Asheron's Call

Asheron's Call was released in 1999 under Turbine Entertainment and became one of the first serious rivals to EverQuest, even though it went its own way in many respects. Instead of rigidly fixed classes, it offered a free-form character development system where the player put together skills according to how they wanted to fight and play, and instead of densely populated cities, it built on the feel of a vast, sparsely settled continent called Dereth, full of ruins, magic, and dangerous monsters. The combat system also offered optional targeting of individual body parts, which wasn't common in the genre at the time.

The game also stood out for its technical handling of the world — instead of switching between separate zones with loading screens, Dereth ran as a single seamless map that could be traveled on foot, through portals, or with the help of levitation and speed spells. The developers also regularly added new content through story events that permanently changed the world and that players could take part in directly, which was a fairly bold move at a time when online games were still finding their identity. The darkly toned graphics and atmospheric music supported the feeling of a lonely journey through a harsh landscape full of forgotten ruins and ancient curses. A system of portals connecting distant locations also helped players get around the map, so they didn't have to rely solely on long treks on foot.

Although the game never managed to surpass EverQuest in popularity, among genre fans it earned a reputation as a title with a more thoughtfully designed and player-friendlier character system, a gentler difficulty curve for beginners, and less harsh punishment for character death. It's still cited today as proof that the MMORPGs of the late nineties didn't have to copy a single proven formula and could offer their own distinctive take on online adventure, emphasizing freedom, exploration, and a living, changing story of the world.

Why play it: Anyone looking for proof that late-nineties MMORPGs didn't have to copy a single proven formula will find in Asheron's Call a more thoughtfully designed character system and a gentler entry point for beginners.