Gamertell

Title: Free Realms
Price: Free, but there is a $4.99 per month optional membership
System(s): PC
Release Date: April 29, 2009
Publisher (Developer): Sony Online Entertainment (Sony Online Entertainment)
ESRB Rating: “Everyone 10+” for Crude Humor and Fantasy Violence
Pros: Many different jobs and character customization options. Lots of quests to do and explore. Runs well. Simple controls. Voiced instructions. Optional light-up paths to lead you to locations.
Cons: Loading. Lots and lots of loading. Some aspects can only be accessed by subscribers.
Overall Score: One thumb up, one sideways; 87/100; B+; * * * 1/2 out of 5

Free Realms doesn’t look like your typical massive multiplayer online role playing game. The characters that look like they were borrowed from a children’s movie are part of it. Plus, it launches from your web-browser after downloading a brief plug-in, is mainly free and doesn’t really have any random battles. Instead, it is a game with multiple jobs, vehicles, pets and quests that focuses on solid and enjoyable tasks and opportunities that, while designed for children, are entertaining for all age groups and skill levels.

Yes, every once and a while a subscriber’s only option or job will temporarily hamper the free user. Also, the loading screens to move from area to area, or from an area to a job mini-game, can be brutal depending on your connection or the time when you’re playing. Overall, it’s worth spending an afternoon to check things out.

Kid-centric, but fun for all.

Players start out by picking out a character and a race. So far only humans and pixies are available. Aside from appearances, there no difference between the two races. After that, you are taken to a tutorial area where a few minor quests are undertaken to learn basic controls and earn a few coins. Players will also learn their first two jobs, brawler and cook, by taking on quests and taking part in a few mini-games.

Once the tutorial is completed, it’s really up to the player who to progress. You can change jobs at any time, and go practically anywhere you want in the virtual world. Jobs are leveled up by performing mini-games associated with them, so there’s no need to worry about menial tasks. You can even talk with other players or start earning coins to customize your character and make it onto the game leaderboards.

Loading… loading… loading… loading… loading… loading…

See the loading screen above? Familiarize yourself with it. Memorize it. Maybe even make it your wallpaper. If you play Free Realms, you’re going to be seeing a lot of it. Especially if you play during the busiest times. While Free Realms is fairly convenient, running from a webpage and only requiring a plug-in, it will crawl if you don’t have the proper internet set-up. Dial-up users should just walk away, or content themselves with browsing the screen shot gallery.

Once you get past the frequent and oppressing loading, Free Realms is great. I especially liked the way Sony tried to cater to beginners and kids, as it isn’t too overbearing or annoying for MMO veterans who’ve decided to give Free Realms a try. There are optional guiding lights that will appear on the ground to lead you to your next destination for quests. The instructions all are read aloud by a voice actress with a pleasant voice, in case the player can’t, or doesn’t feel like, reading. The controls are exceedingly simple and mostly involve clicking or moving the mouse.

The only other annoying factor was when I, playing on a free account, would suddenly run into a members’ only option. For example, be prepared to purchase Station Cash or a $3.99 Free Realms Trading Card Game booster pack if you want your character to have a pet.

Free stands for free to do almost anything you want.

Since there are so many different jobs to do and ways to play Free Realms, it’s a very subjective experience. Good thing it’s basically free. If any element of the game sounds even remotely interesting to you, you can sign up and give it a try. If you don’t like it, there’s no need to commit to it.

If you do enjoy it, and find it would make a good diversion for you or a child you know, then you can consider paying options for the game. The $3.99 Free Realms Trading Card Game booster packs come with a virtual reward card to unlock an item or pet and 50 Station Cash that you could use to buy a character a virtual pet. The subscription is also fairly reasonable at only $4.99 per month.

The best course of action is to experience it yourself. I doubt you’ll be disappointed. Unless you have dial-up, or extremely slow cable or broadband internet - then you’ll face certain defeat.

Site [Free Realms]

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