christiangamer

This is the website you launch the game from

Sony Online Entertainment used to entertain me with the game Star Wars Galaxies.  My friends and I quickly tired of that rendition of our favorite galaxy far, far away but recently I found myself brushing off my old Sony Station ID to beta test this new “kid’s game” that I kept hearing about.  Well Sony, you seem to have won me back.

Chances are they will win you too.  This is a classy game that has something for just about anyone.  Here’s quick rundown of the game:

• Free to play (mostly – I will guesstimate that 60%-75% of the gameworld is open to free players)
• Membership option is cheap at 5 bucks per month
• Cash shop for special items (such as pets) – yep that means you use real money which could get expensive
• 15 character classes (“Jobs”) that can be freely switched between at any time and leveled up separately
  • 5 of those jobs are members only
• Very pretty and vibrant, but very simple graphics that can run on most PC’s
• Very kid-friendly – no serious content issues
• So far it looks very safe for kids – chatting is seriously limited and strongly filtered (some gamers always find ways to be crude, but so far I haven’t seen anything offensive)
• Pretty small download and very quick installation (the tech is pretty amazing)
• Has an integrated trading card game with a good balance of easy to learn but still deep gameplay mechanics
• Integrated web site that serves as the game’s launching platform.

That's what a level 2 Medic looks like

And without further ado; What I like and what I don’t about Free Realms:

Like:

It really is mostly free. You can experience a whole lot of game and never spend a dime… This is a huge plus for those of you with kids and/or tight budgets.  The membership doesn’t cost a whole lot if you want to try it out, but it is optional.

You don’t have to fight. Less than half of the jobs in the game are combat oriented – but it is there for those that want to take out goblins and trolls (like me).

It’s refreshingly casual and kid-friendly. This is the most relaxing, stress-free gaming available today.  Sick of Xbox LIVE potty-mouths ruining your downtime?  Sure it’s for kids, but there is something really cool and appealing about it no matter what age you may be.  There are some challenging areas, boss battles, and minigames that you can tackle when your mood goes competitive, but you can also, for instance, train your dog to speak… or become a chef and prepare a tasty meal for your friends. Which brings me to my last great like:

There is, quite literally, always something to do. You have 10 free and 5 member-only jobs to switch between at any time.  The level cap is 20 for each one.  The quest-lines make leveling up pretty easy and the quest-givers lead you around and teach you the game fairly naturally.  There are mini-games such as chess, checkers, a tower defense game, and a full-featured trading card game.  You can team up with friends and take on some basic, but still fun combat areas.  Getting new loot from quests or leveling up is always addictive…

Don’t like:

Some of the member’s only stuff can be frustrating even though I understand they need to make money.  I wish that everyone could get one free pet.  I wish the most useful combat class (medic) was a free class.  They really do make you want a membership sometimes or make you want to spend real cash for game items (like pets).  Still, the amount of content available for free players is huge.

Haven’t found a story yet. Lots of little side quests, but there isn’t any epic main quest line to follow that I have found – maybe later?

Some bugs. I do think Sony jumped the gun and released the game a bit early.  There have been a few downtimes, the friends list is currently broke, and there are some areas of the game that aren’t implemented yet.

Although the game is free to play, and cheap for memberships (most online games cost 15 a month these days); you could easily spend a fortune on it. The cash shop and the trading card game can add up quickly.  4 dollars for a 10-pack of virtual cards seems a bit much for a kid’s game…  It’s fun, but be careful out there

Is that a Karate Kid reference?

You know what?  This game is pretty amazing for what it is; and although it needs some polishing I would recommend that you give it a try at least.  It’s pretty, accessible, great for kids and adults alike, and there’s a great amount of fun to be had here – most of it for free.  Run, don’t walk to www.freerealms.com and give it a try

This impressions article is from playing some uncharted hours in beta testing and about 11 hours of play in the full game.  My highest level jobs are Pet Trainer and Brawler (7 and 6, I think).  I have yet to unlock the Wizard, Warrior, and Blacksmith jobs.