EverQuest II

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 94 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 94
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 94
  3. Negative: 15 out of 94
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  1. BlakeT.
    Nov 11, 2004
    6
    I've been waiting for this game for years. I'm a big MMO player and have played COH, FFXI, SWG, AC2, and EQ. First, lets give them credit for the great things in this game. The music is amazing! The NPC voice acting is wonderful. And, some of the graphics are wonderful to view. The problems? Over-thought interface. Inconsistent graphics - some parts are beautiful and some are I've been waiting for this game for years. I'm a big MMO player and have played COH, FFXI, SWG, AC2, and EQ. First, lets give them credit for the great things in this game. The music is amazing! The NPC voice acting is wonderful. And, some of the graphics are wonderful to view. The problems? Over-thought interface. Inconsistent graphics - some parts are beautiful and some are just so-so. Server/connection setup is too complicated and doesn't allow for any movement between servers. Fighting, like the original, is pretty boring in solo mode. Click and watch the attack play out. Spells and feats are pre-decided - not a lot of movement here either. Stick with COH and wait for WOW to come out.… Expand
  2. RilusZ.
    Nov 9, 2004
    5
    The graphics, in general, are nice, but the characters and monsters look too fake; like they're made of plastic. The environments in general are also very sterile and the classes and subclasses seem to almost be carbon copies of each other. Not recommened, yet. There's other games in the horizon already much more polished than Everquest 2.
  3. Atsuri
    May 13, 2013
    4
    I would like to start off with something totally positive. Compared to a s**t tone of other MMO/MMORPG currently on the market, Everquest II has an impressive selection of races. I played dozens of MMOs before and NEVER before were I able to control a half-dragon, rat or pixie. The selection of classes is equally good. We have 4 basic archetypes fighter, mage, priest and scout. However,I would like to start off with something totally positive. Compared to a s**t tone of other MMO/MMORPG currently on the market, Everquest II has an impressive selection of races. I played dozens of MMOs before and NEVER before were I able to control a half-dragon, rat or pixie. The selection of classes is equally good. We have 4 basic archetypes fighter, mage, priest and scout. However, each of them covers a whooping 6 classes. Another thing that really helped me to immerse into the game was the idea of character alignments (something like D&D, but only with the basic good, evil, neutral). The graphics, though outdated, look pretty much OK. However, on first glance that's it...

    The combat system is terribly outdated. It's a real shame how many games have to torment players with the 'click to attack' system. Addition of WSAD does add to maneuverability, true, but doesn't help much in the long run. Animations are extremely bad. I frequently found myself attacking a monster, dealing damage yet not really waving with my wand/rod/sword/hand. That hurt especially when playing monk. I really wanted to immerse into EQ2 as a Kerra monk, ferocious and wild. The problem was I just couldn't with all that irregular waving! Skill animations probably suck the most Unfortunately, the interface and written text seems unappealing as well. I hate when the text in-game is plain and/or is written in those default Word fonts, like Arial or Times New Roman. I've seen it in only 1 game before and hated it with passion, too ;P.

    The last thing I completely fail to understand is why the same company offers two games that are almost identical Everquest II and Vanguard? I tried Vanguard and then Everquest II, and later I suddenly realized the games are exactly the same thing graphic-wise and race/class-wise. Sure, there are some difference, but the first impression is rather discouraging...

    All in all, I'll give the game a 4/10. It is rather old, outdated and rough in overall. However, it gave me the feel that there actually are MMO games that have a lore you can really touch, and which aren't so ridiculously generic :P. Also, if you enjoyed WoW, Everquest II might be an interesting choice anyway.    … Expand
  4. SteveG.
    Nov 12, 2004
    10
    It rocks.....but requiring a good machine to play a good and decent game.
  5. EricE.
    Jan 15, 2008
    9
    In my opinion EQ2 is the best MMO on the market right now. It has a rough start during launch but Scott Hartsman turned the ship around and really set her on a path to success. For a 3 going on 4 year old game it still has graphics that are stunning and match it with ANY current MMO. However because of this you need a fairly decent gaming machine to handle it.
  6. EQFanatic
    Sep 6, 2008
    9
    EQ2 is a great game, and I remember how awsome it is to finally get off that island. (In the 14-day trial, you're stuck there. But, I have only, ONLY 2 problems. 1: The characters are all too whiny and npcs are kind of ridiculous. 2: If you play as a dwarf of High elf or something, you HAVE to start off good (same with Iksar or dark elves, they HAVE to start as evil), and it takes EQ2 is a great game, and I remember how awsome it is to finally get off that island. (In the 14-day trial, you're stuck there. But, I have only, ONLY 2 problems. 1: The characters are all too whiny and npcs are kind of ridiculous. 2: If you play as a dwarf of High elf or something, you HAVE to start off good (same with Iksar or dark elves, they HAVE to start as evil), and it takes too long to get to the point that you can take a betrayal quest. Still, it's a good game, and a lot of the things that made the first EQ are present here.… Expand
  7. BobDole
    Nov 18, 2004
    8
    I gave it an 8. So far it's fun, but not without it's faults. If you're into MMORPG then you'd like this game, if not then don't get it.
  8. ArjayD.
    Nov 10, 2004
    9
    Fantastic improvement from EQ. Graphics are excellent, UI is done well, Lots of quests and interaction. I am really enjoying playing it.
  9. TyrekeC.
    Sep 18, 2004
    10
    This game puts all of the other Everquest games to shame! The grafics are GREAT (even tho i never tryed it cause it aint out) but still....visit www.everquest2.com to find more of infomation Everquest 2. You guys got to cheack out the Iksar and their inprovments! And the nem race Ratonga the Rat men...man i rate this a 10/10 good work and keep up with those improvments!!!
  10. NicholasB.
    Nov 23, 2004
    10
    Love it, love it, love it.
  11. ScottA.
    Nov 29, 2004
    10
    Best MOG I ever played. Incredible quests, crafting and immersion. Awesome.
  12. KentL.
    Nov 8, 2004
    10
    I played the game in beta....it's incredible. Graphically rich with no shortage of quests for both solo and group players, EverQuest II is a worthy great great great grandchild of EverQuest I. I'm barely even aware of other games either recently or nearly released.
  13. LeighM.
    Dec 17, 2004
    9
    What a Huge Amazing Game. The only this is you need a monster of a machine to play this!
  14. Hikaru
    Sep 15, 2010
    9
    It could simply be said that any MMO which has been around this long and still has new players buying the game and sticking to it is great/ However, with a great player base, an enormous amount of content to explore and use, and constant updates, EverQuest II is a (far)beyond amazing game. Be ready to meet great people, explore endless lands, and never be bored of it. The only downside toIt could simply be said that any MMO which has been around this long and still has new players buying the game and sticking to it is great/ However, with a great player base, an enormous amount of content to explore and use, and constant updates, EverQuest II is a (far)beyond amazing game. Be ready to meet great people, explore endless lands, and never be bored of it. The only downside to this game is that it can sometimes be difficult to get a dungeon party. EQ2 is a definite must-have and easily a 9/10.… Expand
  15. Sunscour
    May 28, 2017
    9
    This is an older game..
    * Graphics are fun
    * Quest are plentiful * World is large with lots to explore * Loot is fun ( Really, collecting random crap is fun) * Loot is useful (OK, OK sometimes loot is useful) * Skeletons make me laugh * This game is not for hard core (hear me and my might mouse roar) gamers * Crafting is AMAZING * Housing is AMAZING Everquest 2 is my having a bad    This is an older game..
    * Graphics are fun
    * Quest are plentiful
    * World is large with lots to explore
    * Loot is fun ( Really, collecting random crap is fun)
    * Loot is useful (OK, OK sometimes loot is useful)
    * Skeletons make me laugh
    * This game is not for hard core (hear me and my might mouse roar) gamers
    * Crafting is AMAZING
    * Housing is AMAZING
    Everquest 2 is my having a bad day, I want to escape, go to game.    … Expand
  16. LuckbadthePirate
    Jun 1, 2006
    10
    By far the best MMO out at the moment. It has everything any player who is a fan of the standard MMORPG model could want, whether you're a PvE or PvP player. EverQuest II updates more often than any other game out there for free, and has had more content in the form of expansions and adventure packs than any of the competition.

    If you are into online gaming and haven't tried    By far the best MMO out at the moment. It has everything any player who is a fan of the standard MMORPG model could want, whether you're a PvE or PvP player. EverQuest II updates more often than any other game out there for free, and has had more content in the form of expansions and adventure packs than any of the competition.

    If you are into online gaming and haven't tried this game out, do so. You can try it out for free at trialoftheisle.com.    … Expand
  17. DKing
    Oct 14, 2005
    10
    Simply the best, most engrossing game I've ever played.
  18. SaschaP.
    Nov 16, 2004
    6
    The graphics are up to date, but otherwise the game has some serious flaws and is just less fun than the competition.
  19. JuaksD.
    Dec 11, 2004
    10
    Fantastic!
  20. LeslieA.
    Jan 14, 2005
    10
    Beautiful! Of course you need a pretty wicked system (I had to go out and get a new graphics board - nothing like having to spen an extra $150 to be able to use a Christmas present!!) to be able to play...I am not very far into it as work and sleep seem to interfere with my gaming time, but I think I will enjoy this even more than plain old EQ...
  21. J
    May 9, 2005
    5
    I was never really an Everquest fan, and I probably will never be at this rate. The game was a re-graphic, redesign of the original everquest, just with online fees. Online fees brings my rating down a point, only because it takes a hack in my part-time paycheck. Gameplay was ok, skills were nicely balanced but I would reccomend switchiong to Guild Wars, or maybe even World of Warcraft, I was never really an Everquest fan, and I probably will never be at this rate. The game was a re-graphic, redesign of the original everquest, just with online fees. Online fees brings my rating down a point, only because it takes a hack in my part-time paycheck. Gameplay was ok, skills were nicely balanced but I would reccomend switchiong to Guild Wars, or maybe even World of Warcraft, unless you played warcraft 3, then youd be dissapointed.… Expand
  22. Ansatsu83
    Oct 28, 2013
    1
    This game... is simply terrible. It does nothing to capture the feel of the first game. While I can respect that they would want to move away from the traditional, many games did that and were far more successful. I played back in beta and quit about six months after it came out. I went back to play it, again, after it went free to play and realized... IT WAS WORSE THAN BEFORE!!!!! ThisThis game... is simply terrible. It does nothing to capture the feel of the first game. While I can respect that they would want to move away from the traditional, many games did that and were far more successful. I played back in beta and quit about six months after it came out. I went back to play it, again, after it went free to play and realized... IT WAS WORSE THAN BEFORE!!!!! This game is a pitiful cash grab for SoE.

    I could go into detail, about the game play mechanics, but that would be too much negativity, to mention (and I would run out of characters before I was done). I can comment on the wonderful graphics... which is why this game gets a 1 out of 10, instead of a 0 out of 10. When the game was first released, the graphics were amazing, everything else sucked.... Now, its even worse, not sure how SoE pulled off making a game WORSE than it was before, but they did.

    I recommend you play the first game, might not have the graphics, but the game play is very in depth, challenging, and classic.    … Expand
  23. Stealthmode
    Feb 3, 2021
    0
    Horrible company. Steals concepts for raid zone content. Routinely engages in fraud. Has its employees writing reviews to try and bump the companies image up. They have committed fraud in their products advertisements. Claiming that the games they make use GPU rendering, when they use CPU rendering. Have game uninstallers, that do not work, and you cannot remove their games. Like aHorrible company. Steals concepts for raid zone content. Routinely engages in fraud. Has its employees writing reviews to try and bump the companies image up. They have committed fraud in their products advertisements. Claiming that the games they make use GPU rendering, when they use CPU rendering. Have game uninstallers, that do not work, and you cannot remove their games. Like a malware. And have violatons of their own products EULA . As well as ban accounts when you raise concerns over cyberbullying, harassment, and stalking that is occuring in their products / games. WIth abusive Staff who ban accounts rather than doing their jobs. Its why as a company, they are failing. Denying responsiblibity, ignoring complaints, and banning those who complained. Engaging in retaliatiory practices to deny customers access to the products that they have purchased. Defrauding the consumer, and committing Theft by Deceptive Business Practices.… Expand
  24. TheGrindeR
    Jul 22, 2012
    5
    Graphics was good 8 years ago, but sometimes i has fps laggs. I don't like the sound, simetimes crappy. There are a lots of quests, i heard about 5000-6000 number of quests. EQ2 realased 2-3weeks before WoW, and some things worse than the WoW. I don't really like, that some places have invisible walls and when you go to an another shire, always have a loading screen and this broken theGraphics was good 8 years ago, but sometimes i has fps laggs. I don't like the sound, simetimes crappy. There are a lots of quests, i heard about 5000-6000 number of quests. EQ2 realased 2-3weeks before WoW, and some things worse than the WoW. I don't really like, that some places have invisible walls and when you go to an another shire, always have a loading screen and this broken the continuous game. Started with an Inquisitor. All spells what i used has a cooldown time 10sec to some minutes, and when all my spells has cooldown, i must waiting some time. Not really have lots of players in low levels and i'm feels along self. Free to Play you can try for free. All times when you stop the game, it opens a new tab internet browser with premium contents. So, it was a good game 7-8 years ago, but now have better Free to Play games.… Expand
  25. DeathChurch87
    Nov 19, 2011
    9
    I played the original Everquest very little. By the time I discovered what it was all about, EQ2 was just around the corner. Since that time, I've played just about every MMO to come out on the market. I plan on reviewing the core game here, and I'll toss a different review for each of the subsequent expansion packs. At the early stages of EQ2, when everything was new, it was an absoluteI played the original Everquest very little. By the time I discovered what it was all about, EQ2 was just around the corner. Since that time, I've played just about every MMO to come out on the market. I plan on reviewing the core game here, and I'll toss a different review for each of the subsequent expansion packs. At the early stages of EQ2, when everything was new, it was an absolute addiction. There is so much content to explore. Even if you decide not to quest, it was a great time to just explore the world, chat with other people, discover new, powerful enemies, and utilize teamwork to take down the games toughest challenges. I hate to compare games to other games. Every game is different (for the most part) and for EQ2, it's the little, often overlooked differences from every other MMO out there that make it, in my opinion, a better game than the alternatives. Overall, it's a great experience if you have the time to devote to it.… Expand
  26. Gesundheit
    May 14, 2012
    9
    This is a 7 year old game - with new content and features releases every 6 months. As a result - its HUGE with 5 different locations/quest-lines to get from level 1-30 and at least 3 ways to get from 30-60. I played 5 years before I got bored. Tried SWTOR but it was a pale imitation. Look for a busy server - the game handles high populations fine.
  27. Jaz
    Feb 24, 2013
    6
    Based on the original Everquest 1, with much better graphics, EQ 2 was supposed to lead the MMOs like its predecessor. But then WoW came out. EQ2 originally tried to keep up the legacy of non solo able content of EQ1 (even worse) you had to get a group (real hard) to do anything really. WoW had tons of solo content and PvP. So WoW became the new king of MMOs and still is. Things changedBased on the original Everquest 1, with much better graphics, EQ 2 was supposed to lead the MMOs like its predecessor. But then WoW came out. EQ2 originally tried to keep up the legacy of non solo able content of EQ1 (even worse) you had to get a group (real hard) to do anything really. WoW had tons of solo content and PvP. So WoW became the new king of MMOs and still is. Things changed later for EQ2 but it was too late. Still, its a huge game, with tons of quests and nice community. Its graphics haven't aged well though.… Expand
  28. renderman
    Apr 6, 2013
    9
    It was either this game or WoW for me, as they both came out at the same time. I really enjoyed the look and mechanics of EQ2 better than WoW hence my rating, but thats my personal opinion....
  29. Atomsk
    Apr 27, 2013
    10
    Probably my favourite game of all time. EQ2 has all the depth you could ever want from an MMO it's a shame it lost so many players to WoW early on and the place is a ghost town now. Quests that can take weeks or MONTHS to complete but are actually WORTH the time, I can't say that about any other game. There was never a better feeling of achievement than when I got my Mythical in EQ2, noProbably my favourite game of all time. EQ2 has all the depth you could ever want from an MMO it's a shame it lost so many players to WoW early on and the place is a ghost town now. Quests that can take weeks or MONTHS to complete but are actually WORTH the time, I can't say that about any other game. There was never a better feeling of achievement than when I got my Mythical in EQ2, no other game has made me work so hard for something but also made it feel like it was worth all the time spent. I don't think I'll ever play another game as good as EQ2 and I'm proud to say I played the hell out of it for over 6 years!… Expand
  30. Stave
    Dec 8, 2013
    9
    Great game. I have actually just returned to it after 6 years away. Picked up my level 80 paladin and moving toward the level cap again. My family is playing as well. The quests are a little dated and simple: kill 10 of these and return, etc. But the epic and heritage quests are great. The Housing is the absolute best with a million options and is a complete side hobby unto itself.Great game. I have actually just returned to it after 6 years away. Picked up my level 80 paladin and moving toward the level cap again. My family is playing as well. The quests are a little dated and simple: kill 10 of these and return, etc. But the epic and heritage quests are great. The Housing is the absolute best with a million options and is a complete side hobby unto itself. Very much enjoying myself again in this huge Everquest universe.… Expand
  31. MR_APPLE
    Dec 24, 2013
    10
    This game is 9 years old and stil the best MMO out there for those that don't want their hand held and everything just given to them. My only complaint it the population on the PvP server has fallen too low. Game was just never advertised properly and sub-par WoW eclipsed it.
  32. thunderbeans
    Jul 7, 2015
    3
    I have played lots of MMORPGs and at first I was very excited about playing EQ2. Its been fun but the pay wall is killing me. I just cant play it anymore.
  33. WCM320
    Feb 6, 2021
    5
    EQ2 is a great example of trying to take something unique and make it like everything else.
    it's fine, it was fine when it came out, and its fine now.
    But there is nothing special about it.
  34. AzilTheRatonga
    Mar 28, 2020
    4
    Has been one of the best MMOs I've played and got me through A LOT of **** in my childhood - teen years, I have I lot of wonderful memories of this game, but.. this game has deteriorated over time. Used to be a fantastic MMO that was insanely overshadowed by WoW's undeserved success and the fact SoE, now Daybreak, never really advertised for it, Everquest II fell into obscurity ratherHas been one of the best MMOs I've played and got me through A LOT of **** in my childhood - teen years, I have I lot of wonderful memories of this game, but.. this game has deteriorated over time. Used to be a fantastic MMO that was insanely overshadowed by WoW's undeserved success and the fact SoE, now Daybreak, never really advertised for it, Everquest II fell into obscurity rather quickly.

    No one my age knows about this game and it's..saddening to me. It was/is a wonderful MMO that used to have a lot of wonderful people but the EQ fandom is quite literally dying, most of EQ's fans are in their 50's - 90's, rarely anyone younger than that and it frustrates me so much...but anyways.. here's the ****:

    Pros:

    -Lots of classes and races to select from, plenty to try out and enjoy. Can also choose to be evil or good.

    -15, nearly 16, years of content, would probably take you months, or years, to go through if you want.

    -Rather decent graphics if you're into that.

    -Story is pretty okay, it's not the best, but it's fine.

    -Can solo if you want to as Mercenaries have been a thing for a while

    Cons:

    -Outdated UI, everythings so clunky and cluttered.

    -WAAAAAAY too many skills, most players have to set up 8-12 hotbars just for all of their skills.

    -Newer Expansions are either meh or garbage, don't waste your money on them unless there's a sale.

    -Graphics are inconsistent, some areas look blurry and shows it age, and some areas look absolutely stunning and beautiful.

    -Two Races and Two Classes are behind a paywall and are expensive. Plus, the paywall'd races look absolutely hideous and definitely are not worth $25-$45. The classes are actually decent but kinda OP.

    -Leveling can be way too easy to some, can get to level 110 in a day if you tried.

    -Default appearance for the character models are god awful and the Alternate appearance looks way better, but, for some reason, most people prefer the default. Beast races don't have an alternate appearance so some you are stuck with this hideous creature.. like the Kerras.

    -Some races have very limited customization like the Ratongas

    -Questing can be really boring and tedious, a lot of going back and forth and "go kill that" kind of thing.

    -Combat is dull and lifeless, really outdated.

    -Some classes are nerfed so badly that they're basically useless and unenjoyable to play, like Bruiser.

    -PvP servers ruined class balance because PvP players loved complaining about non-existent problems, they simply just need to, as Dark Souls players would say "get good."

    -Animations are very stiff and robotic.

    -A lot of unnecessary things are paywall'd like the broker, gear and chat. It makes the Free-To-Play aspect absolutely pointless.

    -Despite being made in 2004, this game lags like absolute hell, even on high end computers.

    Anyways, don't get me wrong, I love this game, but DAMN, it has a lot of issues and I hadn't even touched on all of it.    … Expand
  35. BilmoBlampkins
    Feb 23, 2022
    8
    Everquest 2 does many things right and few things wrong. The things it does right are;
    - Character system
    - Quests
    - Map design
    - The combat
    - Crafting
    and of course guilds. But it does have its own flaws, the biggest one being the PvP system and buying and selling stuff, otherwise it's a very fun RPG for everyone.
  36. Vibrid
    Oct 3, 2020
    10
    Loads of content, you'll get 16 expansions for $35, sure its more like free to try rather than free to play, and the graphics are dated but there's just so much charm to it all. I gave it a fair shot and have been enjoying more and more as I play. Strong recommend.

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PC Game of 2004
33
#33 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
49
#49 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 43 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 43
  3. Negative: 0 out of 43
  1. GameSpot
    78
    So while EverQuest II isn't the massive step for the genre that its predecessor was, it can still be a fun and addictive online role-playing experience that has a lot to offer new and experienced players alike.
    Read full review
  2. Yahoo!
    80
    All of these details get wound into a very straightforward game world that is absolutely packed with quests and other things to do. In most MMOs, characters spend their first 10 or 20 levels looking for enough things to do to earn better powers and weapons. Here, a ceaseless barrage of possible tasks begins with the orientation area (on the Isle of Refuge) and continues deep into the game.
    Read full review
  3. My Gamer
    82
    Challenging games are becoming an endangered species in the MMORG genre; several of the latest releases seem to cater to the lowest common denominator of the gaming community. EverQuest II reverses that trend.
    Read full review
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