EverQuest

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 76 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 76
  3. Negative: 11 out of 76
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  1. Gratson
    Oct 14, 2011
    9
    I haven't played this game in years, but when I played it back around 2000-20004 it was an incredibly addicting experience. Some of my favorite MMO experiences are in this game. This was the mother of World of Warcraft, and in many ways it was more immersive. I miss the first person view, the massive world and the battle over "Boss kills" between the big guilds on the server. The deathI haven't played this game in years, but when I played it back around 2000-20004 it was an incredibly addicting experience. Some of my favorite MMO experiences are in this game. This was the mother of World of Warcraft, and in many ways it was more immersive. I miss the first person view, the massive world and the battle over "Boss kills" between the big guilds on the server. The death penalty may have been harsh sometimes, but it ultimately made the experience more rewarding. It was fun times indeed. The only problem with the game was the incredible amount of time you had to put into the game to get anywhere, and once the server population started thinning getting pickup groups became harder and harder.… Expand
  2. renderman
    Apr 6, 2013
    9
    This game was the start of it all and still holds many memories of a good time meeting and socializing with people. Now a days MMO's feel disconnected but when this game came out there was a sense of "needing" to band together and group up to get things done giving a sense of community. Before any kind of auctioning system was in place, you used to have to auction items and barter tradeThis game was the start of it all and still holds many memories of a good time meeting and socializing with people. Now a days MMO's feel disconnected but when this game came out there was a sense of "needing" to band together and group up to get things done giving a sense of community. Before any kind of auctioning system was in place, you used to have to auction items and barter trade which was awesome because you could really get some good deals just by bargaining with other players first hand instead of choosing a "buy now" option... but those days are long gone and this game will forever be that great mmo I will probably never find again.… Expand
  3. Peter_Bollwerk
    Jul 31, 2014
    8
    Came back recently after a 10 year hiatus. I am loving it!
    The game has improved immensely. It's more user friendly than it used to be, but not "easy mode" like most newer MMORPGs. I think it's a good balance between challenge and reward.
    It also has a TON of free content (18 of 20 expansions are included in F2P). I highly recommend checking it out either if you used to play or are    Came back recently after a 10 year hiatus. I am loving it!
    The game has improved immensely. It's more user friendly than it used to be, but not "easy mode" like most newer MMORPGs. I think it's a good balance between challenge and reward.
    It also has a TON of free content (18 of 20 expansions are included in F2P).
    I highly recommend checking it out either if you used to play or are bored with modern MMOs.
    Make sure to play the Tutorial, as it explains the game very well.    … Expand
  4. mijxero
    Apr 3, 2015
    8
    This is an old game that has gone through a lot of ups and downs. I have left and returned multiple times, but that is just it, I always come back. Other mmos I have left and forgotten while this one stays with me. It is one of the few games left that has the balls to say, clerics are healers--no you don't get a dps spec. Some classes excel at things and are better at things thanThis is an old game that has gone through a lot of ups and downs. I have left and returned multiple times, but that is just it, I always come back. Other mmos I have left and forgotten while this one stays with me. It is one of the few games left that has the balls to say, clerics are healers--no you don't get a dps spec. Some classes excel at things and are better at things than others, while everything balances out in a way. I hate how every mmo now wants everyone to do everything the same. Rogues should not do the same as a wizard, that is why wizards have a limited mana bar. This game is challenging and takes some learning, but it is one of the few mmos left that don't let you frolic through zones without a care as you mow down everything you see. Without challenge all rewards seem pointless, and this game makes it feel worth the effort.… Expand
  5. marc5477
    Dec 31, 2014
    8
    The 1st fully 3D MMO, was a major success, that drove the gaming industry to look at MMO's seriously. Developed originally by Verant, it was an amazing experience for gamers of the time. Unlike previous MMO's which were limited to 2D or isometric 3D, this MMO brought exploration to the table and a huge world with dangerous environments, punishing monsters around every corner, boat ridesThe 1st fully 3D MMO, was a major success, that drove the gaming industry to look at MMO's seriously. Developed originally by Verant, it was an amazing experience for gamers of the time. Unlike previous MMO's which were limited to 2D or isometric 3D, this MMO brought exploration to the table and a huge world with dangerous environments, punishing monsters around every corner, boat rides and massive raids like none we had seen before.

    Classes in the game were static with very little wiggle room in customization but each classes was very unique and had a purpose (for the most part). The game employed the old trinity class system where you needed a tank, cleric and dps class to beat difficult enemies. This created a problem for many who played hybrid classes not being able to find groups since their characters were not as effective as others playing a "trinity" class. Nonetheless, groups formed, people solo'ed when they had to, and raids still took place with friends and family playing together regardless of classes.

    The nice thing about Everquest is that due to difficulty, almost all progression was worthwhile be it quests, crafting or just level grinding... at least, that is how it was early in the game (up to the 3rd expansion) and that is how I wish to remember this fantastic game. Unfortunately, when Sony purchased the game, the game quickly spiraled down the drain with additional content that was lazily designed, poorly tested, and clearly meant to be a time sink rather than a fun time for all. Sony made unilateral decisions regarding how the game should be played and they designed all new content that way polarized much of the subscribers until finally, everyone turned their backs on Sony and moved over to WoW as soon as it hit the shelves. But that is a long story for another day.    … Expand
  6. Jaz
    Feb 24, 2013
    8
    A great game at its time, also there were too few of them then It defined the MMOs for the time to come, yes even WoW, i know WoW fans may find it hard to believe it. Now some of its legacies were good, some not, still that was the Original!! In many aspects i haven't seen a better MMO like classes with role defining abilities, immersing world (even day/night had a major impact) etc.A great game at its time, also there were too few of them then It defined the MMOs for the time to come, yes even WoW, i know WoW fans may find it hard to believe it. Now some of its legacies were good, some not, still that was the Original!! In many aspects i haven't seen a better MMO like classes with role defining abilities, immersing world (even day/night had a major impact) etc. Still its lack of soloability, and the raid oriented content of later expansions left it with a relatively few dedicated players in major guilds and the rest moved to EQ2 or WoW mostly.… Expand
  7. archonome
    Sep 22, 2016
    9
    This has to be my favorite game of all time. I started playing in 2000 when Kunark expansion was just released... and MAN... I was blown away. By the time you log on, you felt like you were part of a living AND breathing world. It was very dynamic feeling because OF THE PLAYERS WERE ENGAGED(Guilds and Clans who had reputations, beefs among each other, there was zone chat, A tunnel whereThis has to be my favorite game of all time. I started playing in 2000 when Kunark expansion was just released... and MAN... I was blown away. By the time you log on, you felt like you were part of a living AND breathing world. It was very dynamic feeling because OF THE PLAYERS WERE ENGAGED(Guilds and Clans who had reputations, beefs among each other, there was zone chat, A tunnel where people would trade face to face, players depending on other players for survival, etc).

    You would literally login at 8 in the morning and I would be completely immersed by the social dynamics and dangerous world.... find myself loging off at 6PM... realizing this was another universe. It was absolutely epic.

    Nowadays, WoW ruined the social aspect. I swear, people would not DARE offend other players or troll others without any SERIOUS impact on their ability to play in the game(such as find groups which you needed. or joining a guild because your character had a reputation). Everything about the game was designed for people to socialize and to form bonds online.

    For example, you could not just plow through monsters like you do nowadays. It took CAREFUL planning and communicating with team members to be on the same page before each fight. If one person did not participate, than your group would surely be wiped out even by the most basic npc/mob. So each class had their distinct role. You had someone who would pull the monsters and bring them towards your group while a healer would keep him alive just long enough for a tank class to taunt the enemy and receive it's attention. This tank was able to take high loads of damage while the healer would be able to keep him alive. But that was not enough!! You needed another team member to "mezz" the additional enemies that would come along and would surely wipe out your group in a few seconds(this mezzer would basically paralyze these npcs). If at any point, your team members were not communicating together on which monster to kill first, then a single attack on an extra NPC would cause the mezz to wear off...which could spell doom. Then there was the direct damage classes such as the Rogue and the Mage who would be your lifeblood to kill these monsters! A COMBINATION OF ALL THIS MADE THE GAME EXTREMELY SOCIAL.

    Nowadays, when you group in games like WoW you have no time to even type a message or communicate because your group is running through monsters so fast that you would be left behind if you even tried to type anything... So nobody talks anymore. Besides, it's not like your group will be wiped out if you made a single mistake coordinating. In EQ you had ALOT OF DOWNTIME BETWEEN FIGHTS, to recuperate mana for your casters... in between this time you formed bonds by talking to each other and forming bonds between your group and getting to know each other. You would spend hours with total strangers as if they were guildmates. THis is how it's done. Compare this to modern day mmorpgs, where people never talk to each other and there's no need to be social at all. In fact, you just click "join dungeon" and you run through a dungeon as fast as possible and you don't have anytime to type a single message lol.

    This game wasn't perfect. But it had ONE thing that it did REALLY well. This one thing was UNIQUE AND NO MODERN MMORPG CAN DO.
    This one unique thing is social dynamics and a feeling of a living breathing world. This alone is worth it's weight in gold. I rather have a game with tons of annoyances but with this aspect. To me this is an mmorpg. These WoW clones are single player large scale multiplayer games. At best, they are like COD "matches" where the server joins you to a arena.

    I'm waiting for Pantheon Rise of the Fallen. That game is being made by Brad Mcquaid. One of the original founders of EQ. Looking at his videos and tenets of the game... it will be exactly what we're looking for !    … Expand
  8. Dethstar
    Jun 17, 2013
    6
    I was there during beta and I left for 8 years later on and returned some 8 months ago. Yes it has aged a lot but it has such a huge body of content and depth of story that it is definitely worth a look.

    The biggest issue with Everquest is that Sony Online Entertainment have it. This is a company that treat gaming customers with utter contempt and let's be honest, do you trust these    I was there during beta and I left for 8 years later on and returned some 8 months ago. Yes it has aged a lot but it has such a huge body of content and depth of story that it is definitely worth a look.

    The biggest issue with Everquest is that Sony Online Entertainment have it. This is a company that treat gaming customers with utter contempt and let's be honest, do you trust these guys with your personal data?

    Everquest will run on anything, has huge depth and a much more mature user base than many MMO. You can play it your own way and have plenty of opportunities to play for a long time to come but bear in mind, it is very very old and it shows. Having made that comment, having beta tested and brought virtually every other MMO release since I keep EQ installed since returning and find I like to drop in and play from my laptop when in hotels bored or just when I want to slow the pace a bit.

    Dont expect PvP on EQ, it didnt work 14 years ago and it doesnt work now. SOE in particular seem to be hopelessly unable to make PvP which is balanced and engaging. The early days of EQ saw some of the best PvP experiences I ever had in an online game but then SOE brought it and did nothing positive with it.    … Expand
  9. Mac_55555
    Aug 26, 2013
    3
    Dethstar's review of EQ was spot on. SOE (Sony Online Entertainment), is possibly the poorest managed company you will encounter in your lifetime!

    A few years ago I left the game owing to horrible customer service. A few things you might see from this company: an hour plus being on hold while trying to correct a billing error, and good luck finding the cancel button for your auto    Dethstar's review of EQ was spot on. SOE (Sony Online Entertainment), is possibly the poorest managed company you will encounter in your lifetime!

    A few years ago I left the game owing to horrible customer service. A few things you might see from this company: an hour plus being on hold while trying to correct a billing error, and good luck finding the cancel button for your auto bill... it's hidden. Or how about this all too common response “That’s a known issue, we can’t help you”… ran into that several times. To sum up customer service (which is based on management): they are either unwilling or unable to help you, and you will be expected to jump through red tape and hoops to have things done which are automated in other games. They’re not going to help you, so don’t even try!

    So after about 5 years of being away from this game (mostly playing wow) I figured to give it a try again (2013), hoping they would have new management… they don’t, same thing. When a company forgets who pays the bills (the customer), it’s a long or short road to bankruptcy. Our best hope is that SOE goes under soon and a well managed company buys the software.

    With that said, this game has a ton of potential, depth in content, a leveling/gear strategy that blows the competition away! PVE that is challenging, and a game playing style which truly supports team play and interaction with other gaming members. After some minor changes, I like this games design more than any other on the market.

    Simply put, I refuse to give money to a company which is run this way.    … Expand
  10. xl33tgamerx
    Jun 9, 2015
    9
    In its prime, it was called "EverCrack" for a reason. Though it has been rebuilt, built upon, and built upon again over the long running years of development, you can still feel the roots of the game that made it great as you go through it, and eventually you will have to concede the fact that this MMO has more world area content (zones) to explore than any other MMO on the market today.In its prime, it was called "EverCrack" for a reason. Though it has been rebuilt, built upon, and built upon again over the long running years of development, you can still feel the roots of the game that made it great as you go through it, and eventually you will have to concede the fact that this MMO has more world area content (zones) to explore than any other MMO on the market today. It also contains a large number of classes and races to choose from, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of different pieces of usable and equipable gear, quest items, monsters and so forth making the game vast in dimension. The players are fanatically loyal, especially the "oldcore" players like myself, though many have migrated to the Daybreak Game Company approved Project 1999 fan-run server which still hosts old-school content. If you can see past the somewhat moded graphics (excepting the new content) and the still-static-feeling combat system you could easily see how such a vast universe with a vibrant and long running history could easily still be the #1 MMO on the market had WoW never taken that throne.… Expand
  11. MikeS.
    Feb 27, 2003
    10
    OMG this game rocks!!!! Best mmorpg I've seen yet.
  12. XidariaP.
    Nov 3, 2003
    10
    Now listen to me... you will buy this highly addictive game... you will spend endless hours of enjoyment... you will eat, sleep, & breathe Everquest ! -Xidaria
  13. CarlC.
    Mar 1, 2007
    10
    Great end game content. Great deal, for 30 bucks you get the original + first 12 expansion packs. Devs make a new expansion every 7-8 months. Massive World. PvP isn't good tho.
  14. Deadeyeye
    Feb 26, 2016
    1
    Shadow of its former self now.

    Customer Assistance is also beyond a joke after all their lay offs, ontop of that the reps I've dealt with have been dismissive and unhelpful.
  15. Bloodworks3
    Jun 20, 2023
    9
    I started playing this game about a year or so after it came out and it blew my mind. Everything about it was new and pretty brutal. The downtime between fighting mobs was at minimum a few minutes and grouping was kind of a necessity. I remember the first time the screen started doing something weird and I realized my in game character was starving to death and couldn't see straight. II started playing this game about a year or so after it came out and it blew my mind. Everything about it was new and pretty brutal. The downtime between fighting mobs was at minimum a few minutes and grouping was kind of a necessity. I remember the first time the screen started doing something weird and I realized my in game character was starving to death and couldn't see straight. I didn't realize that was something I had to worry about until it happened and I was lost in the woods with nothing to eat. Plus, when you died you'd loose all your equipment and items if you couldn't find and retrieve your corpse. You could maybe use chat and find a friendly high level necromancer who could drag your corpse back to you and them. Leveling took forever (years and years) and people would sometimes (accidentally or intentionally) run past you trailing monsters who would then attack you. They would type into chat "TRAIN!!!!" as they were running by you. It was all very exciting at the time.… Expand
  16. wolfaust
    Feb 6, 2023
    8
    It is still the best MMORPG if you are patient enough to play it. Why? Because it has kinda legacy-like mechanics, still gets new players (not that much though), and has a reasonable monetisation (not a pay-to-win). However, I have one issue with the subscription prices. I think it is pretty high, but I understand why. The quality of the content...
  17. WCM320
    Feb 6, 2021
    10
    I give this game a 10 based on the game as it came out, not what it is today.
    To be totally honest EQ would most likely make a better single-player game at this point than most modern games. I would really love a modern take on this game style, but I don't know that it would work as an MMO at this point.
    I can however still 22 years later still sit down and play this game with friends    I give this game a 10 based on the game as it came out, not what it is today.
    To be totally honest EQ would most likely make a better single-player game at this point than most modern games. I would really love a modern take on this game style, but I don't know that it would work as an MMO at this point.

    I can however still 22 years later still sit down and play this game with friends or by myself and it holds up, I know people who where not born when this game came out who have played it and are blow away. I don't know that there will be another EQ until game technology really has a major change.    … Expand
  18. gamer718
    Jul 18, 2018
    4
    The game as it was 18 years ago is good. But to be honest about it now, the graphics in some older zones will leave you will a slight feeling of nostalgia at best. Don't expect any support if you need it. Support will annoy you with foolishness and will be unable to help you with most problems. There are older and newer character models to chose from so people will be seeing andThe game as it was 18 years ago is good. But to be honest about it now, the graphics in some older zones will leave you will a slight feeling of nostalgia at best. Don't expect any support if you need it. Support will annoy you with foolishness and will be unable to help you with most problems. There are older and newer character models to chose from so people will be seeing and experiencing different things based on preference. What your character looks like might look different to someone else, depending on which character models are selected. Also most of the people responsible for the games success have moved on to other projects and the game has been left in other peoples hands.… Expand
  19. James432023
    Apr 3, 2023
    0
    EverQuest is a shadow of what it was 20 plus years ago. The company that hosts, runs and operates it currently goes by the name Daybreak game company or Darkpaw games. They are experiencing but not dealing with numerous issues that prevent people from having a fulfilling gaming experience including a severe graphics Issue that many people ( including those who have invested in expensiveEverQuest is a shadow of what it was 20 plus years ago. The company that hosts, runs and operates it currently goes by the name Daybreak game company or Darkpaw games. They are experiencing but not dealing with numerous issues that prevent people from having a fulfilling gaming experience including a severe graphics Issue that many people ( including those who have invested in expensive gaming computers well above the specs / requirements ).

    https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq/index.php?threads/flickering-graphics.223398/

    There is no support for any issue at all as you can see this has not been dealt with in the above forum post but it has been known for many years.

    The gaming lore that was fun and quirky in the past quickly turns boring around the veil of alaris expansion and makes its presence felt and continues for a long time. Having the player work up allegiance and kill many mobs only to have it drag on and go nowhere.

    Without a doubt the biggest issue is the direction in which the game and companies have taken. Allowing for extreme racism and abuse in chat. One of the most abhorrent things present in our world today and the company harbours it and loves it.

    This is just coming from a gamer that has played EverQuest. With no affiliation with any companies involved in EverQuest past or present. There are stories online from former employees that have some horrible things to say about how they were treated.

    Bottom line is there is no reason to play this game. The graphics are bottom tier. The lore is not fun. And the company loves hate and racism. You are best to play Hogwarts Legacy to experience current graphics and gaming.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best PC Game of 1999
8
#8 Most Discussed PC Game of 1999
9
#9 Most Shared PC Game of 1999

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. GMR Magazine
    90
    The massively muliplayer RPG that's so addictive it makes crack look like Sanka. Play this game at your own risk. [Feb 2003, p.94]
  2. IGN
    84
    A game that is constantly evolving, and we're looking forward to seeing how the game progresses into the next millennium.
    Read full review
  3. Quandary
    90
    EverQuest strikes me as a great idea well executed. I found myself irrevocably attached to my character and, once I gained enough power, thoroughly enjoyed helping others advance themselves.
    Read full review
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