“Free online RPG game with social network elements”

Role-playing games are usually set in medieval environments and feature knights, trolls and all sorts of mythological creatures. But some other RPG titles stand out of the crowd and offer an original setting along with some unique features.

This is the case of Wonderland Online, a role-playing adventure with an extensive social component, Japanese-style characters and environments and a turn-based combats that reminded us of pure RPG games. The first steps involve, as in any other RPG game, choosing a server and creating your character. You'll spawn in a ship that's unfortunately bound to sink, after which you're rescued by a nice castaway and the real adventure begins.

Wonderland Online features a bit of everything: doing quests to obtain rewards, killing enemies to gain experience points and progress through levels, learning skills, developing professions and, of course, meeting other players from around the globe. All these elements make of Wonderland Online a really attractive melting pot for all sorts of players, whether they like to wander around chatting with people or they prefer to focus on the development of their character.

I liked the game's visual style a lot. Characters - and even more, objects – are designed with great detail, with a nice isometric perspective. An important drawback to this design, however, is the fact that the text in the chat window is ridiculously difficult to read and doesn't get better even if you change the font color.

Other than that, I found Wonderland Online quite entertaining and addictive. In fact, I had to make an effort to stop playing and start writing this review. One final tip: don't feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you're presented with during the first few minutes of gameplay: the game is really easy to control and besides, you can always ask other players for help.

Wonderland Online includes traditional RPG elements (skills, professions, turn-based combats, resource management) together with social networking characteristics and a very original design. All these features make of Wonderland Online an MMORGP that's definitely worth a try.

Languages:

English

OS requirements for Wonderland Online:

OS: Win2000/XP/Vista

Minimum requirements:

Processor: 750 MHz
Memory: 256 MB
Video: 32 MB
DirectX 9.0c
Free registration: Publisher's website

Recommended requirements:

Processor: 1,0 GHz
Memory: 512 MB
Video: 64 MB

Pros

Original, attractive design both in characters and setting
Highly important social component

Cons

May be a bit overwhelming for newcomers
Text window is uncomfortable to read

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From the publisher of Wonderland Online

It was a clear, crisp day aboard the luxury cruise ship Oceanic Star. The massive ship cut through the indigo water with precision on her way around the world. Tourists aboard enjoyed the weather on deck by sunbathing or frolicking in the warm pool. It was a day like any other for them, carefree and relaxed, but all was not as it seemed...

A sharp sound split the air and a shudder resounded throughout the ship. Deck chairs overturned, and sunbathers were thrown roughly to the deck amid a tangle of gear, people and personal items. The people aboard were in a state of panic. What could have happened? The well trained crew tried to regain order and, following orders from the Captain, began moving the passengers to the lifeboats. Chaos ensued as passengers realized that their worst fears had been realized... the ship was going down.

As they boarded the lifeboats and paddled away, a sense of panic began to overcome them and many passed out from the exertion. Upon awakening they found they had been stranded on an isolated island with nothing and no one else around except for a few shattered remains of the ship and a few boxes of supplies.

If these strangers are to survive this ordeal they must put aside their petty differences and work together. A few survivors set out to gather any resources they could find on the island. In doing this they began to see that this island was not as barren as they thought and was full of life and resources that, properly used, might help them make their way back home. This is where you join them. Let the adventure begin...