RIFT - A Noob's First Impression

Okay so I jumped on the RIFT bandwagon, since I spotted that they have a Free-to-Play version, pretty much like the World of Warcraft version, where you get the first 20 levels to do whatever the hell you want, although I haven't tested any chat, auctioning, or anything like that to see if it is restricted. Before this, I had never played RIFT before, never seen any game play before, so it was all sort of fresh jumping into it. Sure RIFT is old news, but some people just get to games late.

I will say that there some good things about this game, and of course some bad things. Something I really like about the game is the classes. A lot of the classes and sub-classes seem to be like mutated WoW classes, which is good, because they are different enough to be interesting, yet similar enough for those players who like the same damn thing in everything they play. Currently I am messing around with a Guardian Justicar Cleric (Tank?) and it seems okay, kind of boring, but that is probably because I am only level 5. Maybe Inquisitor would be more my forte, I will have to try different builds for the Cleric so that I can see what would be enjoyable. I also made a Stormcaller Mage, which I haven't played enough to really know if I like it or not because it was late at night and I went to sleep shortly after making it. From the name it gives me the impression that its like a Shaman in WoW, but since I haven't played extensively to know, I am hoping that it is different, and unique.

Now one of the bad things (maybe it could be good too?), is that RIFT seems to be a World of Warcraft clone, almost to the extent where based off the interface and most of the mechanics, they could be the same game. I think the only real difference at face value is the graphics of RIFT, which are a little more realistic than the catoonish style that we familiarized with World of Warcraft. Like I mentioned above is that this could also be a good thing. Although I generally don't like that the game is so much like WoW, I kind of like the fact that I don't have to re-learn where to find things in menu's or how mechanics work. It is easier to jump into a game and enjoy it because of that familiarity.

Overall, I like RIFT, and who knows after I get to level 20 on my characters, I might even invest in some real game time if I enjoy it. From a person who has played WoW since launch, it is nice to be able to go to another game every once in awhile and enjoy it.

So what are your impressions of RIFT? Do you have any max level characters? Do you have any tips for a noob?

A Gamers Blog

You may wonder why I am blogging? Okay, I doubt that. Hell, you probably don't care, and that is completely fine with me, I could care less about myself most of the time, too. Obviously, this is my first post. I wanted to write a blog from my standpoint in the gaming world. In my honest opinion, and I might be bias on this, I consider myself a horrible gamer. Over my entire life I have played so many games, and I could consider myself  okay at best, for some reason, I just don't see myself as a great gamer. It might be because I am left handed and totally a klutz when it comes to the stupid keyboard  (key bindings are so right-handed based especially on a laptop!) or game-pads, and yes! this includes console games, or it could be because I was dropped on my head as a baby (my mother aways tells me that)...who knows.

To be up front, I am not a little kid, but I am sure I have some complaints and bitching in my system when it comes to games that may make me seem like one of those twelve year old's that play World of Warcraft and tell their mommy "waaaah he hurt my feelings" or rather just make me frustrated enough to act stupid and elementary..and I am pretty sure that seems like a run on sentence. I think every gamer ends up like that though, because this day-in-age with the anonymity, its easy to get lost in your own douchgagginess, although I must admit I only act like a douchebag to people who overstay their welcome in the douchebag department.

I play a lot of games, but because I am going to college I only have so much time I can game now days. Yes, I do play World of Warcraft, who doesn't? I play a holy paladin as my main, and I love it. I have had the toon since two months after the game launched and it is my baby. It's my baby because I invested my time into the character for the 8-ish years its been around. Don't get me wrong though, Warcraft games like Orcs & Humans keep me far more entertained than WoW, simply because I am dealing with NPC play, and no outside sources of douchebagginess. I started playing Warcraft a LONG time ago, maybe even more years than you as the reader have been alive...I said Warcraft, not World of Warcraft.

Of course you hear me speaking of Blizzard games, and the company makes awesome games like Starcraft, Diablo, and Warcraft in all of its forms, but I do like other games. Fallout, Half-Life, Elder Scrolls to the Fifth Power....Amnesia: the Dark Decent, Drakensang and it's multiple games including the free MMORPG, NHL sports games because I LOVE hockey, and also MLB and boxing games. Like I said before I play a lot of games that, at least to me, think that I am not very good at. Maybe I will make some videos of my adventures in the game world, eventually, but with my social anxiety, I may make a video with Fraps and think "thats shit", right away, and delete it because I am my own worst critic.

For now I am going to end this simply because I know no one will read this and because I know people do not want to read books of a blog. Also if you have read this far and are active in the gaming world of blogs, shoot me a line and I'll be gladly to add you to my blog roll and read what you have to say about whatever it is you happen to be writing about in the gaming world.

Peace, and have an awesome Easter!