vaguely uncomfortable for alot of long time d&d players, the spell system mechanics are absolutely hideous, and the game has no real end-game. Everything is instanced and more or a less it feels like you're playing slightly less fun guildwars with a monthly fee. Don't bother with this one until at least the first or second expansion.… Expand
  6. ErikM.
    May 2, 2006
    6
    Huge disappointment. Could have been much better. :( Not easy to screw up such a goldmine, but Turbine managed it.
  7. RichD.
    Apr 20, 2006
    6
    Simply put, this game is just not deep enough. This is especially true for people who came from a game like FFXI where a good party was a choreographed dance: pull, buff, aggro-control, debuff, healing, skill chains, magic bursts - in every single battle. In Stormreach, combat is way to simple (hack-hack-hack) and way too fast (average 10 seconds per fight). With no crafting element Simply put, this game is just not deep enough. This is especially true for people who came from a game like FFXI where a good party was a choreographed dance: pull, buff, aggro-control, debuff, healing, skill chains, magic bursts - in every single battle. In Stormreach, combat is way to simple (hack-hack-hack) and way too fast (average 10 seconds per fight). With no crafting element either, this game just doesn't stand up to the competition. The world is far too small for a MMORPG. It's ridiculous to see nearly the entire world in the 1st week of play. This game is not for the hard-core gamer - we'll hit the exp cap in no time at all. Nice storyline, fun nostalgia for ex-PnP players, but just not enough there to keep paying the monthly fee.… Expand
  8. blechmelech
    Mar 13, 2006
    5
    Omg i cant believe this game is getting decent scores by the above sources.. they must be getting paid off. The game simply sucks! I played the demo and it seriously felt like this was the game that wouldve been cool 5 years ago and then it wouldve spawned the really cool games that we now have.. GW, WoW etc. I expected so much more especially being an authentic D&D game franchise butOmg i cant believe this game is getting decent scores by the above sources.. they must be getting paid off. The game simply sucks! I played the demo and it seriously felt like this was the game that wouldve been cool 5 years ago and then it wouldve spawned the really cool games that we now have.. GW, WoW etc. I expected so much more especially being an authentic D&D game franchise but wow I was let down.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

81
#81 Best PC Game of 2006
40
#40 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
32
#32 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 33
  3. Negative: 1 out of 33
  1. Da Gameboyz
    93
    It is a great game, matching in spirit the pen and paper version.
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  2. GamerFeed
    90
    It hits on almost every front. Present are the adventure elements of high fantasy, the mysterious magical elements of the war-torn world of Eberron, and the deep-rooted numerical elements.
    Read full review
  3. Eurogamer
    80
    Sure, there are flaws and the lack of any soloing capability, the occasional difficulty in finding groups, as well as the apparent slowness of levelling get irritating, but they're nothing in the face of what it does properly.
    Read full review
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