Not because I am qualified or anything, but because I've decided that one of them is heading for the tower of dusty never played jewel cases (in a fashionable Pisa-style lean), and the other will reside in honor stacked with D2x, Op Flash, and Combat Mission, and I want to share.

The winner: WW2OL.
The deciding factor: Its fun. Damn fun. And apparently getting better. I haven't played the latest patch yet, but the forum seems happy about it, and they've added grenades (can't wait to start blowing my own squaddies up through incompentence). It will surely continue to improve.

Secondary factor: I can play anytime I want, for as little time as I want, and its still fun. No stats or levels to worry about. Everyone chatting together the second you leave the barracks. God bless Co-op and head to head.


The loser: Anarchy Online

The deciding factor: the gameplay is boring. I'm beyond the old school D&D style, roll initiative, roll to hit, enemy roll to hit, rinse, repeat. Its just so slow and unrealistic, and dated. Especially when you compare it to the latest shooters and D2. They could have still have built the same game, and if they had added a cooler combat setting it would be a lot of fun. It stinks as is though.

The secondary factor: this is the massively multiplayer version of Black and White. It looks so damn good, but the fun just isn't there. I could build up to 200th level (if I quit my job), but would it really be worth it. Why? Why feed the villagers? I'm 4th level, and I'm super board. And its costing me money. Forget that.

And the kiss of death? In AO, I was in a city only a few klicks from the ocean, and I wanted to see it, because it must look awesome, but there was an invisible barrier where they've apparently not finished the world. I couldn't get there. In contrast, I've never seen the ocean in WW2OL (I'm sure it looks like your computer has come to the blue screen of death end of the world), but I've never been so board I thought I'ld try and go there.

There you have it.

Interesting. Yeah, I'd suspect WWII Online would attract a more dedicated core group of players. AO should attract some too, though, being the first sci-fi MMOG.

I played AO in beta and thought it was ok, but it was just running around killing stuff and leveling. I've done that treadmill in EQ and I'm just not ready to do it again. At this point I want a different experience in an MMOG. Maybe the PvP stuff in Shadowbane will be for me? I never thought so before, but I'm a bit bored with MMOGs right now.