Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures does well to stand apart in a market dominated by World of Warcraft. There have been some well-constructed competitors, yet even the most successful seem to be missing that certain something that drives millions towards WoW. Age of Conan is another worthy alternative, with a level of depth both in graphical fidelity and gameplay that few other MMOs have accomplished. Yes, the title was plagued by launch bugs and still features some, but as time has gone on, most if not all of the serious ones have been patched. What really sets Age of Conan apart is that it's a story driven game that happens to feature an incredibly strong and interesting narrative.

Starting out in the city of Tortage, players are immediately drawn into Conan's surprisingly fresh and well-written story. Told through in-engine cutscenes and narrated with top-notch voiceovers, even NPC chats that are typically ignored seem interesting. Several of the early level quests are given by memorable characters that help to shed some light on the world itself. It's refreshing that even early fetch quests received such special attention from the developers, and when coupled with the surprisingly good voice acting, it makes these moments all the more memorable.

The combat system is one of the most engaging parts of Age of Conan.

When it comes to allowing players to make their own mark on the world, Age of Conan provides a lot of options as to how an avatar will look and interact with the environment. Players can choose from a number of cosmetic choices. Nearly any physical feature can be tweaked - even nose length - and loading up the player with tattoos or other accessories does well to make each character unique. Additionally, players can pick from three separate homelands: Aqulonia, Conan's own Cimmeria, or Stygia, which are then augmented though twelve very different classes, with some available only to specific races. Each of these classes are fleshed out with distinctly different feels, so players of nearly any play type will be able to find some class to enjoy. Most importantly, not only are these classes different in their general approach to the game, but there is a nice variety of them to be found throughout the lands, so issues like the super Shaman's of Warcraft are avoided.

The biggest difference in Age of Conan's gameplay lies in its unique and somewhat challenging battle system. Instead of the typical point and click interface of its counterparts, the battle system is timing-based. Here, the number keys are utilized for combat, and they really add a huge amount of variety to every battle. If a player is at a similar level to his opponent, the skill a player has in controlling the combat actually makes a dramatic difference in the outcome. Additionally, enemies can block and cast attacks, so it's important to pay close attention and attack them in their vulnerable spots; otherwise they will make short work of you, especially when in large numbers.

Combos eventually become an important aspect of the gameplay because their mastery can dramatically alter the course of combat. Combos are not simple one or two button affairs but rather a series of successive strikes that follow on-screen prompts. As players progress in the game, these become more complicated, and this stands as one of the few MMOs where combat must be watched closely or the results will be deadly. Thankfully, when done correctly, they can also be a great tool for landing gore-filled killing blows. Generally, even when not used for brutal murder, they will knock opponents back, stunning them or slowing them down at the least. These combos are even important in a group dynamic because the importance of working together is now far more paramount than in most MMORPGs. Staying alive can be a feat in and of itself, and having teammates that know what they are doing really make a difference.

As players progress, new abilities are gained through progression. However, more often than not, rather than gain new spells, more powerful versions of the ones previously researched are unlocked. At level ten, feat points also come into play, which can then be used to train from three separate skill trees. Although this helps to add some variety to the characters, another issue arises because of game's design. Creation skills are only accessible at level forty, which means that the first forty levels have little to no variety in that regard. Although the combat system is entertaining, the lack of discernible reason to push forward in this manner hurts the overall game. Even the loot picked up from enemies acts as little incentive to push through the levels, as its usefulness is severely lacking in some cases, while in others, finding inventory room to store it is difficult. Conan suffers from some of the smallest inventory space in RPG history, and even an additional bag offers little help. It's incredibly discouraging to go through the effort of fighting enemies to not even be able to carry the items left behind from battle.

Environments look and sound superb.

Graphically, this game is gorgeous. Each individual blade of grass in a bloody field tells a story, just the same as every dark alleyway in the most heavily populated cities. It's certainly a bit of a graphical hog, yet unlike some games, it never feels wasted, because everything looks fantastic. Sound design is equally impressive. All the audio is progressive and sweeping; combat music drives the action hard, dramatically altering the feel of the game. Each area covered as players traverse Cimmeria has its own distinct feel, from the sound of footsteps on fallen snow, to the thuds and clangs of battle. The border kingdoms even feature their own ethereal sounds, with voices overtop of gentle and beautiful, yet eerie, music. Both the audio and the visuals are incredible, and together form a presentational package that few MMOs can compete with.

In the end, Age of Conan is still not a finished product. There are still some bugs that need to be worked out, and the leveling system feels as though it should be entirely revamped. Still, its well-crafted story, great graphics, and challenging gameplay make Age of Conan a great choice for those who have become jaded by the massive juggernaut that is World of Warcraft.